Jennies hold on for 83-81 win over Northwest Missouri State

      Senior forward Tiffany Vincent led five Central Missouri State University Jennies in double figure scoring with 16 points, but none were more important than her final two, as the Jennies held on for an 83-81 over Northwest Missouri State.

Trailing 81-78, Northwest got an open look for the tying three-pointer with about five seconds remaining. Katie O’Grady’s attempt was too strong, though, and Vincent was fouled after corralling the rebound.

She drained both free throws (making her 2-for-5 from the charity stripe on the night) to put the Jens up 81-75. Good thing, too, because after taking the inbounds pass at midcourt, Northwest’s Megan Hamilton drained a mid-court three. It was too little, too late, though, for the Bearcats.

At the half, the Jennies led 47-33 after out-shooting Northwest Missouri 54 percent-to-33 percent. The game was tied 12-12 6:40 into the game. But then CMSU went on a 26-7 run over the next nine minutes to go up by 19 points, 38-19 with 4:32 remaining in the opening stanza.

Northwest Missouri (8-4, 0-1 MIAA), though, was not going to go quietly into the night. The Bearcats kept chipping away at the Jennies’ lead and jumped in front, 65-64, with 7:46 remaining.

Undaunted, the Jennies regained the advantage, 71-70, on Vincent’s lay-up with 5:56 to play and never trailed again.

      Cydney Franklin and Kara Rewerts put in 15 points to compliment Vincent’s effort. Lyndsey Maple tacked on 11 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals, and Anna Rorvig chimed in with 10 points.