Road Contests at No. 11 Nebraska Kearney, Fort Hays State On Tap for No. 10 Jennies Basketball

Women's Basketball | 2/8/2023 12:26:00 PM

Game 21: No. 10 Central Missouri (18-2, 14-2 MIAA) at No. 11 Nebraska Kearney (22-3, 15-2 MIAA)
Thursday, Feb. 9 | 5:30 p.m. | Kearney, Neb. (Health & Sports Center)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The BAR | TV: MIAA Network (PPV)

Game 22: No. 10 Central Missouri at Fort Hays State (18-7, 13-4 MIAA)
Saturday, Feb. 11 | 2 p.m. | Hays, Kan. (Gross Memorial Coliseum)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The BAR | TV: MIAA Network (PPV)

Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats (Thursday) | Live Stats (Saturday) | UCM Game Notes (PDF)

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Tip-Off

• The No. 10-ranked Central Missouri Jennies are scheduled to travel to Kearney, Neb., and Hays, Kan., for a pair of MIAA road games Thursday, Feb. 9, and Saturday, Feb. 11, vs. the No. 11-ranked Nebraska Kearney Lopers (22-3, 15-2 MIAA) and Fort Hays State Tigers (18-7, 13-4 MIAA). The Jennies are slated to face the Lopers at 5:30 p.m. Thursday before taking on the Tigers at 2 p.m. Saturday.
• UCM is coming of a split of two conference home games last week. Central Missouri defeated Pittsburg State Feb. 2, 80-68, before falling to then No. 24-ranked Missouri Southern Feb. 4, 72-69. The defeat to Missouri Southern marked the first home setback of the season for the Jennies.
• Through 20 games, the Jennies are paced by redshirt sophomores Brooke Littrell (19.4 ppg., 8.5 rpg., .508 FG%, .390 3FG%, .856 FT%, 44 A, 20 Blk, 32 Stl), Olivia Nelson (12.8 ppg., 3.1 rpg., .510 FG%, .365 3FG%, .889 FT%, 81 A, 27 Stl) and Lauren Frost (8.3 ppg., 3.9 rpg., .357 FG%, 79 A, 31 Stl), junior Ashley Tull (9.4 ppg., 5.8 rpg., .535 FG%, 35 Blk, 12 Stl) and redshirt freshman Graycen Holden (7.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg., .446 FG%, .651 FT%, 12 Stl).
• As a team, UCM is averaging 76.6 points and 40.6 rebounds per game and shooting 46.6 percent from the field while holding its opponents to 59.8 points and 32.3 rebounds per game and a 37.7 percent field-goal percentage.
• The Jennies are eighth in all of NCAA Division II in field-goal percentage through 20 games at 46.6 percent. Central Missouri is also ranked in the top-50 in blocks per game (30th with 4.0 per game), rebound margin (11th at +8.2), rebounds per game (46th with 40.60 per game), scoring margin (13th at +16.8), scoring offense (15th at 76.6 points per game) and turnovers per game (10th at 12.6 per game).

Last Time Out

• No. 7 Central Missouri Jennies fell to No. 24 Missouri Southern Lions by a final score of 72-69 on Saturday, Feb. 4, inside the Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg.
• The Jens took a 39-28 lead into the break, but the Lions responded in the second half led by Madi Stokes' 14 points and 13 rebounds.
• On the afternoon, two UCM players finished in double figures including redshirt sophomore Olivia Nelson (game-high 23 points, four rebounds and a team-high three assists) and forward Brooke Littrell (18 points and six rebounds).
• Brooklyn Park, Minn. native Lauren Frost added nine points, a team-high three steals and three rebounds, while, redshirt sophomore Ali Vigil added six points (going two of four from beyond the arc) respectively. Guards Cierra Smith and Robin Campbell each contributed five points, plus, junior Ashley Tull had three points, three rebounds and two assists.

Last Time Out vs. Nebraska Kearney

• Brooke Littrell and Olivia Nelson each scored 13 points as the No. 11-ranked Central Missouri Jennies basketball team grinded out a 55-50 victory over the Nebraska Kearney Lopers Monday, Jan. 2, inside the UCM Multipurpose Building.
• Littrell added a game-high 13 rebounds to her 13 points for her sixth double-double of the season.
• Ashley Tull tallied 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and a 3-for-4 showing at the free-throw and had a game-best three blocks while Lauren Frost scored 10 points and dished out a team-high three assists, rounding out the Jennies in double figures.
• Central Missouri shot 37 percent from the floor for the game, going 21-of-57, and were 12-of-19 at the free-throw line for 63 percent.
• UCM and Nebraska Kearney both tallied 38 rebounds in the contest, but the Jennies outscored the Lopers in the paint, 36-26, and netted 12 points off 15 UNK turnovers.

Last Time Out vs. Fort Hays State

• Brooke Littrell pulled down a rebound off a missed three-pointer with 0.2 seconds to go in the fourth quarter to help No. 11-ranked Central Missouri Jennies basketball inch past the Fort Hays State Tigers, 63-62, on New Year's Eve Saturday afternoon, Dec. 31, inside the UCM Multipurpose Building.
• Littrell posted a game-high 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor and a 3-of-4 showing at the free-throw line and pulled down a game-best 12 rebounds for her team-high fifth double-double of the season, leading Central Missouri.
• Olivia Nelson also reached double figures in the contest, netting 15 points on 4-of-5 shooting and a 7-of-8 performance at the foul line.
• The Jennies, who never trailed in the game, shot 44 percent from the field, going 20-of-45, and were 21 of 28 at the free-throw line for 75 percent.
• UCM controlled the glass in the contest, outrebounding Fort Hays State (11-4, 6-1 MIAA), 36-27, and outscored FHSU in the paint, 34-18.

Individual Milestones

• UCM head coach Dave Slifer is seven wins away from tallying his 400th victory as head coach of the Jennies. Slifer is an impressive 393-168 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 (777 career victories in 33 seasons).

A Streak for the Record Books

• 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.
• The streak was snapped when Central Missouri fell at Missouri Western Jan. 21, 66-63.

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. 10 in the most recent WBCA Division II Coaches' Poll and No. 15 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 host Emporia State Thursday, Feb. 16, and Washburn Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Multipurpose Building. Saturday's contest will be UCM Athletic Hall of Fame Day and Senior Day.