Elite Eight On Tap for Jennies

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 16, 2018) - There are just eight teams left playing in Division II Women's Basketball and the Jennies are one of them. They're back in the Elite Eight for the first time since 1989 with a trip to the Final Four up for grabs.

Opponent: Lubbock Christian Lady Chaparells (31-1, 14-0 Heartland)

When: Monday, March 19 - 12 p.m.

Where: Sioux Falls, S.D. - Sanford Pentagon

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. The quarterfinal round game will have a live webcast provided by the NCAA. 

Tip Off
• Central Missouri Jennies Basketball continues on to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. After the tournament has been reseeded, the Jennies are the No. 6 seed taking on No. 3 Lubbock Christian. Should they win, they'll move on to face either No. 2 Carson-Newman or No. 7 Union.
• Central Missouri defeated Augustana 81-42 in the Central Region Finals on Augustana's home court to advance to their Elite Eight. It is their seventh regional crown in team history. 
• There has not been a new coaches or media poll, so the Jennies remain ranked 10th by the WBCA Coaches and tied for 11th in the media poll. 

Storylines
• This marks the 21st NCAA Tournament appearance in Central Missouri history. They now have seven regional championship crowns. This is their first since 1989. The Jens also won from 1983-86 and in 1988.
• All-time Central Missouri is 24-20 in the NCAA Tournament. They are 6-7 under coach Dave Slifer, having made seven regional appearances in 14 years.
• In the Central Region Finals, the Jennies 81 points were the most put up in any region final game and their 42 points allowed was the fewest in any game. 

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
Central Missouri won regional championship No. 7 with an 81-42 drubbing of Augustana on their home court. The Jennies scored 17 of the first 19 points and the game was never in doubt the rest of the way. Megan Skaggs and Paige Redmond each scored 20+ points to lead the Jennies. Redmond was named the Central Region Tournament MVP and Skaggs was on the All-Tournament Team. 

Previously vs. Lubbock Christian
First Ever Meeting

Jennies in the Rankings
No new rankings this week, so UCM will remain 10th in the WBCA Coaches Poll and 11th in the D2SIDA Media Poll. 

Road Warriors
The Jennies haven't seemed to mind going into unfriendly environments. UCM is 14-1 away from Warrensburg this season and 10-0 in true road games. Their only loss away from Warrensburg was to Lindenwood at the MIAA Tournament. Since the Jennies are finished with road games for 2017-18, this marks the first time in program history the Jens have gone undefeated on the road. 

The NCAA Universe
• The Jennies are the only remaining team to not have an individual in the top-15 in any NCAA statistical category. They don't even have one in the top-20. Kelsey Williams is the highest ranked individual. She's 21st in the NCAA with a 2.27:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. 
• As a team though, the whole seems to be greater than the sum of it's parts and it starts on defense. The Jennies rank 14th in scoring defense at 56.8%
• Where the Jennies also excel is at holding onto the ball. With just 11.8 turnovers per game, the Jennies commit the sixth fewest in the NCAA. That goes hand-in-hand with committing the 14th fewest number of fouls per game, at just 14.6. 
• Offensively, the Jens aren't too bad either. Shooting 46% for the season, the Jennies rank 12th in Division II. Paige Redmond was fifth in the MIAA in shooting percentage and the highest ranked guard. 

Individual Milestones 
• Paige Redmond joined the 1,000 point club this season scoring the milestone bucket against Pittsburg State. She is currently at 1,173 which is 19th all-time. She needs just 27 points to move up to 18th. Redmond is also climbing the all-time 3FGM list. She has 139 for her career which is eighth all-time and six shy from seventh place. Her 62 3-pointers this season are tied for the 10th most in a single season
• Kelsey Williams needs four points to reach 400 in her career and two for 200 this season.  
• With a block in the Regional Championship, Kayonna Lee now has 42 this season which is 10th all-time in a single-season at UCM. 

Postseason Awards
All five Jennies starters were named to the All-MIAA team. It is just the fourth time UCM has had five named All-MIAA.
• Paige Redmond was selected to the First Team for the second straight season. She was also named Player of the Year, the 10th in Jennies history and first since Keuna Flax in 2013-14. She is just the ninth Jennie to be selected to multiple First Teams. Redmond was also selected to the D2CCA All-Central Region First Team. Her second career All-Region award. Following the Central Region Tournament, she was named the Tournament MVP. 
• Also a Player of the Year was Kayonna Lee who was chosen the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. She also was a part of the MIAA All-Defensive Team for the second straight season and was named an All-MIAA Honorable Mention. 
• Morgan Fleming made her first All-MIAA team as a part of the Second Team. 
• Megan Skaggs and Kelsey Williams were a named All-MIAA Honorable Mention. It is the second All-MIAA award for Skaggs, who also made the All-Region Team. 
• For the first time at UCM, coach Dave Slifer was named the MIAA Coach of the Year. It is his fourth career MIAA Coach of the Year award after earning three with Missouri Western. 

Jennies in the NCAA Tournament
• Two Jennies are averaging double-figures in the NCAA Tournament thus far. Paige Redmond leads the team scoring 19 points per game and Skaggs is scoring 16 ppg. In 5 career NCAA games, Skaggs averages 17 ppg, shooting .525 from the floor & .481 from 3.
• The Jennies are very close to their regular season shooting averages. They've shot 46.7% in the NCAA, up from 46.0% in the regular season. They are also shooting slightly better from three, 36.9%-34.9% and the free throw line, 77.5%-77.1%. 
• A big difference in two games has been turnovers. UCM has committed 30 while forcing 38 from their three opponents. 
• UCM's defense has been a difference maker. They've allowed just 50 points per game, while allowing teams to shoot 33.3% from the field. Both of those numbers are way down from their regular season averages of 56.8 points per game and 37.2% shooting. 

Scouting the Opposition
• Lubbock Christian enters the Elite Eight on one of the longest winning streaks in the country - 25 games. Their only loss this season was to No. 1 and defending National Championship Ashland, 79-66. LCU was the 2016 D2 National Champions.
• The Lady Chaps defeated Tarleton State, Angelo State and West Texas A&M to win the South Central Region. Their semi-finals and finals wins were by a combined five points. 
• Lubbock Christian is led by South Central Region Player of the Year Tess Bruffey. She nearly averages a double-double scoring 15.3 points per game and grabbing 8.6 rebounds. She shoots at 42.4% and also has hit a team-best 51 three-pointers. She's also second in D2 with 127 blocked shots. 
• Behind Bruffey is Maddi Chitsey who is scoring 11.7 points per game. She is another forward and is hitting on 55.1% of her field goal attempts.
• The Lady Chaps get it done on both sides of the ball. At 47.4%, they rank third in the NCAA in field goal percentage, however they lead all of D2 in defensive field goal percentage, allowing just 32.9% and 27.5% from three. Their 52.1 points allowed per game is also the best in the country.
• Lubbock Christian is another half-court based team. They don't force many turnovers, just 14.19 per game, which is towards the bottom of the NCAA. They also give it away 14.8 times per game.
• LCU averages just 38.4 rebounds per game, but their +6.4 rebounding margin was best in the Heartland and 27th in Division II.
• Caitlyn Cunyus leads LCU with 94 assists. She's also made 50 three pointers. 
Player to Watch
#54 Tess Bruffey (6-4, F, SR, Lubbock, Texas) - D2SIDA South Central Region Player of the Year