Jennies Advance to Semifinals with 66-49 Win

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (March 9, 2018) - Central Missouri Jennies Basketball won their quarterfinal round game of the Central Region Championships. They took down Minnesota-Moorhead 66-49.

How It Happened
• The Dragons led for all of 22 second of the game, scoring on their opening possession. After that, it was all Jennies who raced out scoring 26 points in the first quarter.
• The Jennies shot well for the game, connecting at 44.1% while limiting the Dragons to just 36.7% from the floor. The Jennies also hit twice as many three-pointers, 6-3, and were a perfect 8-8 at the free throw line.
• Minnesota-Moorhead won the rebounding battle, 41-29 and 14-6 on the offensive end, however both teams scored eight second-chance points.
• The Jennies relentless defense forced MSUM into 17 turnovers and the Jens scored 18 points off of those turnovers. The Jennies came away with nine steals, and turned the ball over just nine times themselves.
• With the game tied at 4-all in the early going, Megan Skaggs hit her first of three first-quarter triples at the 7:07 mark and the Jennies never looked back. They outscored the Dragons 11-4 in the final 3:59 of the first with Skaggs hitting two more three pointers, and led by 14 after the first 10 minutes.
• Moorhead started the second period on a 5-0 run to get back to within single digits, 26-17. The Jennies answered with a 9-0 run of their own and led by 18. A layup in the final seconds gave UCM their largest lead of the half, 44-25.
• The Jennies kept the pressure up at the start of the third period. With just over five minutes gone, Fleming hit another layup to give UCM their largest lead of the game, 53-27. 
• UCM's defense didn't let up either as MSUM scored just eight third quarter points. 
• Moorhead brought the Jennies lead under 20 in the fourth quarter, but it was too-little, to-late and the Jennies are moving on.

It Was Over When...
• Just like the first half, the Dragons scored the first points of the second half. Quickly after, the Jennies scored seven straight getting baskets from Fleming, Skaggs and Kayonna Lee. That brought the lead to 26, 53-27 and knocked the wind out of the Dragons sails.

Jennies Stat Leaders
• Three Jennies scored in double-figures led by Paige Redmond's 19. She was 7-15 from the field and 3-7 from three. She also dished out a game-high tying five assists.
• Megan Skaggs poured in 17 points, hitting three triples as well and was 7-13 from the floor. Skaggs came away with three steals on the defensive end.
• Kayonna Lee was effective inside scoring 11 points and was 3-3 at the fre throw line.
• Redmond, Skaggs and Lee all pulled down a team-high six rebounds.
• Morgan Fleming chipped in eight points and two assists. Jolene Shipps had five points and three boards.
• Kelsey Williams added four points and had three assists with no turnovers.

For the Dragons
• Drew Sannes and Megan Hintz both recorded double-doubles. Sannes scored 12 with 10 rebounds and Hintz scored 10 with 12 rebounds.
• Cassidy Thorson added 10 points hitting a pair of three pointers.
• Jacky Volkert added seven points and had five assists.

News and Notes
• This is the second straight season UCM has defeated Minnesota State-Moorhead in the Central Region quarterfinals. Last season UCM won 56-45.
• For the 16th time this season and 31st time in the last two seasons, UCM held their opponent to less than 10 points in a quarter as the Dragons scored eight in the third.
• Kayonna Lee recorded career point number 500.
• The Dragons, who committed 17 turnovers, average 12 per game for the season. They had 12 in the first half. 
• For the seventh time this season, UCM held an opponent to less than 50 points. 
• The win is Coach Slifer's fourth NCAA with UCM. The Jennies are 22-20 all-time in regional play.

Up Next
• The semi-finals. The Jennies will see a familiar foe in Fort Hays State next round. The Tigers, the No. 6 seed, defeated No. 3 Southwestern Oklahoma State in the opening round. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday, March 10.