The Jennies rank among the top teams in Division II in a number of statistical categories. As of Sunday, the Jens are 14th in total offense, averaging 75.5 points per game. They're also one of the deadliest deep-shooting teams in the country; the Jens 37.5% three-point shooting percentage is the ninth-highest in Division II, as the team hits an average of 7.2 treys per game, 26th-most in the nation. Overall Central Missouri shoots 42.8% from the field, ranking them 41st in the nation. With 14.9 turnovers committed per game, the Jens are one of the better ball handling teams in the country, with the 17th lowest turnover average. Finally, the Jennies have one of the best winning percentages in the nation, at .900 which ranks 9th.

Winning Time

The Jennies have developed a knack for pulling out close games this season; the team is 6-0 in games decided by five points or less, most recently in their come-from-behind win over Missouri Western. On the season, the Jens shoot 42.8% from the field. In the final five minutes of games, however, that percentage rises to 46.2%. The Jens also average 10.8 points per game in the last five minutes compared to 75.5 on the year. UCM has claimed three wins after trailing with five minutes left in regulation (Southwest Baptist, Northeastern State, Missouri Western), and are a perfect 15-0 when leading at the five-minute mark.

Instant Impact

Junior forward Keuna Flax joined the team after end of the fall semester, and has immediately become one of the top players in the MIAA. Flax is averaging a team-high 21.2 points per game, and is shooting 53.6% from the field. Because she missed the first seven games of the year Flax doesn't qualify for any MIAA or NCAA leaderboards, but if she did, she would lead the conference in scoring with 2.6 points per game more than the second-highest average, and would rank fifth nationally in Division II. The Haltom City, Tex. native has scored 20 or more points in eight games for UCM this season, and has scored in double figures in every appearance; she set a new career high with 30 points in the win over Central Oklahoma on Thursday.

Scoring Threat

Junior BreAnna Lewis has been one of the nation's best three-point shooters at this point in the season. Lewis ranks sixth in the MIAA in scoring and 87th in Division II, with 15.7 points per game, and is shooting at a 37.3% clip from beyond the arc, ranking 51st nationally. She has the MIAA's third-highest average of three-pointers hit per game, with 2.8, which places her 13th on the national leaderboard. In the win over Academy of Art, Lewis knocked down seven three-pointers, tying her for the third-most in a single game in Jennies program history; she has hit five or more treys in four games, most recently in the win at Lindenwood last week.

Lewis, along with Keuna Flax, were former teammates at Trinity Valley CC, where they won the NJCAA national championship a year ago. With the Jennies, the pair account for 36.5 points per game, just under half of the team's scoring average.

Senior Leader

Senior forward Nicole Caddell has been dominant in the post this season, averaging a double-double with 13.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. She is the only player in the MIAA to be averaging a double-double on the season. Caddell has matched her career high of 16 rebounds three times this season (St. Mary's, Lewis, Arkansas Tech), and leads the MIAA in total rebounding and in offensive boards (3.9 per game). The Tuscaloosa, Ala. native ranks 22nd in the nation in rebounds, and 32nd in the country with nine double-doubles this season.

Caddell also reached a major milestone in her UCM career in the win over Lincoln on Wednesday night. With 20 points, the senior surpassed the 1,000 point mark, becoming the 24th player in Jennies basketball history to reach that total. Caddell reached the milestone in just 74 games played, becoming one of just six players to hit the mark in under 100 games, and is the third-fastest to 1,000 in program history.

Caddell also pulled down her 600th career rebound against the Blue Lions. With her one block at Lindenwood on Saturday, Caddell, became just the third player in Jennies history to have at least 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, and 100 blocks, joining Rosie Jones (1981-85) and Barb Sorensen (1986-90).

With her total of 15 points Thursday night against Central Oklahoma, Caddell improved her career total to 1,040 points, surpassing Ashley Millham (2003-07) for 22nd on UCM's all-time scoring list.

Disappointing Departure

After leading the Jennies offense during the first eight games of the season, freshman Shelby Winkelmann suffered a season-ending injury during the win over Dixie State. Winkelmann was averaging 17.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, leading the team in scoring at the time. The current team leader, Keuna Flax, played together with Winkelmann for one game (Dixie State) before the freshman's injury.

Starting Roles

A pair of Jennies worked their way into the starting lineups beginning with the trip to Las Vegas, in junior Quinnecia Twine and sophomore Brielle Wattley.

Twine is averaging 10.3 points as a starter, up from her season average of 8.8 points per game. She has scored in double figures in seven starts, and set a new career high with 24 points in the win over Central Oklahoma. Twine also hit a career-high five three-pointers against the Bronchos.

Wattley took over the point guard spot in the pair of games in Las Vegas, and is averaging 2.0 assists as a starter. She leads the team with a 1.75 assist-to-turnover ratio this season, and has committed just nine turnovers in her last 11 games.

Bench Notes

Junior Symore Murray leads the bench with 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game this season ... She scored a career-high 13 points at Fort Hays State, and has reached double-figures five times this season ... Erin Redmond is fourth on the team with 28 assists on the year, to go along with 3.0 points and 1.6 rebounds per game ... Redmond scored a season-high in conference play with five points against Northwest Missouri ... Junior Kiersten Orton has been one of the best rebounders off the bench for the Jens, averaging 2.6 boards per game ... She picked up three points and four boards in the win over Missouri Western, then led the team against Northwest Missouri with two assists ... Freshman Danielle Barry scored a career-high seven points in the first half of the win over Pittsburg State, helping the Jens make a run to grab the lead at the half ... Breonna Embray has appeared in all 20 games this year, averaging 1.4 points per game ... Her four points against the Bearcats is her highest point total since a career-high five points against Academy of Art.

Milestone Victory

After defeating Pittsburg State earlier this month, head coach Dave Slifer moved into third place on the Jennies all-time wins list, surpassing Mildred Barnes (1971-80). Slifer has a 163-93 record on the UCM sideline, and a 546-192 record during his 24-year coaching career. Slifer is just four wins away from tying Scott Ballard (1995-03) for second on UCM's wins list, with 167. At the start of the season Slifer ranked seventh among active coaches at the Division II level in total wins, and is one of just seven active coaches to reach the 500 wins mark.

In the Classroom

As much success as the Jennies saw on the court in 2011-12, they achieved just as much in the classroom. Nine players on last year's roster earned the MIAA Academic Honor Roll award, for earning at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Two players from a year ago, Alyssa Rhodes and Taylor Hanson, were honored with the MIAA Scholar-Athlete award, as the two seniors were recognized for earning All-MIAA Team honors while maintaining a 3.5 GPA or higher.

Junior forward Kiersten Orton was one of just 18 athletes across all sports at Central Missouri to earn the MIAA Academic Excellence Award. Orton has recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA during her time at UCM, while studying Middle School Math Education.

MIAA Preseason Polls

After a fourth place regular season finish a year ago, the Jennies debuted at No. 6 in the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media Polls. The Jens finished behind Fort Hays State in both polls, after finishing ahed of the Tigers in the MIAA standings in 2011-12, and knocking Fort Hays State out of the MIAA Tournament in the first round. UCM also tallied fewer votes than MIAA newcomers Northeastern State (Okla.); the Riverhawks earned an NCAA Tournament at-large bid after competing as an independent last year, and reached the second round before falling to the eventual regional champs, Pittsburg State.

Washburn, who won the regular season and tournament titles last year, were picked to repeat by both the coaches and the media. Pittsburg State, who reached the first round of the NCAA Elite Eight, were picked second in both polls. Emporia State and Northeastern State placed third and fourth, while Fort Hays State rounds out the top five in both polls.

UCM in the Polls

With a pair of important MIAA road victories last week, the Central Missouri Jennies move up one spot to No. 10 in the latest WBCA USA TODAY Sports Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Jens have matched their highest rank of the Dave Slifer era, and are ranked in the top ten in the nation for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

Central Missouri holds a 18-2 record this season, after earning wins at Lincoln and Lindenwood last week along with Thursday's win at Central Oklahoma. UCM earned a total of 507 points in the poll, up from their total of 444 a week ago. The Jens are the second-highest team from the MIAA in the poll, just behind No. 9 Washburn. The Lady Blues earned just eight more votes than the Jennies to take the ninth spot.

The nation's three remaining unbeaten teams fill the top three spots in the poll, led by Ashland (Ohio), who received all 32 first place votes, and followed by Bentley (Mass.) and Clayton State (Ga.).

Two teams the Jennies have faced this season also appear in the poll. Truman earned the No. 19 rank, moving up three spots from a week ago, while Lewis (Ill.) debuts in the poll for the first time at No. 24. Central Missouri earned a non-conference road victory over the Flyers, 84-77, in November.

UCM Program History

The UCM Jennies are 843-351 (.706) after 41 seasons, and 640-262 (.710) in the 30 seasons since joining NCAA Division II ... Wednesday's matchup with Lincoln marked the 900th game for the Jennies since joining the 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 National Championship.

Series History with Missouri Southern

Central Missouri holds an all-time record against the Lions of 32-20, and have won the past three meetings. Until recently, the Lions have held their own in the series, winning eight of the 13 meetings between 2006-2010. Missouri Southern has won three of the last five meetings in Joplin.

Opponent Preview

The Lions earned a 69-63 win over Southwest Baptist on Thursday night, snapping a six-game skid. MSSU started the year 10-3 before their slide. The Lions are led by Dominique Mosley, who averags a team-high 8.8 points per game while coming off the bench. The junior shoots 50.7% from the field, ranking 9th in the MIAA. The Lions have had success on the glass, giving up only 32.4 boards per game.

A Win for the Jennies Would...

... improve the Jennies record to 19-2 this season ... improve their conference record to 11-2 ... be the fourth straight win over Missouri Southern ... be the fastest Jennies' team to 11 conference wins since 2004-05, coach Dave Slifer's first season in Warrensburg.

A Loss for the Jennies Would...

... drop the Jennies record to 18-3 on the year ... drop their record to 10-3 against the MIAA this season ... be the first ever loss to Missouri Southern in the last four meetings.

Jennies Basketball in the Multi

The Jens are 454-99 all-time in the Multipurpose Building, and 85-29 during the Slifer era ... Currently, the Jennies hold a 11-0 record in the Multi this season ... UCM has won at least nine home games every year since 2004-05 ... the Jennies have gone undefeated at home three times: 1982-83 (15-0, finished 3rd in the nation), 1985-86 (14-0, regional champions), and 1988-89 (15-0, finished 4th in the nation) ... from 1988 to 1990, the Jennies won a school-record 34 consecutive games at the Multi.

UCM Athletics

The 2011-12 school year saw Central Missouri's 15 sports combine for seven MIAA regular season titles, and three MIAA tournament championships (women's soccer, baseball, men's golf). The Mules and Jennies have totaled 191 MIAA regular season championships across all sports, the most of any MIAA program. UCM has won five national championships since 1980 (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, and women's bowling in 2003), and seven national titles overall.

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 alongside Shawn Jones.

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. Shawn Jones will sit down with Coach Slifer throughout the season to discuss the latest game, as various Jennies will be featured throughout the year.

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.

Each MIAA contest througout the season will also be available online through AmericaOneSports.com. Every home game broadcast is produced by the student-run UCM Media Network. The cost for the webcasts is $8 for a single game, $30 for a 30-day pass, and $89.95 for a season pass, which includes both Mules and Jennies basketball.

MIAA Tournament

The 2013 MIAA Tournament is scheduled for March 8-10, at the Municipal Auditorium in downdown Kansas City, Mo. This year's edition of the conference tournament has a slightly different format, as four preliminary first-round matchups will take place on Tuesday, March 5 to round out the eight-team field. The top four seeds will earn a bye and automatically punch their tickets to Kansas City, while seeds 5-8 will host a first-round game against seeds 9-12.

The Jennies have claimed seven MIAA tournament titles, second only to Washburn's nine titles, but haven't cut the nets down since 1990. Last season, the Jennies knocked off Fort Hays State, 73-61 in the first round before falling to the eventual conference tournament champions Washburn, 64-62 in the semifinals. The Jens have officially earned a spot in the MIAA Tournament this season, and if the season ended today, would face the winner of Licnoln at Fort Hays State.