Stokes’ big night not enough, Southern women fall short at Emporia State

EMPORIA, Kan. — Despite a memorable performance from Madi Stokes, the Missouri Southern women’s basketball team suffered a 73-62 loss at Emporia State on Saturday.
The Lions fell to 4-6.
A Cassville product, the 6-foot-3 Stokes scored a season-high 21 points and grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds to lead the Lions. It was her third double-double of the season and the 22 rebounds is tied for second-most in program history.
Carley Turnbull added 11 points for Southern, while Megan Jackson had seven points, six rebounds and three assists.
The Lions out-rebounded the Hornets 50-30.
Stokes’ 20-20 performance is the first for the MSSU women’s basketball program since Marie Scott did it against Missouri Valley on Nov. 24 of 1995. Scott had 24 points and 22 boards.
Emporia State, now 5-2, received 19 points from Fredricka Sheats, while Ehlaina Hartman added 17 and Karsen Schultz scored 15.
Up 22-17 at the end of the first quarter, the Hornets began the second period on an 11-0 run. Southern ended the first half on a 6-3 spurt to trim ESU’s halftime lead to 13 at 43-27.
The Lions went on a 9-0 run in the third quarter, trailing 53-43 entering the fourth quarter.
Amaya Johns’ old-fashioned 3-point play trimmed Southern’s deficit to six at 55-49 with nine minutes to play, but the Hornets responded with an 11-4 run.
Down 11 after two hoops from Stokes, the Lions could never get over the hump late in the game.
Southern hosts Fort Hays State at 5:30 on Thursday inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.