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Jennies Basketball vs. Missouri Southern MIAA trophy celebration
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No. 1 Jennies Set for MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals Thursday vs. No. 9 Emporia State

3/4/2026 2:00:00 PM

2026 MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals
Game 29: No. 1 Central Missouri (23-5) vs. No. 9 Emporia State (15-14)
Thursday, March 5 | Noon | Kansas City, Mo. (Municipal Auditorium)
Radio: 1450 KOKO AM, 92.1 FM, 98.5 The BAR FM (Greg Hassler, play-by-play; Kim Anderson, color commentary)
Live Video | Live Stats | Live Audio

UCM Game Notes | UCM Roster | Emporia State Roster
QUICK HITS
  • Top-seeded University of Central Missouri Jennies Basketball (23-5) is set to face No. 9-seeded Emporia State (15-14) in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals on Thursday, March 5, at noon inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo. 
  • 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.
  • The Jennies are coming off a 73-58 win over Pittsburg State in their 2025-26 regular season finale on Feb. 28 in Warrensburg.
  • Entering the MIAA tournament, UCM has won 11 straight games and 17 of its last 18 contests.
  • Through 28 games, Central Missouri is paced by Reese Schaaf (19.2 ppg., 9.8 rpg., 2.8 apg., 1.8 spg., .540 FG%, .440 3Pt%, .852 FT%) and Taylor Weishaar (15.1 ppg., 7.9 rpg., 1.8 apg., 1.6 bpg., .448 FG%, .270 3Pt%, .745 FT%).
  • Reese Schaaf leads the MIAA in field-goal percentage (.540), ranks second in scoring (19.2 ppg.) and rebounding (9.8 rpg.), and fourth in free-throw percentage (.852) and steals (1.8 spg.), while Taylor Weishaar is third in blocks (1.6 bpg.), sixth in rebounding (7.9 rpg.) and seventh in scoring (15.1 ppg.).
  • In the MIAA team statistics, Central Missouri is first in scoring margin (+13.7), second in scoring defense (58.4 ppg.), assists (15.6 apg.), field-goal percentage (.443) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.04),  third in scoring offense (72.0 ppg.), rebounding (40.8 rpg.), blocked shots (4.3 bpg.), three-point field-goal percentage (.326), and attendance (1,069 fans per home game), and fourth in free-throw percentage (.744).
  • In the latest NCAA-II National Statistics, Reese Schaaf is 11th in double-doubles (16), 18th in rebounds (273), 19th in points (538), 23rd in points per game (19.2), 24th in rebouds per game (9.8 rpg.), and 30th in field-goal percentage (.540).
UCM ATHLETICS TO HOST PREGAME GATHERINGS FOR MULES & JENNIES BASKETBALL AT MIAA TOURNAMENT
  • University of Central Missouri Athletics will be hosting pregame gatherings for all Mules and Jennies fans prior to tip-off of each Mules and Jennies Basketball game at the MIAA Tournament, which begins for UCM on Thursday, March 5, inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
  • John's Big Deck will host the Cardinal & Black Fund Pregame Fan Headquarters before every Mules and Jennies game. All UCM fans are welcome. John's Big Deck is located at 928 Wyandotte Street in downtown Kansas City, Mo., which is approximately a 2-minute drive or a 9-minute walk from Municipal Auditorium. The gatherings will be on the second floor and will feature an appetizer spread. Fans can also purchase additional food and/or beverages.
  • The opening gatherings of the week will be on Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon, prior to the Jennies' quarterfinal contest at noon, and from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., prior to the Mules' quarterfinal game at 8:15 p.m.
  • If either team, or both teams, advance to the semifinals on Saturday, March 7, pregame gatherings will take place at the same time and place as on Thursday.
  • Should the Mules and/or Jennies advance to the MIAA Tournament Championship game on Sunday, March 8, the pregame gathering will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at John's Big Deck.
JENNIES BASKETBALL IN THE MIAA TOURNAMENT
  • UCM is 48-33 in the MIAA tournament going into Thursday's quarterfinal contest. The Jennies are 20-13 in quarterfinal round games and 17-11 in the semifinals. Central Missouri has made 17 appearances in the championship game, most recently in 2022-23.
  • Central Missouri has won eight MIAA Tournament Championships all-time. UCM last won the tournament in 2020, also in Kansas City, Mo.
  • All-time against Emporia State in the MIAA tournament, the Jennies are 4-8. The Jennies and the Lady Hornets met last season in the opening round, with UCM winning, 70-59. 
  • Last season, the Jennies fell to second-seeded Fort Hays State in the quarterfinals, 90-74.
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 with 15 double-doubles on the season.
  • Schaaf has shot at least 50 percent from the field in 15 of her last 18 games.
REESE SCHAAF, TAYLOR WEISHAAR AMONG JENNIES' CAREER LEADERS
  • In 60 career games for the Jennies, Reese Schaaf is tied for third in career scoring average at 18.9 points per game and career rebounding with 9.9 rebounds per game, and ranks fourth in free-throw percentage at .845 (240-of-284).
  • Taylor Weishaar is fourth in career blocks for the Jennies with 112 swats in 60 career games.
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 16 votes in the latest poll released Tuesday, March 3.
  • The Jennies are ranked fifth in the third NCAA Division II Central Regional Rankings released on Wednesday, March 4, by the NCAA. It's UCM's second straight week ranked in the number five spot.  
LAST TIME OUT: JENNIES CAP REGULAR SEASON WITH 73-58 WIN OVER PITTSBURG STATE
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Prior to Saturday's game, the Jennies recognized seniors Reese Schaaf and Cierra Smith.
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 845 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 Thursday, they'll advance to the MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament Semifinals on Saturday, March 7, at noon in Kansas City, Mo.
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