KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 8, 2020) - What a thriller in Kansas City. The game lived up to its billing as the No. 1 seeded Central Missouri Jennies took on No. 2 seed Emporia State Hornets for the MIAA Championship. The Jennies led for much of the game, but a third quarter comeback gave the Hornets a seven-point lead. UCM was not to be denied though coming back with a furious fourth quarter for an 82-75 win in front of a raucous crowd at Municipal Auditorium.
How it Happened
• Central Missouri shot the ball better than they had all tournament. They were 49% from the floor and 9-26 from three for 35%.
• The Hornets lived on the three-point ball. They hit 12 three-pointers and shot 37.5% from behind the arc. However they were just 34% overall, going 13-41 inside the three-point line.
• Inside the paint the Jennies scored 32 of the 82 points.
• UCM led in rebounds 41-35, but the Hornets came down with 18 offensive boards and scored 15 second-chance points.
• Emporia State forced UCM in 15 turnovers while the Hornets gave it away just seven times.
• The Jennies shot 81% at the free throw line going 17-21 while the Hornets were 13-17.
• There were really three games going on inside of this one game. Down early 6-4,
Morgan VanHyfte and
Gigi McAtee knocked a pair of threes to give UCM a 10-6 lead. They held that lead through the half. Another three from VanHyfte put UCM up six, 14-8, midway though the first.
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Ellisha Davis made a three and
Morgan Fleming swished a jumper at the elbow to put the Jens up eight, 24-16, after 10 minutes. The Jennies were 4-6 from three in the opening period.
• The Jennies kept the pressure on to start the second. Fleming with a long jumper and then a three-point play gave UCM their largest lead, 29-17 less than a minute into the second. The Hornets though got hot from behind the arc and cut the lead in half at the media timeout, 34-38.
• A UCM turnover and a transition layup got the Hornets to within two, 42-40 with 52 seconds left to play in the half.
Nija Collier though got a layup and a foul with 23 seconds remaining to give UCM some breathing room and put the Jens up five, 45-40 at the break.
• The Hornets came out in the second half on fire and quickly turn the five-point Jennies lead into a lead of their own. The Hornets went on a 12-2 run to start the half and led 52-47.Â
• ESU's lead reached a high of seven following a Mollie Mounsey three-point play.
Nija Collier hit a corner three with 31 seconds left in the third to get it to four, but Mounsey answered right away with a three of her own as it was the Hornets who led 62-55 with just 10 minutes to go.
• Three minutes into the fourth and Emporia was still up by six, 65-59. Then
Morgan Fleming made a layup, and
Megan Skaggs got a steal and a score and the Hornets called a timeout with a two-point lead, 65-63 with 5:40 remaining.
• A three put the Hornets back up by five, but UCM kept doing work in the paint. Skaggs and Fleming again hit layups bringing the lead down to one, but ESU again responded with a three and led 71-67 with four minutes left.
• UCM kept chipping away before Skaggs, 0-6 from three for the day, buried her first and only one to tie the game at 73 with 2:40 left. Emporia went for a quick three, that was off the mark and into the hands of Collier. Then Fleming gave the Jennies the lead for good, 75-73 with a jump shot from the elbow which forced an Emporia State timeout with two minutes left in the game.
• The Hornets had chances to tie or take the lead, but lost a turnover and missed a jumper and the Jennies still led by two with less than a minute remaining.
• ESU didn't need to foul, but left VanHyfte wide open for three and she hit the dagger with 25 seconds left as the Jennies went up 78-73. VanHyfte and Skaggs both went 2-2 at the free throw line to put the game away, 82-75.
• After being outscored 22-10 in the third quarter, the Jennies outscored the Hornets 27-13 in the fourth and finished the game on a 12-2 run in the final 2:40.
It Was Over When...
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Morgan VanHyfte said so. She buried her third three of the game to put the Jennies up five, 78-73, with 25 seconds left and out of reach for the Hornets.Â
Jennies Stat Leaders
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Nija Collier had a big day in the paint scoring 20 points with 11 rebounds.
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Morgan Fleming scored 19 points with six rebounds and five assists.
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Megan Skaggs also scored 19 with eight rebounds.
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Morgan VanHyfte scored 12 points with three three-pointers and three steals.
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Gigi McAtee chipped in three points with four assists and just one turnover.
For the Hornets
• It would not have been nearly as close if not for the play of Mollie Mounsey. She scored 37 points going 12-20 and 7-13 from three.
• Morgan Laudan went 3-3 from deep and scored 12 points with seven rebounds and three steals.
• Tre'Zure Jobe scored eight points while dishing out four assists.
News and Notes
• This is the Jennies eight MIAA Tournament Championship and their first since 1990.
• Following the tournament,
Morgan Fleming,
Megan Skaggs and
Nija Collier were all named to the All-Tournament Team and Fleming was the co-MVP.
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Morgan Fleming is now in the UCM all-time top-10 in assists.
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Megan Skaggs surpassed 1700 career points. She scored 11 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter.
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Nija Collier's double-double was her 11th of the season.
• The 75 points the Hornets scored are the most UCM has allowed this season, as are Mounsey's 37 points.
• This is the third win of the season for UCM when trialing with five minutes remaining.
Quotable
Coach Slifer Opening Statement
• I thought that was a high-level, classic tournament championship. Emporia State is extremely good. They gave us fits defensively til we finally put [Morgan] VanHyfte and she dogged her pretty well. I have to give credit to them. It's been a long time coming. Emporia has knocked us out quite a few years. I guess this is the first Central Missouri Tournament Championship since 1990 and I am extremely proud that these are the kids that did it because as you noticed, in the last five minutes of the game, it was Mo [Fleming] and Meg [Skaggs] and then all of a sudden Vanny said "that looks like fun" and she knocked down a huge three and a free throw to help us out. That was a tremendous game and about as much fun coaching as I've had. We looked so good early and they couldn't guard us. Then in the third quarter we struggled and we finally found a way to put the ball in the hole to come back from a seven-point deficit and again I'm very proud. I'm extremely proud that we had some kids honored on the All-Tournament Team. In particular that Morgan [Fleming] got the co-MVP. She certainly deserved it.
On Winning the MIAA Tournament
Megan Skaggs: It means a lot. This was a big goal for us in the beginning of the season. This was the one thing that we haven't won yet. It's nice to put a check on that, but also know that we are not done yet. It's on to next week.
Morgan Fleming: I think this tournament shows a lot of toughness. It's three games in four days. Everybody is tired. Your legs aren't there. It shows who wants to come and fight and win. We made big plays in the fourth quarter. We never felt out of the game when we were down seven in the third quarter. I'm just really proud of our fight and a big three days for us.
On her game-clinching three
Morgan VanHyfte: You know, I had two shot clock vioaltions the other day. So I didn't want to hold the ball and get another shot clock violation so I knew it was either launch it or get another shot clock violation.
Morgan Fleming: Yes, she knew.
On her last minute free throw attempts
Morgan VanHyfte: We practice free throws every day and I took a deep breath thinking about all my years of basketball and said "I got this" and I put them in.
On Mounsey scoring 37 points
Megan Skaggs: We said in the locker room we cannot let one player beat our team. We showed that in the fourth quarter when Vanny locked her down and played great defense. You can't just depend on one person and that showed.
On the difference between the third and fourth quarters
Morgan Fleming: We got the ball in the high post and we looked to drive. We looked for a diver and if they went with a diver then we hit people on the outside and made the extra pass. We know we have to play inside out and I think that we were finally able to go get the ball at the high post, turn around and go at them. So that was a big difference in the fourth.
On possibly hosting the Regional Tournament
Coach Slifer: It's been since 2002 that I've been a part of hosting a regional and that left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I am super excited to be able to host the regional if that's what happens. We have a selection show tonight. I would go to battle with these guys on my team anytime, anywhere. I'm super proud of them and it was so much fun at the end of the game. I said this last night to [MIAA Network Correspondent] Bethany [Bowman] "It's not about the X's and O's, it's about the Megan and Mo's". It was all about the Meg and Mo's in the last five minutes and Vanny said "I kind of like that too" and she chipped in a huge play. I'll do that anytime. I'm looking forward to hosting. We're going to have some good teams from our conference and the region.
On the momentum going into the Regional Tournament as MIAA Champions
Coach Slifer: I would hope that momentum carries. I would hope that we have great, great confidence. This is a team that started off 3-3. We played an extremely tough schedule and then all of a sudden, we started clicking and playing great basketball. And now our job is to get rested up and get ready for a regional tournament.
On why he feels so proud for this particular team
Coach Slifer: They are good students. They are basketball players that are student-athletes. They love, eat, and sleep basketball. Basketball is important to them and Megan and Morgan [Fleming] got a taste of a national championship and they were a big part of it, but they want to be the main cog now and we're looking forward to that.
Up Next
• With the MIAA Tournament win, the Jennies earned the MIAA automatic bid into the regional championship. That much we know. Who, when, and where we will find out during the NCAA Selection Show airing at 9 p.m.
