Jennies advance to MIAA Tournament Final

The Central Missouri State Jennies advanced to the finals of the MIAA Tournament for the first time since 1991 with their 63-60 victory over the Emporia State Hornets. The Jennies also won two games from Emporia for the first time since the 1995-96 season.

The opening half was one of runs as both teams answered each others best shot. The Jens took their only lead of the half on a Lindsey Maple three-pointer but ESU (25-4), answered with a 12-2 run to get its largest lead of the game a little more than six minutes in. CMSU (21-8) came right back, scoring 11 of the next 14 points to cut the lead to one at the 6:47 mark of the frame. Emporia would stretch its lead back to 26-19 before the Jennies closed the half scoring seven of eleven points to narrow the margin to 30-26.

After Emporia extended its lead to five to open the second stanza, CMSU went on a 15-0 run to that proved to be the difference in the game as it never gave the lead back. Emporia, however, started chipping away and trimmed the Jens lead to 57-56 with less than three minutes left in the game. Anna Rorvig put Central Missouri up four with 1:28 to go on a spinning lay-up over ESU's leading scorer Michelle Stueve. Tegan Stuart's three-point basket brought the Hornets back within one 20 seconds later. After Maple missed a shot and Melissa Richardson pulled down the rebound, Rorvig again found the ball in her hands as she was fouled and knocked down two free throws with 29 seconds left. ESU had three chances to tie the game and force overtime but Andi McAlexander missed two attempts and Stueve shot from deep in the corner at the buzzer was long.

CMSU was led in scoring by Maple with 14 points and Kara Rewerts with 10. Rorvig, Richardson, Tiffany Vincent and Ashley Millham scored 8 apiece. Vincent and Richardson each pulled down eight boards to lead the Jennies.

Stueve finished with a game-high 29 points and Denisa Svarova added 10 for ESU. Svarova also pulled down seven rebounds.