Jennies Continue MIAA Play on the Road

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Jan. 9, 2019) - Central Missouri Jennies Basketball takes to the road this week for a pair of MIAA games.

Opponents: Missouri Southern Lions (10-4, 2-2 MIAA)
                    Pittsburg State Gorillas (11-2, 3-1 MIAA)

When: Thursday, Jan. 10 - 5:30 p.m. - at Missouri Southern
            Saturday, Jan. 12 - 1:30 p.m. - at Pittsburg State

Where: at Missouri Southern - Joplin, Mo. - Leggett and Platt Athletic Center 
            at Pittsburg State - Pittsburg, Kan. - John Lance Arena

How to Watch
• This weekend's games will be broadcast live on 98.5 The Bar and 1450 KOKO with Greg Hassler on the call. There will also be a webstream available on the Jennies Blueframe portal page at www.themiaanetwork.com/ucmmules. Live stats will also be available.

Tip Off
• The Jennies will be on the road as they continue MIAA action this week. They take on Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State Thursday and Saturday
• Central Missouri is ranked 19th in the latest WBCA Coaches Poll after going 1-1 last week.

Story Lines
• This week will be the Jennies first road game since Dec. 10 and their first road trip out of state in more than a month.
• Central Missouri has compiled a winning record against both opponents, going 41-23 against the Lions and 32-24 all time against the Gorillas. The Jennies are 3-4 in their last 7 meetings with PSU, but 2-1 on the road and have won 3 of their last 4 at John Lance Arena. 

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
• The Jennies suffered their second MIAA loss of the season Thursday to No. 5 Fort Hays State in a low-scoring affair, 56-46. UCM got right back on track though with a 64-49 win Saturday over Nebraska-Kearney. 

Previously vs. MSSU/PSU
• Central Missouri concluded the 2017-18 regular season with a home win, 64-41 over Missouri Southern and got some retribution over the Gorillas on the road, 60-56. PSU handed the Jens their only MIAA loss last season, 68-63 in early February. All five Jennies starters scored in double-figures vs. the Lions and Kayonna Lee had a 10 point, 12 rebound double-double. UCM shot 65% from three in their win against the Gorillas. Megan Skaggs was 4-6 and Paige Redmond 3-4. 

Jennies vs. MSSU/PSU
• In six career games against Missouri Southern, Paige Redmond is averaging 15 points and 3.5 assists per game. She shoots 48.4% from the floor against the Lions and 35.7% from three. Against PSU, Redmond is slashing .467/.452/.895. 
• Morgan Fleming has faced the Lions only twice, but shoots 60% and averages 13 points per game.
• Sydney Crockett has hit 7-19 three point attempts against Missouri Southern in six games. 
• Against the Gorillas, Megan Skaggs averages 9.3 points and 3.8 boards in four games. 
• In UCM's last seven games vs. PSU, both teams are shooting 43.5% and UCM has outscored the Gorillas 471-470. 

Jennies in the Rankings
• Central Missouri fell four spots to No. 19 in the WBCA poll this week. They fell out of the D2SIDA poll.
• The Jennies have been ranked by the WBCA for 33 straight polls. 
• The Jens were also picked first in the MIAA preseason coaches poll, following their 18-1 regular season championship last season.

Jennies on the Road
• Central Missouri hasn't been on the road since Dec. 10 in a win at Rockhurst. So far this season UCM is 2-2 in true road games.
• Under Coach Slifer, the Jennies are 99-69 all-time in road games. 

The MIAA Universe (As of Jan. 7, 2019)
• Not one, not two, but three Jennies rank in the MIAA top-10 in scoring. Paige Redmond leads the way with 15.9 which is fifth, Morgan Fleming is ninth at 14.0 and Megan Skaggs is 10th at 13.5 
• Redmond is still leading the MIAA in minutes per game at 36.8. She is also the only player in the MIAA top-10 in FG% (8th-39.9%), 3FG% (2nd-39.2%) and FT% (T2nd-91.9) based on league minimum attempts and is fourth with 4.1 assists per game. 
• Kim Crown has moved up to seventh with 1.3 blocks per game. 

Individual Milestones 
• Paige Redmond joined the 1,000 point club last season scoring the milestone bucket against Pittsburg State. She is currently at 1,412 which is 11th all-time and just five points away from the top-10. Redmond is also climbing the all-time 3FGM list. She has 176 for her career which is moves her to fifth all-time. 
• Sydney Crockett is also moving up the all-time three-point list and is currently ninth with 117 and 11 away from eighth place. She also needs two rebounds for 200.   
•  Morgan Fleming has 247 made field goals and 247 rebounds. She needs three of each to reach 250. 
• Peyton Taylor is four points away from 150 and nine rebounds shy of 100. 

10 Below
• For the last three seasons the Jennies have made a habit of holding teams to fewer than 10 points in at least one quarter. It's happened in 41 games dating back to the 2016-17 season and in those games, UCM is 38-3. The Jens were 15-1 when doing so in 2016-17 and 18-1 last year including four of the six NCAA postseason games. The Jens are at it again this year. In six games, they've held their opponent to single-digits in one quarter of play, including their last vs. Nebraska-Kearney and are 5-1 this season. 

Who's Hot?
• All-American Paige Redmond has continued to stay hot into the new year. Redmond was the MIAA Player of the Week two week's ago. She's scored in double-figures in five straight, averaging 16.8 points in those five games. She also set a new career-high with nine assists against Nebraska-Kearney.
• To borrow a hockey term, Sydney Crockett has been lighting the lamp from behind the arc. She's scored 9.25 points in her last four games and has eight three-pointers. 

Scouting the Opposition
Missouri Southern Lions (10-4, 2-2 MIAA)
• Missouri Southern is off to a 10-4 start this season and like UCM are 2-2 in the MIAA. They've split each of their first two series, including a close loss on the road at Lindenwood and an 81-78 overtime win at Lincoln.
• The Lions are led by senior guard Chelsey Henry, who is second in the MIAA scoring 18.5 points per game. She put up a career-high 35 in the win at Lincoln.
• Missouri Southern enters the weekend as the top rebounding team in the MIAA, coming down with 43.6 boards per game. They average 14.2 offensive rebounds and 29.4 defensive, both top-3 in the league.
• In addition to Henry, Chasidee Owens is scoring 10.7 points per game and Destiny Cozart is at 9.1. Owens is the team's leading rebouder with 7.1 per game.
• As a team, the Lions are shooting 41.6% from the floor and opponents are at 39.2, both are in the bottom half of the MIAA. From three, MSSU is shooting just 28.2%
• Turnovers have been a major problem for the Lions who give it up 20.1 times per game, most in the MIAA. Their -3.93 turnover margin is the second worst in the conference. 
Player to Watch
#15 Chelsey Henry (5-10, G, Sr., Neosho, Mo.) - 2nd in MIAA scoring 18.5 points per game

Pittsburg State Gorillas (11-2, 3-1 MIAA)
• The Gorillas dropped just their second game of the season and first conference game last Saturday to Lindenwood and stand at 11-2 and 3-1 this season. The loss to the Lions snapped a 10-game Gorilla winning streak. 
• The Gorillas have two in double-figures with Shelby Lopez's 12.8 points leading the team. She shoots 47.5% from the floor and 40.6% from three.
• Athena Alvardo averages 11.1 points, all from inside the arc. She's shooting better than 60% from the floor this season, which would be second in the MIAA if she had enough attempts to qualify.
• The Gorillas have a slight edge in rebounding, pulling down 39.9 per game. Alvardo is the team's leader with 6.5 boards per game with 30 coming on the offensive glass.
• Pitt State's 1.15 turnover margin is towards the bottom of the MIAA. They average 13.3 turnovers per game while forcing 14.5.
• The Gorillas do a lot of damage from three. Their 36.7% from behind the arc is the second-best in the MIAA. Overall, PSU is also second shooting 45.6% from the field. 
Player to Watch
#15 Athena Alvardo (6-0, F, Jr., Wichita, Kan.) - 11.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 60.4% FG