TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (Jan. 31, 2019) - After a tight 10 minutes of play, No. 23 Central Missouri Jennies Basketball stepped on the accelerator in the second period and distanced themselves from Northeastern State. The Jennies pulled away from the RiverHawks for a 71-59 win, improving to 14-4 this season and 7-3 in the MIAA.
How it Happened
• The game was tight at 21 after 10 minutes of play in a first period that featured four ties and four lead changes. The Jennies outscored NSU 21-11 in the second and never trailed the rest of the way.
• Both teams shot the ball exceptionally well with UCM hitting on 48% of their field goals and Northeastern State 49. The RiverHawks were the better team from three making 7-of-13 while the Jens were just 4-21. UCM edged the RiverHawks at the free throw line sinking 9-11 while NSU was just 4-9.
• The Jennies did most of their work in the paint. Despite going against the top shot-blocking team in the MIAA, the Jennies still scored 48 points in the paint.
• While Northeastern saw their shots falling, UCM did a good job of limiting those shot opportunities. The Jennies forced 23 turnovers with 13 steals and scored 24 points off those turnovers.
• The RiverHawks won the rebounding battle, 32-29.
• It looked as though UCM might have their way with the RiverHawks early, opening up an 8-2 lead in the first 2:30. That changed as NSU scored nine straight to take an 11-8 lead. The teams battled the rest of the quarter and two
Megan Skaggs free throws with one second left tied the game at 21.
• Northeastern State took the first lead in the second with a layup on their second possession. From there, the Jennies scored six straight and 13 of 16 to open up an eight-point lead, 34-26.
• Late in the half with the Jens still ahead eight,
Sydney Crockett and
Paige Redmond sank a couple of jumpers. The RiverHawks answered with one on their final possession and heading in the half the Jens led by 10, 42-32.
• Central Missouri led by double-digits for much of the remainder of the game. Redmond's layup with 5:44 to go in the third put UCM up 15, 49-34, their largest lead of the game.
• Northeastern State got it down to seven, 53-46, but
Kim Crown closed the quarter on a 5-0 run by herself as the Jens led by 12 after three.
• A slow fourth quarter played into the Jennies hands as the RiverHawks couldn't cut into the lead. NSU sank a three to make it an eight-point game, but back-to-back field goals from
Megan Skaggs and
Morgan Fleming pushed the lead back to 12, which is what UCM won by.
It Was Over When...
• Once the RiverHawks brought the lead back down to eight with 5:15 to play, the Jennies scored seven straight. Skaggs and Fleming each hit a field goal and
Peyton Taylor dropped the hammer with a three as UCM was back up 15, 67-52 with just 3:12 left.
Jennies Stat Leaders
•
Kim Crown led four Jennies in double-figures with 15 points and was 7-12 from the floor.
•
Paige Redmond and
Megan Skaggs each scored 13. Skaggs also had a game-high-tying six assists along with five rebounds. Redmond came up with four steals.
•
Morgan Fleming poured in 12 points.
•
Sydney Crockett was a spark off the bench with nine points and a team-high seven rebounds.
For the RiverHawks
• Cenia Hayes scored a game-high 20 points and was 5-9 from three.
• Cailyn Long, Bailee Eldred and Joi Bertrand each scored 10.
• Eldrand also grabbed eight rebounds and Bertrand blocked four shots.
News and Notes
• The win keeps the Jennies undefeated against Northeastern State. They are now 8-0 all-time.
• This was coach
Dave Slifer's 100th career road win with UCM.
•
Kim Crown went over 100 rebounds this season and with UCM.
•
Sydney Crockett's seven rebounds are a season-best.
Up Next
• The Jennies stay in the Sooner State and take on Central Oklahoma Saturday, Feb. 2 with a 1:30 p.m. tipoff.
