Box Score (MARYVILLE, Mo.) – Junior forward
Shaquanda Wiggins led the Central Missouri Jennies with 15 points and seven rebounds, as the Jennies defeated the Northwest Missouri Bearcats, 66-56. The Jennies dominated the post, outscoring the Bearcats 30-14 in the paint; UCM also out-rebounded Northwest 44-31.
The Jennies started off strong, particularly on defense, not allowing a Bearcat field goal for the first six and a half minutes. UCM scored the first 14 points of the game, eventually reaching their largest lead of the first half, at 19-4 with 10:23 remaining. The Bearcats answered with a 14-6 run at the end of the first half, cutting the Jens lead to 32-27 at intermission. Wiggins scored all 15 of her points before halftime, going 6-for-8 from the floor, and 3-for-4 from the charity stripe.
Central Missouri came out strong again, scoring eight straight to start the second half and taking a 40-27 advantage. The Jens pushed their lead to as high as 19 points, when
Saraethea Brown completed a three-point play to go up 59-40 with just 7:11 to play.
Northwest would make one final push in the closing minutes, holding UCM to just one field goal in the final seven minutes. The Bearcats closed to within eight points with a three-pointer from NWMSU's
Abby Henry that made it 62-54 with 1:38 to play. After a UCM turnover, the Bearcats closed to six with another field goal, but that would be as close as they would get, as the Jens hit key free throws down the stretch to close out the win.
Brown also finished in double-figures, scoring 12 points while collecting seven rebounds.
Nicole Caddell nearly posted a double-double, with eight points and eight rebounds.
With the win, the Jennies improve to 18-6 overall, and 12-6 in the MIAA. The Jens wrap up the current five-game road trip this Wednesday, when they travel to Missouri Western to take on the Griffons at 5:30 p.m.
