WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 7, 2018) - The No. 10 Central Missouri Jennies will begin the NCAA Tournament this week. The 24-3 Jennies earned the No. 2 seed in the Central Region.

Opponent: #7 Minnesota State-Moorhead Dragons (23-5, 19-3 NSIC)

When: Friday, March 9 - 2:30 p.m.

Where: Sioux Falls, S.D. - Elmen 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. There will be a live webcast of the entire Central Region Tournament on host school Augustana's Stretch video portal. 

Tip Off
• Central Missouri Jennies Basketball begins the NCAA Tournament this week taking on No. 7 seed Minnesota-Moorhead in the quarterfinal round. 
• Central Missouri lost their first round game of the MIAA Tournament last week to No. 9 seed, and eventual MIAA Tournament Champions Lindenwood.
• The Jennies fell to No. 10 in the coaches poll this week following their loss. There has not been a new media poll, leaving UCM at No. 4. The Jennies, who had been atop the NCAA Central Region rankings fell to No. 2 when the bracket was released. 

Storylines
• This marks the 20th NCAA Tournament appearance in Central Missouri history. They have six regional championship crowns with their last coming in 1989. The Jens also won from 1983-86 and in 1988.
• All-time Central Missouri is 21-20 in the NCAA Tournament. They are 3-7 under coach Dave Slifer, having made seven regional appearances in 14 years.
• The Jens have won one regional tournament game in their last two appearances.

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
Central Missouri let a 17-point halftime lead slip away in the MIAA Quarterfinals against Lindenwood. The Lions clamped down defensively in the second-half and outscored UCM 47-31 as the Jennies made just seven second half field goals. Megan Skaggs scored a career-high 25 points and hit 4-6 three pointers. Morgan Fleming was also 4-6 from deep and finished with 18 points. 

Previously vs. Minnesota State-Moorhead
Nearly a year ago to the day these two teams met under the same circumstances. Last year, MSUM was the three-seed while the Jennies were No. 6. It wasn't pretty, but the Jennies got the job done 56-45. UCM shot just 31.7%, but Moorhead was below 30% at 29.8% including going 0-17 from three. Megan Skaggs scored 17 points, Kayonna Lee was a rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. 

Jennies in the Rankings
Central Missouri had a chance to host the regional as they were ranked first heading into the final week. Their loss to Lindenwood pushed them back to No. 2. It also moved them down in the coaches poll from No. 6 to No. 10. 

Road Warriors
The Jennies haven't seemed to mind going into unfriendly environments. UCM is 11-1 away from Warrensburg this season and 9-0 in true road games. The Jennies started their year with two games in Municipal Auditorium. UCM defeated University of Mary and Northern State out of the Northern Sun in their first two games. Their only loss away from Warrensburg was to Lindenwood at the MIAA Championships last weekend. 

The MIAA Universe
• Central Missouri won the MIAA regular season at 18-1. Joining UCM in the 2018 Central Region Tournament from the MIAA are Fort Hays who finished third in the regular season, and Lindenwood who won the MIAA Tournament to earn an automatic qualifier. 
• The Jennies make it a habit to share the ball, averaging 14.7 assists per game, second-most in the MIAA. UCM is the only team with two in the top-10 in assists per game. Paige Redmond overtook the team lead with 106 helpers, and her 3.9 assists per game are second in the MIAA. Kelsey Williams is right behind her with 94 assists. She averages 3.5 per game, tied for fifth in the MIAA. Williams' 2:2 assist-to-turnover ratio is second in the MIAA, while Redmond is third at 1.7-1. As a team, the Jennies assists to turnover ratio of 1.24-1 is the best in the MIAA and the 16th best mark in the NCAA. 
• As a team, the Jennies are in the top-five in the MIAA in field goal (45.9%), three-point (34.7%) and free throw (77.1%) percentages. They're first in field goal percentage and second in three-pointers. 
• Kayonna Lee is the only player in the MIAA to be in the top-10 in rebounding, steals and blocks.
• Paige Redmond is eighth in the league in scoring at 16.1 points per game. She is also No. 5 in field goal percentage and the only guard in the top-five. 

Individual Milestones 
• Paige Redmond joined the 1,000 point club this season scoring the milestone bucket against Pittsburg State. She is currently at 1,116 which is 21st all-time. She needs just 21 points to crack the top 20. Redmond is also climbing the all-time 3FGM list. She has 128 for her career which is tied for eighth all-time and 17 shy from seventh place. 
• Sydney Crockett and Morgan Fleming each passed 500 career points in the game against Lindenwood. Kayonna Lee is up next with 493 career points. She also needs just one more rebound for 500. Crockett also needs four more free throws made to reach 100 and eight more three-pointers to become just the 11th Jennies to ever knock in 100 career three-pointers. 
• Kelsey Williams needs six more assists for 100 this season.
• Megan Skaggs went over 600 career points in the Jennies game against Lindenwood.

All-MIAA Team
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. 
• 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.
• 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. 

Scouting the Opposition
Minnesota State-Moorhead Dragons
• Like the Jennies, MSU Moorhead won a share of the Northern Regular Season. They finished 19-3 overall and come into the NCAA Tournament with a 23-5 record. 
• Also like the Jennies, the Dragons lost in their conference quarterfinal round game. The Dragons have lost two of their last three games after winning 15 straight. 
• A pair of Dragons made the All-NSIC First Team, Senior Drew Sannes and Junior Jacky Volkert. They are two of four Dragons to score more than 10 points per game this season. Sannes leads the team with 13.8 points and is shooting right at 45% from the floor. Sannes has also stepped out to make 42-105 three-pointers. Volkert is right behind scoring 13.7 points per game. She also leads the team with 151 assists which is the best in the Northern Sun.
• Megan Hintz is scoring 11.7 points per game and with Sannes, they combine for 15.4 of the Dragons 43.6 rebounds per game. Hintz is responsible for 6.4 of those while Sannes grabs 9.0.
• Cassidy Thorson is high-volume three-point shooter. 70 of her 94 field goals have been three-pointers, but she is shooting 29.9% for the season. She made the All-NSIC Second Team. 
• The Dragons are a good ball-control team. They are in the top-10 in fewest turnovers with just 12.0 per game. They dont force many either though with just 11.46 which is 297th out of 300 Division II teams.
• At the free throw line Minnesota-Moorhead is in the top-20 in the nation shooting 77.6%. All four of their top-scorers are shooting better than 80% for the season.
• At 31.0 defensive rebounds per game, the Dragons rank fifth in D2 and lead the Northern Sun. 
Player to Watch
#12  Jacky Volkert (5-7, G, JR, Arden Hills, Minn.) - All-NSIC First Team - 13.7 ppg, 2.3:1 asst/TO ratio