BATESVILLE, Ark. – The 20th-ranked Lyon College women's basketball team will open up its 2019-20 season with a non-conference home game on Thursday night against Champion Christian College. The Scots and Tigers are set to tip-off at 6 p.m. inside Becknell Gymnasium. Thursday night's game will also be this year's 'Furry Frenzy Toy Toss' game.
THE MATCHUP
LYON: The Scots return two NAIA All-Americans and three all-conference selections to their roster. Seniors, Madison Riley and Liz Henderson, will look to lead the Scots once again this season after both players were named as NAIA All-Americans last season. Riley was named to the third-team, while Henderson was selected as an honorable mention. Riley led the Scots in scoring last season, averaging 14.7 points per game. She also finished with the most assists and steals on the team with 158 and 52, respectively. Riley earned First-Team All-American Midwest Conference accolades. Henderson finished second on the team in scoring with 12.9 points per game. Henderson also finished second on the team in rebounds per game (6.4), assists (108), steals (38) and three-point field goals made (70). She was a Second-Team All-AMC selection. Katie Turner joined Riley and Henderson on the list of all-conference selections last season for the Scots as a member of the All-Freshman Team. Turner got her collegiate career off to a strong start as she averaged 9.3 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game.
CCC: Champion Christian College enters Thursday night's game at 1-1 on the season. The Tigers opened up the year with an 85-74 victory over Crowley's Ridge College before dropping a road game at Texas A&M-Texarkana by a score of 78-58. Destiny Gonzalez led the Tigers in their win at CRC as she dropped a game-high 41 points on 13-of-17 shooting. She finished 6-of-9 from beyond the arc and 9-of-12 at the charity stripe. She grabbed 14 total rebounds to secure a double-double.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the first meeting between the Scots and Tigers in the history of the two programs.
FURRY FRENZY TOY TOSS
The 2019 Lyon College Furry Frenzy Toy Toss, which benefits the United Way's Angel Tree program, putting Christmas gifts in the hands of children less fortunate, has been set for Thursday night. Fans will gain entrance to the game for FREE if they bring a new stuffed toy to toss when the Lyon women's team scores its first points of the game- that's when the fur will fly. There will be games, giveaways and much, much more on that night. Start making plans now to come to the event, enjoy a great night of basketball and help children in Independence County have a Merry Christmas this year.
UP NEXT FOR THE SCOTS
Following Thursday night's game, the No. 20 Scots will travel to the College of Ozarks Classic in Point Lookout, Mo., on Nov. 15-16. The Scots will face John Brown on Nov. 15 at 5:30 p.m. before taking on the host, Lady Bobcats, on Nov. 16 at 4 p.m.
Women's Basketball Contact: Matt Jagodzinski | 870-307-7516 | matthew.jagodzinski@lyon.edu
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