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UCO Drops Exhibition To OBU

Marley Anderson
Box Score

SHAWNEE, Okla. (Nov. 10) – A tough start put Central Oklahoma in an early hole and the Bronchos never fully recovered in dropping an 70-60 exhibition decision to Oklahoma Baptist here Monday night.
 
UCO missed its first six field goal attempts in falling behind 9-0, it was an 18-3 deficit after just five minutes and the Bronchos still trailed by 15 (47-32) at halftime.
 
A spirited second-half rally had UCO within one at 58-57 with 2:41 left to play, but the comeback fell short as the Bronchos scored just three points the rest of the way.
 
"We came out tentative and just didn't play well in the first half," head coach Guy Hardaker said.  "We did a nice job forcing some turnovers and getting back in the game, but we couldn't get over the hump at the end."
 
It was the lone exhibition game for the Bronchos, who open the season this weekend at the MIAA/GAC Challenge in Tahlequah.  UCO takes on Southeastern Oklahoma at 12 p.m. Friday and Northwestern Oklahoma at 2 p.m. Saturday.
 
The contest counted for the Bison, who improved to 2-0.  OBU, ranked eighth in the pre-season NAIA poll, returned seven players back from last year's 28-6 national tournament team.
 
UCO shot just 32.3 percent (10-of-31) in trailing 47-32 at intermission and the Bison still had a 12-point lead at 58-46 with 7:53 remaining.
 
But the Bronchos didn't go quietly, scoring 11 unanswered points to make it a game.
 
Olivia Mason started that run with a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Julia Mason followed an OBU miss with a turnaround jumper in the lane and Marley Anderson went coast-to-coast for a layup after a steal to make it 58-53 at the 5:17 mark.
 
Neither team scored again until Kylie Mayes made two free throws with 3:59 left to pull UCO within 58-55 and it was a one-point game (58-57) at 3:11 when Anderson followed a turnover with a sweet reverse layup on a baseline drive.
 
The Bronchos still had life after Chelsea Robinson's 10-foot baseline jumper cut OBU's lead to 62-59, but UCO made just one free throw the rest of the way.
 
Julia and Olivia Mason had 12 points apiece to lead the Bronchos, while Anderson finished with 10.  UCO shot just 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from 3-point range and made only 14-of-22 free throws (63.6 percent).
 
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