Missouri Western outscored the Jennies 45-40 in the second half but it wouldn’t be enough as they fell for the first time in 2012 by a score of 72-67 against Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo. Jessica Koch dumped in 29 points while setting a career high with 14 made free throws as Western falls to 5-9 overall and 3-6 in MIAA play.
Despite being out of basketball for almost five years, Ashleigh Curry made an immediate impact for the Griffons. Western got off to a slow start getting down 10-0 before Curry made her first appearance. Curry hit her first shot of the game getting Western on the board with a long range bomb with 14:29 to play.
Curry’s basket sparked an 18-4 run by Western giving them an 18-14 lead after a Curry lay-up with 7:36 to play. Western hit just one field goal and scored four points, all by Charlonda Bozeman, the remaining seven and a half minutes of play going into halftime down 32-22.
Western shot just 25.8-percent (8-31) from the field while the Jennies made 42.9-percent (12-28) of their field goal attempts. Curry had seven points while Koch pitched in five. The Jennies were led by Alyssa Rhodes with 10 points making 3-of-5 field goal attempts.
The Jennies jumped on the Griffons early in the second half opening up a 16 point lead after a three from Renae Shippy with 16:29 to play in the game. Curry and Koch took over the rest of the half scoring 42 of the Griffons 45 second half points. Koch’s layup with 10:57 got the lead to fewer than 10 for the first time since the first half. Western never trailed by double digits again.
Western tied the game at 65 after two Curry free throws with 1:37 to play the Jennies outscored the Griffons 7-2 down the stretch picking up the victory. The Jennies improve to 11-4 overall and 5-4 in MIAA action.
Curry finished with 25 points in her first game back connecting on 10-of-20 field goals while snaring a team high seven rebounds. Alicia Bell snared six rebounds while Koch dished out five assists and had two steals. The Griffons shot 48.1-percent (13-27) from the field in the second half but made just 5-of-23 long range shots in the game. The Griffons connected on 20-of-23 free throw attempts including 18-of-20 in the second frame.
The Jennies shot 44.1-percent (26-59) in the game and outrebounded Western 41-to-35 in the game. Nicole Caddell had 19 points including 13 in the second half. She also had a game high eight rebounds.
Western wraps-up the first half of MIAA play on Tuesday, January 17 when they travel to Bolivar, Mo. to take on the Southwest Baptist Bearcats. Game time is set for 5:30 pm.
— MWSU Sports Information —