WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Dec. 11, 2020) - Central Missouri Jennies Basketball looks to stay hot as they continue their road swing, this time heading east to the State Capital.
Opponent
Lincoln Blue Tigers (0-4, 0-4 MIAA)
When
Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020 - 1 p.m.
Where
Jefferson City, Mo. - Jason Gym - Lincoln University
Fan Information
• Jason Gym is currently limiting capacity seating to 385. General admission tickets are on sale and must be purchased online. No tickets will be sold at the gate.
• Fans are to enter through the Northwest door and exit using the Northeast door.
• Face masks are required in all facilities on Lincoln University campus.
• All spectators must sit with the individuals (group) with whom they entered the facility with appropriate social distancing (six feet) between groups.
• Spectators are not allowed to move between groups in the stands.
• Any fan that leaves the facility during the contest will not be allowed to re-enter.
• Restrooms and concessions will be open.
On The Air
• All games will be broadcast on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler calling the action.
• All games will also be webcast online through the MIAA's Blue Frame portal at http://www.themiaanetwork.com/ucmmules/.
• Links to live stats and live video can also be found at ucmathletics.com.
Tip-Off
• Central Missouri started their season long five-game road trip on the right foot with back-to-back wins over Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. The Jennies have a single game this week against Lincoln in a make up from earlier in the season.
• With their wins last week, the Jennies have started their season at 4-0.
Storylines
• Central Missouri has undergone a facelift. There are seven freshmen on this year's squad, and all seven have already seen action.
• Central Missouri and Lincoln have played a whole bunch, but it is a very one-sided rivalry. The Jennies are 59-3 all-time against the Blue Tigers and have won eight straight. The last Blue Tigers win in Jefferson City came in 1998.
Last Time Out
• The Jennies started their road trip with wins at Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. The Jennies defense showed up allowing fewer than 50 points in each win.
Olivia Nelson was 5-5 for 15 points against the Bearcats while
Nija Collier's 18-point performance led the Jennies over the Griffons.
Previously vs. Lincoln
• It was senior day last February as the Jennies took care of the Blue Tigers 74-45. The win finished a 13-0 home schedule for the Jennies. It also saw
Megan Skaggs become the seventh Jennie to score 1600 career points and was the 100th win the careers of Skaggs and
Morgan Fleming.
Jennies in the Rankings
• There won't be a WBCA poll for the 2020-21 season until January. The Jennies are ranked in a tie for 21st in the D2SIDA preseason poll released this week. It'll be the only poll until Jan.
• The defending MIAA Champion Jennies were picked to finish third this year by the league's coaches. They did receive three first-place votes.
Individual Milestones
•
Nija Collier is 18 points away from 500. She'll also get to 100 made free throws with nine more.
•
Gigi McAtee needs 20 points to get to 200.
•
Morgan VanHyfte is five steals away from 100.
From the Desk of Coach Nick
• The Jennies allowed fewer than 50 points in their wins at Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. It was the first time the Jennies allowed 50 points or less on the road in back-to-back games since 1989, spanning 11,627 days.
More From the Defense
• Central Missouri is in the NCAA top-10 in a handful of defensive categories. Their 52.5 points allowed per game leads the MIAA and is second in Division II. Opponents are also scoring at just a 33.5% clip, best in the conference and sixth in the country. The Jennies have 38 steals this season which is also sixth in Division II. Olviia Nelson and
Morgan VanHyfte rank 10th and 11th with 10 and 9 steals respectively.
Fab 7
• UCM has seven freshmen for the 2020-21 season, their most since welcoming five in 2015. All seven played during the opening week and through four games have scored 56% of the team's total points. Three of the Jennies top-four scorers are freshman with
Graycen Holden and
Brooke Littrell each having scoring 44 and
Olivia Nelson 40.
5-0
• With a win today, the Jennies will start the season 5-0 for just the 10th time in their history.
• The last time UCM started a season 5-0 was back in 2013-14.
• The Jens have started 5-0 or better 3 times under Coach Slifer. They started 7-0 in 2011-12
• UCM's longest winning streak to start a season was 15 games in 1995-96.
Scouting The Opposition
Lincoln Blue Tigers
• Lincoln has started their season 0-4 following a loss Thursday to Pittsburg State. They are 0-2 playing at home.
• The Blue Tigers are at the bottom of the MIAA in both points per game (62.8) and points allowed (77.8) ranking in the bottom three in both categories.
• They are shooting just 37.8% from the field and only 25% from three.
• The Blue Tigers have a new coach and a lot of new faces. Andrea Mize is in her first season coming from Central Florida College of the NJCAA and she brought four of her CFC players with her.
• Niyah Jackson is leading the team scoring 16 points per game shooting 51% from the floor. Deija Jackson is also in double-figures averaging 10.7 points per game, but did not play against the Gorillas.
• Returner Vivian Chigbu leads Lincoln with 25 rebounds, 12 offensively and 13 defensively.
• Lincoln has had issues holding onto the ball with 76 turnovers this season compared to just 34 steals. They have forced opponents into 68 turnovers.
Player to Watch
#24 Vivian Chigbu (5-11, F, Sr., Abuja, Nigeria) - Averaged 10.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 2019-20
