Why Missouri State women’s basketball’s depth can be a difference maker this year

SPRINGFIELD — Missouri State (1-0) women’s basketball started the new season with a bang on Monday, Nov. 2. 

The Lady Bears defeated in-state opponent Southeast Missouri State 77-40. Prior to the game, a new banner was unveiled honoring Missouri State’s Conference USA Tournament title. 

Here are some takeaways from Missouri State’s opening night victory.

Lady Bears’ depth was a huge factor

Missouri State had 13 different scorers against SeMo. Lainie Douglas led the Lady Bears’ offense. She scored 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting.

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The Lady Bears dominated the inside. They scored 48 paint points along with 15 second-chance points. Kaemyn Bekemeier added 11 points, too. The two leaders were the only players to reach double figures.

“I thought we had a ton of balance across the board,” head coach Beth Cunningham said. “The strength of our team can certainly be our depth and versatility. I think we showed that tonight.”

The team interchanged lineups often, showcasing the team’s depth. This is an area the Lady Bears think will be very impactful this season, especially as games continue to stack.

“It was a great team win,” Douglas said. “We fed off of each other and the energy was great. It was a good first win for our season.”

Different ways to score the ball key

Missouri State’s offense was held to just 2-for-12 from behind the 3-point arc. The Lady Bears pivoted and attacked the paint. Throughout the game, Missouri State never pressed offensively. They played to what SeMo gave them, which were easy baskets in the lane.

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“Our goal is to take advantage of whatever teams give us,” Cunningham said. “If they take one thing away, hopefully we’ll counter it with something us.”

The team’s ability to finish around the rim was huge in the victory. It also shows what a dynamic offense can do. The 3-point shots will fall, but setting a base of attacking the lane will be key in future games for Missouri State.

“You’ll see the 3-ball eventually this season,” Bekemeier said with a smile. “It was just how they guarded us tonight. They were all over us on the perimeter. We were taking what they were giving us.”

Lady Bears’ defensive intensity shines

Missouri State forced 18 turnovers, which led to 27 points. The Lady Bears forced the Redhawks to shoot just 26.9% from the field and 20% from behind the arc.

The team’s on-ball defensive pressure was key, according to Cunningham. She credited guards Landon Forbes and JaNyla Bush for their efforts

“I thought the defensive pressure by Landon and Nyla was outstanding,” Cunningham said. “I thought their pressure on the ball was good, which let everybody else kind of settle in.”

Logan-Rogersville alum Hailey Buckman features for SeMo

SeMo’s Hailey Buckman entered the game to a rousing ovation during the first quarter. The freshman guard from Rogersville played a game-high 32 minutes.

Buckman finished with five points, two rebounds and two assists. Buckman graduated from Logan-Rogersville last spring. She is the all-time leading scorer in program history and was a two-time all-state pick.

Missouri State heads to Wyoming this weekend

After the opening night victory, the Lady Bears will take on Wyoming (0-1) away from home at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. The Cowgirls lost 84-50 to Santa Clara on Monday.

“We’ll go to work on that and we have to handle going on the road and continue to get better,” Cunningham said.

After the Wyoming game, Missouri State’s road trip will continue to Wichita State at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Liam Keating covers high school sports and Missouri State athletics for The Springfield News-Leader. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@usatodayco.com

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Why Missouri State women’s basketball’s depth can be a difference maker this year