by WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Jennies dropped a 61-60 decision in the final seconds to visiting Northwest Missouri on Saturday afternoon at the Multipurpose Building.
Jennies (11-6, 5-4 MIAA) senior Justina Prairie Chief (Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribe) picked up her first double-double of the season and for her career with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Senior Jasmine Thompson (13) and junior Shelby Winkelmann (11) also chipped in double-figure points.
Winkelmann got the offense going in the opening minute, knocking down a three-pointer, but it was answered by a three from Northwest Missouri’s Ariel Easton about a minute and a half later.
Thompson and Revonnia Howard went on to combine for five points to put the Jennies ahead by four points at the 16:32 mark.
Following five points from Prairie Chief and a pair of free throw tosses by senior Brielle Wattley, the Jennies’ lead grew to eight points at 16-8 with 12:58 left to go in the half.
Over the next 6:52 of the game, Northwest cut into UCM’s lead, making it a one-point game with a 14-7 run, six of those points belonging to senior Aerial Easton.
The Bearcats closed the first half on an 11-7 spurt to take a 33-30 lead over the Jennies at the intermission. Seven Jennies scored in the first half, paced by Winkelmann’s eight points.
UCM responded by scoring eight of the first 12 points in the second half to grab a 38-37 lead, paced by Thompson’s five, one via a three-pointer.
On the following two possessions after a layup for the Bearcats that give them a 37-35 lead, Winkelmann hit a three followed by a layup from Howard, putting the Jennies ahead, 40-37 with 16:14 left in the game.
The Bearcats re-gained the lead at 41-40 with four straight points from Tember Schechinger and Easton.
The Jennies were able to jump back in front, 44-43 thanks to three-point play from Prairie Chief, but Northwest Missouri rattled off eight straight points to go up 51-44 with 9:31 on the clock.
The two foes traded baskets on the following two possessions, but the Jennies closed to within 53-49 after junior Tayler Weiks buried a three.
The Jennies drew to within 53-51 on their next possession after Prairie Chief knocked down two free throws after drawing a foul.
Prairie Chief tied the game at 53-53 at the 5:42 mark and completed the three-point play to give the Jens a 54-53 lead.
Two possessions later, Winkelmann missed a layup but Wattley came up with an offensive board to give the Jennies a second chance. Winkelmann found Weiks at the top left corner of the floor, who drained her third trey of the game to give UCM a 57-53 lead.
Missouri Western responded with four straight points coming on a pair of free throws by Tanya Meyer and a layup by Schechinger, tying the game at 57-57 with 4:06 left.
The score remained tied until the 2:40 mark when Thompson split a pair of free throws to give the Jennies a one-point edge. The Jennies came up with a defensive stop and opened a 60-57 lead after Howard fed a cutting Breonna Embray who finished the layup with 1:51 to play.
Northwest Missouri closed to within 60-59 on the ensuing possession following Shelby Mustain’s layup with just over a minute left.
The Bearcats’ Taylor Shull drew a foul with eight seconds left and hit a pair of free throws to give NWMSU a 61-60 lead.
The Jennies had one final opportunity to win the game. Prairie Chief’s shot was blocked out of bounds and on the following inbounds pass, Winkelmann’s shot was denied with 0.9 seconds remaining as she lost her footing on the attempt.
The final play saw Weiks take the inbounds pass from behind the three-point arc on the right side of the floor and fired wide left as time expired.
The loss snapped the Jennies’ five-game win streak against Northwest Missouri.
The Jennies outrebounded the Bearcats, 37-33. Weiks led all UCM bench players with nine points on 3-of-9 shooting from beyond the three-point arc.
UCM will next host Lincoln on Wednesday, January 21 at 5:30 p.m.
