Jennies Trek to Emporia State Thursday to Ring in 2025

Game 15: Central Missouri (9-5, 1-2 MIAA) at Emporia State (6-5, 1-1 MIAA)
Thursday, Jan. 2 | 5:30 p.m. | Emporia, Kan. (William L. White Auditorium)
Radio: 1450 KOKO AM, "Your Country" 98.5 The BAR FM (Greg Hassler, play-by-play; Kim Anderson, color commentary)
Live Video | Live Stats | Live Audio

UCM Game Notes | 2024-25 UCM Roster

TIP-OFF

University of Central Missouri Jennies basketball (9-5, 1-2 MIAA) is slated to tip-off the 2025 portion of its schedule with a MIAA road game at Emporia State (6-5, 1-1 MIAA) Thursday, Jan. 2, at 5:30 p.m. at W.L. White Auditorium in downtown Emporia, Kan.
The Jennies have been idle since posting an 85-72 win over Washburn Dec. 21 in Warrensburg.
Through 14 games, Central Missouri is led by Reese Schaaf (18 ppg., 9.1 rpg., .530 FG%, .885 FT%, 18 A, 17 Stl, 3 Blk), Lauren Frost (12.4 ppg., 4.8 rpg., 63 A, .433 FG%, .382 3FG%, .767 FT%, 22 Stl) and Taylor Weishaar (11.1 ppg., 7.6 rpg., .468 FG%, .659 FT%, 22 blk).
As a team, UCM is averaging 68.3 points per game while holding opponents to 61.4 points per game. The Jennies are outrebounding their adversaries, 37.8 to 35 rebounds per game, and shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 31.7 percent from three-point range and 75.8 percent at the free-throw line.
Schaaf currently leads the MIAA in both scoring and rebounding through 14 contests with her 18 points and 9.1 boards per game. She is seventh in total points (252) and field goals (96), and 13th in rebounds (127) in the most recent NCAA-II National Statistics.
Frost is second in the conference and is 16th in Division II with 63 assists in 14 games.

LAST TIME OUT: BIG THIRD QUARTER LIFTS JENNIES PAST WASHBURN, 85-72

Five players scored in double figures as Central Missouri Jennies basketball posted an 85-72 win over the Washburn Ichabods Saturday afternoon, Dec. 21, inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center.
With the game tied, 35-35 at halftime, the Jennies outscored the Ichabods in the third quarter, 31-17, to gain a lead they would not relinquish the remainder of the game.
Reese Schaaf and Lauren Frost both scored 21 points to lead UCM in scoring, with Frost also pulling down 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Frost's 21 points tied her career high. In addition, Frost added a game-best seven assists.
Taylor Weishaar notched her second consecutive double-double with 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, Cierra Smith added 12 points and three steals, and Allie Clevenger compiled 10 points, rounding out the Central Missouri leaders in the contest.
For the game, UCM shot 46 percent from the field (30-of-66), 42 percent from three-point range (8-of-19) and were 90 percent from the free-throw line (17-of-19).
Washburn outscored Central Missouri in the paint, 48-38, but the Jennies outscored the Ichabods off turnovers, 20-14 and posted a 38-30 advantage in rebounding.

TAKING CARE OF THE BASKETBALL

Through 14 games, the Jennies rank among the top teams in NCAA Division II when it comes to limiting turnovers. UCM is averaging just 12.3 turnovers per game, which leads the MIAA and ranks sixth nationally.

JENNIES INK FIVE HIGH SCHOOL STANDOUTS

University of Central Missouri women's basketball head coach Dave Slifer announced the signing of five high school standouts during the early signing period Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Hayden Heim, a 6-3 forward from Plaxico, Kan., Makenzie Farmer, a 5-11 guard from De Soto, Kan., Jayla Griffith, a 5-8 guard from Columbia, Mo., Olivia Robben, a 6-5 center from Olathe, Kan., and Neely Schaaf, a 5-8 guard from El Dorado Springs, Mo., will all continue their education and play basketball for the Jennies beginning in the fall of 2025.

PREVIEWING 2024-25

The 2024-25 Central Missouri Jennies welcome back two starters from last season's team that posted an overall record of 21-8 and a MIAA mark of 15-7. Starting guards Lauren Frost and Allie Clevenger are both back on the court for this season and will be joined by returners Shannon Karlin, Cierra Smith and Rylee Vierthaler.
UCM welcomes five new student-athletes to the roster in high school freshmen Jolie Bonderer and Taylor Weishaar, and transfers Nicole Davis, Akaysha Muggeridge, Reese Schaaf and Callie Ziebell.
UCM was picked fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll and sixth in the conference's preseason media poll.

SLIFER INKS FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION

Jennies head coach Dave Slifer, now in his 21st season as the leader of the program, signed a four-year contract extension through the 2027-28 season in the summer of 2024.
The contract is highly competitive in the MIAA and NCAA Division II and provides incentives for MIAA championships, postseason appearances and achievements, coach of the year awards, and academic achievement.
Slifer has led Jennies basketball to 12 NCAA Division II postseason berths, including an NCAA-II National Championship in 2018 with the Jennies best record in program history, as well as four MIAA Championships and a pair of NCAA-II Central Region Titles.
Among active head coaches, Slifer is the second winningest coach in Division II and ranks in the top 10 among all three divisions with his 805 career victories in 35 years as a head coach.
He is the winningest coach in both Central Missouri and MIAA women's basketball history and enters 2024-25 with 421 wins in 20 seasons as head coach of the Jennies.

UP NEXT

The Jennies begin a four-game homestand at the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center with a 5:30 p.m. MIAA contest vs. Northwest Missouri State Thursday, Jan. 9.

Print Friendly Version