SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Nov. 29, 2019) - Central Missouri hung tight with No. 1 Drury all night long, but came up just short in the end 57-54. The loss puts the Jennies at 3-3 on the season.

How it Happened
• Neither team led by more than five at any point in the game which saw eight ties and eight lead changes.
• The Jennies defense held Drury to just 34% shooting and 3-16 from three while UCM hit 47.5% from the floor.
• Central Missouri out-rebounded Drury, 32-31, but the Panthers came down with 19 offensive rebounds and scored 16 second-chance points.
• The Drury press forced UCM into 28 turnovers and they turned those in 25 points. Drury turned the ball over 16 times themselves and committed seven more fouls - 22-15.
• Both teams made 14 free throws with the Jennies going 14-16 at the line.
• In a low scoring game, neither team got off to a very hot start. With five minutes remaining, the Panthers led by one, 3-2. Things opened up a bit more as the game progressed and the Panthers took a five-point lead, 9-4 with just under three to play. The Jennies outscored Drury 6-2 in the final 1:54 of the quarter and trailed by one, 11-10 after one.
• At the end of the half, things hadn't changed and UCM still trailed by one, 27-26. The 16 points for each team was their most in any quarter.
• UCM held a few brief leads in the second, including with under one minute left on a Morgan VanHyfte layup, but the Panthers answered with 37 seconds to play and took a lead into the half.
• Drury pushed the lead to five a handful of times in the third, but the Jennies weren't going down quietly. Gigi McAtee made a pair of free throws with 1:13 left to keep the Jennies within one possession after three, 42-39.
• Morgan Fleming started the scoring in the third with a three and the Jens scored the first seven points in the fourth for a 46-42 lead. After a jumper by McAtee, the Jens still led by four, 52-48 with 3:22 left to play. Drury tied the game with four free throws, and took the lead for good on a steal and three-pointer. Trailing by one 55-54, the Jennies had a chance to tie or take the lead in the closing seconds. Ellisha Davis missed a layup, but UCM got the rebound. With one last possession, UCM didn't get a foul call their way when Gigi McAtee was bumped and lost the ball and Drury escaped with the win.

It Was Over When...
The Jennies didn't get a shot off in the closing seconds down by one as a 50-50 call went the other way and UCM lost possession. 

Jennies Stat Leaders
• Nija Collier led the Jens with 15 points and eight rebounds. She was 5-8 from the field and 5-6 at the line.
• Kim Crown came off the bench to score 10 points with six rebounds. She made all four of her free throws and was 3-4 from the floor.
• Megan Skaggs added nine points and three rebounds.
• Ellisha Davis scored five points with three steals and three rebounds. 

For the Panthers
• Hailey Diestelkamp scored a game-high 22 points with nine rebounds.
• Paige Robinson chipped in seven points.
• Daejah Bernard scored six points with two rebounds and four steals.

News and Notes
• The Jennies have held their first six opponents to less than 60 points, something they hadn't done since the 1972-73 season. 
• All-time UCM is 2-5 against Drury.
• The Jennies 47.5 field goal percentage was their highest in a game this season.
• Kim Crown's 10 points are a season-high.

Up Next
• The Jennies will remain in Springfield to take on Truman State Saturday, Nov. 30 at 7:45 p.m.