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University of Central Missouri Athletics

Hayden Heim (22) in MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals vs. Emporia State
Andrew Mather | University Photographer

No. 1 Jennies Set to take on No. 4 Missouri Southern in MIAA Tournament Semifinals Saturday

3/6/2026 2:20:00 PM

2026 MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament Semifinals
Game 30: No. 1 Central Missouri (24-5) vs. No. 4 Missouri Southern (20-9)
Saturday, March 7 | 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 | Missouri Southern Roster
QUICK HITS
  • Top-seeded University of Central Missouri Jennies Basketball (24-5) is set to face No. 4-seeded Missouri Southern (20-9) in the MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament Semifinals on Saturday, March 7, at noon inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
  • The Jennies advanced to the tournament semifinals after rolling to a 79-50 win over the No. 9-seeded Emporia State Lady Hornets in the quarterfinals on Thursday in Kansas City.
  • Entering the semifinals, UCM has won 12 straight games and 18 of its last 19 contests. The 12-game winning streak is the longest since the Jennies won 16 in a row in 2022-23.
  • 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 29 games, Central Missouri is paced by Reese Schaaf (19.3 ppg., 9.7 rpg., 2.8 apg., 1.8 spg., .537 FG%, .460 3Pt%, .852 FT%) and Taylor Weishaar (15.1 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 1.9 apg., 1.6 bpg., .452 FG%, .272 3Pt%, .750 FT%).
  • Reese Schaaf leads the MIAA in field-goal percentage (.537), ranks second in scoring (19.3 ppg.) and rebounding (9.7 rpg.), and fourth in free-throw percentage (.852), and fifth in steals (1.8 spg.), while Taylor Weishaar is fourth in blocks (1.6 bpg.), sixth in scoring (15.1 ppg.), and seventh in rebounding (8.1 rpg.).
  • In the MIAA team statistics, Central Missouri is first in scoring margin (+14.2), second in scoring defense (58.1 ppg.), assists (15.8 apg.), field-goal percentage (.444), three-point field-goal percentage (.334), and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.06),  and third in scoring offense (72.3 ppg.), free-throw percentage (.745), blocked shots (4.2 bpg.), and attendance (1,069 fans per home game).
  • In the latest NCAA-II National Statistics, Reese Schaaf is 12th in double-doubles (16), 15th in points (561), 19th in rebounds (282), 21st in points per game (19.3), and 24th in rebounds per game (9.7 rpg.). As a team, UCM ranks 19th in field-goal percentage (.444), 25th in assists per game (15.8), and 29th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.06).
UCM ATHLETICS TO HOST PREGAME GATHERINGS FOR 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 remaining Jennies Basketball game at the MIAA Tournament.
  • John's Big Deck will host the Cardinal & Black Fund Pregame Fan Headquarters before every 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.
  • Saturday's gathering will take place from 11 a.m. to noon.
  • Should the 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 49-33 in the MIAA tournament, going into Saturday's semifinal contest. The Jennies are 21-13 in quarterfinal games and 17-11 in semifinal games. 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 Missouri Southern, the Jennies are 3-3 in the MIAA tournament. UCM and MSSU last met in the 2023 championship game, with the Lions posting a 78-63 victory.
  • 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 16 double-doubles on the season.
  • Schaaf has shot at least 50 percent from the field in 15 of her last 19 games.
HEIM HEATING UP
  • Freshman Hayden Heim has scored in double figures in three of her last four games. She's averaging 13.5 points per game and shooting 46 percent from the field (21-of-46).
REESE SCHAAF, TAYLOR WEISHAAR AMONG JENNIES' CAREER LEADERS
  • In 61 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 (246-of-291).
  • Taylor Weishaar is fourth in career blocks for the Jennies with 112 swats in 61 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: NO. 1 JENNIES ADVANCE TO MIAA TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS WITH 79-50 WIN OVER NO. 9 EMPORIA STATE
  • Top-seeded University of Central Missouri Jennies Basketball used a big fourth quarter to pull away for a 79-50 victory over the ninth-seeded Emporia State University Lady Hornets in the MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals on Thursday, March 5, inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
  • Central Missouri outscored Emporia State in the fourth quarter, 23-5, to turn an 11-point lead into a 29-point victory.
  • Reese Schaaf scored 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the floor, including a perfect 3-of-3 showing from three-point range, and a 6-of-7 performance at the free-throw line, and pulled down nine rebounds, while Taylor Weishaar posted her seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
  • Hayden Heim scored 15 points and went 4-for-5 from three-point range, and Jayla Griffith added 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field, rounding out the UCM leaders.
  • For the game, the Jennies shot 49 percent from the floor (27-of-56), 52 percent from three-point range (14-of-27), and were 11-of-14 at the free-throw line (79 percent). UCM outrebounded Emporia State (15-15), 36-28, and outscored ESU in the paint, 26-24.
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 846 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 Saturday, they'll advance to the MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament Championship game on Sunday, March 8, at 1 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo.
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