KEARNEY, Neb. (Jan. 7, 2017) – Central Missouri got back to their winning ways with a 73-58 win over Nebraska-Kearney in Kearney. The win is the Jennies 11
th of the season, matching their total from 2015-16 and moves them to 11-2 and 4-1 in the MIAA.
It was all Jennies early, jumping out to an 18-point lead, 22-4 after the first quarter. The four first-quarter points is the fewest they've allowed in a first quarter this season, and matches their fewest allowed in any quarter. The two teams were evenly matched the rest of the game, as the Jens were content to trade baskets with the Lopers the remaining three quarters.
Kayonna Lee shared the team-lead with a career-high 17 points. She recorded her third double-double of the season grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds. Lee shared the team-high with
Megan Skaggs, whose 17 points is also a career-best. The Jens also got double-digit performances from
Paige Redmond who was 5-for-7 from the field and
Sydney Crockett celebrated her birthday by scored 13 points, going 3-for-5 from three. Redmond dished out a game-high six assists as UCM assisted on 16 of 26 made field goals.
For just the second-time this season the Jens offense shot better than 50% from the field, knocking down 26-of-50 field goal attempts (52%). They were also 7-of-14 from behind the arc and 14-of-18 from the free throw line.
The Jens scored the first nine points of the game with
Morgan Fleming accounting for five of those points. After the Lopers first basket at the 5:52 mark of the first, UCM went on a 6-0 run, outscoring the Lopers 15-2 in the first 7:55 of the game.
Nebraska-Kearney fought to try to get back into the game, cutting the Jens lead down to 12 on a pair of occasions, but the Jens lead never dipped below double-digits for the final 35 minutes of the game. Crockett scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half. Her three with 5:50 left to play gave the Jens their largest lead of the game, 22 points, 67-45.
The Lopers gave the Jens a scare near the end of the game, going on a 10-0 run, but a Skaggs layup put an end to that and the Jennies were able to run out the clock with a 73-58 win.
Central Missouri again won the rebounding battle, 36-28. For the ninth time this season, the Jens held an opponent under 60 points. The Lopers shot 37.5% from the floor (21-for-56) and 27.8% from three (5-for-18).
McKenzie Brown scored a game-high 18 points for the Lopers. Michaela Barry added 13 and three assists. Jaymie Bernbeck pulled down a team-best eight rebounds.
Central Missouri returns home to the Multi next week, hosting Northwest Missouri Thursday, Jan. 12. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
