Game Notes

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BOLIVAR, Mo. -- After taking three of four non-conference games to start the year, the SBU Bearcats kick off the MIAA season by hosting the Central Missouri Jennies. The game can be found live on 99.9 KBFL, and streaming online at www.radiospringfield.com. A live webcast will be availiable as well, at www.AmericaOne.com.

THE COACHES AND ALL-TIME SERIES
SBU head coach J.C. Carter is in his third season on the Bearcat bench, where his teams have shown improvement each season. Last year's 10-18 mark was two games better than Carter's first year in Bolivar.

Dave Slifer enters his seventh season at the helm of the Jennies, compiling a 109-69 record at UCM. He is the sixth-winningest active coach in NCAA Division II women's basketball with a 492-168 (.745) overall record.

The Jennies lead the all-time series, 43-11, after taking the previous four matchups. The last time the Bearcats won against Central Missouri, was in the 2008 MIAA Tournament first round, as the 'Cats went on to the MIAA championship game and an NCAA Tournament berth.

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE BEARCATS
After jumping out to a 21-2 lead, the SBU Bearcats took their third straight victory over the Eagles of Central Methodist, 78-57. Freshman Jacqui Zelenka led the 'Cats with a career-high 20 points, shooting a perfect 8-for-8 from the field, and 4-from-4 from the free throw line.

Zelenka's perfect night is the first time a Bearcat has shot 100% for a game since Courtney Creed pulled off the feat in 2006, going 6-for-6, also against Central Methodist.

Whitney Malone had another solid performance; although her streak of five steals in a game ended, she did have four, to go along with three rebounds and eight ponts. Sophomore Kourtni Williams also had four steals, two more than she had all season before tonight.

QUICK HITS
• Freshman Jacqui Zelenka leads the Bearcats with 9.3 points per game, after her 20-point performance against Central Methodist, most points scored by a Bearcat this season.

• While senior forward Whitney Malone may be averaging just three points a game, she leads the 'Cats in rebounds (6.3/pg), and steals (4.8/pg). Malone had exactly five steals in the first three games this season.

• Former Bearcat Rachel Graves was SBU's lone All-MIAA representative last season, earning All-MIAA Second Team, as well as All-Defensive Team honors.


• Last season, the Bearcats hit a conference best 9.8 threes per game. The production from outside has slowed during this season, hitting just 5.8 treys each game (7th in MIAA).

• After leading the conference last year, senior guard Ashleigh Gallio saw continues to play a high number of minutes, leading the MIAA with averaging 36.0 this season. Gallio leads the team in assists, (2.8/pg) as well.

• Going back to last season, the Bearcats are carrying a six-game home winning streak. The last time they suffered a loss in the Meyer Sports Center was last January, a three-point heartbreaker to Central Missouri.

SCOUTING THE JENNIES
The Jennies had taken three straight matchups before slipping up at Quincy, in a 99-86 loss to the Lady Hawks. Central Missouri leads the MIAA in three-point percentage, shooting from outside at a 36.1% clip. Taylor Hanson leads the Jennies with 18 treys and a 40.9% shooting percentage from out side.

Rebecca Roberts is Central's leading scorer, with 15.2 points per game, while Nicole Caddell brings down 8.2 boards per game for a Jennies squad that leads the MIAA in offensive boards, with 17.3 per game.