: Five years of experience, five minutes of a regional final extend Haggard's story with Western

Mar. 15—HAYS, Kan. — The story of Jaelyn Haggard's homecoming isn't a new one.

It just so happened the final chapters weren't quite written — even down 21, with possibly just 21 minutes remaining in her collegiate career.

Then, following the lead of senior Corbyn Cunningham and different Griffons finding their turn to strike, the Central grad and former Northwest Missouri State Bearcat took over.

"You could see it all over her," Western head coach Candi Whitaker said. "She was just going to make plays."

In Monday's Central Region Championship against Fort Hays State — the regional's host and top seed — the Griffons clawed from down 21 to within 12 over a span of nine minutes.

With 3:14 remaining in the third quarter, Haggard sprinted from the left wing to the top of the arc, catching a flat-footed defender off guard, catching a pass from senior Mychaell Gray only to turn and fire without hesitation. For the first time in 18 minutes, the Griffons were within single digits.

"It's just all energy and tempo. We kinda lacked that in the first half," Haggard said. "Just stringing together stops and trying to score whenever you're open."

After a Tigers and-one, Haggard fas fouled on a floater and made both free throws, starting a 9-1 run to end the quarter and get back within four.

Over the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, the Griffons would claw within one score on a layup by freshman Camille Evans and a pair of free throws and layup by freshman Jordan Cunningham. But the Tigers went back up six with six minutes remaining.

Then, Haggard officially took over.

"Jaelyn's gonna do it every time," sophomore Brionna Budgetts said. "She's a big-time shooter, a big-time player. She has a killer mentality, and we love that about her."

With 5:59 to play, Haggard received a hand-off and screen from senior Corbyn Cunningham. Her defender went under the screen, leaving her space to fire away and pull within three.

After a free throw, Evans would pull Western within two with a layup. Haggard then let her defense show, beating the Tigers' Lauren West to the spot and drawing a charge atop the arc. West slammed the ball down, earning a warning from an official.

With the extra possession, Haggard took full advantage. She set a screen in the paint, losing her defender in the process, then firing a jumper that bounced off the rim four times before tying the game at 60.

"Jaelyn had a special performance in the second half," Whitaker said. "Every shot she took, I could just tell. She just shot it with such confidence."

Western's next offensive possession would change the course of the game. Earlier in the half, Whitaker was called for a technical, in which the Tigers made just one free throw. But Haggard hesitated on a drive, eventually drawing contact on a layup attempt by West with 3:05 to play. She slammed the ball down again, and West knew immediately she would be issued a technical foul.

"All year she's been chased and shoved to try and avoid her from getting shots," freshman Jordan Cunningham said of Haggard. "She felt it and decided she was gonna take them to the hole and get that foul. ... I give Jaelyn so much credit for seeing that girl was on her, feeling it and getting those free throws."

An 82.8% shooter from the line in her time as a Bearcat, she stepped to the line to make all four free throws for a four-point Griffon lead.

Still, Haggard wasn't comfortable.

"For me the game wasn't over until the buzzer went off. You never know. Crazy things happen," Haggard said. "Until the buzzer went off, I wasn't content."

It proved to be the right mindset. A Katie Wagner layup tied the game at 64 with 1:24 to play.

But Haggard came right back once again. She received a pass from Jordan Cunningham and fired just inches from the midcourt Tiger logo with 24 seconds still on the shot clock. It was nothing but net.

It all set up Budgetts for the game-winner down one with eight seconds remaining, sending the Griffons to the Elite Eight with a 70-69 win.

In all, Haggard finished with 19 points. Seventeen came in the second half, and 12 happened in a span of 4 minutes, 55 seconds.

"I feel like I'm living in a dream right now," Haggard said. "My brain can't process what's going on. I'm just so thankful. We wanted this opportunity, and we've seen this team come back from large deficits before, and that's what we did. We just wanted to win."

Haggard rightfully earned her spot on the All-Central Region Tournament team.

Over the three wins, she finished with 37 points, making 9 of 15 3-point attempts. In the fourth quarter Monday, she went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

"I think what you're seeing in Jaelyn, particularly here late, is just a comfort level. Anytime you start with a new program, it takes a period of time. For Jaelyn, it's all been new," Whitaker said. "You've really started to see her comfort level, her understanding what she can bring, understanding how to work in the offense. She's just fearless and awesome to be around.

"I wish I had her longer, but I'll take the year we get with her."

The performance shouldn't come as a shock. The former MIAA Freshman of the Year, who saw her sophomore season end with an injury against Missouri Western, helped lead Northwest back to an MIAA Tournament victory for the first time in seven years her junior season. She scored 24 points, the second-most of her career to that point, with five 3-pointers.

Her post-grad journey led her back home to St. Joe to play for a Griffons team coming off a six-win campaign.

"This whole thing is crazy. Whenever I look at it as a timeline, my journey itself is wild," Haggard said.

She showed little signs of needing to become acquainted, scoring 23 points in her first game.

In the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals, she made three crucial 3-pointers in 90 seconds en route to knocking off Central Missouri for a third time and clinching a spot in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Then came a span of four days in March and five minutes on Monday that brought Missouri Western back to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1995, and made Haggard's story a few pages longer.

"I couldn't be happier where I ended up," Haggard said, with a piece of the net cut placed over her right ear. "To be here with my teammates, these are my best friends. and I absolutely love these coaches. They deserve everything we've gotten.

"Hopefully we just keep it rolling in Alabama."

Griffons learn Elite Eight path

With the regional champions being re-seeded for the Elite Eight, Western will remain the No. 7 seed and meet Midwest Region champion Grand Valley State, the No. 2 seed.

The two will face off at 2:30 p.m. Central Time on Monday at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama. The Lakers (30-2) knocked off Walsh 64-61 on Monday.

The two programs have never met. GVSU ranks No. 2 in the Massey Ratings with the nation's No. 1 defense, winning the GLIAC this season and entering the postseason ranked No. 6 in the nation. Western ranks sixth in the Massey Ratings, the third-highest of any remaining team.

Other matchups include No. 1 North Georgia vs. No. 8 Pace (N.Y.), No. 3 Glenville State (W.V.) vs. No. 6 West Texas A&M and No. 4 Valdosta State (Ga.) vs. No. 5 Western Washington.

Brandon Zenner can be reached at brandon.zenner@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowZenner.