University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Cold-shooting Bronchos Fall To NWMSU

1/4/2014 4:06:00 PM

Jill Bryan

Box Score

MARYVILLE, Mo. (Jan. 4) – Poor outside shooting led to a tough road loss for Central Oklahoma here Saturday afternoon as the Bronchos fell to Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rival Northwest Missouri 78-72.

UCO made just four of 28 attempts from 3-point range (14.3 percent) and that inaccuracy, coupled with 59.6-percent field goal shooting by the Bearcats, was too much for the Bronchos to overcome.

"We just couldn't make any shots," said head coach Guy Hardaker, whose team shot 38.1 percent overall. "We got some good looks and didn't knock 'em down. We played hard and gave ourselves a chance at the end, but couldn't get over the hump."

The Bronchos, playing their first game since Dec. 21, fell to 7-5 on the season and 2-3 in the league. NWMSU improved to 4-7 and 1-3.

Jill Bryan led UCO with a career-high 28 points while adding five rebounds and four steals. Britney Morgan and Julia Mason scored 14 points apiece, with Mason also pulling down eight rebounds.

The Bronchos trailed most of the game and were down eight (66-58) with 5:30 left to play before rallying to make it close at the end.

Morgan hit a rare 3-pointer for UCO at the 5:01 mark to cut the deficit to five at 66-61 and it was 67-63 after Mason's layup with 3:15 remaining.

Bryan followed a NWMSU bucket with one free throw at 2:17 and a Chelsea Robinson steal led to two Bryan foul shots at 1:58 to make it 69-66. The Bearcats turned the ball over again on their next possession and Mason drained two charity tosses with 1:21 left to pull UCO within one at 69-68.

NWMSU pushed the lead back to 71-68 with two free throws at 1:17 and the Bronchos couldn't answer back. UCO had a turnover and missed shot on its next two possessions and the Bearcats hit four straight foul shots to put the game out of reach.

The Bronchos trailed by as many as 11 (29-18) in the first half, but got five points from Bryan in a 14-2 run to surge in front 32-31 before NWMSU took a 37-34 halftime advantage and UCO never regained the lead.

Central returns home Wednesday to start a four-game conference homestand against Missouri Southern.

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