2026 NCAA-II Central Regional First Round
Game 32: No. 4 Central Missouri (25-6) vs. No. 5 Washburn (24-7)
Friday, March 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Mankato, Minn. (Taylor Center)
Radio: 1450 KOKO AM, 92.1 FM, 98.5 The BAR FM (Brad Hadank, play-by-play)
Live Video | Live Stats | Live Audio

UCM Game Notes | UCM Roster | Washburn Roster | 2026 NCAA-II Tournament Bracket

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QUICK HITS

• Fourth-seeded University of Central Missouri Jennies Basketball (25-6) is set to take on the fifth-seeded Washburn Ichabods (24-7) in the first round of the NCAA-II Women's Basketball Tournament Central Regional on Friday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m. inside the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn.
• The Jennies are making their 25th overall appearance in the NCAA-II Tournament and the first since 2023.
• UCM is coming off a 53-44 loss to Washburn in the MIAA Tournament Championship game on Sunday, March 8, in Kansas City, Mo. The setback snapped the Jennies' 13-game winning streak.
• Friday's game will mark the fourth time this season UCM and Washburn have played each other and the second time in less than a week. The Jennies are 2-1 against the Ichabods on the season.
• Central Missouri clinched its 13th MIAA Regular Season Championship in program history with a 73-64 win over Missouri Southern on Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Warrensburg. The title was the first since 2019-20 and the fourth under head coach Dave Slifer.
• Through 31 games, Central Missouri is paced by Reese Schaaf (19.1 ppg., 9.9 rpg., 2.7 apg., 1.8 spg., .529 FG%, .444 3Pt%, .853 FT%) and Taylor Weishaar (15.1 ppg., 8.0 rpg., 1.9 apg., 1.6 bpg., .448 FG%, .274 3Pt%, .747 FT%).
• Reese Schaaf leads the MIAA in field-goal percentage (.529), ranks second in scoring (19.1 ppg.) and rebounding (9.9 rpg.), third in free-throw percentage (.853), and fourth in steals (1.8 spg.), while Taylor Weishaar is third in blocks (1.6 bpg.), sixth in scoring (15.1 ppg.), and seventh in rebounding (8.0 rpg.).
• In the MIAA team statistics, Central Missouri is first in scoring margin (+13.5), second in scoring defense (57.6 ppg.), assists (15.5 apg.), field-goal percentage (.439), three-point field-goal percentage (.328), free-throw percentage (.745), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.03), blocked shots (4.3 bpg.) and attendance (1,069 fans per home game), and fourth in scoring offense (71.0 ppg.).
• In the latest NCAA-II National Statistics, Reese Schaaf is 10th in double-doubles (18), 13th in points (591), 15th in rebounds (306), and 22nd in points per game (19.1) and rebounds per game (9.9 rpg.). As a team, UCM is 26th in field-goal percentage (.439).

UCM ATHLETICS TO HOST WATCH PARTIES FOR NCAA-II CENTRAL REGIONAL GAMES

• University of Central Missouri Athletics will be hosting watch parties for all Mules and Jennies NCAA Division II Central Regional games, beginning Friday, March 13.
• Heroes Restaurant & Pub, located at 107 West Pine Street in downtown Warrensburg, will host the official watch parties for both teams throughout the tournament. All UCM fans who are unable to make the trip to either regional site are invited to cheer on the Mules and Jennies and enjoy exclusive food and drink specials.
• Heroes will continue to host watch parties as the Mules and Jennies advance in the tournament.  Stay tuned to UCM Athletics' social media for information on potential future game times.

JENNIES BASKETBALL IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

• The Jennies enter their 25th NCAA-II tournament with a record of 32-23.
• UCM last qualified for the NCAA-II tournament in 2022-23. The Jennies fell to Minnesota State in the opening round that year in Duluth, Minn., 83-81.
• Central Missouri has won two NCAA Division II National Championships (1984 and 2018).
• UCM and Washburn have met three times in the NCAA tournament. The Ichabods have won all three previous encounters. UCM's last meeting with Washburn in the NCAA tournament was in 2009-10, with the Jennies falling to the Ichabods in the first round in Canyon, Texas, 72-61.

SCHAAF, WEISHAAR EARN ALL-MIAA HONORS; SLIFER NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR

• Reese Schaaf and Taylor Weishaar both earned First Team All-MIAA honors, with Weishaar also being named to the All-Defensive Team, and Jennies head coach Dave Slifer was voted the MIAA Coach of the Year.
• Schaaf averaged a team-high 19.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in UCM's 28 regular-season games. In Central Missouri's 19 MIAA contests, Schaaf averaged a double-double with 21.4 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
• Weishaar averaged 15.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and a team-high 1.6 blocks per game in UCM's 28 regular-season contests. In 19 MIAA games, she averaged 16.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game.
• Slifer, who is in his 22nd season as head coach for the Jennies, earned his third MIAA Coach of the Year honor at Central Missouri and sixth of his illustrious coaching career after leading UCM to its 13th MIAA Regular Season Championship in program history with a 17-2 conference record, and an overall record of 23-5 during the regular season. The regular-season title is the fourth under Slifer and first since 2019-20.

SCORING AND CRASHING THE GLASS

• Reese Schaaf leads the Jennies and MIAA, and is 10th in NCAA Division II with 18 double-doubles on the season.
• Schaaf has shot at least 50 percent from the field in 15 of her last 21 games.

REESE SCHAAF, TAYLOR WEISHAAR AMONG JENNIES' CAREER LEADERS

• In 63 career games for the Jennies, Reese Schaaf is fourth in career scoring average at 18.8 points per game and third in career rebounding with 10.0 rebounds per game, and ranks fourth in free-throw percentage at .846 (252-of-298).
• Taylor Weishaar is fourth in career blocks for the Jennies with 117 swats in 63 career games.
• Weishaar is 11 rebounds shy of 500 in her UCM career, going into Friday's game. The Wathena, Kan., native sits at 489 boards in 63 career games. Schaaf has 627 career boards in her 63 contests entering Friday's contest.

JENNIES IN THE RANKINGS

• The Jennies continue to receive votes in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Top 25 Poll. UCM received seven votes in the latest poll released Tuesday, March 10.

LAST TIME OUT IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: NO. 11 JENNIES FALLS TO NO. 12 MINNESOTA STATE IN NCAA-II CENTRAL REGIONAL FIRST ROUND

• Olivia Nelson scored 22 points, and Brooke Littrell added 21 points, but it wasn't enough, as the No. 11-ranked Central Missouri Jennies basketball team fell to the No. 12-ranked Minnesota State Mavericks, 83-81, in the opening round of the NCAA-II Central Regional Friday, March 10, 2023, inside Romano Gymnasium on the Minnesota Duluth campus.
• Nelson went 7-of-10 from the field and 7-of-8 at the free-throw line for her 22 points, while Littrell was 8-of-20 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line for her 21 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the season. Graduate student Robin Campbell also reached double figures for the Jennies, scoring 11 points in the final game of her career.
• For the game, Central Missouri shot 51 percent from the field, going 30-of-59, and were 19-of-24 at the free-throw line for 79 percent. UCM outrebounded Minnesota State (26-4), 40-34, but committed 22 turnovers compared to 13 for the Mavericks.

LAST TIME OUT: JENNIES FALL TO WASHBURN IN MIAA TOURNAMENT TITLE GAME

• Top-seeded University of Central Missouri Jennies Basketball saw its 13-game winning streak come to an end after falling to the No. 3 seed Washburn Ichabods, 53-44, in the MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament Championship game on Sunday, March 8, inside Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
• Central Missouri led by two, 25-23, at halftime before Washburn (24-7) outscored UCM in the third and fourth quarters, 30-19, for the nine-point victory.
• Reese Schaaf compiled her team and MIAA-best 18th double-double of the season with 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Taylor Weishaar added nine points, seven rebounds, and four blocks, leading the Jennies in the contest. Both Schaaf and Weishaar were named to the MIAA Women's Basketball Championship All-Tournament Team.
• For the game, the Jennies shot just 31 percent from the field (15-of-49), 25 percent from three-point range (4-of-16), and were 10-of-15 at the free-throw line for 67 percent.
• Washburn only shot 27 percent from the field in the contest, but outrebounded UCM, 45-35, including a 16-5 advantage in offensive rebounds, and outscored Central Missouri in the paint, 26-20, and off turnovers, 13-2.

PRESEASON PICKS

• The Jennies were voted fourth in both the 2025-26 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll and MIAA Preseason Media Poll. UCM received 138 points and one first-place vote in the preseason coaches' poll and 271 points and four first-place votes in the preseason media poll.

FAMILY CONNECTION

• The Jennies have two siblings on the 2025-26 roster in El Dorado Springs natives senior Reese Schaaf and freshman Neely Schaaf.

SLIFER AMONG THE BEST

• Jennies Basketball 22nd season head coach Dave Slifer is ranked fifth in career victories in all of NCAA (Division I, II, III) with 847 career wins in 36 years. In Division II, Slifer is second in career victories, trailing only Tom Shirley of Jefferson, who posted 905 victories in 43 years.

UP NEXT

• If the Jennies win, they'll advance to the second round of the NCAA-II Central Regional on Saturday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m., and will play the winner of the No. 1 seed Minnesota State vs. No. 8 seed Minnesota-Duluth first round contest in Mankato, Minn.