Women's Basketball | 3/7/2020 6:21:21 PM

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - Central Missouri and Emporia State advanced in the 2020 MIAA Women's Basketball Championships presented by Citizens Bank & Trust. No. 1 Central Missouri defeated No. 5 Fort Hays State and No. 2 Emporia  beat No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney. Below are game recaps from today's games.

For the complete bracket of the 2020 Women's Basketball Championship, click here and for more information on the Championship, click here.

No. 1 Central Missouri 59, No. 5 Fort Hays State 48 - Box Score

The No. 1 seeded-Central Missouri defeated the No. 5 seeded-Fort Hays State to advance to the semifinals of the MIAA Championship. This will be their second straight MIAA Championship appearance.

The Jennies shot 42.6% from the field and went 6-18 (33.3%) from behind the arc. Morgan Fleming made two of the teams six threes and had a game-high 20 points. Nija Collier added 15 points for the Jennies, going 7–for-12 from the field. Morgan VanHyfte had a team-high nine rebounds, and Fleming led all players with five assists. 

The Tigers shot 31.6% from the field and 21.7% from behind the arc. Jaden Hobbs scored 14 points, to lead FHSU. Belle Barbieri had a game-high 12 rebounds, and added eight points for the Tigers. Hobbs led Fort Hays with four assists. 

No. 2 Emporia State 61, No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney 52 - Box Score

No. 2 Emporia State defeated No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney, using a strong second quarter to create separation. The game was tied through the first quarter, and the Hornets took a 10 point lead into halftime, 33-23. The second half played out to an almost even contest, and the game ended 61-52. This will be the first time that the Hornets will be to the Championship since 2017. 

Emporia State shot 39.6% from the field and shot 27.3% from behind the arc. The Hornets were led in scoring by Mollie Mounsey with 21 points, followed by Tre’Zure Jobe with 11. Jobe led ESU with five assists and Jalyn Harris led the team with nine rebounds. ESU played suffocating defense, forcing 20 turnovers, including four steals each from Jobe and Jessica Wayne. 

Elisa Backes led the Lopers with 11 points, followed by Haley Simental with nine.  Klaire Kirsch tied for a game-high with nine rebounds, and Kelsey Sanger had a team-high four assists.

No. 1 Central Missouri will face No. 2 Emporia State in the MIAA Championship tomorrow at 1 p.m. This is the third time that ESU and UCM have met in the MIAA Women’s Basketball Championship, ESU won each of the previous two matchups.