Box Score

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (Nov. 15) – Hayley Bryan and Jordan Ward combined for all nine points in a game-ending 9-2 run that lifted Central Oklahoma past Northwestern Oklahoma 66-59 here Saturday on the second day of the 2014 Stuteville Automotive Group MIAA/GAC Basketball Challenge.
 
The Bronchos ended up splitting their two games in the weekend classic, bouncing back from Friday's 69-66 season-opening loss to Southeastern Oklahoma with the hard-earned victory over the Rangers.
 
"We made some big plays at the end and came out with a good win," said head coach Guy Hardaker, whose team makes its home debut Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. against Oklahoma Christian.  "We still made way too many mistakes, but we were able to overcome those."
 
NWOSU overcame a nine-point second-half deficit to tie the game at 57-all with 4:02 remaining and the teams traded turnovers before Bryan put the Bronchos ahead for good with a layup at the 2:47 mark.
 
Ward followed 30 seconds later with a fast-break layup off a Haley Weathers steal to go up 61-57 before the Rangers scored at the 1:58 mark to make it 61-59.  
 
The Bronchos missed a shot on the other end that NWOSU rebounded, but Ward came up with a steal and fed Bryan for a layup that gave UCO a 63-59 advantage with 46 seconds remaining.
 
Bryan rebounded a Ranger miss 20 seconds later and Ward hit two free throws at 0:21 to push the lead to 65-59 before Bryan followed another defensive board by making one of two foul shots with four seconds left to arrange the final margin.
 
Kylie Mayes led UCO with 16 points, while Olivia Mason had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.  Bryan finished with nine points and eight rebounds and Ware with six points.
 
The Bronchos never trailed after taking a 4-0 lead just over a minute into the game on back-to-back Mayes buckets.  UCO went on to a 12-point lead at 24-12 on a Mayes free throw with 6:52 left before the Rangers got within four at 35-31 by intermission.
 
A Chelsea Robinson layup had the Bronchos in front by nine (40-31) early in the second half, but NWOSU rallied late to tie it at 57 on a 3-pointer with 4:02 left to set up the finish.