Jennies Basketball to Play two this Weekend in Kansas

WARRENBURG, Mo. (Nov. 17, 2016) - Coming off of opening weekend in Warrensburg last weekend, the Jennies travel to Pittsburg, Kan. to play a pair of games against nonconference opponents.

Opponents: Arkansas-Fort Smith - Friday, Nov. 18, 5:30 p.m.
                    Ferris State - Saturday, Nov. 19, 1:00 p.m.

Where: Pittsburg, Kan. - John Lance Arena

How to Watch: Jennies Basketball will have live video available through Central Missouri's internet portal through Stretch Internet, found at UCMathletics.com. The broadcast will be produced by Pittsburg State. Live stats can also be found at UCMathletics.com

Tip Off
• 2016-17 marks the 47th year of Jennies Basketball
• Central Missouri went 1-1 on opening weekend with a win against Minot State and a loss against Concordia-St. Paul.
• This weekend, the Jennies will take on a pair of opponents for the first time in their history. Playing at the Pitt-State Classic, the Jennies will take on Arkansas-Fort Smith and Ferris State, Friday-Saturday Nov. 18-19. 

Story Lines
• Head Coach Dave Slifer has matched Coach Jon Pye's 228 wins for the most in UCM history. One more win and he will have the most wins in program history. 
• Central Missouri is second in the NCAA in free throw percentage shooting 89.3% from the charity stripe (50-56). 

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
Central Missouri got their season started last weekend going 1-1 against Concordia-St. Paul (L, 65-74) and Minot State (W 98-75). The 90 points scored against the Beavers was the first time UCM has eclipsed 90 points since December of 2013 against Central Oklahoma. Sophomores Sydney Crockett (21 points) and Paige Redmond (18 points) each set career-highs in points. Junior transfer Kayonna Lee has put up back-to-back 10 point games and had a double-double against Concordia-St. with 10 points and 16 rebounds. 

Previously vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith, Ferris State
The Jennies have never met either Arkansas-Fort Smith or Ferris State in the 47 years of Jennies Basketball history.

Jennies at Neutral Sites
The Jennies opened the season at home and are yet to play a game away from Warrensburg this season. In 2015-16, the Jennies were 0-3 at neutral sites, including a loss in the MIAA quarterfinals in Kansas City. 

Conference Leaders
Though only through a handful of games, Central Missouri is fourth in the MIAA in scoring average, putting up 81.5 points per game. Part of the reason for that is that they are No. 2 in the nation in free throw percentage at 89.3%. They lead the No. 2 team in the MIAA, Northeastern State, by seven percent. 

Central Missouri is also third in the MIAA with 17 offensive rebounds per game. They also have 11.50 steals per game which ranks fourth in the conference. 

Individually, the Jennies have four players averaging more than 10 points per game with Paige Redmond's 12 PPG leading the way, ranking 24th in the conference. Redmond is also third in the conference with the most free throws made without a miss at eight.

Sydney Crockett is in the MIAA top-10 in two different shooting categories. She is tied for fourth in most free throws without a miss at five. She also is sixth in three-point percentage shooting .500 (4-for-8)

Redmond is also in the top-10 when it comes to assists. She ranks ninth wih four assists per game and her 4.0 assist to turnover ratio is 10th in the conference. 

After Ashley Duffy led the MIAA in steals in 2015-16, Redmond and Morgan Fleming are tied for eighth so far, coming away with 2.5 steals per game. 

Halftime Adjustments 
Just like last season, through two games, Central Missouri's best scoring period has been the third. They've scored 48 points in the third through two games, their most in any frame. A year ago, UCM scored 554 third period points, their most in any period by 61 points. Against Minot State, the Jennies scored 32 points coming out of the half. 

Double Trouble
Against Minot State six different Jennies scored in double-figures. That didn't happen all of last season, with the most in double-digits was five, happening on three different ocassions. 

Also recording the first double-double of the season was Kayonna Lee against Concordia-St. Paul. Her 16 rebounds against the Golden Bears equalled the most for a Jennie in a single game all of last season.

Ball Protection 
In both games this season, the Jennies have been on the plus-side of the turnover battle. They gave the ball away just eight times in the win against Minot State while forcing the Beavers into 20 turnovers. While they gave it away 17 times against Concordia-St. Paul, The Golden Bears turned it over 22 times. Through two games, Central Missouri is plus-17 in the turnover department. 

Scouting the Opposition
Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions
• The Lions are under the direction of first-year head coach Elena Lovato.
• They finished 21-9 last season and 12-6 in the Heartland Conference, losing in the conference semifinals to St. Edward's, 78-63.
• Through three games this season, Arkansas-Fort Smith is 2-1. They began the season with back-to-back wins against Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Christian. They then lose their first game of the year, Tuesday, at Texas Woman's University.
• The Lions have a small roster comprised of only nine players, all of whom have played at least 20 minutes this season.
• Three are averaging double-digit points led by Jazmine Spears who's scored 16 points per game. Zhanesha Dickerson and Tayla Taylor are also scoring 10+ points per game with Dickerson right behind Spears at 15.7 and Taylor at 11.3.
• The Lions are shooting a healthy .425 from the floor and .342 from beyond the arc. Maya Perry has connected for eight-of-13 FG and also three-of-four from deep.
• Taylor has been the biggest rebounder for the Lions, averaging a double-double with 10.7 rebounds per game added to her 11.3 points per game. Arkansas-Fort Smith is outrebounding opponents 39.3-32.7.
• The Lions have been sloppy controlling the ball turning it over 55 times in three games.
• AFS is averaging five blocks per game, led by Spears' four total blocks. 

Ferris State Bulldogs
• Second-year head coach Kendra Faustin is a the Ferris State helm.
• A year ago they went 5-23 overall and 5-17 in the GLIAC. 
• Through two games this season, the Bulldogs are 0-2 with looses coming to Bellarmine (Ky.) and Ursuline. The Bulldogs have allowed 90 points in both games, including the 94-93 loss in overtime to Bellarmine. Ferris State most recently played an exhibition against Division I Eastern Michigan on Wednesday, falling 68-50 in Ypsilanti. 
• Like Arkansas-Fort Smith, three Bulldogs are averaging double-digit points. Rachel McInerney leads the team scoring 17.5 points per game. Leah Humes trails her at 15.5 and Riley Blair is scoring 13.5 points per game. Mcinerney also leads the team having playing 70 minutes. 
• FSU is shooting nearly 44% from the field through two games. McInerney is connecting at a 52% rate while Abby Nakfoor has gone 6-for-10.
• Opponents have grabbed two more rebounds per game than the Bulldogs, 44-42. McInerney also leads FSU in the rebounding department, grabbing 8.5 per game. 
• Ferris State has turned the ball over 13 more times than their two opponents. They've lost the ball an average of 21.5 times per game. 
• Alexis Bush has been the go-to passer for the Bulldogs, averaging seven assists per game.
• The Bulldogs have not been great at the FT line, shooting just 65.1% at the stripe this season.