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ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – After an unfortunate ending to last season with Covid putting an end to Henderson State's post-season conference tournament prematurely, the Reddies feel they have unfinished business to attend to in 2021-22.
 
Henderson gets things rolling in Joplin, Missouri, in the GAC/MIAA Conference Challenge when HSU takes on host Missouri Southern Friday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The Reddies will follow that less than 24 hours later with Emporia State Saturday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m.
 
REDDIES REPORT
Henderson State comes into this season returning 10 players from last year's squad, including its two leading scorers in Maci Mains and Ashley Farrar. The Reddies also added five new faces to this year's group, including junior transfer Jasmine Bailey from Tarleton State.
 
The most tenured players on head coach Jill Thomas' squad this year are fifth-year seniors Karrington Whaley and Lani Snowden. Whaley, despite being in and out last year with injuries, finished 2020-21 with a 2.1 blocks-per-game average – the highest single-season block average in program history.
 
Last year, Snowden took on more of a facilitator role for the young group, compiling the second most assists on the team, while still averaging 8.9 points per game. In three of the final four regular season games, the Van Buren, Arkansas, native scored in double-digits, including a season-high 17 points in an upset victory over Arkansas Tech.
 
Mains was one of the most prolific scorers in all of Division II last year, finishing the year as only one four players in all DII, male or female, to score 35 or more points in two or more games. In addition to those scoring barrages, the senior guard put up 26 at Harding while going 5-for-8 from deep.
 
The Reddies and the Lions have not played since 2019. In that game, Snowden went a perfect 6-for-6 from the field, including 4-4 from three, for 16 points to lead HSU to victory. Whaley pitched in 10 points and also a pair of blocks. Gracie Raby, Farrar and Mains combined for seven points that day.
 
Henderson State and Missouri Southern have only played four times in the last quarter century, with the teams splitting the contests, 2-2. The Reddies have won the two most recent matchups, though the last time this meeting was held in Joplin, MSSU took the win, 79-69.
 
There have only been two all-time meetings between Henderson and Emporia St., with the Hornets seeing victory in both contests. In the last outing between the programs, ESU won in a neutral site venue, 62-59. Mains had 11 points and Farrar contributed 10 in the effort.    
 
SCOUTING MISSOURI SOUTHERN
Missouri Southern will have to replace five players from last season, including leading-scorer Carley Turnbull. MSSU does return scorers two through five, however, headlined by sophomore center Madi Stokes who averaged 10.3 points per game in 2020-21.
 
The Lions played Division I Wichita State in an exhibition game earlier this month. Despite losing 89-61, MSSU's Lacy Stokes, a freshman from Mount Vernon, Missouri, piled up the stat sheet with 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sophomore-transfer Cameron Call contributed 13 points to back up Stokes.
 
SCOUTING EMPORIA STATE
Emporia St. returns 10 of 11 players from last year's NCAA Tournament team, including leading scorer Tre'Zure Jobe (19.6 ppg). After finishing 2020-21 at 18-7, the Hornets faced Minnesota-Duluth in the first round of the NCAA Central Region, falling in overtime, 76-70.
 
In Emporia's lone exhibition game prior to the start of this season, the Hornets fell to the University of Notre Dame, 104-46. Jobe led the team with 15 points on 5-14 shooting. Ehlaina Hartman came through with eight points and four rebounds.
 
What To Watch For…
-Snowden comes into this season tied for fourth all-time with 153 made three-pointers. One three on Friday will put her solely in fourth while 21 more will get her past Linda Lyle for third all-time (173).
 
-Whaley holds a career 57.2 field goal percentage. With Marchelle Bonner holding the career record at 57.9%, the Springdale, Arkansas, native would need to claim a field goal percentage of 59.6 or higher to beat out Bonner. In her first two seasons at HSU, Whaley shot better than 60%.
 
-Mains (687), Snowden (760) and Whaley (827) all could reach 1,000 career points this season. Mains would need to average 11.2 points per game, Snowden 8.6 ppg and Whaley 6.2 ppg in order to reach the millennium mark.