WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Jan. 31) - This week marks the start of Jennies Basketball's longest MIAA road trip of the season. The play three games away from Warrensburg, starting Thursday, February 2nd.
Opponents: No. 8 Central Oklahoma (19-1, 10-1 MIAA) - Thursday, Feb. 2 - 5:30 p.m.
Northeastern State (6-13, 2-9 MIAA) - Saturday, Feb. 4, 12:30 p.m.
Where: Edmond, Oklahoma - Hamilton Field House
Tahlequah, Oklahoma - NSU Event Center
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.
Tip Off
• Central Missouri begins a three-game road stretch with two games this week. They start off against No. 8 Central Oklahoma before taking on Northeastern State Saturday night.
• The Jennies have won seven straight games and are 10-1 in the MIAA, tied for first place with the Bronchos who have won eight straight.
Story Lines
• The Jennies are a combined 11-1 against the Oklahoma schools. Central Oklahoma defeated UCM last year 77-48 in Edmond. The Jens are 4-1 in Oklahoma against these two teams.
• At 10-1 in the MIAA, the Jennies are off to their best conference start since the 1990-91 season which they finished 15-1. At 17-2 overall, it is the third time under Coach Slifer starting the season at least 17-2 joining 2004-05 (18-2) and 2014-15 (21-2).
Quick Hits
Last Time Out
The Jennies defied the odds with their fifth fourth-quarter comeback of the season. Trailing by 10 entering the fourth, the Jens closed the gap within four minutes and held on for the win after the Ichabods last second shot missed wide. Four Jennies scored in double figures with
Sydney Crockett's 17 points leading the way. She connected on a career-high five three-pointers.
Kayonna Lee picked up her fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Paige Redmond and
Megan Skaggs each added 11 points and Redmond dished out a career-high eight assists.
Previously vs. Central Oklahoma/Northeastern State
The Jens return to Oklahoma for the second straight season. They defeated Northeastern State last year 74-56, leading from the very start. Four Jennies scored in double-figures with
Ashley Jones scoring 20 points. Two days later, a big second-quarter from the Bronchos put the Jennies away in a 77-48 loss. UCO shot 47.4% from the floor. Jones had a double-double with 16 points and 13 points.
Jennies in the Rankings
Central Missouri is starting gain some national attention. They moved up to No. 14 in this week's WBCA rankings from No. 19 last week. They also appeared for the first time in the Division II Media Poll, checking in at No. 24.
Jennies on the Road
Central Missouri is 10-1 away from Warrensburg this season including 7-1 in true raod games. The Jennies offense scored 4.5 less points per game on the raod, but also gives up four less points. The biggest difference is UCM is shooting almost 80% at home at the charity stripe and just over 70% on the road.
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 (7th - 15.6), field goal percentage (8th - .450), free throw percentage (4th - .850), assists (3rd - 4.3) and assist-to-turnover ratio (4th - 2.1). She is also shooting 38.8% 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.
Redmond has also scored 475 career points with 285 coming this season. She is just 25 points away from reaching 500 career points. Also near 500 career points is
Ashley Duffy. She is 69 points away from the milestone.
Kayonna Lee is moving up in the top-five in rebounds in the conference. She's now third with 8.6 rebounds per game.
The Jennies are third in turnover margin at 5.53. Their opponents are averaging 18.1 turnovers per game, which is fourth in the MIAA and the Jens 12.6 turnovers are the second fewest in the league. Their 239 total turnovers are the 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 15 straight games without an opponent reaching 70 points and in 13 of those 15, teams haven't even reached 60. The Jennies lead the MIAA in scoring defense in conference-only games, allowing 55.4 points against MIAA teams.
Deep Dives
Central Missouri ranks third in the MIAA shooting 36.9% from behind the arc. Five Jennies have made at least 10 three-point field goals and three have hit 30 with
Sydney Crockett's 34 leading the way. In her last three games,
Sydney Crockett has had the hot hand, shooting 60% (12-20) from three.
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 1,388 points, 370 have come in the fourth, their most in any quarter and have allowed just 223, their fewest in any quarter. That has helped them to five fourth-quarter comebacks this season, including each of their last two games when they were down 10 entering the fourth quarter against Emporia State and Washburn.
Scouting the Opposition
Central Oklahoma Bronchos
• Tied with the Jennies a top the MIAA standings is Central Oklahoma. At 19-1 and 10-1 in the MIAA, they come in ranked eighth in the WBCA standings. The Bronchos have won eight games in a row, with their only loss coming at home to Missouri Western, on the final day of 2016.
• Central Oklahoma's offense is only seventh in the league, scoring 71.5 points per game. Melinda Murillo is the team's leading scorer with 15.3 points per game. She shoots 40% from the floor, 38% from three and 82% at the free throw line with 63 assists and 28 steals.
• Two other Bronchos are scoring in double-figures. Olivia Mason averages 11.7 points per game and reigning MIAA Player of the Week Jesheon Cooper scores 11.4. Those two also lead the team with 343 rebounds between them. Cooper's 9.4 rebounds leads the MIAA and Mason is fifth in the conference with 8.4. UCO is third in the MIAA in rebounding, outrebounding opponents 867-754.
• The Broncho defense is fifth in Division II and leads the MIAA in opponents field goal percentage. Opponents are shooting just 33.3% against Central Oklahoma
• Part of what keeps that percentage down is their penchant for blocking shots. The Bronchos are third in the MIAA with 5.1 blocks per game. Cooper is also the MIAA leader with 62 blocks and 3.1 blocks per game. Mason has added 12 blocks.
• The Bronchos are near a 1:1 turnover ratio, committing 285 and forcing 291.
• With Cooper shooting 52.4% second in the MIAA, Central Oklahoma connects on 41% of their field goals. They are also shooting 35% from three and are second in the MIAA, knocking in 76% of their free throws. Mason is 61-73 at the line while Murillo is 60-73.
Northeastern State RiverHawks
• The RiverHawks are mired in a six game losing streak. At 6-13 and 2-9 in the MIAA, their last win came in their first of 2017, 71-64 at Lindenwood.
• Northeastern State is only 2-6 at home. Their last win at the NSU Event Center was December 17 against Northwest Missouri State.
• The RiverHawks are the worst scoring team in the MIAA, averaging 63 points per game. That number drops to 57 points in MIAA games, the only team scoring less than 60 points in MIAA contests.
• Northeastern State relies heavily on Kylie Looney and Rylie Torrey. They are both in the MIAA top-three in minutes played. Torrey leads the MIAA with 33.8 minutes per game and Looney is third at 33.3. Torrey is the RiverHawks top scorer with 17.3 points per game. Looney scores 7.8 points per game.
• Torrey is also second in the MIAA in free throw percentage at 89.1 (82-92). The best part of the RiverHawks game is their free-throw proficiency. They lead the MIAA shooting 78.5% at the free throw line. Cailyn Long, who scores 14.6 points per game, is third in the MIAA connecting on 87.5% of her free throws (49-56). She is also shooting 47.3% from the floor.
• On the glass, Mary Jane Buschmann has grabbed 112 rebounds and 104 have been defensive. She leads the team with 5.9 boards per game.
• Alexis Hill has been dropping the dimes for the RiverHawks. She leads the team with 60 assists and is second with 81 rebounds.
• Northeastern State is not a big shot-blocking team with only 43 on the season. They have also come away with only 97 steals while turning the ball over 257 times themselves. At a -2.73 turnover margin in MIAA games, the RiverHawks are 11th in the league.
