Skaggs Hits 1,000 Points as Jennies Clinch Tournament Spot

MARYVILLE, Mo. (Feb. 13, 2019) - It was a night of milestones for 24th-ranked Central Missouri Jennies Basketball. Not only did the Jennies clinch a spot in the 2019 MIAA Basketball Tournament, but junior Megan Skaggs scored her 1,000th career point in the 78-67 win. The Jennies move to 17-5 and 10-4 in the MIAA.

How it Happened
• Despite shooting just 35% from three, the Jennies were 32-58 overall for 55.2%. The Jens were 25-38 on shots inside the three-point line.
• The Jens had a big advantage on the boards, 35-22. Of those 35, 13 were offensive and UCM scored 10 second chance points.
• UCM dominated in the paint. In addition to holding the rebounding edge, the Jens outscored NWMSU 46-24 in the paint.
• A game after turning the ball over 20 times, UCM cut that down by 40%, losing it just 12 times.
• It was another fast start for the Jennies who scored the first nine points. Paige Redmond was able to get inside the lane and knocked in a layup, making it 13-2 and forcing a Bearcat timeout just passed the midway point of the first.
• UCM built their lead to 15, 17-2 before the Bearcats started to mount a comeback. They finished the quarter on a 9-5 run and after one, it was 22-11 Jennies.
• Both teams were trading baskets for most of the second quarter. A Redmond three made it a 12-point game, 33-21 with 3:35 left in the half. Northwest though ran out the half on an 8-0 run, scoring five points in the final minute, cutting the lead down to just four, 33-29 at the half.
• Central Missouri opened the second on a 6-2 run, putting them back up eight. 39-31. A layup from Peyton Taylor with 4:17 left in the period brought the Jennies lead back to 15, 53-38.
• But again, Northwest wasn't going away, closing the period on a 14-7 run, bringing the lead back down to single digits, 60-52.
• Northwest carried that momentum into the fourth and a three from Kylie Coleman made it a three-point game, 62-59, with 7:44 left to play. 
• A layup from Morgan Fleming sparked an 8-0 run, which included three-points from Sydney Crockett and Morgan VanHyfte with the shot clock winding down. VanHyfte made it consecutive triples and with 4:31 left, the Jennies were back up 12, 73-61.
• From there the Jennies were able to run out the clock and the Bearcats never got closer than eight the rest of the way.

It Was Over When...
• It always seemed like the Bearcats were going to keep clawing their way back into the game. Even down eight with under a minute left, Paige Redmond's three was the final nail in the coffin in the 78-67 win.

Jennies Stat Leaders
• Morgan Fleming finished with 20 points, going 9-17 from the floor. She was a rebound shy of a double-double.
• Paige Redmond poured in 19 and was 8-16 to go along with seven assists and six rebounds.
• Sydney Crockett buried three triples and scored 13 points with three rebounds an assist and a steal. 
• Morgan VanHyfte was 3-4 with two threes and scored 12 points in 29 minutes. She also pulled down five rebounds with three assists.
• Megan Skaggs added 10 points and was 5-9 with three assists and two rebounds.
• Peyton Taylor scored four points off the bench, going 2-3.

For the Bearcats
• Kendey Eaton scored a career-best 37 points going 13-21, 4-5 from three and 7-8 at the line.
• Mallory McConkey added 10 points with three rebounds.
• Kaylani Maiava scored four with a team-best five rebounds.

News and Notes
• Megan Skaggs becomes the 27th member of the Jennies 1,000th point club. She is the first since Paige Redmond did so last year.
• Paige Redmond moved up to sixth place all-time in UCM history with 1,579 points.
• It was also a career-best night for Morgan VanHyfte, who's 12 points are a high with UCM.
• Sydney Crockett surpassed 700 career points.
• The Jennies 46 points in the paint are their second most in a game this season.
• By shooting 55.2% from the floor, the Jennies have set a new season best.

Up Next
• The Jennies are scheduled to face Missouri Western Saturday, Feb. 16 in St. Joseph, Mo.