No. 3 Jennies Set to Host Missouri Southern, Pittsburg State in MIAA Contests

Andrew Mather Photography

Women's Basketball | 12/12/2023 3:33:00 PM

Game 9: No. 3 Central Missouri (8-0, 3-0 MIAA) vs. Missouri Southern (5-4, 2-2 MIAA)
Thursday, Dec. 14 | 5:30 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (UCM Multipurpose Building)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The BAR (Greg Hassler, pxp; Brinkley Beever, color commentary)
Live Video | Live Stats | Live Audio | Buy Tickets

Game 10: No. 3 Central Missouri vs. Pittsburg State (8-1, 3-1 MIAA)
Saturday, Dec. 16 | 1:00 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (UCM Multipurpose Building)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The BAR (Greg Hassler, pxp; Brinkley Beever, color commentary)
Live Video | Live Stats | Live Audio | Buy Tickets

UCM Game Notes (PDF)

Tip-Off

No. 3-ranked Central Missouri Jennies basketball (8-0, 3-0 MIAA) is scheduled to host a pair of MIAA games at the UCM Multipurpose Building Thursday, Dec. 14, at 5:30 p.m. vs. Missouri Southern (5-4, 2-2 MIAA) and Saturday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m. vs. Pittsburg State (8-1, 3-1 MIAA).
UCM is coming off a 66-46 win at Lincoln Saturday, Dec. 9, in Jefferson City, Mo.
Through eight games, the Central Missouri is paced by Brooke Littrell (18.9 ppg., 9.8 rpg., 1.8 apg., 1.5 spg.), Olivia Nelson (14.6 ppg., 4.6 apg., 2.4 spg., 2.4 rpg.) and Graycen Holden (10 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 1.5 apg.).
Littrell ranks second in the MIAA in scoring and rebounding through eight games with her 18.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while Nelson leads the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.5.
As a team through eight contests, the Jennies are shooting 43.4 percent from the floor, 31.5 percent from three-point range and 74.6 percent at the free-throw line. UCM is outscoring its opponents, 75.5-55.8, and outrebounding adversaries, 39.4-32.3.

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town!

Thursday's home contest vs. Missouri Southern will feature special guest Santa and Mrs. Claus! They will be available to visit with kids/fans from halftime of the Jennies game through the end of halftime of the Mules contest.
In addition, fans can donate to the local Toys for Tots. Anyone who donates a new, unwrapped toy, or makes at least a $10 donation will receive a token for a free small blizzard from Dairy Queen of Warrensburg.

Last Time Out for UCM

No. 3-ranked University of Central Missouri Jennies basketball used a balanced attack to turn back the Lincoln Blue Tigers, 66-46, in a MIAA contest Saturday afternoon, Dec. 9, inside Jason Gymnasium.
Brooke Littrell netted 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting from the floor and pulled down nine rebounds while Graycen Holden tallied 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and a 2-of-4 performance at the free-throw line and added six rebounds, leading Central Missouri.
UCM shot just 38 percent from the field for the game, going 23-of-61, and were 13-of-19 at the free-throw line for 68 percent, but outscored Lincoln in the paint, 30-26, and outrebounded the Blue Tigers, 39-32. The UCM bench outscored the Lincoln bench, 26-2.
Central Missouri held Lincoln to single-digit points in the first (8) and second (4) quarters on its way to the victory.

Individual Milestones

UCM head coach Dave Slifer earned his 400th win at Central Missouri in the 66-64 overtime MIAA tournament semifinal win over Fort Hays State March 4, 2023. Slifer is an impressive 408-170 in his now 20 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 (792 career victories in 33 seasons).

Jennies in the Rankings

Central Missouri was picked first in both the 2023-24 MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media Polls. UCM received 167 points and 11 first-place votes in the coaches poll and 283 points and four first-place votes in the media poll.
Central Missouri is ranked No. 3 in the latest WBCA Division II Top-25 Coaches Poll released Tuesday, Dec. 12.

Storylines

UCM finished the 2022-23 season with an overall record of 25-5 and a MIAA mark of 19-3, placing second in the final conference standings. Central Missouri advanced to the NCAA-II Central Regional Tournament in Duluth, Minn., before falling in the first round to Minnesota State.
The Jennies return four of five starters from last season's team, including defending MIAA Player of the Year and WBCA Coaches All-American Brooke Littrell and All-MIAA Defensive Team selection Olivia Nelson.

Jennies Basketball Inks High School Standout Taylor Weishaar During Signing Period

University of Central Missouri Jennies basketball head coach Dave Slifer announced the signing of Riverside High School standout Taylor Weishaar to a National Letter of Intent during the 2023-24 signing period Friday, Nov. 17.
Weishaar: 2023 Sports in Kansas 2A Player of the Year…First Team All-State as a junior…Two-time unanimous first team all-league…Second Team All-State as a sophomore…All-State Honorable Mention and all-league honorable mention as a freshman…four-year letterwinner…Averaged 17.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.5 blocks per game as a junior…Helped her team to a Kansas 2A Substate Championship and Kansas 2A State Runner Up finish…Was also a four-year letterwinner in volleyball…First team all-league volleyball as a junior and senior…Daughter of Russell and Lori Weishaar…Plans to major in exercise science at UCM.

Returning Scoring

The Jennies return 86 percent of their scoring from last season's team.

Up Next

The Jennies are idle until Friday, Dec. 29, when they are scheduled to host Evangel (Mo.) in a non-conference game at the Multipurpose Building at 6 p.m.

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