UCO Falls To Lady Lions

12/5/2013 10:02:00 PM

Olivia Mason

Box Score

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (Dec. 5) – A late rally fell short and Central Oklahoma opened Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play with a 78-71 setback to Lindenwood here Thursday night.

The Bronchos trimmed a 14-point second-half deficit to four with 2:17 left to play, but UCO missed its next five shots from the field and the Lady Lions held on.

Haley Weathers scored a game-high 18 points for the Bronchos hitting 6-of-11 tries from 3-point range. Julie Mason added 15 points and a season-high 13 rebounds, while leading scorer Jill Bryan was limited to a season-low five points.

UCO was plagued by 26 turnovers and shot just 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from the free throw line in falling to 5-3 on the year and 0-1 on the league. The Bronchos go to Jefferson City, Mo. Saturday to take on conference rival Lincoln at 1:30 p.m.

"We had our chances at the end of the game and just didn't get it done," head coach Guy Hardaker said. "It's hard enough to win in this league without turning the ball over like we did and that's obviously something we have to correct."

UCO trailed just 37-36 at halftime, but the Lady Lions opened the second half with a 14-3 run to open up a 51-39 advantage and the margin grew to 14 on three occasions.

It was still a 13-point deficit at 68-55 with just 3:50 remaining when the Bronchos went on a quick-strike 9-0 spurt to get close.

Jordan Ward started the rally with a free throw, Whitney Dunn converted a Jill Bryan steal into a layup and Weathers followed another LU turnover with a 3-pointer to get UCO within 68-61 at the 2:31 mark.

The Lady Lions missed the front end of a one-and-one on their next possession and Olivia Mason drilled a 3-pointer to make it 68-64 with 2:17 left to play.

But UCO could get no closer and Lindenwood went on to close out the game.

The Bronchos got off to a quick start, jumping ahead on a Weathers trey nine seconds into the game, and it was a double-digit lead at 20-10 midway through the half on Julia Mason's layup.

Chelsea Robinson's fast-break layup still had UCO up by 10 (28-18) with 7:01 left, but the Lady Lions ended the half with a 19-8 run to move in front 37-36 at the break.

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