No. 6 Seed Jennies Face No. 3 Seed Fort Hays State in MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals Friday

2024 MIAA Women's Basketball Championship presented by Southern Bank Quarterfinals
Game 29: No. 6 Central Missouri (21-7) vs. No. 3 Fort Hays State (22-6)
Friday, March 8 | 2:15 p.m. | Kansas City, Mo. (Municipal Auditorium)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The BAR (Greg Hassler, pxp; Brinkley Beever, color commentary)
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UCM Game Notes | Buy Tickets | MIAA Tournament Central

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Tip-Off

• Sixth-seeded Central Missouri Jennies basketball (21-7) is scheduled to tip-off play in the 2024 MIAA Women's Basketball Championship presented by Southern Bank with a quarterfinal game vs. third-seeded Fort Hays State (22-6) Friday, March 8, at 2:15 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
• The Jennies are coming off an 81-65 win over Northeastern State March 2 to wrap up the regular season.
• Through 28 games, Central Missouri is paced by Brooke Littrell (20 ppg., 8.3 rpg., 2.6 apg., 1.2 spg.), Olivia Nelson (14.7 ppg., 4.1 apg., 2.0 spg., 2.8 rpg.) and Ashley Tull (10.4 ppg., 6.2 rpg., 1.2 bpg.).
• Littrell finished the regular season as the MIAA leader in both scoring (20 points per game) and free-throw percentage (.888).
• Entering the MIAA tournament, the Jennies are shooting 45.2 percent from the floor, 29.5 percent from three-point range and 75.6 percent at the free-throw line. UCM is outscoring its opponents, 74.9-63.9 and outrebounding adversaries, 37.8-31.7.

UCM Fans Invited to MIAA Tournament Pregame Gathering Friday

• In conjunction with the Jennies MIAA tournament appearance, UCM Athletics will host a pregame social from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday afternoon at Johnny's Tavern in the Power & Light District at 1310 Grand Blvd.
• For UCM fans wanting to attend Friday's pregame gathering at Johnny's, please RSVP by clicking here.

Littrell, Nelson Earn All-MIAA Women's Basketball Accolades

• Brooke Littrell and Olivia Nelson both earned 2024 All-MIAA Women's Basketball postseason honors for their performances on the court during the 2023-24 regular season. Littrell garnered First Team All-MIAA honors while Nelson was a Second Team All-MIAA selection. This is the third career All-MIAA recognition for both Littrell and Nelson.
• Littrell averaged a team and MIAA-best 20 points per game in 27 games during the regular season. She also led the Jennies and the conference in free-throw percentage at .888 (127-of-143). In addition, Littrell ranked in the top-five in the MIAA in both rebounding (fourth at 8.3 rebounds per game) and field-goal percentage (fourth at .503).
• Nelson ranked second in scoring for the Jennies with 14.7 points per game in her 28 games played during the regular season. She led UCM and was fourth in the MIAA in assists with 4.1 assists per game and ranked in the top-five of the conference in free-throw percentage (third at .818), steals (fifth with two steals per game) and minutes played (fifth at 32.6 per game).

Jennies Basketball in the MIAA Postseason Tournament

• Central Missouri is 47-31 in the MIAA tournament going into Friday's quarterfinal game. UCM is 20-12 in quarterfinal round contests and 17-11 in semifinal games. The Jennies have made 17 appearances in the championship game, including last season.
• UCM has won eight MIAA Tournament Championships after winning the 2020 title in Kansas City. The Jennies finished runner-up in the tournament last season, falling to Missouri Southern in the title game, 78-63.
• Against Fort Hays State in the MIAA tournament, Central Missouri is 5-2 all-time. UCM and FHSU met last season in the semifinals with Central Missouri pulling out a thrilling 66-64 overtime victory after Ashley Tull scored a layup with just 0.4 seconds remaining on the clock.

Individual Milestones

• Brooke Littrell became just the third Jenny in program history to reach at least 2,000 career points after scoring 27 against Northeastern State March 2. Littrell (2,019 points), Tammy Wilson (2,104 points -- 1985-89) and Carla Eades (2,098 points -- 1980-84) are currently the only three Jennies to surpass 2,000 career points.
• UCM head coach Dave Slifer earned his 800th career win as a head coach in the 78-65 win over then No. 24-ranked Missouri Southern Feb. 10 in Joplin, Mo. Slifer is an impressive 421-178 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 (805 career victories in 35 seasons).

Last Time Out for UCM: Littrell Reaches 2,000 Career Points and Jennies Down Northeastern State on Senior Day, 81-65

• Brooke Littrell became just the third player in Central Missouri Women's Basketball history to score at least 2,000 career points as the Jennies took down the Northeastern State RiverHawks, 81-65, on Senior Day Saturday, March 2, inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center.
• Littrell eclipsed 2,000 career points on a layup with 1:12 to go in the first quarter. She joins Jenny greats Carla Eades (2,098 points from 1980-84) and Tammy Wilson (2,104 points from 1985-89) in the 2,000-career point club.
• For the game, Littrell compiled 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 showing at the free-throw line to up her career total to 2,019 points in 114 career games. Graycen Holden added a season-high 18 points and snagged 13 rebounds for her second double-double of the season, Ashley Tull had 10 points, and Olivia Nelson dished out a game-best seven assists, rounding out the UCM leaders.
• The Jennies shot 50 percent from the field (32-of-64), 35 percent from three-point range (6-of-17) and were 11-of-13 at the free-throw line for 85 percent. Central Missouri outrebounded Northeastern State, 41-24, and outscored the RiverHawks in the paint, 42-28.

Jennies Basketball in the Regional Rankings

• University of Central Missouri Jennies basketball sits at No. 9 in the most recent NCAA-II Central Regional Rankings released Wednesday, March 6.
• The top eight teams in the final regional rankings on Sunday, March 10, will earn a bid to the 2024 NCAA-II Central Region Tournament.
• The 2024 NCAA-II Women's Basketball Tournament Selection Show is slated for 9:30 p.m. Sunday, March 10, on NCAA.com.

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.

Up Next

• If the Jennies defeat Fort Hays State Friday, they'll advance to the MIAA tournament semifinals Saturday, March 9, at 2:15 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo., against either Northwest Missouri State, Nebraska Kearney, or Washburn.