University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

First-half Cold Spell Dooms UCO Against Sooners

11/7/2012 9:37:00 PM

Spencer Smith

Box Score

NORMAN, Okla. (Nov. 7) – A seven-minute scoring drought midway through the first half put Central Oklahoma in a big hole and the Bronchos couldn't recover in falling to Oklahoma 94-66 in a Wednesday night exhibition at McCasland Fieldhouse.

UCO trailed just 15-14 with 11:38 left in the first half after two Spencer Smith free throws, but the Bronchos wouldn't score again until the 5:46 mark – missing four field goals, two free throws and committing five turnovers – as the Sooners scored 18 unanswered points to open up a 33-16 lead.

OU went on to take a 46-27 cushion into the halftime locker-room and the Bronchos got no closer than 18 in the final 20 minutes.

It was the first of two straight exhibition games for UCO, which goes to Oklahoma City Thursday night for a 7 p.m. contest. The Bronchos open the season for real next Thursday, hosting Southwestern Christian.

Freshman Cal Andrews and Christian Huffman led a balanced UCO attack with 11 points apiece, while Josh Gibbs and Smith added 10 each. Gibbs also contributed seven rebounds and three steals.

The Bronchos fell behind 5-0 to open the game and were down 14-6 after just four minutes. Nic Combs hit two free throws before Huffman made a layup and Jamell Cormier a short jumper in a 6-0 run that got UCO with 14-12 and it was a 15-14 OU lead after Smith's two foul shots.

But the Bronchos went cold after that and the Sooners took advantage to open up their 19-point halftime lead.

UCO tried to stay close and was within 18 at 58-40 following an Andrews trey at the 15:15 mark, but OU scored the next five points and stayed safely in front the rest of the way.

Central shot just 35.8 percent from the field for the game, including 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from beyond the arc, and made only 14-of-24 (58.3 percent) of its free throws.

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