SBU BEARCATS (3-15, 1-10 MIAA) vs
MISSOURI SOUTHERN LIONS (11-8, 5-7 MIAA)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2010 • 5:30 PM
BOLIVAR, MO • MEYER SPORTS CENTER
LIVE STATS: www.sidearmstats.com/sbuniv/wbball
RADIO:  KBFL 99.9 FM  (Josh Thompson, play-by-play)
INTERNET AUDIO: www.radiospringfield.com/kbfl.aspx
VIDEO: www.b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=296 (B2 networks pay-per-view)

SBU NOTES | MSSU NOTES   

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The SBU Bearcats look to get back on the winning track this weekend as they host the Missouri Southern Lions. The Bearcats have been close to breaking through as of late, as SBU has dropped the last four games by no more than seven points, and an average of four points each game. The Bearcat attack has been spread around the last few weeks, as SBU has seen three different players lead in scoring the last three games, all of which scored their career highs (Ashleigh Gallio with 20 points against Northwest Missouri, Chasity Prince with 24 against Missouri Western, and most recently, Courtney Heady, with 19 points against Central Missouri.)
   
Senior Rachel Graves continues to lead the Bearcats, scoring 12.5 points per game, 13th-most in the MIAA. Graves is also among the leaders in a few other key categories, including three-pointers made, (3rd, averaging 2.7 treys a game), three-point percentage, (3rd, at 38.7%) and minutes played per game (5th, with 31.2). 
        
Point guard Ashleigh Gallio is one of the MIAA's top passers, averaging 3.8 assists a game, ranking her fourth among the league leaders. Courtney Heady is a key component for SBU, scoring in double figures in 11 of the last 13 games, earning her a starting spot two weeks ago against Northwest Missouri. Heady's 10.9 points per game puts her 17th in the MIAA. Freshman forward Chasity Prince has heated up since earning a starting spot, averaging 16.3 points and 5.5 rebounds, since starting the last four games.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
SBU head coach J.C. Carter is in his second season on the bench for the Bearcats, where he has earned a career mark of 11-35. Last season, Carter led the 'Cats to an upset of nationally-ranked Emporia State on their own floor, and earned a berth into the MIAA Tournament. 
   
Maryann Mitts is the winningest head coach in Missouri Southern history. In nine seasons, Mitts has aquired a 145-99 record at Southern, and 218-147 overall. The Lions lead SBU in the all-time series, 36-17, and have won six of the last seven.

SCOUTING THE LIONS    
The Lions knocked off SBU in Joplin earlier this season by a narrow 62-61 score. The duo of guards of Jasmine Lovejoy and Jolea Apon scored 23 and 11 points against the Bearcats back in the December matchup. Lovejoy is the leading scorer for Southern, with 16.0 points per game. Lovejoy ranks fifth in the MIAA in rebounds as well, with 7.1 a game. Apon is the team's three-point specialist, hitting 2.7 threes a game (2nd in MIAA, just ahead SBU's Graves).

NEXT UP FOR THE SBU BEARCATS
The Bearcats will attempt to be the first team to come away from John Lance Arena with a win, as they face off against Pittsburg State on Wednesday night. The Gorillas have started off a perfect 8-0 at home, including an overtime upset over nationally ranked Washburn. DePrice Taylor and Nicole McCombs lead the Gorillas with 13.4 and 13.1 points a game each, good for 9th and 11th in the MIAA. DePrice Taylor's 1.9 steals a game is 7th in the conference, while McCombs also leads with a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game.