WARRENSBURG — Central Missouri Jennies Basketball picked up their third straight home win in a dominating defensive effort Thursday night. The Jennies held the Griffons to just 11 first-half points on their way to a 66-45 win.
Central Missouri brought the defense allowing a season-low 45 points. UCM shot 35% from the field while the Griffons were below 30% and 21% from three.
Both teams grabbed 40 rebounds with the Griffons coming down with 43 and the Jennies 40.
UCM forced 22 turnovers and came away with nine steals while turning the ball over just 12 times themselves.
The Jennies found scoring off their bench getting 35 points from non-starters.
In total, 10 different Jennies scored while just seven Griffons tallied a point, and nobody scored in double-figures for MWSU.
Nija Collier got the Jennies off to a good start scoring six of their first eight points.
UCM's defense took over, allowing just seven points in the opening frame to the Griffons. Makenna Vanzant pulled the Jennies ahead with a long three and Charley Bovaird made it 18-7 after one burying a three with under 10 seconds left to play in the quarter.
In the second straight quarter, the Jennies scored 18 points. It was Collier again getting the offense going. She scored four points in 12 seconds getting an offensive rebound and a putback and then a steal and an uncontested layup. That put the Jennies up 27-9 and forced a Griffon timeout midway through the period
Missouri Western finally scored their 10th point at the 4:22 mark, but then didn't score again the rest of the half. Collier made it 30-11 with another layup and as time was winding down in the half, Makenna Vanzant came up with a steal and fed Graycen Holden for an easy basket making it 36-11 Jennies at the break.
A pair of Collier free throws in the fourth put her over the 20-point mark and put the Jennies up 30, 65-35. UCM just ran out the clock from there, taking down the Griffons 66-45.
