MSU Lady Bears

[BEARZ77]

Missouri State just doing Lady Bear things; absolutely destroyed a good Missouri WBB team in a cross state rivalry game 78-51. Lady Bears have gone thru some adversity and a tough noncon schedule,but are once emerging as one of the nations best WBB teams.

[BEARZ77]

Unfortunately for the LB's, they've now lost both starting frontcourt players [Hipp/Franklin] to season ending ACL injuries. Franklin was looking like a lock for MVC POY and possible All American if the LB's made a run in post season. Franklin has the option of a covid year next year, or like Hipp her career with MSU will come to an end. MSU started the year with great depth and talent on the frontline, but Duke transfer 6'3 Jennifer Ezeh has yet to play after coming back from 2 separate ACL surgeries while at Duke. She's schedued to make her 1st appearance in the league opener against Loyola. She could help bridge the gap if she is close to playing to her top 100 ranking coming out of HS, but hasn't played in 2 yrs. The LB's dominance the last 3 years was built on the backs of a frontcourt that was just too big and athletic for the rest of the Valley to compete with. It'll get back to that, but maybe not the rest of this year. We still do have 6'3 Abbi Jackson, the Auburn transfer, who plays like her top 100 ranking some nites and a 6'2 juco who is very raw, but will likely move 5'11 Sr do everything type Sydney Wilson to the pf spot. She's been playing like a all MVC candidate since Hipp went out. This should make the race open again for teams like UNI and Drake, but don't rule this LB team out.