WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Jan. 14, 2020) - Central Missouri Jennies Basketball puts their eight-game winning streak on the line as they return home for a pair of MIAA games this week.
Opponents
Pittsburg State Gorillas (8-6, 4-2 MIAA)
Missouri Southern Lions (4-10, 1-5 MIAA)
Where
Warrensburg, Mo. - UCM Multipurpose Building
When
Wednesday, Jan. 15 - 5:30 p.m. vs. Pittsburg State
Saturday, Jan. 18 - 1 p.m. vs. Missouri Southern
How to Watch
• This week's games will be aired on the MIAA Network on the Jennies BlueFrame portal. Greg Hassler will be calling the action. Live stats are available and found at ucmathletics.com.
Promotions
Wednesday - Courtside Cafe will be open starting at halftime of the Jennies game until the start of the Mules game
Saturday - UCM SAAC will be taking donations for the Make a Wish Foundations at both entrances to the arena.Â
Tip Off
• The Jennies return home after going undefeated on a season-long three game road trip. The Jens defeated Lincoln last Saturday in their only game of the week.
Story Lines
• The Jennies are one of two teams in the MIAA left unbeaten.Â
• UCM is in the midst of a season-long eight-game winning streak.
• Central Missouri has compiled a winning record against both opponents, going 42-23 against the Lions and 32-25 all time against the Gorillas.Â
• The Jennies are three wins away from 1,000 as a program.
• At home this season, the Jennies are a perfect 6-0.
Quick Hits
Last Time Out
• Central Missouri wrapped up a 3-0 roadtrip with an 82-60 win at Lincoln. Four Jennies were in double-figures led by
Megan Skaggs' 50.
Morgan Fleming was 7-11 from the floor for 17 points.Â
Previously vs. Pittsburg State/Missouri Southern
• The Jennies struggled early their last time at Pittsburg in a 76-68 loss. The Jennies came back though from down as much as 19 to get to within five late, but couldn't make up the difference.
Paige Redmond scored 33 points. UCM had a tough time holding off Missouri Southern, but held on for a 70-67 win in Joplin.
Kim Crown was 7-10 for 17 points and eight rebounds. Skaggs added 16 and nine.
Jennies in the Rankings
• The Jennies have been ranked by the WBCA in 41 of the last 47 polls dating back to the 2016-17 season but fell out of the receiving votes category recently. The Jennies opened the season ranked 11th before starting the year 2-2 and falling out of the top-25.
• Central Missouri is ranked ninth in the D2 Massey Ratings.Â
• The Jens were picked second in the MIAA preseason coaches poll, following their 15-4 conference season in 2018-19
Individual Milestones
•
Nija Collier is 19 points away from 200.
• With seven more FGM,
Kim Crown will get to 100.
•
Gigi McAtee will get to 100 points with 11 more.
•
Megan Skaggs will get to 1,000 FGA with 10 more.Â
•
Morgan VanHyfte is three rebounds shy of 150.
1,000 Point Club
• Both
Morgan Fleming and
Megan Skaggs started the 2019-20 year as members of the 1,000 point club. Fleming has 1,257 while Skaggs is at 1,419. Skaggs is currently 11th all-time and 33 points away from 11th. Fleming is 20th and seven points away from 19th.
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 51 games dating back to the 2016-17 season and in those games, UCM is 46-5. The Jens were 15-1 when doing so in 2016-17 and 18-1 in the run to the national championship, including four of the six NCAA postseason games. The Jens defense has cranked it up again, holding opponents to fewer than 10 points in six of their 14 games, and are 5-1 so far in 2019 when doing so.
Who's Hot?
•
Morgan VanHyfte has been filling out the stat sheet with 8 steals, 12 assists, 16 rebounds and 15 points in her last five games.
•
Morgan Fleming is shooting better than 50% in her last six games.Â
•
Madisyn Pense has scored in each of her last two games played.Â
60 and Under
• In 11 of 14 games this season, the Jennies have held opponents to fewer than 60 or fewer points scored. Truman State was the first to break the 60-point barrier hitting 63. The Jennies most UCM has allowed this season is 64.
• The Jennies are allowing just 56.8 points per game this season which is the fourth-best in the MIAA and the 29th best in Division II.
Pulling Away
• The Jennies best offensive quarter has been the last. UCM has scored 270 points in the fourth quarter.
• The Jens are averaging 36.4 points in the second halves of games and 30.9 in first halves.Â
• UCM has built leads with their defense in the 1st, allowing just 171 1st-quarter points. The next fewest is 177 points allowed in the 3rd
MIAA Leaders
• Three Jennies are in the MIAA top-20 in scoring.
Megan Skaggs is fourth averaging 16.5 points per game.
Morgan Fleming is 12th scoring 14.6 and
Nija Collier 20th scoring 12.9
• Collier is also second in the league with 8.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
•
Kim Crown is second in the MIAA shooting 87.8% at the free throw line.
Jennies vs. Pittsburg State/Missouri Southern
• Against Missouri Southern, UCM is 5-1 in their last 6 games. Both Fleming & Skaggs score more than 11 against the Lions.
• The Jens are 3-4 vs. PSU in their last 7 games. The teams are separated by just 3 total points in 7 games. VanHyfte scores 8 ppg.
Scouting the Opposition
Pittsburg State Gorillas (8-6, 4-2 MIAA)
• Pittsburg State is 4-2 in the MIAA, but those two losses are by a combined three points. The Gorillas are 8-6 on the season with four losses by five or fewer points.
• The Gorillas are the best shooting team in the MIAA hitting on 47.2% of their field goals and 33.2% from three.
• PSU is one of two teams in the MIAA scoring more than 80 points per game averaging 80.1. They lead the league in scoring in MIAA games only averaging 80.2 points per game.
• Four Gorillas are in double-figure scoring. Tristen Gegg leads the MIAA scoring 18.1 points per game, doing most of her damage from behind the arc with 38 three-pointers.
• Athena Alvarado scores 16.1 points per game and pulls down 8.4 rebounds.
• Kaylee DaMitz is scoring 13.1 points per game and leads the league with 5.9 assists per game.
Player to Watch
#10 Tristen Gegg (5-7, G, So., Altamont, Kan.) - 38 3FG made, 36.2% from three, MIAA leading scorer
Missouri Southern Lions (4-10, 1-5 MIAA)
• Missouri Southern snapped a three-game skid with a win at home over Newman last Saturday. The win was the first in the MIAA for the Lions who are 1-5 in the league and 4-10 overall.
• The Lions as a team are scoring just under 70 points per game.
• They are shooting 41.7% from the floor but are under 30% from three at 29.0% and just 65.4% at the free throw line, next to last in the league.
• Missouri Southern has three scoring in double-figures led by Chasidee Owens at 15.3. Destiny Cozart is scoring 14.9 points per game and Zoe Campbell 11.3.
• The Lions are averaging more than 18 turnovers per game which is second-most in the MIAA.
• Amber Buch has been their leading ball-handler with 48 assists.
Player to Watch
#10 Zoe Campbell (6-3, C, Jr., Caloundra, Australia) - 11.3 ppg, 7.6 rp, 42 blocked shots
