WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The MIAA Regular Season Champion University of Central Missouri Jennies Basketball team capped off its 2025-26 regular season schedule with a 73-58 victory over the Pittsburg State Gorillas on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 28, inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center.

The Jennies (23-5, 17-2 MIAA), who have now won 11 straight games, have clinched the top seed in the MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament and will face the winner of the number eight seed vs. number nine seed first-round game in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 5, at noon at historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo. 

Central Missouri outscored Pittsburg State in the first quarter, 24-15, and in the second quarter, 20-16, to take a 13-point lead into halftime, 44-31.

UCM extended its lead to as much as 23 points in the third quarter and kept the Gorillas from getting any closer than 11 points the remainder of the game, securing the victory.

Neely Schaaf scored a career-high 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor and a 5-of-9 showing from three-point range and dished out six assists, Taylor Weishaar added 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting and a 4-of-4 performance at the free-throw line, Reese Schaaf compiled her team and MIAA-best 16th double-double of the season with 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Hayden Heim chipped in 10 points with three blocks, leading the Jennies in the game.

For the contest, UCM shot 41 percent from the floor (27-of-66), 28 percent from three-point range (10-of-26), and were 9-of-12 at the free-throw line for 75 percent. Central Missouri dominated the glass, outrebounding the Gorillas, 42-36. 

Cambrie Phillips had 13 points, and Marin Adams posted 12 points, pacing Pittsburg State (18-10, 11-8 MIAA).

Prior to Saturday's game, the Jennies recognized seniors Reese Schaaf and Cierra Smith.
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