Tip Off
• 2015 marks the 46th year of UCM Jennies Basketball.
• UCM was picked to finish third in the MIAA pre-season coaches poll.
• The Jennies went 1-1 last week their third straight week splitting games. UCM started off with a big 74-56 win over Northeastern State, but a second-quarter cold spell was too much to overcome in a 77-48 loss at Central Oklahoma
• Central Missouri is 7-10 overall and 6-6 in the MIAA, putting them in ninth place in the
conference standings.
• Washburn comes to Warrensburg having lost three of their last four games. They played just one game last week, a 53-41 loss at home to Emporia State. The Ichabods had won four in a row prior to their most recent four game stretch. At 7-5 in the MIAA, the Ichabods are in fifth place.

On the Air
• Central Missouri basketball is broadcast live on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar, and online at
warrensburgradio.com. Games are broadcast by 1450 KOKO/98.5 The Bar Sports Director, Greg Hassler and Assistant Director for Media Relations, Mike Knipper. Video is also available through Central Missouri's online internet portal through Stretch Internet, and can be found at UCMathletics.com

Story Lines
• Last year UCM went 13-6 in conference games, finishing fifth in the regular season standings. They are 6-6 to start this season.
• Washburn is one of only two MIAA opponents the Jennies have an all-time losing record against, the other being Emporia State. The Ichabods lead the series 38-16. UCM has won the last two though, including defeating the then-eighth ranked Ichabods in Topeka in 2015, 64-61.
• Head Coach Dave Slifer won his 600th career game in the 2015 MIAA quarterfinal win over Missouri Southern. He is 607-220 lifetime as a coach and 223-121 at UCM. His 607 wins are the sixth-most among active Division II Head Coaches. He is also five wins shy of tying Coach Jon Pye's 228 wins for the most in UCM history.
• The Ichabods are Coach Slifer's toughest opponent. Slifer is 5-18 in his time at UCM against Washburn. The Jennies also lost eight straight to Washburn at one point, spanning the 2009-2011 seasons (including playoffs).
• Central Missouri is 5-3 at home this season and 4-3 in MIAA games. All-time UCM is 445-99 at the Multi, a winning percentage of 82%.
• The Jennies went 21-9 last season and played in the MIAA semifinal game.

Quick Hits
The Jennies traveled to Oklahoma last week where they split games against Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma. Ashley Jones scored 20 points in the 74-56 win against the RiverHawks and the Jens shot 50% from the floor for the game. Three other Jennies scored in double-figures as well. Things didn't quite go their way last Saturday as the Jens fell to Central Oklahoma 77-48. The Bronchos used a 26-14 second period to pad their lead and didn't look back from their. Jones recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds. UCM shot just 34.5% and committed a season high 27 turnovers.

Halftime Adjustments
Central Missouri's top scoring period this season has been the third. Coming out of halftime, UCM has scored 338 points in third periods and are outscoring their opponents by 74, allowing 264 in third periods, their fewest of any period. The third period is also the only one this season UCM has a positive scoring margin. They've been on the plus side of scoring in third periods in nine of 12 MIAA games. That was again the case last Thursday as UCM outscored the RiverHawks 23-14 to put the game away. The Jennies uncharacteristically struggled in the third period Saturday, scoring just 10 points at Central Oklahoma.

Conference Leaders
A handful of Jennies are trending towards the top of the rankings in the MIAA. Senior Shelby Winkelmann is second in the MIAA scoring with 19.5 points per game and sixth in shooting percentage at 48.6% (105-216).

Senior Ashley Jones is near the top of the conference in rebounding. With 9.2 per game, she sits second in the MIAA and is 54th in NCAA Division II. She also leads the conference with 3.5 offensive rebounds per game and her 56 offensive boards is third. Her 56.7% shooting percentage also ranks second in the MIAA. She's gone 85-150 this season and her 60.2% shooting in MIAA games leads the conference. At 56.7%, Jones ranks 24th in shooting percentage in all of Division II.

Heating Up
Despite the blip last Saturday in Edmond, Central Missouri's shooting percentages have been on the rise. Heading into conference play, UCM was shooting .405 for the season. Since conference play has started, that has risen to .423, thanks to shooting .431 in MIAA games, fourth-best in the conference. Their three-point shooting has also greatly improved. In their first five games, UCM was hitting just 28.4% of three point attempts. In conference play they're shooting 35.9% from deep, fourth in the MIAA. Shelby Winkelmann (44.8%), Tayler Weiks (39.6%) and Paige Redmond (7-for-12) have been the biggest difference makers in the rise of the Jennies three-point shooting percentage. Redmond went 3-3 from behind the arc at Northeastern and is four for her last five.

Double Trouble
The Jennies have had five double-doubles in their last six games. Ashley Jones accomplished it in three straight games against Pittsburg State, Missouri Southern and Lindenwood, and again at Central Oklahoma, giving her six for the season. Shelby Winkelmann recorded her first double-double of the season at Pittsburg State. Danielle Randle also had one against Fort Hays State in December.

Predicting a Winner
This season there has been nearly one sure-fire way to determine if the Jennies won or lost and that comes down to rebounding. When the Jennies are on the plus side of the rebounding battle, UCM is 6-1. When they are outrebounded, they have lost nine of 10.

Magic Number
The number 70 has been a good prognostication of a Jennies win or loss this season. UCM is 6-2 this season when scoring 70 points. However they are also 2-6 when allowing opponents to reach 70 points.

20-20 Vision
With their 21 wins in 2014-15, UCM has now won at least 20 games in four straight seasons. It is their longest such stretch since the Jens went 11 straight years with at least 20 wins from 1981-82 - 1991-92.

Scouting the Opposition
Washburn Ichabods
Overall Record: 11-7
Conference Record: 7-5 (MIAA)
Series History: WU leads 38-16
Last Meeting: Jan. 5, 2015 - UCM 64, WU 61
Head Coach: Ron McHenry (395-101, 16th season)

• Washburn is 11-7 this season and 7-5 in the MIAA. They are 2.5 games behind Pittsburg State for the important fourth spot in the MIAA. The top four seeds all get a bye into the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
• The Ichabods have lost three of four, with two of those losses coming at home. Washburn is 6-5 this season on the road and 3-3 as the visiting team in MIAA games.
• Washburn has three players averaging more than 12 points per game. Taylor Ignoto leads the team with 13.5 points. Casyn Buchman (12.4) and Honor Duvall (12.0) are right behind her.
• The Ichabods aren't much of an offensive team, but they are second in the MIAA scoring defense. Washburn is allowing 57.3 points per game this season (25th best in NCAA-2) and their 56.0 ppg in MIAA games is best in the conference.
• Washburn is also one of the better rebounding teams in the MIAA. At 40.9 rebounds per game, the Ichabods are second in the MIAA. Jayna Smith has a lot to do with that. She leads the MIAA with 9.8 rebounds per game which is 45th in the nation. Felisha Gibbs (6.6) and Alyxis Bowens (5.3) also come down with their fair share.
• Erika Lane is just outside the MIAA top-10 in assists. She's dished out 53 this season to lead the team. She is also fourth in the MIAA in minutes played, averaging more than 35 minutes per game.
• In addition to rebounding, Bowens and Gibbs do a good job of altering shots. Bowens is seventh in the MIAA with 20 blocks and Gibbs isn't far behind with 17.
• The Ichabods defense isn't just under the basket, but stretches out to the three-point line as well. Opponents are shooting just 26.8% from beyond the arc this season, best in the MIAA and 25th in the country.