Women's Basketball | 12/30/2025 10:26:00 AM

GAME 12
Emporia State (7-4, 1-1 MIAA) at Central Missouri (8-4, 2-1 MIAA)
Thursday, January 1, 2026 • 5:30 p.m. • Warrensburg, Mo. • Hughes Athletics Center
Series Record: Series Tied 44-44 Last Meeting: UCM 70, ESU 59 (3/5/24-MIAA Tourney)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM
Internet Audio: kvoe.com | Television: None | Internet Video: The MIAA Network
Live Stats | Ticket Info | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Washburn • January 3 • 1:00 p.m. • Topeka, Kan. • Lee Arena

HAPPY NEW YEAR 
The Lady Hornets take on Central Missouri on New Year's Day in Warrensburg, Mo.

ABOUT THE LADY HORNETS
Emporia State is 7-4 on the season, 1-1 in the MIAA.  Kaitlyn Sanders is the  leading scorer for the Lady Hornets at 17.5 points per game and is joined in dobule figures by Gracie Gilpin at 12.5 points and Macey Gandee at 10.4 points per game.  

ABOUT THE JENNIES
Central Missouri is 8-4, 2-1 in the MIAA. The Jennies lead the league in rebound margin. Reese Schaaf is their leading scorer at 15.3 points per game with 7.2 rebounds while Taylor Weishaar adds 14.2 points and 8.0 boards per game.

ABOUT THE COACHES
MJ Baker is 7-4 in her first season with the Lady Hornets and is 58-50 in her fourth year as a head coach at a four year institution. She has won 338 games as a collegiate coach and comes to Emporia State after an eight year run at Eastern Florida State College.  She went 183-58 with three conference championships and three trips to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament during her time.  This is her first meeting with Central Missouri.
Dave Slifer is 446-198 in his 22nd year at UCM and 830-297 in his 36th season overall. He is 31-41 all-time against Emporia State, 21-22 at UCM.

SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series is tied at 44-44. The home team has won the last five meetings on campus. The Lady Hornets last win in Warrensburg was a 65-62 decision on February 9, 2019. The Lady Hornets hold an 8-4 advantage in MIAA Tournament play and are 3-0 against the Jennies in the NCAA Tournament.  Emporia State and Central Missouri have met three times in the MIAA Tournament title game. 

LAST TIME VS CENTRAL MISSOURI
The season came to a close for the Lady Hornets  with a 70-59 loss to Central Missouri in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
Central Missouri opened the game with the first five points and the Lady Hornets responded with a 9-2 scoring run to take their first lead of the game at the 5:41 mark. The Jennies closed the quarter on an 8-0 run to take a 19-12 lead to the second. The scoring run for Central Missouri continued into the second, as six straight points for the Jennies made the score 25-12, the largest lead for Central Missouri in the game. Emporia State responded with ten of the next 12 points, trimming the Jennies' lead to 27-22 with 3:15 remaining before halftime. The Lady Hornets missed their final five shots of the quarter as Central Missouri built a 35-24 lead heading to the halftime break.
The Lady Hornets closed the deficit to 47-41 heading to the fourth quarter. Central Missouri opened the fourth with a 9-2 scoring run to take a 56-43 lead, matching the largest deficit of the game for the Lady Hornets. Emporia State would cut the lead to eight points, as a three by Gracie Gilpin with 2:30 left made the score 60-52. The Jennies made eight of their ten free throw attempts in the final two minutes, as the Lady Hornets fell 70-59.
Gracie Gilpin scored a team-high 17 points. Katie Horyna had 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in her final game as a Lady Hornet.

LAST TIME OUT
The Lady Hornets fell 72-64 in a road test against Angelo State.
Emporia State was a blistering six of six from the three-point arc as they built a 24-15 through the first ten minutes. The Lady Hornets were just two of 14 from the floor and missed all six three-point attempts in the second but still held a 33-28 lead at the halftime break.
The Lady Hornets were out-scored by six in the third frame, as Angelo State took a narrow 49-48 advantage into the fourth. The Rambelles scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to go up 54-48 with 9:35 remaining. Gracie Gilpin scored the next five to cut the Lady Hornet deficit to 54-53 with 8:24 left. The teams traded buckets until Angelo State went on a 6-0 run with all six points coming from Keniah Williams to take a 62-55 lead with 4:25 left. The Lady Hornets would not get with in two possessions the rest of the game.
Kaitlyn Sanders matched her season high with 26 points, along with five rebounds and five assists. Gracie Gilpin joined Sanders in double-figures with 14 points and Kaylin Noonan had a team-high 10 rebounds.

UP NEXT
The Lady Hornets take on Washburn in the Turnpike Tussle. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Lee Arena in Topeka, Kan.