Jens Start MIAA Play at Home vs. Northwest

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Dec. 8, 2017) - After almost two weeks off, No. 10 Jennies Basketball returns to action Sunday in their MIAA opener.

Opponent: Northwest Missouri Bearcats (1-8, 0-1 MIAA) 

When: Sunday, Dec. 10 - 1:30 pm

Where: Warrensburg, Mo. - UCM Multipurpose Building

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. There will be a live webcast of UCM games this weekend on UCM's Internet Blueframe portal and is available on TV streaming devices.

Tip Off
• Central Missouri takes to the floor after more than a week off, starting MIAA play against the Northwest Missouri Bearcats. 
• The Jennies last two wins have come against NAIA teams, Evangel and Harris-Stowe
• In this week's WBCA Coaches Poll, the Jennies moved up to No. 10 following their 5-1 start, jumping two spots. It is their first time in the top-10 since the end of the 2013-14 season. The Jens however are not in the top-25 in the D2 Media Poll and are ranked sixth in the media's central region poll. 

Story Lines
• Sunday marks the Jennies first MIAA game of the season. Last year, UCM went 15-4 in the MIAA, matching their second-most conference wins in a single-season. 
• Central Missouri is 66-26 all time against Northwest Missouri. They have won four straight, including two games last year, and nine of the last 10. 
• The Jennies are still in the middle of a six game homestand. They've started out 3-1 with their win last Tuesday. The homestand will wrap up Thursday against Missouri Western. 

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
Central Missouri played their second straight NAIA opponent, this time Harris-Stowe, who they defeated 78-43. The Hornets hung around for a bit ar the half, but UCM outscored them 46-22 over the final 20 minutes. Paige Redmond scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting and Kayonna Lee pulled down 14 rebounds. Sydney Crockett was also in double-figures with 11 points. 

Previously vs. Northwest Missouri
Central Missouri swept the Bearcats last season with wins at home and on the road. After a tight battle on the road in their first meeting, the Jennies easily took care of the Bearcats, 66-42 at home. Four Jens were in double figure points with Redmond and Ashley Duffy scoring 12 points each. Tanya Meyer scored 22 and had 10 boards for the Bearcats. 

Jennies in the Rankings
The Jennies made it into the WBCA top-10 this week, moving up two places. It is their first time ranked in the top-10 since the end of the 2013-14 season when they were eighth in the nation. UCM has been in the top-15 all season long and recently moved up from No. 12 where they were ranked each of the last two weeks. 

Around the MIAA
• Central Missouri is the only team not to have played an MIAA yet this season. Eight of the 14 teams in the league have played at least three games. Missouri Western is the only unbeaten team with more than one MIAA win at 3-0. 
• With their 5-1 record, the Jennies have played the fewest games of any MIAA team. 
• Kayonna Lee is in the league's top-10 in a pair of defensive categories. She is fourth in blocks per game with 1.5 and sixth in rebounding pulling down nine per game. 
• Paige Redmond's 52.5% shooting percentage has her seventh in the MIAA. She is also ninth the league with 15.0 points per game and 2.0 3FG per game.
• Also in the top-10 is Kelsey Williams who is eighth in the conference with 3.0 assists per game. 

Individual Milestones 
• Kelsey Williams surpassed 200 career points in the Jennies season opener against Mary and went over 100 assists against Arkansas-Fort Smith. Next up is 100 rebounds, of which she is four shy. 
• With one more free throw attempt Sydney Crockett will hit her 100th of her career. She is shooting just under 80% at the line for her career at 78.8%, having made 78-of-99, which would rank just outside the UCM all-time top-10. 
• Paige Redmond needs five more three pointers to make the UCM all-time top-10 list in three pointers made and 11 to reach 100 for her career. 

Long Layoff
When the Jennies suit up to take on Northwest Missouri, it will have been exactly three weeks, 21 days since their last game against a Division II opponent. The Jennies have played two NAIA opponents, wins over Evangel and Harris-Stowe, but their last Division II opponent was a 77-76 loss to Arkansas-Fort Smith all the back on Nov. 19. 

Staying Clean
Opponents have taken just 76 free throw attempts against the Jennies in six games and for good reason. The Jennies are committing just 13.4 fouls per game which is the best in the MIAA and fourth in the NCAA. 

Block Party
Central Missouri hasn't had much to brag about in recent years when it comes to blocks, but they have seen an uptick in their blocking numbers recently. The Jennies blocked at least five shots in three of their last four games. Kayonna Lee is a big reason for that with nine blocks, all coming in the last four games. Megan and Sydney Skaggs and Morgan Fleming all have four blocks each. 

Starts and Finishes
The Jennies know how to start and finish games this season. Their two highest scoring periods are the first and fourth, scoring 118 in the first period and 117 in the fourth. They are also holding opponents to the fewest points in those periods as well. UCM has given up just 78 first quarter points and 72 in the fourth. On average, UCM is outscoring 19.5-12 to finish games. 

Deep Bench
Central Missouri is getting contributions from just about everyone on the roster. The Jennies are averaging 26.2 points from their bench this season and have reached at least 20 points in five of their six games. The Jennies bench is outscoring their opponents 157-102 this season. Sydney Crockett has been a big help with that. She is averaging 9.5 points off the bench. 

Scouting the Opposition
Northwest Missouri Bearcats (1-8, 0-3 MIAA)
• Northwest Missouri is currently on a six-game losing streak and have lost their first three MIAA games. 
• The Bearcats are being outscored by an average of 71.1-60.3. Their 35.8% shooting percentage is 13th of 14 teams in the league. They are in the top half in the league in three-point field goal percentage, shooting 32.4%, which is seventh. 
• Tanya Meyer is a returning All-MIAA performer from a year ago. She is off to a tremendous start, averaging a double-double with 14.9 points per game and 10.0 rebounds. She has led the team in points in five games and rebounds in seven games.
• Thanks to Meyer, the Bearcats average 35.4 rebounds per game. After Meyer, Arbrie Benson is grabbing four rebounds per game and Mallory McConkey 3.8. 
• Two other Bearcats are scoring more than 10 points per game. Jaelyn Haggard is scoring 13 and Benson is scoring 11. Haggard has made most of her baskets from beyond the arc, connecting on 25-of-68 which puts her third in the MIAA with a 36.8 three-point percentage. 
• Northwest has dished out 95 assists this season, which matches their opponents. Mallory McConkey leads the team passing out 22 thus far this season. 
• The Bearcats are turning the ball over  almost 16 times per game, while opponents just 13 times. They have also taken it away just 47 times while have had the ball stolen 60 times.
• Northwest has committed 16 more fouls than opponents - 163-147 and have had three foul outs. 
Player to Watch
#15  Tanya Meyer (5-10, F, SR, Sioux City, Iowa) - One of three in the MIAA to average a double-double