UCM Jennies forward Graycen Holden (20) during an MIAA women’s college basketball game against the Rogers State University (RSU) Hillcats at the UCM Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg, Missouri on January 15, 2023.

Andrew Mather Photography

Women's Basketball 1/27/2023 2:47:00 PM

No. 7 Jennies Basketball Tussles with Lincoln Saturday in Jefferson City

Tip-Off

No. 7-ranked Central Missouri Jennies basketball (16-1, 12-1 MIAA) is scheduled to travel to Jefferson City, Mo., for a MIAA contest against the Lincoln Blue Tigers (5-14, 3-10 MIAA) Saturday afternoon, Jan. 28, at 1 p.m. inside Jason Gymnasium.
The Jennies, who have been idle for a week, are coming off their first and only loss of the season, a 66-63 setback at Missouri Western Saturday, Jan. 21, in St. Joseph, Mo.
Prior to the defeat at Missouri Western, UCM's 16 consecutive wins to start the season set a new mark for the best start in program history, surpassing the 15 straight victories in 1995-96.
Through 17 games, the Jennies are paced by redshirt sophomores Brooke Littrell (19.2 ppg., 8.6 rpg., .514 FG%, .412 3FG%, .876 FT%, 41 A, 15 Blk, 27 Stl), Olivia Nelson (12.3 ppg., 3.0 rpg., .488 FG%, .357 3FG%, .884 FT%, 70 A, 23 Stl) and Lauren Frost (8.1 ppg., 4.1 rpg., .346 FG%, 68 A, 26 Stl), junior Ashley Tull (9.4 ppg., 6.1 rpg., .537 FG%, 31 Blk, 12 Stl) and redshirt freshman Graycen Holden (7.9 ppg., 3.8 rpg., .482 FG%, .667 FT%, 11 Stl).
As a team, UCM is averaging 76.5 points and 41.4 rebounds per game and shooting 46.4 percent from the field while holding its opponents to 59.2 points and 31.5 rebounds per game and a 37.4 percent field-goal percentage.
The Jennies are 10th in all of NCAA Division II in field-goal percentage through 17 games at 46.4 percent. UCM has converted 484 out of 1,044 shot attempts going into Saturday's game. Central Missouri is also ranked in the top-50 in assists per game (50th at 14.8 per game), blocks per game (42nd with 3.8 per game), rebound margin (seventh at +9.8), rebounds per game (38th with 41.35 per game), scoring margin (12th at +17.2), scoring offense (18th at 76.5 points per game) and turnovers per game (12th at 12.8 per game).

Last Time Out

No. 5-ranked Central Missouri Jennies basketball had its 16-game winning streak snapped Saturday, Jan. 21, falling to the Missouri Western Griffons, 66-63, inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.
Brooke Littrell scored 12 points and went 5-of-5 at the free-throw line while Lauren Frost tallied 10 points and Ashley Tull snagged a team-high eight rebounds, leading UCM in the contest.
Central Missouri shot just 32 percent from the floor for the game, going 20-of-62, and were 15-of-20 at the free-throw line for 75 percent. The Jennies outrebounded the Griffons (17-4, 11-2 MIAA), 40-37, but were outscored, 11-7, in points off turnovers.
Brionna Budgetts netted 19 points, pacing Missouri Western.

Last Time Out vs. Lincoln

Cierra Smith and Ashley Tull each scored 14 points, leading the No. 24-ranked Central Missouri Jennies basketball team to an 80-58 victory over the Lincoln Blue Tigers in a MIAA game Sunday afternoon, Dec. 11, inside the Multipurpose Building.
Smith went 6-for-8 from the floor and 1-of-1 at the free-throw line for her career and game-high 14 points while Tull went 6-of-12 from the field and 2-of-4 at the foul line for her career and game-best 14 points.
Brooke Littrell added 13 points and added a game-best nine rebounds, rounding out the Jennies who scored in double figures. Tull and Smith each snagged six boards, while Littrell and Lauren Frost each dished out four assists.
For the game, UCM shot 47 percent from the floor, going 34-of-72, and were 8-of-10 at the free-throw line for 80 percent. Central Missouri outrebounded Lincoln (1-8, 0-4 MIAA), 39-29, and outscored the Blue Tigers in the paint, 58-34, and off turnovers, 24-9. The Jennies forced 20 Lincoln turnovers and had 10 steals.
Miriam Bazylewicz tallied 12 points and seven rebounds, pacing the Blue Tigers.

Individual Milestones

UCM head coach Dave Slifer is nine wins away from tallying his 400th victory as head coach of the Jennies. Slifer is an impressive 391-167 in his 19 seasons as the Central Missouri women's basketball head coach. He's already the winningest head coach in both UCM and MIAA women's basketball history, and the second-winningest coach in NCAA Division II history (775 career victories in 33 seasons).
Olivia Nelson is 60 points shy of 1,000 for her Central Missouri career. Going into Saturday's game, she sits at 940 career points.

Back-to-Back-to-Back-to-Back: Littrell Earns Fourth Consecutive MIAA Athlete of the Week Honor

Brooke Littrell became the first MIAA basketball student-athlete (men's or women's) since at least 2011-12 to earn four consecutive Athlete of the Week honors after her performance on the court during the week of Jan. 9-15.

Jennies in the Rankings

UCM is ranked No. 7 in the most recent WBCA Division II Coaches' Poll and in the latest D2SIDA Division II Media Poll.
Central Missouri was picked third in the 2022-23 MIAA Preseason Media Poll and fifth in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. UCM received three first-place votes and 218 points in the media poll and 127 points in the coaches' poll.

Up Next

The Jennies return home to the UCM Multipurpose Building to host the Pittsburg State Gorillas Thursday, Feb. 2, at 5:30 p.m.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#20 Graycen Holden: F; 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman

#30 Brooke Littrell: G/F; 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore

#1 Olivia Nelson: G; 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore

#12 Cierra Smith: G; 5' 7"; Freshman

#13 Lauren Frost: G; 5' 8"; Redshirt Sophomore

#44 Ashley Tull: F; 6' 0"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#20 Graycen Holden
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman
: F

#30 Brooke Littrell
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G/F

#1 Olivia Nelson
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#12 Cierra Smith
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: G

#13 Lauren Frost
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#44 Ashley Tull
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

Offcanvas Scoreboard

Events

No. 7 Jennies Basketball Tussles with Lincoln Saturday in Jefferson City

Players Mentioned

#20 Graycen Holden

#30 Brooke Littrell

#1 Olivia Nelson

#12 Cierra Smith

#13 Lauren Frost

#44 Ashley Tull

Players Mentioned

#20 Graycen Holden

#30 Brooke Littrell

#1 Olivia Nelson

#12 Cierra Smith

#13 Lauren Frost

#44 Ashley Tull