Top-25 Showdown Set For Wednesday Night

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Jan. 24, 2017) - For the first time since December 2014 the Central Missouri Jennies are ranked in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) top-25 and their first matchup now that they've been ranked, is No. 7 Emporia State, setting up a top-25 showdown at the Multi.

Opponent: No. 7 Emporia State Lady Hornets (15-2, 7-2 MIAA) - Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017, 5:30 p.m.

Where: Warrensburg, Mo. - UCM Multipurpose Buliding

Tip Off
• Central Missouri returns home for a two-game homestand this week starting with No. 7 Emporia State before facing Washburn on Saturday.
• The Jennies have won five straight games and are 8-1 in the MIAA, tied for second place while the Lady Hornets are 7-2 in the league in fourth place.

How to Watch
• Jennies 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. Video is available through Central Missouri's internet portal through Stretch Internet.

Story Lines
• All-time, Emporia State holds a 40-33 edge over the Jennies, but the Jens are 21-11 when playing in Warrensburg. This marks the first matchup of top-25 teams at home for Central Missouri since Feb. 2005, also against Emporia State.
• The Jennies have won five of their first six games to start the 2017 calendar year and five straight. UCM won 10 straight games to close out 2016, matching the longest winning streak under Coach Slifer.
• Central Missouri is starting gain some national attention. They cracked the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) top-25 this week, coming in at No. 19 with 94 votes. They also moved up in the Central Region in the Division II media poll to No. 7 this week.
• This marks the fourth time in Coach Slifer's career starting off at least 15-2 in the regular season joining 2004-15 (18-2), 2012-13 (21-2), and 2013-14 (15-2). 

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
The Jennies picked up their fifth win in a row Saturday against Lindenwood. The Jens led from wire-to-wire for the second straight game against the Lions in their 79-59 victory. The offense, which struggled on Wednesday, came on firing Saturday, taking a 26-5 lead after the first quarter. Five Jennies scored in double-figures led by Paige Redmond's 16. Megan Skaggs and Ashley Duffy each scored 12 points while Kelsey Williams and Kayonna Lee each scored 10. It's the first time this season Williams has had back-to-back 10 point games. 

Previously vs. Emporia State
The Jennies have had the Lady Hornets number of late in Warrensburg. The Jens took down the No. 11 ranked Lady Hornets 69-64 last season, making a 23-12 first quarter lead hold up. Ashley Jones picked up a double-double with a team-best 17 points and 10 rebounds. The Jens also defeated the Lady Hornets in 2014-15 in Warrensburg when ESU was the No. 1 ranked team in the country, 62-61. Shelby Winkelmann's last second free throw was enough for the win.

Jennies at Home
Central Missouri is 5-1 in Warrensburg this season including 3-0 in MIAA home games. Their only loss came in their  season opener, 74-65 to Concordia-St. Paul. UCM averages 7.5 more points at home despite similar shooting percentage. The biggest difference is in FT% where the Jens are 82.8% at home and 70.4% away. 

MIAA Leaders
Central Missouri's Paige Redmond is in a rare group. She is one of two in the MIAA in the league's top-10 in points per game (6th - 15.8), field goal percentage (7th - .475), free throw percentage (4th - .846), assists (5th - 3.9) and assist-to-turnover ratio (4th - 1.9). She is also shooting 40.8% from beyond the arc, but doesn't have enough makes to qualify for the MIAA leaderboard. The only other in the MIAA with those numbers, Kelly Moten of Emporia State

Kayonna Lee remains in the MIAA top-five in rebounds per game with 8.4, fifth.

As a team, the Jennies are fifth in the conference in scoring with 73.9 points per game. They're allowing 57.2 points per game which is third in the conference. 

The Jennies are fourth in turnover margin at 4.69. Their opponents are averaging 17.5 turnovers per game, which is fifth in the MIAA and the Jens 12.8 turnovers are the third fewest in the league. Their 205 total turnovers is also the third fewest in the MIAA. 

Getting Defensive
After allowing their first three opponents to all reach at least 73 points, the Jennies defense has been among the best. Central Missouri has gone 13 straight games without an opponent reaching 70 points and in 12 of those 13, teams haven't even reached 60. The Jennies lead the MIAA in scoring defense in conference-only games, allowing 54.4 points against MIAA teams. The Jens had held three straight opponents under 50 points for the first time since December of 2006, before Lindenwood scored 59 Missouri Western's two fourth quarter points Monday night are the fewest the Jennies have ever allowed in any quarter since the NCAA went back to four-quarter games in 2015-16. 

Deep Dives
Central Missouri ranks third in the MIAA shooting 37% from behind the arc. Five Jennies have made at least 10 three-point field goals and three have hit 20 with Paige Redmond's 31 leading the way. Of late, Sydney Crockett has had the hot hand, with 12 three pointers in her last five games. On the defensive side, UCM held their last three opponents to just 5-40 from three. Their 26.6% three-point defensive percentage is second in MIAA games. 

Whatever You Do, Don't Go Home Early
The Jennies are making a habit of putting up big numbers in the fourth quarter. Of their 1,263 points, 336 have come in the fourth, their most in any quarter and have allowed just 207, their fewest in any quarter. In second halves this season UCM is outscoring opponents by 200 points. That has helped them to multiple double-digit comebacks including last Monday vs. Missouri Western. Against Lindenwood, UCM decided to change it up and stormed out to a 26-5 lead after the first quarter. After the Lions closed to gap to 14 points heading into the fourth, the Jennies went back on the attack, outscoring Lindenwood 18-12 in the final frame.

Scouting the Opposition
No. 7 Emporia State Lady Hornets
• Like the Jennies, Emporia State has only two losses on their resume. Both of those losses were in conference though, so ESU is a game behind UCM at 7-2 in the MIAA.
• Both of the Lady Hornets losses have come on the road this season. Their first was in Hays and the second, Jan. 12 at Central Oklahoma. 
• ESU is the top scoring team in the MIAA, coming in at 82.7 points per game. That number is also eighth in the NCAA. Their scoring margin is third in the nation, outscoring opponents by an average of 26.1 points per game. 
• The Lady Hornets are one of the best defensive teams in the nation, in the NCAA top-10 in both rebounding and blocked shots. ESU leads all of Division II in rebounding margin at +15.6. They are also fifth in blocked shots per game with 5.8.  
• Emporia State is led by defending MIAA Player of the Week Kelly Moten. She's leading the team scoring 18.7 points per game which is second in the MIAA. Two other Lady Hornets are scoring more than 10 points per game. Addie Lackey averages 12.8 points and Kyrstie Miller 11.6. 
• ESU is fourth in the MIAA in field goal percentage, three-point percentage and free throw percentage. Moten is shooting .444 from the floor. Miller is connecting on 42.5% of her three's. 
• Four Lady Hornets have blocked at least 10 shots this season, with three in the MIAA top-10. Tiana Moala leads the team with 22 while Miller has 21 and Moten 20. 
• Emporia State's +4.5 turnover margin in fourth in the MIAA. They've forced 339 turnovers while committing just 258 of their own.  
• ESU has assisted on 57% of their field goals. Moten leads the team having handed out 81 assists.