No. 8 Jennies to visit conference foes, Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State this week

No. 8 Central Missouri Jennies (7-1, 1-0 MIAA) at Central Oklahoma Bronchos (6-3, 1-1 MIAA)

Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013 | 5:30 p.m.
Edmond, Okla. | Hamilton Field House (3,000)
TV: None
Radio: Central Missouri Sports Network
Listen Live | Live Stats | UCM Game Notes

Twitter Updates: @UCMMULES
Join the conversation: #teamUCM

No. 8 Central Missouri Jennies (7-0, 1-0 MIAA) at Northeastern State RiverHawks (4-5, 1-1 MIAA)
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013 | 1:30 p.m.
Tahlequah, Okla. | NSU Event Center (3,100)
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 eighth-ranked Jennies (7-1, 1-0 MIAA) will travel to Oklahoma for a pair of MIAA matchups with the Central Oklahoma Bronchos (6-3, 1-1 MIAA) and the Northeastern State RiverHawks (4-5, 1-1 MIAA). UCM and UCO will battle on Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m., while the game with NSU will take place on Dec. 21 at 1:30 p.m. Last season, the Jennies went 2-0 against these two teams (63-52 win on Jan. 9 in Warrensburg against NSU; 87-75 win on Feb. 7 in Edmond against UCO).

Last Time Out

Central Missouri opened its MIAA schedule with a convincing 72-51 victory over Fort Hays State in Warrensburg on Dec. 5. The Jennies shot 41.5% from the floor (27-of-65), while holding Fort Hays State to 28.1% shooting (16-of-57) and outscoring the Tigers 40-20 in the paint. Keuna Flax finished as the team's leading scorer for the seventh time in eight games with 18 points and added 12 rebounds and two blocks for her first double-double of the season. Howard and Shelby Winkelmann each added 14.

Slifer By The Numbers

Slifer is 34th on the all-time wins list for all division coaches with 560.

Slifer is sixth among all Division II coaches with 560 wins and is eighth among all Division II coaches with a .739 winning percentage. Slifer earned his 560th career win in UCM's last game on Dec. 5 against Fort Hays State.

Defense, Defense, Defense

Through the first eight games of the 2013-14 season, the Jennies defense is holding opponents to a .367 field goal percentage (170-of-463), third-lowest in the MIAA.

Jennies On The Road

This season, the Jennies are 2-1 and are averaging 74.0 points per contest, compared to an average of 86.5 points per game in four games (4-0) at the Multipurpose Building. Last season, UCM went 6-4 on the road and averaged 69.2 points per game, versus a 72.9 points per game output in 14 home games.

Offensive Output

This season, the Jennies are averaging 80.1 points per game with a scoring margin of plus-15.1 through eight games.

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

Flax Leading The Charge

Through the first eight games this season, Keuna Flax is leading the Jennies with 20.1 points and has 7.5 rebounds per contest. She is shooting .625 from the field (60-of-96) and is shooting 68.6% from the free-throw line (35-of-51). She has led the team in scoring in seven of eight games this season, reaching double-figures in points in each contest. She recorded her first double-double of the season in the Dec. 5 win against Fort Hays State, tallying 18 points and 12 rebounds.

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.

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 eight games this season, Lewis has converted 16 three-pointers, including a season-high of five against Harding. She failed to convert on a three-pointer for the first time this season against Fort Hays State on Dec. 5 (0-for-1). The 16 three-pointers bumps her three-point career total to 104 – eighth on the Jennies' all-time list and 24 behind Ashley Millham.

Winkelmann Playing Strong

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 tied for second on the team with an average of 12.5 points (37-of-89 from field) through eight games this season. She has reached double-figures in scoring in seven of eight contests.

She also leads the team with a 2.18 assist-turnover ratio (24 assists, 11 turnovers).

Defensive Spark Off The Bench

Junior Justina Prairie Chief has made her presence felt on the team's second unit, leading all bench players in rebounds with 39 (14 offensive). She set a new career-high with seven rebounds, four offensive, in the 72-51 win over Fort Hays State on Dec. 5.

Big Shoes To Fill

Junior 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 10.1 points and 8.5 rebounds through eight games this season (including a season-high 13 against Evangel). She has a team-leading 25 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

Freshman guard Andee Wahlert is 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 2.4 points and 0.8 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game this season. She also has five steals and 19 assists (season-high of 4 against Evangel on Nov. 26) while shooting 66.7% 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 16.8 minutes this season, making three of 10 field goals. The Jennies have yet to play in a game decided by four points or less this season.

Twine Continues To Shine

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 eight games this season, she is averaging 8.2 points, shooting 17-of-41 from the field (41.5%) and has five 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 Winkelmann 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 maintained their No. 8 ranking in this week's WBCA/USA Today Sports Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll, garnering 459 points. The basketball program appears in the Top 25 for the 21st-consecutive week dating back to January 8 of last season. UCM was idle last week after opening the conference portion of its schedule with a 72-51 win against Fort Hays State on Dec. 5. The Jennies earned 459 points in this week's poll, down seven points after opening the season with 466 points. UCM's 459 points is also down from their total of 546 a week ago. The Jennies are one of two MIAA schools in the Top 25 for the sixth-consecutive week (Emporia State at No. 3). Three teams the Jennies have faced this year are also ranked in the Top 25 (Harding University, Rollins College and Minnesota State). The Jennies are 2-1 in those games, defeating Minnesota State and Rollins College, while falling to Harding University.

UCM Program History

The UCM Jennies are 856-356 (.706) after 43 seasons, and 655-267 (.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 Central Oklahoma

Central Missouri leads the all-time series, 4-0 ... The last time these two teams met was last season on Feb. 7, with the Jennies winning, 87-75 in Edmond.

Series History with Northeastern State

Central Missouri leads the all-time series, 1-0 ... The only meeting between the two teams was last season on Jan. 9, with the Jennies coming out on top, 63-52 in Warrensburg.

A Win for the Jennies Would...

... extend the Jennies' win streak to three games... mark the program's second-consecutive 8-1 start and second under Coach Slifer (2004-05 season) ... give the Jennies their first 2-0 conference start since the 2009-10 season ... keep the Jennies unbeaten against Central Oklahoma in five games ... should the Jennies defeat Central Oklahoma, it would put them in position to start the season 9-1 for the second-straight season heading into their matchup at Northeastern State.

A Loss for the Jennies Would...

... be the second loss of the 2013-14 season ... drop the Jennies conference record to 1-1 for the third time in four seasons ... mark the first loss in the series history between UCM and Central Oklahoma ... should the Jennies lose to the Bronchos, it would put them in position to start 1-2 in conference play for the first time since 2010-11.

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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