WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Nov. 12, 2016) - Central Missouri connected for 11 three pointers, eight coming in the second half to pick up their first win of the season 98-75 against Minot State. The Jens fell two points shy of hitting the century mark for the first time since Feb. 2006.
The win is also Head Coach
Dave Slifer's 228th at Central Missouri, moving him into a tie with Jon Pye for the most ever for a Jennies basketball coach.
The three-ball party was led by
Paige Redmond and
Sydney Crockett, who each went 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. The duo set new career-highs with Crockett scoring a game-high 21 points and Redmond 18. They led six in double-digit scoring.
Morgan Fleming scored 11 and
Ashley Duffy,
Kayonna Lee and
Megan Skaggs each scored 10.
UCM picked up 19 assists, getting a game-high six from Redmond, who also didn't turn the ball over. The Jennies forced the Beavers into 20 turnovers, while committing only eight themselves. Central Missouri won the battle on the boards, 32-30, with a team effort. Eight different Jennies grabbed at least three rebounds. Redmond, Crockett and
Kelsey Williams led the Jens with four.
Central Missouri stormed out of the gates, scoring on their first five possessions and taking a 12-2 lead. Two free throws from Duffy gave UCM a 19-4 lead midway through the first period. The Beavers were able to pick it up late in the frame, and trailed 26-15 after 10 minutes.
The lead was still 11, 43-32 with 3:48 left in the half. The Jennies though only scored one more point and Minot went on a 16-1 over the final 3:48 and took a four-point lead, 48-44 into the half.
Late in the third quarter is when the Jennies found their stroke, especially Crockett and Redmond. After a Duffy jumper in the paint cut the Beaver lead to one, 58-57, the Jennies went on another 19-4 run, sparked by the hot-shooting duo. Crockett gave UCM the lead at the 3:43 mark, 60-58, and the Jens were off to the races. Central Missouri connected on three-pointers in five of six possessions, three from Crockett and two from Redmond to turn a one-point deficit, into a 12 point lead. Williams and Redmond both knocked down a pair of free throws in the final minute, putting UCM up 76-62 with one quarter to play.
The offense didn't slow down in the fourth quarter as UCM scored the first 12 points of the frame to put the game away. Crockett knocked in back-to-back layups and Redmond connected on another pair from downtown giving UCM an 88-62 lead.
Central Missouri was able to cruise from there to a 98-75 win, but not before Crockett put another three points on the board, this time the old fashioned way with a layup and the free throw after a Beaver foul.
Kari Clements led the Beavers scoring 20 points. Minot had five in double-figures, including Krystal Flowers who was 5-of-6 from the floor. Kori Eurich picked up a game-high six rebounds.
Central Missouri is back in action next weekend at the Pitt State Classic. They'll take on Arkansas-Fort Smith and Ferris State Nov. 18-19.
