WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 13, 2021) - No. 4 Central Missouri took out the number one seed Fort Hays State Tigers 72-68 in a thrilling game to advance to the Regional championship game.
How it Happened
• The largest lead for either team was seven points which the Jennies had in the second quarter. Other than that, it was a two-possession game throughout.
• The Jennies led for 31 minutes despite 13 lead changes and three ties in the game.
• Central Missouri shot 50% for the game going 25-50 from the field and made eight three-pointers. The Tigers hit three more field goals, going 28-63 with six triples.
• UCM outscored the Tigers 14-6 at the free throw line. The Jens were 14-22 and the Tigers went 6-11.
• Fort Hays had the edge rebounding the ball, 34-27, with 10 offensive boards. The Tigers scored 10 second chance points to UCM's seven.
• Each team turned the ball over 14 times.
• Fort Hays scored the first six points in the game before the Jennies answered with an 8-0 run of their own.
Nija Collier hit a three to give the Jennies some juice.
• The Tigers retook a 14-11 lead but in the final two minutes
Charley Bovaird tied it with a three and
Graycen Holden put UCM back up, 16-14, with two at the free throw line as the quarter expired.
• Central Missouri found their groove from three in the second quarter. They were 5-8 from deep and scored 26 points. They were only able to extend their lead by one though as Hays shot 10-15 and 3-6 from three themselves.
• After FHSU tied the game at 16, UCM hit a three on three straight possessions.
Brooke Littrell started it and
Nija Collier and
Gigi McAtee followed for a 25-20 Jennies lead.
• An
Olivia Nelson floater gave UCM their largest lead of the game, 27-20, midway through the period.
• The Tigers fought back, getting to within one, 31-30, thanks to a 10-4 scoring stretch. They took a 39-38 lead with 1:06 to play in the half, but
Morgan VanHyfte splashed a three and
Brooke Littrell put in a free throw as the Jennies led at the break 42-39.
• The third quarter was the lowest scoring of the four. The Tigers got back to within one, outscoring UCM 13-11 in the period. Central Missouri led throughout the 10 minutes, but Hays closed on an 8-2 run over the final 3:21 making it a one-point game, 53-52, going to the fourth.
• The two teams traded the lead to start the fourth quarter. Trailing 59-58,
Graycen Holden hit a spinning layup, falling back to put the Jens up 60-59. She gave the Jennies the lead again with a jumper at the free throw line with 3:44 to play and UCM never trailed again.
•
Olivia Nelson came up with a steal on the Tigers next possession and ran the length of the floor for two.
• UCM went on a mini 4-0 run to turn a one-point game into a five-point game, 70-65, with 46 seconds left to play.
• Fort Hays tracked down an offensive rebound and hit a three to make it a one-possession game again.
• After Holden went 1-2 at the free throw line, the Tigers had one more shot at a three to tie and missed as UCM held on, 72-68.
It Was Over When...
• It was a one-possession game for much of the game. When
Brooke Littrell came down with a defense rebound, she was fouled and hit one at the free throw line putting the Jennies up four, 72-68 with only two seconds left to play.
Jennies Stat Leaders
•
Graycen Holden came off the bench to score 17 points with six rebounds. She was 7-12 at the free throw line.
•
Brooke Littrell scored 17 going 5-7 from the floor and 3-4 from three with six boards and two steals.
•
Olivia Nelson was 7-10 for 16 points with four assists and five steals.
•
Nija Collier scored 11 points in just 15 minutes.
For the Tigers
• Jaden Hobbs scored a game-high 19 points making five three-pointers.
• Katie Wagner added 13 points with five rebounds.
• Jessie Sallach chipped in 10 on 5-9 shooting.
News and Notes
• These two teams met three times this year with the home team winning all three.
• The last time these teams met in Hays, FHSU committed just five turnovers. This time UCM forced them into 14.
• Back in the 2018 National Championship season, the Jennies also defeated the Tigers, 66-59, to advance to the Elite Eight.
•
Nija Collier entered the UCM all-time top five in career blocks with 93.
• Collier played just 15 minutes in this one, and fouled out with 1:21 left to play.
• Central Missouri has now won 30 NCAA Tournament games and are 10-2 in their last three appearances.
•
Brooke Littrell has scored in double-figures in four of her last five games. Her three 3FGM are a season-high.
•
Graycen Holden is averaging 15.3 points per game in three games against FHSU this season.
Up Next
• The Jennies will face the winner of No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 3 Minnesota Duluth Monday, March 15 in the regional final.
