SBU BEARCATS (1-4) at CENTRAL MISSOURI JENNIES  (3-2)
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2009 • 5:30 PM
WARRENSBURG, MO • UCM MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING
RADIO: KBFL 99.9 FM (Josh Thompson, play-by-play) 
INTERNET AUDIO: www.radiospringfield.com/kbfl.aspx
LIVE STATS: www.ucmo.edu/athletic/live/mensbb/xlive.htm
LIVE BROADCAST (pay-per-view): B2 networks
   
SBU NOTES | UCM NOTES

WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats are preparing for the 2009-10 MIAA regular season, starting off with a trip up north to Warrensburg, as the Bearcats face off against the Jennies of Central Missouri. It's been an up and down season so far for the Bearcats, who kicked off the year with a split in the Quincy Tip-Off Tournament, but more recently dropped three hard fought match-ups. Following a close four-point loss to Northeastern State, SBU hosted Quincy and Drury for the SBU Thanksgiving Classic. Quincy jumped out into an early lead, and the Bearcats comeback rally fell short, while a close first half against Drury then had the Lady Panthers pulling away late. Senior Rachel Graves continues to lead the Bearcats, scoring 14.6 points per game, good for seventh-most in the MIAA. Junior point guard Ashleigh Gallio is averaging 10.2 points while dealing out five assists each game. Gallio is tops among the conference assist leaders, averaging half an assist more than anyone else in the league.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Bearcat head coach J.C. Carter leads SBU into his second season on the bench. Last year, he led SBU to an upset of nationally-ranked Emporia State at Emporia. In the women's game, Carter has recorded a career mark of 9-24. Dave Slifer is head coach at Central Missouri, currently in his sixth season in Warrensburg. Slifer is the fifth-winningest active coach in Division II, with a career record at Division II schools of 295-126, most of which came while Slifer was coach at Missouri Western. The Jennies lead the all-time series, 41-11. 
   
SCOUTING THE JENNIES
The Jennies have started out the year 3-2, including a buzzer-beating win over Drury and a loss to Quincy in the SBU Thanksgiving Classic. Central Missouri is a strong passing team and controls mistakes on the offensive side of the ball. The Jennies have the highest assist-to-turnover ratio in the MIAA, in large part due to point guard Danielle Shows' 4.4 assists per game. Shows, along with Kara Fleming (3.6) and Kelce Goebel (3.0), make Central Missouri the only team in the MIAA with three players averaging three or more assists per game. Deidra Dace, a senior guard out of St. Louis, has led the Jennies attack, leading the team in scoring four of five games. Dace is averaging 16.8 points a game, tied for second in the MIAA. Dace made the All-SBU Thanksgiving Classic Team after 29 points against Quincy. Shows leads Central in rebounds as well, with 8.8 per game.