WARRENSBURG, Mo. - A pair of big runs over three-minute spans helped 11th-ranked Central Missouri top the Fort Hays State women's basketball team Thursday evening (Jan. 4), 71-51. The Tigers dip to 11-3 on the year and 2-3 in league play, while the Jennies are now 10-1 and 4-0 in the conference after their seventh-straight victory.

The Tigers had not lost a game by 20 or more points since 2013, a span of 132 games. That loss was also at the hands of a ranked UCM team on the road (72-51, 12/5/13).
 
The Tigers scored first and led for much of the first four minutes before UCM went on a 16-3 run to take a commanding 10-point lead just three minutes later. The Tigers made an uncharacteristic 18 turnovers in the loss, including four during that Jennie run. UCM seemingly couldn't miss in the opening quarter, knocking down nearly 62 percent from the floor (13-of-21).
 
Fort Hays State managed to slow the UCM offense for the remainder of the game, but the Tigers never seemed to get into a rhythm on the offensive end, recording their fewest points scored in a game this season. The Jennie lead ballooned as high as 18 in the second quarter before 3-pointers from Kacey Kennett and Taylor Rolfs helped the Tigers close within a dozen at halftime, 39-27.
 
The teams traded buckets for the entirety of the third quarter, with neither side scoring consecutive baskets all quarter. A layup from Carly Heim to open the final period closed the Tigers within 10, 50-40, but the Jennies put the game on ice with a 10-0 run over the next three minutes.
 
Kennett was the lone Tiger in double figures, scoring 13 points while adding one assist and one steal. Rolfs chipped in nine points, with Belle Barbieri pacing the team with nine rebounds. Heim made a team-high three steals and added eight points on the offensive end.
 
The Jennies shot better than 50 percent from the floor for the night (30-of-59), the highest opposing shooting percentage allowed by the Tigers this season. Fort Hays State won the rebounding battle, 35-28, but were unable to capitalize on 14 offensive rebounds, turning them into just five second-chance points.
 
Fort Hays State will look to get back to .500 in league play on Saturday (Jan. 6) when they travel to Bolivar, Mo. to take on Southwest Baptist. First tip is set for 1:30 p.m. from the Meyer Sports Center.