University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Shooting Woes Hinder Bronchos

1/19/2013 6:38:00 PM

Jill Bryan

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EDMOND (Jan. 19) – Central Oklahoma misfired from close range and long distance alike Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Field House in falling to Northwest Missouri 65-55.

The Bronchos missed 24 layups, converting just 11-of-35 attempts from around the basket, and made only 5-of-23 tries from beyond the 3-point arc in dropping their sixth straight Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics contest.

UCO started the game with nine straight misses – four of those layups -- and ended up shooting a season-worst 26.9 percent (18-of-67). The Bronchos fell to 8-8 overall and 1-7 in the MIAA, while NWMSU improved to 10-5 and 4-3.

Sisters Hayley (11 points) and Jill (10) Bryan were UCO's top scorers, while McKenzie Solberg added nine.

Amazingly, the Bronchos trailed only 27-26 at halftime after falling behind 10-0 to open the game and UCO went ahead by three (30-27) when Solberg started the second half with consecutive layups.

The lead grew to five (34-29) on Jordan Ward's 3-pointer from the corner and it was a three-point advantage (36-33) at the 15:52 mark when Fuxa converted a layup in traffic after a Jill Bryan steal.

The Bearcats answered back with a 7-2 run to regain the lead for good at 40-36, though UCO trailed just 48-47 after Solberg's rainbow 3-pointer from the wing with 7:16 left to play.

But the Bronchos committed seven turnovers and hit just 2-of-7 field goals the rest of the way as NWMSU pulled away to hand UCO its fourth straight home defeat.

The game looked like it would be a rout early after the Bearcats jumped out to a 10-0 lead four minutes in and the deficit was 11 at 14-3 when the Bryan sisters took over.

Hayley had seven points and Jill five in a 14-0 scoring spurt that gave the Bronchos a 17-14 lead and the teams went back-and-forth the rest of the half, with Chelsi Dennis' 3-pointer at the 38-second mark pulling UCO within one at the break.

The Bronchos don't return to action until going to Emporia State on Sunday, Jan. 27.

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