Jens Move On to MIAA Tournament Championship

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 9, 2019) - Central Missouri Jennies Basketball had to overcome a 10-point deficit against Lindenwood, but a strong second half propelled them to a 67-61 win. Central Missouri will move on to the MIAA Championship game tomorrow afternoon.

How it Happened
• Neither team shot the ball exceptionally well. The Jennies finished 22-58 for 37.9% while Lindenwood was 23-61 for 37.7%.
• The Jennies doubled up the Lions on three-pointers made, 8-4.
• Central Missouri had a big advantage in turnover-to-assist radio. The Jennies dished out 17 dimes with just nine turnovers while Lindenwood had six assists and 11 turnovers.
• At the free throw line, UCM was 15-19 while the Lions were 11-15.
• UCM matched the best rebounding team in the conference with 38. Both teams had nine offensive rebounds, but the Lions scored 12 second-chance points the the Jennies two.
• The game featured six ties and seven lead changes. 
• Both teams were running up and down the floor at the start and less than three minutes into the game, Lindenwood led 10-8.
• The Lions went cold though and didn't score for the final 6:36 of the first. The Jennies took the lead, 13-12, following a Fleming three and had a one-point advantage going into the second.
• In the second, Lindenwood went on an 11-0 stretch for a 25-19 lead. They kept up the scoring and led by as many as 10, 34-24.
• On UCM's final possession of the half, Sydney Crockett got the lead back down to single digits with a corner three in the last seconds.
• The halftime adjustments were immediate to see. The Jennies started out 3-3 from the field in the third and right before the media timeout, Crockett made it a one-point game, 41-40, with a three.
• Megan Skaggs gave the Jennies their first lead since the first half knocking in a pair of free throws for a 44-43 lead. The Jens closed the quarter on a 5-0 run and led 49-45 after three. The Jennies outscored LWU 22-11 in the third and Skaggs had 13 of the 22.
• The final frame started with a bit of good fortune. With the shot clock winding down, Peyton Taylor launched a three that hit the front of the rim, but a friendly bounce saw it fall through the net. Paige Redmond followed with a three of her own, and the Jennies built their lead to 10, 55-54.
• The Lions didn't quit through and seven straight points saw them cut the lead to three, 62-59 in the final minute. Forced to foul, Morgan Fleming and Redmond each went 2-2 at the free throw line to keep it at a two-possession game.

It Was Over When...
• The Lions cut the lead to three for the second time in the final minute, but Redmond and Crockett went 3-4 in the final 20 seconds as the Jennies escaped with the win.

Jennies Stat Leaders
• Paige Redmond led the way scoring 17 points. She was 3-6 from three and 5-5 at the free throw line. She also dished out seven assists.
• Megan Skaggs added 17 points on 5-9 shooting and a grabbed six rebounds. 
• Morgan Fleming scored 15 with six assists.
• Sydney Crockett led UCM with eight rebounds and scored 11 points.
• Peyton Taylor chipped in seven points off the bench.

For the Lions
• Charisse Williams scored a game-high 22 points. She was 10-15 from the field.
• Lexie Moe scored 13 with six rebounds.
• Kallie Bildner added nine points with a game-high 13 rebounds.
• Lindsay Medlen grabbed eight rebounds and scored four points with three assists.

News and Notes
• Morgan Fleming went over 1,000 career points. 
• Paige Redmond moved into third place all-time in three-pointers made. She now has 213.
• The Jennies were 13-24 from the field in the second half after going 9 of 34 in the first half.
• MIAA leading scorer Kallie Bilder was held to fewer than 10 points in all three games vs. UCM this season.
• The Jennies avenged a loss against Lindenwood in the MIAA Tournament last season.
• This will be the Jennies first MIAA Championship game appearance since the 2014 season.
• Central Missouri is now 42-28 in MIAA Tournament games.

Up Next
• The Jennies will play for their first MIAA title since 1990 when they take on top seed Fort Hays State at 3:15 p.m.