Box Score
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (March 6) -- Now it's time for the rematch. And this time the stakes are much higher.
No. 12-ranked Central Oklahoma took control with an early second-half scoring blitz and went on to cruise past Texas A&M-Commerce 100-86 in the semifinals of the Lone Star Conference Women's Basketball Championship at Bruin Field House here Friday night. Click here for the photo gallery.
That puts the Bronchos in Saturday's 7 p.m. title game against No. 15 West Texas A&M in a rematch of last year's finals that the Lady Buffs won. The UCO-WT winner not only claims the overall league crown, but will probably also earn the right to host the NCAA Division II South Central Regional next week.
The LSC South Division champion Lady Buffs, who routed Southeastern Oklahoma in Friday's other semifinal, were ranked first in this week's regional poll with the LSC North Division champion Bronchos second. The eight-team regional field and tournament site will be announced Sunday night.
"There's a lot on the line tomorrow night and it should be a great game," said UCO coach Guy Hardaker, whose team lost to WT 86-79 in Canyon, Texas on Dec. 4. "We're excited to be in the finals and it's a great opportunity for us."
UCO got double-doubles from three players in racing past the Lions and improving to 25-4 on the year, tying the school record for wins. It was the fifth 100-point game of the season for the Bronchos.
Lizzie Brenner had 26 points and 11 rebounds while hitting 12-of-19 shots with a pair of 3-pointers, Cristina Yarbrough was 6-of-8 from the field with three treys in scoring a career-high 20 points in addition to dishing out a career-best 11 assists and Mallory Markus had 10 points and a career-high 10 assists.
The Bronchos also got 14 points and eight rebounds from Ashley Beckley, 10 points from Krista Beaty and nine points from Courtney Allen. UCO shot a sizzling 54.1 percent (40-of-74) from the field, including 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from 3-point range.
"I felt we played hard all night and did a great job doing what we wanted to do offensively," Hardaker said. "We shot the ball well and had good ball movement."
UCO led 48-41 at halftime and then broke the game open with a 13-2 run in the first three minutes of the second half.
Allen had a pair of 3-pointers and Brenner scored five points in that quick-strike spurt that made it 61-43 and the lead peaked at 22 (77-55) with 11:27 left to play.
The Lions tried to get back in it and actually pulled within 11 at 89-78 with 4:05 remaining, but Traci Murphree drained a trey from the wing 23 seconds later to make it 92-78 and the Bronchos coasted in from there.
