Starting Five - Storylines for the Weekend
1) The No. 22 Missouri State Lady Bears continue a three-game road swing this weekend with games at Indiana State at 6 p.m. Friday and Evansville at 1 p.m. Sunday. Despite MSU's school-record 13-game MVC road win streak ending last Friday in a two-point loss at Southern Illinois, the Lady Bears are still 38-6 overall since Dec. 20, 2018, ranking seventh nationally in total wins since that date.
2) The Lady Bears have shot 40 percent or better 15 times and scored at least 68 points in 16 of 17 games this season. Through Jan. 21, MSU ranks 21st nationally in scoring offense (76.6), 13th in 3-point percentage (.380), 36th in field goal percentage (.448) and 35th in foul shooting (.754).
3) Missouri State has won the rebounding battle in 15 of 17 games this season and owns a plus-8.9 margin on the glass this year after ranking second in school history at plus-8.3 last season. The Lady Bears rank fifth nationally in defensive rebounding rate at .760, and 22nd in rebound margin.
4) The Lady Bears are off to their best start since the 2003-04 team opened 20-1, and best home start at 8-0 since that same club finished 17-0 in Springfield. Missouri State's 10 wins prior to MVC play are the most in school history.
5) MSU is 16-3 in its last 19 true road games, 22-4 in the last 26 games away from home, and 35-8 in the last 43 away conference contests. The Lady Bears had their 13-game conference road win streak snapped last week at SIU, and Missouri State's other recent losses away from home were at the hands of No. 6 Stanford in the 2019 Sweet 16, No. 7 Oregon State in the 2019 Preseason WNIT championship game, and 17th-ranked Gonzaga, all by 12 points or fewer.
Series Histories
The Lady Bears are 61-18 all-time against Indiana State, their most wins against any opponent, and have won 12 in a row in the series. MSU is 25-12 in Terre Haute.
    Missouri State owns a 42-13 series lead against Evansville with a 17-9 road record. The Lady Bears have won 10 of the last 11 against the Purple Aces, including the last four, five in a row in Evansville, and are 2-0 in Meeks Family Fieldhouse by an average score of 91.5-54.5.
Scouting Indiana State
Indiana State is 2-16 overall and 0-6 in league play with an entirely new roster from a season ago. Seven different Sycamores average between 6.4 and 9.4 points per game, and ISU scores 60.8 points per game. The Sycamores allow 71.8 points on average and shoot 37.9 percent overall, 27.7 percent on 3-pointers and 61.9 percent at the foul line with a minus-1.8 rebound margin.
Scouting Evansville
Evansville is 3-15 overall and 0-7 in MVC play. Freshman Abby Feit leads the Purple Aces with 14.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, and Jada Poland adds 9.3 points and 5.6 boards. As a team, UE scores 60.5 points per game and allows 74.3, shooting 37.2 percent overall, 28.1 percent on 3-pointers and 65.8 percent at the foul line with a minus-8.4 rebound margin.
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