The Missouri Western women’s basketball team lost a tough hard nosed battle against the 16th ranked Jennies of Central Missouri 74-71 Wednesday evening. The Griffons have lost two straight for the first time this season falling to 12-5 overall and 5-4 in MIAA play.
A poor start hurt the Griffons in the opening frame as they went into halftime down 33-24. This marked the fourth straight game that the Griffons have trailed at the break.
The Griffons missed its first three shots and turned the ball over three times in the first three minutes of the game getting down 12-1. The Griffons settled down the next five minutes using an 11-2 run to cut the Jennies lead to 14-12 after Lanicia Lawrence hit a layup with 11:54 to play in the half.
The rest of the way would be all Jennies closing the half on a 19-12 run to gain the nine point half time advantage. For the third straight game the Griffons have shot under 29-percent in the first half. MWSU made just 8-of-28 field goals for 28.6-percent.
The Griffons did out-rebound the Jennies 23-20 and had 12 bench points to UCM’s six. Heather Howard and Alex Saxen had five points while Alicia Bell led the way with eight rebounds.
The Jennies scored 16 points off nine Griffon turnovers and made 40-percent (12-30) of its field goals. Bielle Wattley led the way with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting.
The Griffons came out of halftime on a mission going on a 25-7 which was capped by an Saxon three with 10:19 to play giving MWSU the 49-40 lead.
The Jennies remained calm and behind the Keuana Flax began to chip away at the Griffon lead. She finished with 22 points with 18 coming in the final 15 minutes of the contest.
The Griffons held an eight point lead with 3:20 to play at 62-54 but an 9-1 Jennies run to end regulation forced overtime.
In overtime the two teams went back and forth as Flax opened with an old fashioned three point play and then Howard responded with a three of her own tying the score at 66 with 4:17 to play.
Flax hit two free throws but once again Howard responded with a layup tying the score at 68 with 2:57 to play.
With the Jennies leading 73-71 Howard’s game tying layup came up short giving the Griffons the three point loss. It was the eighth straight loss in Warrensburg counting the vacated win in the 2006-2007.
The Griffons shot finished shooting 38.2-percent (26-68) in the game and out-rebounded UCM 48-40 with 14 coming on the offensive end of the floor. MWSU also had 34 points in the paint and 23 bench points.
Howard finished with a career best 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting and 4-of-7 from long range. She collected her 10th double-double of the season snaring 11 rebounds. Alex Saxen was the only other Griffon in double figures with 10 points. Alicia Bell had 10 rebounds and six points.
The Jennies shot 41.3-percent (26-63) from the floor with BreAnna Lewis and Wattley dumping in 19 and 13 points respectively. Flax also had 10 rebounds and four blocks. The Jennies improve to 14-2 overall and 6-2 in MIAA play.
The Griffons will close out the three game road swing on Saturday, January 26 in Jefferson City, Mo. against the Lincoln Blue Tigers. Game time is set for 1:30 pm from Jason Gym. The Griffons defeated the Blue Tigers earlier this season by a score of 65-57 on November 24, 2012 in Jefferson City, Mo.
— MWSU Sports Information —