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Women's Basketball 11/28/2013 9:31:00 AM

No. 5 Jennies head to Arkansas to play Harding, Arkansas Tech

No. 5 Central Missouri Jennies (5-0) at Harding University Lady Bisons (5-0)

Friday, Nov. 29, 2013 | 5:30 p.m. (CST)
Searcy, Ark. | Rhodes Field House (3,000)
TV: Harding TV16
Radio: Central Missouri Sports Network
Listen Live | Live Stats | UCM Game Notes

Twitter Updates: @UCMMULES
Join the conversation: #teamUCM

No. 5 Central Missouri Jennies (5-0) at Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (4-0)
Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013 | 2 p.m. (CST)
Russellville, Ark. | Tucker Coliseum (3,500)
TV: None
Radio: Central Missouri Sports Network
Listen Live | Live Stats | UCM Game Notes

Twitter Updates: @UCMMULES
Join the conversation: #teamUCM

Next up for the Jennies

The No. 5 ranked Jennies will travel to Arkansas for a brief two-game trip to play Harding University on Friday, November 29 at 5:30 p.m. Their road trip will culminate with a matchup at Arkansas Tech on Sunday, December 1 for a 2 p.m. tipoff. The Jennies basketball team is off to its third-consecutive 5-0 start - a school record. Central Missouri will go for wins No. 20 and 21 in 22 tries against non-conference opponents. The team is seeking their best start since the 2011-12 campaign when they started the season 7-0. UCM is 1-0 against Harding all-time and is 3-1 against Arkansas Tech. The Jennies and Arkansas Tech met last season on December 30, 2012, with the Jennies winning, 76-71.

Last Time Out

The Jennies defeated Evangel, 93-47 at the Multipurpose Building on November 26. A fast start pushed the Jennies in front, 16-4, aided by 10 quick points from Shelby Winkelmann. The Jennies went into halftime with a 45-17 advantage and kept the momentum in the second half. Evangel cut the lead to 22 with 15:19 remaining but the Crusaders were unable to close the gap any further. Four Jennies finished with double-figure points, led by Keuna Flax who scored 19. Revonnia Howard recorded her first double-double with 16 points and 13 boards.

Coach Slifer Honored

Last season, Jennies head coach Dave Slifer was named the WBCA Central Region Coach of the Year last year, guiding the team to a 24-6 record and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. UCM recorded its first undefeated season at home for the first time since 1988-89. The 24 victories were the most in a single season for the program since 1989-90. The team's second-place finish in the MIAA regular season standings was their best since 1999-00.

Slifer By The Numbers

Slifer is 34th on the all-time wins list for all division coaches with 558.

Slifer is sixth among all Division II coaches with 558 wins and is eighth among all Division II coaches with a .740 winning percentage.

Offensive Output

This season, the Jennies are averaging 84.0 points per game with a scoring margin of plus-23 through five games.

Last season, the team averaged 71.5 points per contest with a scoring margin of plus-6.4.

Strong Defensive Effort

In the last two games, the Jennies defense has allowed 45 and 47 points to Rollins College and Evangel, respectively. The last time the Jennies allowed fewer than 50 points in back-to-back games was December 12 and 18, 2006 against Evangel and Barry University (won both games, 67-34 and 69-47).

Flax Off To A Fast Start

Through the first four games this season, Keuna Flax is averaging 22.4 points and 6.6 rebounds. She is shooting .688 from the field (44-of-64) and has sank 19-of-26 free throws (73.1 percent). She leads the Jennies with five double-figure scoring games this season.

Last season, the 5-11 Haltom City, Texas native led the Jennies to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament, finishing first in the MIAA in scoring at 19.7 points per game in 23 contests, earning All-America honors.

Last season, she finished tied for second on the team with 22 double-figure scoring performances (one behind BreAnna Lewis).

BreAnna Lewis From Deep

Senior guard BreAnna Lewis registered 88 three-pointers during the 2012-13 season. The 88 shots made from beyond the three-point arc placed her second on the Jennies' single-season list (four behind Jessica Burkholder in 1996-97 season).

After five games this season, Lewis has converted eight three-pointers, bumping her three-point career total to 96 – eighth on the Jennies' all-time list.

The Return of Winkelmann

After leading the Jennies offense during the first eight games of the 2012-13 season, freshman Shelby Winkelmann suffered a season-ending injury during the win over Dixie State on Dec. 18, 2013. Winkelmann was averaging 17.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, the Jennies' leading scorer at the time.

Last season, Winkelmann recorded the third-highest scoring output in a game in Jennies history with 42 against Emporia State on Dec. 8.

Winkelmann is the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 13.0 points (25-of-61 from field) through the first five games this season. She has reached double-figures in scoring in four of five games this season.

Wattley's Ball Control

Last season, guard Brielle Wattley held the team's highest assist-turnover ratio at 1.5 (57 assists to 37 turnovers). She has 13 assists and seven turnovers (1.8 turnover ratio) in the first five games of the 2013-14 campaign.

Big Shoes To Fill

Junior transfer Revonnia Howard has started this season at forward as the team replaces the graduated Nicole Caddell, the program's eighth all-time leading rebounder (704).

Howard is averaging 9.8 rebounds through five games this season (including a season-high 13 against Evangel). She has a team-leading 18 offensive boards. She recorded her first double-double of the season on Nov. 26 against Evangel with a 16-point, 13-rebound performance.

The Lone Freshman

Incoming freshman guard Andee Wahlert enters this season as the only freshman on the Jennies' roster. The St. Joseph, Mo. native and Benton High School product was a four-year varsity letterwinner on the girls varsity team at Benton and served as a three-time captain. Wahlert is averaging 3.6 points and 0.8 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game this season. She also has five steals and 11 assists, while shooting 67 percent from three-point range (4-of-6).

Embray's Defense

Junior guard Breonna Embray was a defensive staple for the Jennies in tight games last season. In games decided by four points or less, the Jennies finished 9-1 with Embray on the floor. Embray is averaging 17.0 minutes this season, making one of three field goals and turning in a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe.

Twine Shines in 2012-13

Senior guard Quinnecia Twine has been coming off the bench with Winkelmann back in the starting five. The Atlanta, Ga. native started 22 games, averaging 7.7 points, including a 24-point, eight-rebound performance back on Feb. 7 against Central Oklahoma last season. Through the first five games this season, she is averaging 8.8 points, shooting 16-of-39 from the field (41 percent) and has four steals.

Excelling in the Classroom

The Jennies experienced plenty of success both on and off the court last season with seven MIAA Academic Honor Roll selections, for earning at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Junior Kiersten Orton and freshman Shelby Winkelman each won the the MIAA Academic Excellence Award, which recognizes student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA. The award was the third for Orton.

MIAA Preseason Polls

After a second-place regular season finish a year ago, the Jennies debuted at No. 1 in the 2013-14 MIAA Preseason Media Poll, and No. 2 in the Coaches Poll. The Jennies enter the season ahead of Fort Hays State in both polls, after finishing ahead of the Tigers in the final 2012-13 MIAA Standings and eliminating FHSU in the MIAA Tournament semifinals. UCM tallied fewer votes than Emporia State in the preseason coaches poll, but garnered more points than the Lady Hornets in the preseason media poll. Washburn, who finished in first place in last year's regular season standings, but were eliminated in the MIAA Tournament semifinals by Emporia State, were picked to finish third in both the preseason coaches and media poll. Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State placed fourth and fifth to round out the top five teams in both polls.

UCM in the Polls

The Jennies moved up a spot to No. 5 in this week's WBCA USA Today Sports Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll. The No. 5 ranking is the highest the Jennies have ever been ranked since the poll's debut in 1995-96. After opening the season earning 466 points, the Jens have garnered 604 points in the most recent poll. The Jennies are one of three MIAA schools in the Top 25 for the third-consecutive week (Emporia State at No. 3; Washburn at No. 20).

UCM Program History

The UCM Jennies are 854-355 (.706) after 43 seasons, and 653-266 (.710) in the 31 seasons since joining NCAA Division II ... the Jennies have won 9 MIAA regular season championships, 7 MIAA Tournament titles, 6 NCAA regional titles, and the 1984 NCAA Division II Championship.

Series History with Harding University

Central Missouri leads the all-time series, 1-0 ... The last time these two teams met was November 15, 2012 in Warrensburg, with the Jennies winning 78-62.

Series History with Arkansas Tech

Central Missouri leads the all-time series, 3-1 ... The last time these two teams met was December 30, 2012 in Warrensburg, with the Jennies winning 76-71.

A Win for the Jennies Would...

... start the Jennies season with a perfect 6-0 ... be the first 6-0 start since the 2011-12 season and the second under Coach Slifer ... give UCM its 20th win in 21 games against non-conference opponents. Should the Jennies defeat Harding, it would match the program's best start since the 2011-12 season (7-0) and would be the 20th win in 21 games against non-conference opponents. UCM would be in position to go for its 21st win in 22 games against non-conference foes when they face Arkansas Tech.

A Loss for the Jennies Would...

... be the first loss of the 2013-14 season ... mark just the second loss in 21 games against non-conference opponents... drop the Jennies road record to 0-1 for the first time since the 2010-11 season (lost on the road to Quincy on November 27, 2010). Should the Jennies lose both road games at Harding and Arkansas Tech, it would mark the first 0-2 road start since 2002-03 (lost at St. Joseph's State and at Indianapolis on Nov. 22 and 23, 2002).

Jennies on the Air

Central Missouri women's basketball can be caught throughout the season on 98.5 "The BAR," 1450 KOKO, and warrensburgradio.com as Greg Hassler provides play-by-play.

Fans can catch highlights each week on Central Missouri Sportspage, Thursday nights at 7 p.m., and Saturdays at 5 p.m. on KMOS-TV. Jennies fans can also tune in to 98.5 "The Bar" and 1450 KOKO each Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. for Central Missouri Sports Talk, with Greg Hassler and Bill Turnage. The pair will talk UCM athletics, as well as other hot topics in the sports world. Jennies coaches and players will drop in throughout the season as well.

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