Nixa will put an 11-game COC winning streak on the line when the Lady Eagles open conference play Monday at Ozark.
The league’s favorites are Nixa (10-2) and Republic (11-1). Coach Jennifer Perryman suspects other teams will challenge for league supremacy.
Carl Junction is also 11-1
“I think in our conference any team on any given night (can win),” Perryman said. “There’s a lot of talent and the teams are very well coached. It’s going to be a rat race until the very end.
“I want to go to battle with my team and am looking forward to seeing if we can repeat,” she added.
Nixa's last COC loss was at Republic on Feb. 18, 2021. Overall, the Lady Eagles have won 15 straight against COC teams.
Other interesting Nixa numbers:
— Nixa will welcome the chance to close games out at the free-throw line. The Lady Eagles are shooting 71 percent on their freebies as a team and are averaging 17 free-throw attempts a game. Allison Jones, Lily Mahy, Norah Clark, Kinley Hammitt and Sade Conway are all shooting 70 percent or better.
— Clark has embraced her role as Nixa’s go-to girl. The senior forward has 138 field-goal attempts, next on the team is Mahy with 82.
— Jacy Bray has done a little of everything. The junior guard has collected 60 rebounds, six drawn charges, 38 assists and 16 steals.
— Mahy has made 20 of the team’s 36 3-point goals.
— Laila Grant is shooting 56 percent from field (28-of-50).
— Hammitt leads Nixa with 20 steals. The Lady Eagles average nine steals a game
— Nixa owns three straight wins against West Plains.
— Dating back to last season, Nixa has played nine games against out-of-state competition over 41 games. The out-of-state games include three opponents from Arkansas, two from Tennessee and one each from Nebraska, Kentucky, Illinois and Mississippi.
— The Lady Eagles’ first two games of the new year are on the road, then they will have seven straight home games.
Come late February, Nixa will serve as host for a Class 6 District 5 field that will also include Ozark, Republic, Kickapoo, Joplin, Glendale, Neosho and Carthage.
