WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 12, 2020) - It's a big week ahead for #24 Central Missouri Jennies Basketball. This starts a three-game homestand taking on one top-25 ranked opponent, another receiving votes and celebrating Senior Day this weekend.
Opponents
Fort Hays State Tigers (17-5, 8-5 MIAA)
Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (22-2, 11-2 MIAA)
Where
Warrensburg, Mo. - UCM Multipurpose Building
When
Feb. 13, 2020 vs. Fort Hays State - 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 15, 2020 vs. Nebraska-Kearney - 1 p.m.
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.
Tip Off
• The Jennies return home this week for 2 of their final 3 home regular season games.
• UCM suffered their first MIAA loss last weekend at Missouri Western.
Story Lines
• The Jennies sit atop the MIAA standings by one game over the Lopers with six left to play.
• Fort Hays State twice defeated the Jennies last year, once in the regular season, once in the MIAA Championship game.
• The Tigers have won six of the last eight contests with UCM dating back to 2015.
• Central Missouri has won three straight against Nebraska-Kearney and are 7-1 all-time against the Lopers.
• UCM clinched a spot in the upcoming MIAA Tournament with their win last week.
Quick Hits
Last Time Out
• The Jennies lost their 15 game winning streak at Missouri Western. UCM made a game of it after trailing by 20, but lost by 10. The Jennies got to 15 straight by defeating Northwest Missouri in Maryville.
Previously vs. Fort Hays State/Nebraska-Kearney
• The Jennies hopes at an MIAA Tournament title were dashed in the finals against the Tigers last season. The Tigers won by seven, 63-56.
Paige Redmond scored 16 points with
Megan Skaggs and
Morgan Fleming each in double-figures.
• UCM pulled away from the Lopers late in a 64-49 win at the Multipurpose Building last year.
Morgan Fleming scored 13 and
Kim Crown had 12. The Jens made 10 three-pointers and held the Lopers to just 49 points.
Jennies in the Rankings
• The Jennies have been ranked by the WBCA in 44 of the last 51 polls dating back to the 2016-17 season. They re-entered the WBCA top-25 rankings recently and are now No. 24 in the nation.
• Central Missouri is ranked 16th in the D2CCA poll.
• The Jens were picked second in the MIAA preseason coaches poll, following their 15-4 conference season in 2018-19.
Individual Milestones
•
Kim Crown is two points away from 300 and eight rebounds from 200.
•
Morgan Fleming needs one steal to get to 100.
1,000 Point Club
• Both
Morgan Fleming &
Megan Skaggs started the 2019-20 year as members of the 1,000 point club. Fleming has 1378 while Skaggs is at 1545. Skaggs is currently T8th all-time and 34 away from 7th. Fleming is 15th & 10 away from 14th, 16 away from 15th.
10 Below
• For the last four seasons the Jennies have made a habit of holding teams to fewer than 10 points in at least one quarter. It's happened in 56 games dating back to the 2016-17 season and in those games, UCM is 51-5. 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 10 of their 22 games, and UCM is 9-1 so far in 2019 when doing so.
60 and Under
• In 15 of 22 games this season, the Jennies have held opponents to 60 or fewer points scored. Truman State was the first to break the 60-point barrier hitting 63. The most UCM has allowed this season is 68.
• The Jennies are allowing just 57.2 points per game this season which is the second-best in the MIAA and the 25th best in Division II.
Who's Hot?
•
Ellisha Davis is 5 for her last 6 from three.
•
Gigi McAtee has a three in seven straight games, 2 in three straight games and is scoring 6.7 points in her last three.
•
Nija Collier has double-doubles in five of her last six games.
•
Ryann Stearns set a UCM high scoring 12 points against Northwest Missouri.
MIAA Leaders
•
Megan Skaggs is fourth in the MIAA scoring 16.2 points per game while
Morgan Fleming is 8th at 14.8. Both Skaggs, Fleming and
Nija Collier are in the top-7 in scoring in MIAA only games.
• Collier is also leading the league in rebounding with 9.5 & is 2nd with 1.8 blocks per game. Fleming is 4th with 3.8 assists per game.
•
Morgan VanHyfte is tied for eighth with 1.9 steals per game.
On the Boards
• The Jennies are the only team averaging more than 40 rebounds in MIAA games at 41.0. They are a +11.1 in rebounding margin in conference games. In league-only games, they are pulling down 13.9 offensive rebounds per game.
•
Nija Collier is leading the MIAA with 9.5 rebounds per game and is up to 11 rebounds per contests in MIAA games.
Defense First
• The Jennies are the only team in the MIAA to be in the top-10 in both blocks and steals per game. UCM is second with 4.36 blocks per contest and fifth with 8.68 steals per game.
RV Fort Hays State Tigers (17-5, 8-5 MIAA)
• After a nine-game winning streak, Fort Hays State has traded wins and losses in their last five. The Tigers are 17-5 overall and 8-5 in the MIAA.
• Following their loss this week, the Tigers have fallen out of the top-25 poll.
• Fort Hays State is in the MIAA top-five in both scoring offense and scoring defense. They rank fourth in scoring at 76 points per game and are fourth allowing 57.8 points per game.
• The Tigers do a good job of holding onto the ball. They are a +8 in turnover margin which is second in the MIAA. They're averaging just 11 turnvovers per game, fewest in the league.
• Four Tigers are scoring in double figures. Kacey Kennett leads the team at 12.3 points per game and pulls down 5.4 rebounds per game.
• FHSU is outrebounding their opponents 37.3-33.1
Player to Watch
#11 Jaden Hobbs (5-8, G, Jr., Alva, Okla.) - Four straight 10+ point games, 11.6 ppg, 83.3% FT
#25 Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (22-2, 11-2 MIAA)
• Now that UCM has lost their 15-game winning streak, it is Nebraska-Kearney with a 10-game streak that is the current longest win streak in the MIAA.
• The Lopers are 22-2 and in second behind UCM at 11-2 in the conference.
• The Lopers are scoring 78.1 points per game and allowing 55.4, both top-two in the MIAA. Those numbers change in conference games to 68.8 on offense and 60.6 on defense.
• UNK is the top shooting team in the league hitting on 46.6% from the field and 36.1% from three. The only knock is they are towards the bottom at the free throw line shooting 63.6%.
• Klaire Kirsch is grabbing 7.8 rebounds per game, but that has improved to 9.5 in MIAA games. The Lopers are a +8.3 on the glass, second-best in the MIAA.
• Haley Simental leads UNK scoring 12.1 points per game and shooting 46% from three.
Player to Watch
#45 Brooke Carlson (6-1, F, So., Elkhorn, Neb.) - 11.4 points per game, 5.5 rebounds, 53.8% FG%
