Nov. 17, 2011
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Missouri State Lady Bears (1-1/0-0 MVC) vs. Kansas State Wildcats (2-0/0-0 Big 12)
Date: Friday, Nov. 18, 2011
Tip: 7:05 p.m. (Central)
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Site: Bramlage Coliseum (12,528)
Radio: KTXR 101.3 FM
TV: KN22 in Kansas State market
Live Audio: RadioSpringfield.com
Live Stats:
Game Overview
The Missouri State Lady Bears (1-1, 0-0 MVC) continue their difficult season-opening stretch Friday at 7:05 p.m. with a visit to Kansas State (2-0, 0-0 Big 12). The Lady Bears are playing their third consecutive opponent that ended its 2011 season in the NCAA Tournament, and open the 2011-12 campaign with five consecutive games and six of the first seven against teams that made the postseason a year ago.
Friday's game will be head coach Nyla Milleson's second time coaching against her alma mater. The Lady Bears lost 64-60 at Kansas State in 2009.
Series History
Missouri State trails Kansas State 11-3 in the all-time series but has one three of the last four meetings. The Wildcats captured a 64-60 victory on Dec 5, 2009, in the last meeting between the schools. In that game, the Lady Bears rolled to a 39-24 halftime lead but could not hold on. Christiana Shorter had 15 points for MSU.
Prior to 2009, Missouri State won in 1990, 1991 and 1995, and just six meetings have taken place since 1988.
ee throw percentage, while Boshe and Soldner have each played in at least 95 games in a Lady Bear uniform.
Scouting Kansas State
Kansas State is 2-0 this season with a pair of dominating home victories - 54-20 over Dartmouth and 59-46 over BYU. Including two exhibitions, the Wildcats have yet to allow more than 51 points in a game.
Tasha Dickey (11.5) and Jalana Childs (11.0), are the only players averaging in double figures for KSU, which is shooting 35.2 percent from the floor, 17.5 percent from three-point land, and 66.7 percent from the free throw line.
The Wildcats own a +16 rebounding margin and have forced 44 turnovers in two games. Opponents are shooting just 24.1 percent overall and 3-for-30 from long range.
Quick Hits
• With 13 points Sunday versus Louisville, Jaleshia Roberson now has 993 for her career, moving her into 21st place on MSU's career scoring list and seven points away from becoming the 21st member of the 1,000-point club.
• Seniors Lacey Boshe and Casey Garrison played in their 100th career games Sunday against Louisville.
• Missouri State has played 100 games since the current five-member senior class got to campus for the 2008-09 season. Of the 500 starting spots available in those 100 games, members of this season's roster have accounted for 399, or 79.8 percent.
Five players on the roster have started at least 57 games, six have started at least 27, and all five seniors have appeared in at least 94 games in their careers.
• Junior Christiana Shorter has started the first 69 games of her career, leading the Lady Bears in rebounding in 34 of those with 17 double-doubles.
• Missouri State is in the midst of a three-game stretch to open the season against schools that made the NCAA Tournament in 2011. Louisiana Tech (28), Louisville (26) and Kansas State (46) also finished last year with RPIs of 46 or better.
Missouri State's fourth and fifth opponents, Oral Roberts and Arkansas-Little Rock, made the WNIT and NCAA fields, respectively, last season, and the Lady Bears will not face a team that failed to qualify for postseason play in 2011 until a Dec. 6 home game against East Tennessee State. With a trip to Oklahoma State to follow, MSU will play six 2011 postseason squads in its first seven games.
• Including the three exhibition games, the Lady Bear defense has yet to allow an opponent to make more than five three-pointers in a game. The opposition is connecting on 22.7 percent of its shots from beyond the arc, making 20 treys in 88 attempts.
