Missouri State

Honors: MVC Academic Honor Roll (2013).

2013-14: Started 26 games for the Lady Bears and played in all 31 with season averages of 3.4 points and 4.5 rebounds in 19 minutes per contest...Shot 25-for-50 overall in the 13 games from Dec. 19-Feb. 7...MSU[apos]s leading rebounder nine times while grabbing at least six boards on 13 occasions...Ranked second on the club with 138 total rebounds...Registered a career-high 10 rebounds in MSU[apos]s first-round MVC Tournament victory over Southern Illinois (March 13)...Had nine rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass, on Feb. 14 at UNI...Also had eight boards in the home game against UNI (Jan. 20) and against Bradley (Feb. 9)...Had career highs of six assists and five steals Jan. 18 against Drake...Scored in double figures in two games, posting career highs of 12 points and 29 minutes at North Texas (Dec. 29) to follow up a 10-point performance against SEMO on Dec. 21...Hit two 3-pointers in each of those games and 11 for the season in 33 attempts.

2012-13: Saw her role increase dramatically as the season progressed, seeing time in 28 games with five starting assignments...Averaged 2.1 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 42.1 percent from the field...Made first start and logged a then-career-high 12 minutes at SEMO (Dec. 21)...Beginning Jan. 19, scored in 11 consecutive games, totaling 47 points over that span after netting just 21 points in her first 30 career games...Recorded career highs in minutes (24), points (9) and rebounds (9) in her hometown at Drake (Feb. 16)...Shot 3-for-6 from the floor the next game against Southern Illinois (Feb. 21)...Handed out three assists Jan. 27 at Southern Illinois...Blocked two shots in the Lady Bears[apos] home victory over Evansville (Feb. 23)...Shot 24-of-57 overall and 4-of-12 from 3-point land.

2011-12: After playing in just three of Missouri State[apos]s first 12 games, Gaines took the floor in 13 of the season[apos]s final 21 contests, averaging 3.7 minutes while scoring 12 points and grabbing eight rebounds...Scored her first career basket at Evansville (Jan. 21), putting up three shots in a career-high eight minutes...Matched that stat line at home versus Southern Illinois (Feb. 19), and also scored against Illinois State (Jan. 29), Wichita State (Feb. 10), Bradley (March 3) and Memphis (March 17)...Blocked one shot on the year, Nov. 18 at Kansas State...Shot 6-for-18 overall in 59 total minutes.

Background: Gaines helped her Des Moines East squad to a perfect 26-0 season capped off by a 4A Iowa state title as a senior in 2010-11...Earned second-team all-state honors while contributing 11 points and six rebounds on a team that featured four Division I signees and compiled a 71-4 record over her final three prep seasons...Averaged 10 points and six rebounds for the Scarlets en route to earning first-team all-conference and all-region honors as part of a team that finished second at the Iowa state tournament...Competed in AAU ball for the All-Iowa Attack.

Personal: NiJay Caprice Gaines is the daughter of Lena Gaines...Born in Des Moines, Iowa...Has three sisters, Magon, Jessica and Keesha...Criminology major...Turned 21 in June.