Upset-minded Jennies face Washburn

Mar 12, 2010, 9:26 AM

By JESSE BRISCOE, The Muleskinner

The UCM Jennies are relishing a fourth chance to defeat Washburn on Friday, with an NCAA South Central Regional Game that tips at 2:30 p.m.

Will it be hard to keep a good team down? Deidra Dace and the Jennies have been beaten by Washburn three times this season, but the Feb. 10 game did go to overtime on Washburn's home floor. (Jill Vorbeck file photo)

Jennies vs. Washburn by the numbers
Previous meetings: Washburn 76, at UCM 66 (Jan. 2); Washburn 66, vs. UCM 54 (OT, Feb. 10); Washburn 68, UCM 56 (MIAA final, March 7, Kansas City, Mo.)
Washburn
Record: 26-3 (17-3 MIAA)
Rank: No. 7
Coach: Ron McHenry (267-52 at school, 10th season)
Leading scorer: Dayna Rodriguez, 15.0 ppg
Last 10 games: 10-0
Points per game: 71.6
Opponents' points per game: 55.1

UCM
Record: 26-3 (17-3 MIAA)
Rank: NR
Coach: Dave Slifer (109-68 at school, 6th season)
Leading scorer: Rebecca Roberts, 14.2 ppg
Last 10 games: 8-2
Points per game: 69.1
Opponents' points per game: 64.5

This is the Jennies' first trip to the national tournament since 2006. The winner will play against the winner between Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the regional semifinals.

Central Missouri (19-11), the No. 7 seed in the region lost to No. 2 seed Washburn (the No. 7 team in the country) 68-56 in the MIAA championship game Sunday at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. Guard Deidra Dace led UCM with 22 points, while guard Kara Fleming scored 11 and center Rebecca Roberts had 10.

Sunday's loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Jennies. The past two times the Jennies have lost this season, have been to Washburn on Sunday and in overtime to the Lady Blues on Feb. 10. In the Jennies' three games against the Lady Blues, Central Missouri has yet to defeat Washburn.

"One of the issues with Division II regionals is sometimes you have a chance to play a team for a fourth time," coach Dave Slifer said.

The Jennies did build a lead in the first half Sunday against the Lady Blues. They rebounded well and even limited Washburn's best player, forward Dayna Rodriguez. But like the previous two games, the Jennies wilted late in the second half with seven turnovers. What surprised Central Missouri this time was Washburn's three-point shooting.

With the Jennies focusing on Rodriguez in the post, Washburn made 12 shots from behind the arc with six different players.

"Washburn has a very solid team," Slifer said. "They do not make a lot of mistakes. I was stunned Sunday with the way they shot threes."

The Lady Blues (26-3) shot 46 percent Sunday, including 50 percent from three-point range. In the Jennies' overtime loss to Washburn in February, the Lady Blues shot 36 percent and only 20 percent from three-point range.

"Hopefully, we do a lot better to have a chance to get it done this time," Roberts said. "We need to use what we know and defend better. We need to stop the three-point shooters."

Once the Jennies did learn of playing a rematch against Washburn, the team was excited to get another chance at the MIAA champs.

"We are really excited," guard Brittney Slifer said. "It is not often a team loses and watches another team cut down the nets. Not every team gets to come back and play them the next week."