Stokes: Lady Bears are team centric

SPRINGFIELD, Mo–In a little more than two weeks, Beth Cunningham will be starting her third season at the Lady Bear helm.

She’s won 20 or more games in each of her first two seasons.

And Cunningham is looking to do better this season.

In our Bear Nation report, the Missouri Valley Conference held a zoom media day Wednesday for women’s basketball.

Cunningham likes the makeup of this year’s team.

It has a blend of returning players, and new faces that have college experience.

One player who she’s also excited about is point guard Lacy Stokes.

Last season, Stokes was the Valley’s Newcomer of the Year.

This year, she’s a preseason first team All-Valley player.

The Mt. Vernon product, who transferred in from Missouri Southern, says the Lady Bears are going into the season with the right attitude on and off the floor.

“I think we have a lot of competitors like coach said. Everybody wants to win. But we also want to do what’s best for the team. I think we’re going to be a team-centric team. No individual wants. But we all want the same thing. So everyone’s playing for each other. And playing hard for each other,” said Stokes.

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