When driving down Battlefield or Campbell, you’ll often find the smiling faces of Lacy Stokes or Kaemyn Bekemeier on a billboard, two southwest Missouri women’s basketball favorites pitching a dentist, or somewhere you can get a deal on a used car.
When attending a Missouri State women’s basketball game, you know you’ll see Stokes, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year who hails from Mount Vernon, with a killer look in her eyes when trying to put a game away late. Fans are also starting to see the rise of Bekemeier, a sophomore out of Republic, develop into an exciting star for the future.
The Lady Bears’ billboard girls combined for 48 points in their 85-78 win over Murray State on Saturday afternoon at Great Southern Bank Arena. It’s the team’s second straight victory, both coming against two of the better teams in the Missouri Valley Conference, after beating Belmont on Thursday.
“We had to just come out together and realize that these two were must-haves,” Bekemeier, who scored a career-high 20 points, said. “Our focus in practice was just way higher, knowing that the stakes were a little higher. We play pretty good under pressure.”
Missouri State is now 10-4 overall with a 2-1 record in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Lady Bears bounced back from an MVC-opening loss at Illinois Chicago on Dec. 29. They will now have three winnable games before a crucial two-game homestand against league-contending Drake and Northern Iowa on Jan. 24 and 26.
Missouri State women’s basketball’s Kaemyn Bekemeier taking steps
Bekemeier has had good offensive games for the Lady Bears, but her aggression on Saturday afternoon was reminiscent of when she took over games when playing for Republic down the street just two years ago.
The sophomore scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. She finished with 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
“She was hot, and every time I came down the court, I was trying to get something for (Kaemyn),” Stokes said. “Seeing her in a role like that just gives all of our teammates confidence in them. We have a really good chemistry, so when someone’s going, everybody’s full-force trying to get behind them.”
Bekemeier now ranks fourth on the team in scoring at 10.2 points per game. She’s the first player off the bench and has now scored 15 or more three times this season.
Lady Bears coach Beth Cunningham praised Bekemeier’s defense, noting how much she’s grown since the beginning of her freshman year. She’s been tasked with guarding some of the best guards the Lady Bears have faced. She helped them hold the Racers, who averaged 90.5 points per game entering Saturday, to 78.
“We’re asking her to guard some of the best guards in our league,” Cunningham said. “And the way she’s rebounding is changing the game for us. She’s really consistently doing all of those things. It was great to see her come out and get a flow, continue to build that confidence, and have that aggressive mentality. That’s what Kaemyn does.”
Lacy Stokes continues to be the Lady Bears’ killer
Stokes continues to be the heartbeat of the Lady Bears, scoring 28 points with 13 coming in the fourth quarter to put the Racers away. Cunnigham calls her an “Energizer bunny” because of her relentless effort, but she can also sense when Stokes is ready to go in for the kill and win her team the game.
Against the Racers, Cunningham prepared Stokes, knowing Murray State would want to defend her differently than others and would try to take her out of her rhythm. Stokes countered by getting open looks from deep, making all four of her shots from 3, and then getting some open looks in the paint.
It led her to a 28-point performance, the most she’s scored in a Lady Bears uniform.
“She just doesn’t stop,” Cunningham said. “She understands flow, understands pace, when to turn it off and when to settle and execute because she’s used to going a million miles an hour all the time. But yeah, when she goes in for the kill, it’s hard to stop.”
Missouri State women’s basketball finds momentum after dropping first MVC game
Following a 69-62 loss at Illinois Chicago, the Lady Bears needed back-to-back wins over Belmont and Murray State. They now face Southern Illinois, Evansville, and Indiana State, which are three of the four worst teams in the MVC this season.
Three wins are needed before the team plays Drake and Northern Iowa, both unbeaten in league play, in a home series. The Lady Bears will have a four-game stretch in late February, with trips to UNI, Drake, Murray State, and Belmont, which might decide their chances at a league title.
Missouri State found some momentum, and it could turn into a fun couple of months for the Lady Bears.
Maybe it’ll also result in a few more billboards for the local favorites.
“We have to get one together,” Stokes laughed. “If anyone would like to get me and Kaemyn on a billboard together, get that out there.”
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State women’s basketball getting hot behind Stokes, Bekemeier
