Box Score (WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – Senior Saraethea Brown scored a game-high 14 points, but the Central Missouri Jennies struggled down the stretch in a 74-66 loss at the hands of the 21st-ranked Washburn Lady Blues.
      Washburn controlled most of the first half, taking a 12-point lead with 12:21 left. The Jennies answered with a 9-2 run to cut the Lady Blues advantage to 25-20 with 6:38 to play in the first half. The Lady Blues quickly took another double-digit lead at the five minute mark before the Jennies finished the first half on a 15-5 run, highlighted by three straight three-pointers from Renae Shippy, Taylor Hanson, and Brown, and the Jens went into the locker room with a 37-37 score.
      Central Missouri earned their first lead of the game, when Shippy's layup kicked off the second half, giving the Jennies a 39-37 edge. Another layup from Brown gave UCM their biggest lead, 43-39 with 18:21 to play, before Washburn answered with seven straight points, re-taking the lead.
      The Jens looked ready to take control of the game midway through the second half, going on a 9-0 run to take a 56-52 lead with 8:57 in the second half. UCM would go cold from that point on, however, hitting just two more field goals and shooting 25% over the last nine minutes. The Lady Blues used a 9-1 run to take the lead down the stretch, taking the game by a 74-66 score.
      Senior Alyssa Rhodes finished in double figures, scoring 10 points, while Brown pulled down a team-high four rebounds. With the loss, the Jennies fall to 2-4 in the MIAA, and 8-4 overall. The Jens are back in action Wednesday, January 4, when they host Fort Hays State at 5:30 p.m.