Two Midweek Games, Home Finale On Tap For Jens This Week

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 18, 2020) - For the final time in the 2019-20 regular season, Jennies Basketball will be playing in the Multipurpose Building. The Jennies have two games this week before getting the weekend off.

Opponents
Lincoln Blue Tigers (3-21, 0-15 MIAA)
Washburn Ichabods (15-9, 9-6 MIAA)

Where
Warrensburg, Mo. - UCM Multipurpose Building
Topeka, Kan. - Lee Arena

When
Tuesday, Feb. 18 - 5:30 p.m. vs. Lincoln
Thursday, Feb. 20 - 5:30 p.m. at Washburn

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 final home game of the regular season is Tuesday night vs. Lincoln. 
• UCM got two back in the win column last week with victories over FHSU and UNK. 

Story Lines
• The Jennies have a two-game lead in the MIAA standings with four games to play.
• The Jennies are 58-3 all-time against Lincoln 
• In Warrensburg, the Jens are 30-2 against Lincoln and 9-21 against Washburn in Topeka.
• UCM has won six of their last seven against Washburn. 
• The Jens defeated both of these teams earlier in the season.
• UCM has clinched a spot in the upcoming MIAA Tournament and controls their own destiny for a No. 1 seed.

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
• The Jennies got back to their winning ways at home defeating Fort Hays State 76-67 and Nebraska-Kearney 75-65. Morgan Fleming and Megan Skaggs each scored 20+ points in both games. 

Previously vs. Lincoln/Washburn
• UCM easily put away Lincoln in Jefferson City back in January 82-60. Megan Skaggs led four Jens in double-figures with 17 points.
• UCM also took care of the Ichabods at home in January 83-68. Skaggs, Fleming and Collier all scored at least 18 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
• Nija Collier is six blocks away from 50. Her 44 are 10th all-time in a single season at UCM. Only six times has a Jennie reached 50 blocks in a season, last doing so in 2015. 
• Morgan Fleming needs nine FGM to get to 500. 
• Megan Skaggs is 11 points away from eclipsing 1600. Something only six other Jennies have ever done. 

1,000 Point Club
• Both Morgan Fleming & Megan Skaggs started the 2019-20 year as members of the 1,000 point club. Fleming has 1431 while Skaggs is at 1589. Skaggs is currently 7th all-time and 44 away from 6th, held by Kathy Anderson. Fleming is 12th & 21 away from 11th, 31 away from 10th.

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 24 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.

Who's Hot?
• Gigi McAtee has a three in nine straight games and is scoring 6.6 points in her last three games. 
• Morgan Fleming and Megan Skaggs each have back-to-back 20 point games. 

MIAA Leaders
• Megan Skaggs is fourth in the MIAA scoring 16.7 points per game while Morgan Fleming is 6th at 15.8. Both Skaggs, Fleming and Nija Collier are in the top-6 in scoring in MIAA only games. 
• Collier is also leading the league in rebounding with 9.4 & is 2nd with 1.8 blocks per game. Fleming is 6th with 3.6 assists per game.
• Morgan VanHyfte and Megan Skaggs are tied for ninth with 1.8 steals per game. 
• Fleming, Collier and Skaggs are all in the top-10 in free throw percentage and top-11 in field goal percentage. 

On the Boards
• The Jennies are the only team averaging more than 40 rebounds in MIAA games at 40.5. They are a +10 in rebounding margin in conference games. In league-only games, they are pulling down 13.3 offensive rebounds per game.
• Nija Collier is leading the MIAA with 9.4 rebounds per game and is up to 10.6 rebounds per contests in MIAA games.

Defense First
• The Jennies are the only team in the MIAA to be in the top-5 in both blocks and steals per game. UCM is second with 4.50 blocks per contest and fifth with 8.71 steals per game. 
• UCM is second in the league allowing 58 points per game, 33rd in Division II.

MIAA Championships
• The Jennies have won 11 MIAA regular season championships, last doing so in 2017-18 and have two under Coach Slifer. 

Scouting The Opposition
Lincoln Blue Tigers (3-21, 0-15 MIAA)
• Lincoln is the only winless team in the MIAA this season. They have lost 13 straight and are 3-21 overall, 0-15 in the MIAA. 
• The Blue Tigers are one of the worst shooting teams in the league. They are next to last hitting 38% of their field goals and last in three-point percentage at 23% and free throw percentage at 60%. In conference games, the Blue Tigers are just 39-189 from three and 129-216 at the free throw line.
• One area the Blue Tigers excel at is rebounding. They are seventh in the MIAA coming down with 35.7 rebounds per game. Seven different Blue Tigers average at least three rebounds per game.
• Lincoln games typically feature lots of turnovers. The Blue Tigers average 17.6 turnovers per game and they are forcing 15.1 per game. 
Player to Watch
#33 Vivian Chigbu (5-11, F, Jr., Abuja, Nigeria) - Averaging 11 pts, 8.1 rebounds per game

Washburn Ichabods (15-9, 9-6 MIAA)
• Washburn has been a streaky team this year and is currently riding a four-game win streak and are winners of seven of their last eight. Their last loss came against the Jennies at the start of February. 
• The Ichabods have been a different team at home and on the road. They are 8-2 in home games and just 4-6 in road contests. 
• Washburn is shooting 43% from the floor and 35% from three this season. They have three averaging double-figures as they score 69.8 points per game.
• Hunter Bentley leads the team scoring 13 points per game and is coming down with 7.3 rebounds per game along with 15 blocks and 47 steals.
• Washburn is turning the ball over 13.5 times per game this season while forcing 15.3
Player to Watch
#3 Reagan Phelan (5-6, G, Sr., Holyrood, Kan.) - 12.4 ppg, 113 assists, 40%/38%/75%