How Sweet it Is! Jennies Dance into Sweet 16

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (March 10, 2018) - It's been quite a long time, but Central Missouri is back in the Central Region Championship game after defeating Fort Hays State 66-59. The Jennies held the Tigers to just 25 second-half points as they earned a hard fought victory into the Sweet 16.

How it Happened
• It was a tightly contested game from the start. Both team shot extremely well out of the gates. UCM finished the game 27-56 for 48.2% while the Tigers were 21-53 for 39.6%. However FHSU was just 8-25 in the second half as the Jennies defense proved to be the difference once again.
• The Jennies battled all night under the glass and came away with 32 rebounds, including seven offensive. The Jens scored 38 points in the paint to the Tigers 20 and held FHSU to just one second-chance point.
• Fort Hays State, one of the better ball-control teams in Division II were forced into 12 turnovers while UCM committed just 10.
• The Jennies were able to navigate a bit of foul trouble early and their bench came through with 15 points, 10 of which were in the first half.
• For the second straight game, the Jennies put up 20 points in the first quarter. Paige Redmond scored the Jens first eight points in less than three minutes. She scored 11 in the first 10 minutes.
• The Tigers kept up with UCM in the first half, hitting six three-pointers, shooting 50% from deep in the first half. 
• The Jens held a three-point lead after the first, but a 5-0 run late in the half gave the Tigers the lead.
• A layup from Kacey Kennett brought FHSU to their largest lead of three, 34-31, but Jolene Shipps answered with a layup of her own and the teams hit halftime with the Tigers ahead 34-33.
• Fort Hays State scored on their first possession of the half to retake a three-point lead, 36-33. The Jens went on a 6-0 run after that with layups from Kayonna Lee, Megan Skaggs, and Kelsey Williams to take the lead and never gave it back.
• For the rest of the third quarter and part of the fourth, the Tigers kept the game within five. Morgan Fleming hit her first three-pointer of the game to put UCM up seven, 56-49 and back-to-back layups from Skaggs gave the Jens a nine-point lead with just 2:30 left to play.
• A layup from the Tigers' Tatyana Legette brought the lead back down to seven. FHSU played great defense on the next Jennies possession, and with three seconds left on the shot clock, the Jennies inbounded from under their own basket and it was Fleming again who beat the buzzer with a back-breaking three giving the Jens a 10-point lead, 63-53.
• Fort Hays State hit a pair of threes in the final minute, but the Jennies went 3-4 at the free throw line to hold off any thoughts of a comeback.

It Was Over When...
• Fleming's buzzer-beating three put the Jennies up 10 with 1:14 to play. The Tigers played great defense and were poised to get back to within five when Fleming sank her second three of the quarter.

Jennies Stat Leaders
• Kayonna Lee recorded her seventh double-double of the season scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. She was 4-10 from the field and 4-5 at the free throw line.
• Paige Redmond scored a team-high 16 points going 6-12 and splashing three triples. She also dished out five assists for the second straight games and played all 40 minutes.
• Six of Fleming's nine points came in the fourth quarter. She also had six rebounds.
• Megan Skaggs scored eight points on 4-7 shooting with six rebounds and four steals.
• Jolene Shipps led the Jennies bench with seven points and was 3-6 from the floor including a three-pointer. 
• Sydney Skaggs and Sydney Crockett both scored four points in the first quarter.

For the Tigers
• Kacey Kennett scored a game-best 17 points and was 5-9 from three.
• Lanie Page scored nine points.
• Tatyana Legette and Emma Stroyan each scored eight points. Legette pulled down six rebounds and passed out six assists.
• Taylor Rolfs and Belle Barbieri each added six points. Barbieri led the team with seven boards.

News and Notes
• Central Missouri is back in the Regional final for the first time in 28 years. Their last appearance game in the 1989-90 season.
• UCM had been 0-6 in regional semi-final games between 1990 and tonight.
• Central Missouri has scored 66 points in both of their NCAA wins. 
• The Jennies have committed 10 or less turnovers in both games in Sioux Falls.
• The Jennies 26 wins this season are tied for the most since UCM won 29 in 1989-90. It is tied for the sixth most wins in a single season in team history.

Up Next
• Central Missouri will await the winner of No. 1 Augustana vs. No. 5 Northern State for the Central Region Championship. The game will be played at Sioux Falls with a 7:05 p.m. start time Monday, March 12.