Central Missouri Takes Down UNK Women, 72-69

 Senior wing Reese Schaaf made a three with 54 seconds left to help Central Missouri get past Nebraska Kearney, 72-69, Saturday afternoon in Warrensburg.

The Jennies improved to 5-3 (1-1) while the hard luck Lopers fell to 4-6 (0-2). UNK has seen all its games decided by 11 points or less with four losses coming by a combined 18 points. UCM is now 10-1 in its last 11 games vs. UNK in Warrensburg; the two teams meet again Jan. 29 in Kearney. 

Senior reserve point guard Saniya Simmons (Olathe, Kan.) put on a show, going for 26 points (12 of 15 FG's), five steals, three assists and two rebounds over 30 minutes. Her previous career high of 20 was set last year vs. Metro State. However, a bigger UCM squad used its height to weather a 17-4 Loper run that erased a 12-point lead and gave UNK the lead, 57-56. The big run included two triples and eight Jennies turnovers.  

A Schaaf paint bucket with 4:40 left gave UCM a 62-57 advantage, but the Lopers came back once more, using a Simmons layup and a free throw from freshman Myleigh Weers (Diller) to lead 69-67 at the 1:10 mark. After Schaaf's top-of-the-key three, UCM blocked a Loper shot in the lane and went 2 for 4 at the line. UNK had a chance to retake the lead, but Weers saw a wing three hit the rim with 18 seconds left and then senior point guard Jillan Aschoff (Lincoln Pius) saw a deeper wing three hit iron eight seconds later. Another heave at the buzzer was off the mark as well. 

UCM finished plus 10 on the glass, went 17 of 24 at the line and had nine in the scoring column. Schaaf (23) and 6-3 sophomore Taylor Weishaar (16) were the leaders with Weishaar also having 11 boards (nine defensive). Off the bench, 6-3 freshman Handen Heim had eight points, five rebounds and three assists.

Besides Simmons heroics, UNK got nine points, five rebounds and three assists from Aschoff, and eight points from Weers, Kansas junior Jordan Sears and Polish senior Malgorzata Byczkowska. The Lopers went 9 of 16 at the line and tallied 25 points off 19 Jennies turnovers.

A six-game home stand begins Dec. 15 vs. Southwestern (Kan.) College. That Monday game starts at 11 a.m. and is "Kids Day" at Buckle Court.