ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Central Missouri closed out the regular season at Missouri Western. The Jennies played hard against the top team in the MIAA, but the Griffons pulled away late for a 77-61 win.
 
UCM ends the season at 10-17 and 9-13 in the MIAA. They will be the number 10 seed in the MIAA tournament and will travel to Washburn on Monday.
 
Shelby Winkelmann led the Jennies scoring 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Paige Redmond was the only other Jennie in double-figures, scoring 11. Ashley Jones chipped in six points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
Central Missouri opened up the game taking advantage of the Griffons cold start. UCM took a 9-4 lead in the first, as the Griffons started out 2-for-14 from the field.
 
MWSU found their stroke though, and a Sarafina Handy three at the 7:33 mark gave Western their first lead, 20-19. They pushed that lead to six to end the half, 35-29, gong on a 7-2 in the final 1:07.
 
UCM didn't give up, and regained a 40-39 lead after Winkelmann hit a pair of free throws. She was 7-for-7 from the line in the game.
 
With the game tied at 49, the Griffons closed the third on a 6-0 run, getting another buzzer beater as LaQuinta Jefferson banked in a layup off the glass.
 
MWSU pushed their lead to 13, scoring the first seven points of the fourth to put the Jennies away.
 
The Jennies shot 41.3% from the floor and hit a season-best 19-of-21(90.5%) at the free throw line. The Griffons finished the game shooting 43.1%, after starting 2-for-14. They won the battle of the boards 44-27 and forced the Jennies into 17 turnovers.
 
Jefferson finished with a game-high 25 points for Missouri Western. Miliakere Koyamainavure notched a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Jennies play the MIAA play-in game Monday, Feb. 29 at the seventh seeded Washburn Ichabods. Tip-off time is 7 p.m.