The Missouri Western women’s basketball team played another solid game on the road but fell 71-65 against the 8th ranked Central Missouri Jennies. The Griffons were led by Quenisha Lockett with a double double scoring 15 points and snaring 10 rebounds. The Griffons fall to 5-9 overall and 1-7 in league play.
Missouri Western got 10 first half points and 6 rebounds from Quenisha Lockett going into the half down seven at 31-24. The Griffons turned the ball over 10 times which led to 13 Central Missouri points. The Jennies jumped all over the Griffons in the first four minutes of the game taking a 12-2 lead after a Revonnia Howard layup with 16:00 minutes to play. The Griffons hung in there going on a 8-2 run cutting the UCM lead to 14-10 with 14:25 to play after a JaQuitta Dever layup.
The two teams played played the rest of the half with the Griffons getting as close at two at 20-18 after a Sharniece Lewis layup with 7:52 to play. The final eight minutes the Jennies outscored the Griffons 11-6 taking the seven point lead into the half. The Griffons shot 37.9-percent (11-29) from the field and outrebounded UCM 22-16. The Jennies were led by Howard with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. The Jennies mad 5-of-9 free throws and 12-of-30 field goals.
The Griffons came out of the half outscoring the Jennies 8-2 cutting the UCM lead to 33-32 after a three point play by Lanicia Lawrence with 17:11 to play in the game. The Jennies responded in the next five minutes going on 12-4 run taking a 45-36 lead with 12:34 to play.
Missouri Western continued to play hard cutting the lead to five with 8:46 to play after a Tiffanie Abrams layup. UCM expanded its lead to as many as 11 down the stretch but two three pointers by S. Lewis made things interesting. Here second three cut the UCM lead to 69-63 with under a minute to play. Unfortunately the Griffons did not get any closer than five the rest of the way.
The Griffons shot 42.9-percent (27-63) from the field but made just 7-of-15 free throws and 4-of-15 three pointers. JaQuitta Dever and Lewis finished with 14 and 11 points while Abrams and Lawrence both had seven.
The Jennies improve to 13-2 overall and 7-1 in MIAA play. They had three players score in double figures with Howard finishing with a game high 23 points while Keuna Flax and Shelby Winkelmann had 16 and 12 respectively.
Missouri Western returns to action on Saturday, January 18 with a home contest against the Southwest Baptist Bearcats. Game time is set for 1:30 pm in the MWSU Fieldhouse.
— MWSU Sports Information —