MARYVILLE, Mo. – Ashley Tull converted a free-throw with less than a second remaining in the fourth quarter to help No. 5-ranked Central Missouri Jennies basketball inch past the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, 68-67, inside Bearcat Arena Thursday, Jan. 19.
With the win, the Jennies improved to 16-0 overall and 12-0 in the MIAA. The 16 straight wins to start the season is the best start in program history.
With the game tied, 67-67, and one second remaining in the final quarter, Tull snagged an offensive rebound off a missed jumper from
Brooke Littrell and was fouled, giving her two free throws with 0.6 seconds on the clock. She made one of two, and the Bearcats' last-second shot was off the mark, sealing the victory for Central Missouri.
Tull finished with eight points and five rebounds while
Olivia Nelson scored a game-high 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting and a 2-of-2 performance at the free-throw line, and Littrell netted 16 points, made a season-best 10 free throws and dished out a career-high six assists.
Kade Hackerott pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, rounding out the UCM leaders in the contest.
The Jennies shot 47 percent from the field for the game, going 24-of-51, and were 16-of-20 at the free-throw line for 80 percent. UCM controlled the glass, outrebounding Northwest Missouri (9-8, 4-7 MIAA), 36-25, and dominated the paint, outscoring the Bearcats on the inside, 38-24.
Peyton Kelderman netted 17 points and made five of Northwest Missouri State's 11 three pointers, leading the Bearcats in the game.
The Jennies are scheduled to travel to Missouri Western for a MIAA contest Saturday, Jan. 21, at 1:30 p.m. in St. Joseph, Mo.
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