Box Score
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (Feb. 20) -- A six-minute scoring drought to end the first half and start the second put Central Oklahoma in a hole it couldn't recover from and the Bronchos had a long winning streak snapped with an 81-66 Lone Star Conference North Division loss to Northeastern State here Saturday afternoon.
UCO led 27-25 with 4:14 left in the opening half, but didn't score again until the 17:59 mark of the final stanza while missing eight straight shots and committing two turnovers. By that time the RiverHawks had a 38-27 lead and were well on their way to victory.
The loss ended a nine-game winning streak by the Bronchos -- tied for the best in school history -- and put NSU in control of the LSC North race with just two games remaining. UCO fell to 19-6 overall and 10-2 in the league, while the RiverHawks improved to 22-5 and 11-1.
“We missed a lot of easy shots and led them get too many open looks,” head coach Guy Hardaker said. “The game got away from us a little bit at the end of the half and we just couldn't get it back.”
The Bronchos had their second-worst shooting outing of the season, connecting on just 37.3 percent (22-of-59) of their shots while being outrebounded 41-29. NSU, meanwhile, had the best shooting game of the season by a UCO opponent at 51.6 percent (33-of-64) with 12 3-pointers.
It was also the first time in 10 games that the Bronchos failed to score at least 70 points, with UCO having averaged 82.7 points a contest in its nine-game winning streak.
Ashley Beckley led the Bronchos with 15 points and seven rebounds, with Alyssa Fuxa the only other UCO player in double figures with 12.
A Beckley follow shot with 4:14 left in the half had the Bronchos in front 27-25, but UCO then went on its long slump in falling behind by 11 (38-27) two minutes into the second half.
Beckley ended the drought with a pair of free throws that made it 38-29 and the Bronchos were within eight a couple of times before NSU again upped its lead to double digits at 48-38 with 15:50 left to play.
UCO made one final surge, getting two free throws from Jordan Stark and a layup from Fuxa to get within 48-42 at the 14:18 mark, but the RiverHawks soon pulled away again as the Bronchos missed their next four shots while also throwing the ball away four times.
That resulted in a 16-1 NSU run that put UCO in a 64-43 hole and there would be no miracle comeback.
UCO trailed 5-0 and 8-3 early, but came back to tie it at 11-all on a Brianne Grisham 3-pointer from the corner. It was another five-point NSU lead at 15-10 when again the Bronchos answered, this time getting a trey from Kasey Tweed and four points from Fuxa to go in front 17-15.
The RiverHawks went back on top 25-21 with 7:18 left in the half and that's when Beckley broke loose, scoring three consecutive inside buckets to put UCO in front 27-25 at the 4:14 mark.
But the Bronchos didn't score again the rest of the half, missing five straight shots and turning the ball over twice as NSU scored the final 11 points to take a 36-27 lead at the break.
UCO plays its home finale Wednesday, hosting East Central at 6 p.m. on Senior Night.
