Defense Shuts Down Griffons

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Jan. 28, 2021) - Central Missouri Jennies Basketball picked up their third straight home win in a dominating defensive effort Thursday night. The Jennies held the Griffons to just 11 first-half points on their way to a 66-45 win.

How it Happened
• Central Missouri brought the defense allowing a season-low 45 points. UCM shot 35% from the field while the Griffons were below 30% and 21% from three.
• Both teams grabbed 40 rebounds with the Griffons coming down with 43 and the Jennies 40. 
• UCM forced 22 turnovers and came away with nine steals while turning the ball over just 12 times themselves.
• The Jennies found scoring off their bench getting 35 points from non starters.
• In total, 10 different Jennies scored while just seven Griffons tallied a point, and noone scored in double-figures for MWSU.
• Nija Collier got the Jennies off to a good start scoring six of their first eight points.
• UCM's defense took over allowing just seven points in the opening frame to the Griffons. Makenna Vanzant pulled the Jennies ahead with a long three and Charley Bovaird made it 18-7 after one burying a three with under 10 seconds left the play in the quarter.
• As good as the Jennies were in the first, they were even better in the second. The Griffons scored just four points going 2-15 from the field. 
• For the second straight quarter, the Jennies scored 18 points. It was Collier again getting the offense going. She scored four points in 12 seconds getting an offensive rebound and a putback and then a steal and an uncontested layup. That put the Jennies up 27-9 and forced a Griffon timeout midway through the period.
• Missouri Western finally scored their 10th point at the 4:22 mark, but then didn't score again the rest of the half. Collier made it 30-11 with another layup and as time was winding down in the half, Makenna Vanzant came up with a steal and fed Graycen Holden for an easy basket making it 36-11 Jennies at the break.
• The Griffons played much better in the second half, scoring 15 points in the third quarter, or four more than they did in the opening half. MWSU went on a 7-0 run late in the period to cut the Jennies lead back under 20, 44-26, but were never able to get much closer.
• A pair of Collier free throws in the fourth put her over the 20-point mark and put the Jennies up 30, 65-35. UCM just ran out the clock from there, taking down the Griffons 66-45.

It Was Over When...
• If the Griffons thought they could mount a second-half comeback, Gigi McAtee squashed that idea. McAtee buried a three early in the third quarter putting the Jennies up 39-13.

Jennies Stat Leaders
• Nija Collier led the way with a game-high 21 points. She came within a rebound of a double-double picking up nine along with six steals, two assists and two blocked shots.
• Graycen Holden was also in double-figures scoring 13. 
• Charley Bovaird knocked in three three-pointers off the bench to score nine points. She had a game-high three assists.
• Gigi McAtee chipped in six with four rebounds.

For the Griffons
• Asia McCoy and Jordan Cunningham each scored nine points. McCoy also added nine boards.
• Josie Weishaar scored eight points with a pair of three-pointers.
• Mary Fultz was 3-5 off the bench with seven points and four rebounds.

News and Notes
• The Jens held an opponent under 60 points for the third time in four games and the seventh time this season.
• The Jennies held the Griffons to just seven first quarter points and then four in the second. It's the fifth time this season UCM has held an opponent below 10 points in a quarter and UCM is 4-1 this season. They are 59-6 when doing so dating back to 2016-17.
• The four points UCM allowed in the second quarter matches a team record-low for a quarter. UCM allowed four points to Embrey Riddle in November, 2016, the first time women's college basketball went to four quarters.
• Nija Collier's six steals match a career-high and also matches the most for a Jennie this season. Collier has also scored 21 points in two of her last three games.
• Gigi McAtee played in her 100th career game. 
• The Jennies 12 turnovers are their fewest in the last eight games. 

Up Next
• The Jennies conclude their homestand with a 1 p.m. tipoff against Northwest Missouri Saturday, Jan. 30.