University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Bronchos Drop Two-Point Decision

1/3/2013 7:56:00 PM

Jill Bryan

Box Score

EDMOND (Jan. 3) -- Two turnovers in the final minute proved costly for Central Oklahoma Thursday night at Hamilton Field House as the Bronchos dropped a tough 78-76 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association decision to Missouri Western.

UCO battled from behind most of the game and was within two at 73-71 before throwing the ball away with 56 seconds left. The Bronchos still had a chance after the Griffons made one of two free throws at 0:24 to make it 74-71, but another turnover at 0:16 led to two more MWSU free throws that clinched the win.

Central fell to 8-3 overall and 1-2 in the league, while the Griffons improved to 9-2 and 2-1. The Bronchos are home again Saturday, hosting No. 6-ranked and defending MIAA champion Washburn at 1:30 p.m.

Jill Bryan led UCO with 19 points and four steals, while McKenzie Solberg added 10 points. The Bronchos missed 11 free throws in the game -- hitting 21-of-32 (65.6 percent) -- and the Griffons scored 22 points off UCO's 19 turnovers.

The Bronchos missed their first six shots of the game in falling behind early and trailed by 10 (16-6) eight minutes into the contest. UCO rallied to tie it at 33-all by intermission when Bryan drained a long-distance 3-pointer with two seconds left.

Another Bryan trey to open the second half gave the Bronchos their first lead of the game at 36-33, but it was short-lived as MWSU answered with a 7-0 run to move back on top.

UCO led only one more time, at 51-49 following two Chelsea Robinson free throws with 12:33 left to play. It was tied for the final time at 54 after Robinson made one of two foul shots at 10:22, with the Griffons scoring four straight points after that to move in front to stay.

The Bronchos stayed close the rest of the way, but could never regain the lead in losing their first home game of the season.

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