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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

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McKenzie Solberg
73
Winner Central Oklahoma UCOWOMEN 12-4, 6-4
65
Nebraska-Kearney UNKWBB 8-8, 4-6
Winner
Central Oklahoma UCOWOMEN
12-4, 6-4
73
Final
65
Nebraska-Kearney UNKWBB
8-8, 4-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Oklahoma UCOWOMEN 25 15 9 24 73
Nebraska-Kearney UNKWBB 22 9 13 21 65

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Solberg Lifts UCO Past Lopers

KEARNEY, Neb. (Jan. 14) – McKenzie Solberg scored 16 of her game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter and tied a single-game school record for free throw accuracy in guiding Central Oklahoma past Nebraska-Kearney 73-65 here Thursday night.
 
Solberg was 4-of-5 from the field with a 3-pointer and 7-of-7 from the line in the final stanza as the Bronchos earned their first-ever road win over the Lopers while improving to 8-3 away from home.
 
"That was a big win for us, especially coming at a place where we've struggled before," said head coach Guy Hardaker, whose team improved to 12-4 on the season and 6-4 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.  "We did a good job taking care of the ball and Kenzie took over the game in the fourth quarter."
 
Solberg ended up a perfect 14-of-14 from the foul line in tying a school record held by nine players with at least 10 attempts.  The senior made 6-of-12 field goals in her 27-point outing while adding seven rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 36 minutes.
 
Bailey Taylor was the only other player in double figures for UCO with 10 points.  Olivia Mason had eight points, a game-high eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals, with Savannah Gray adding two big 3-pointers and Jordan Ward five points, three assists and three steals.
 
The Bronchos committed a season-low 12 turnovers and shot a season-best 90.3 percent (28-of-31) from the free throw line.
 
UCO led 49-44 entering the final period and quickly upped that to 54-44 as Solberg scored five straight points, hitting a layup off a nice Blake Blessington feed and then converting a three-point play.
 
The margin peaked at 11 (61-50) on two Blessington free throws with 5:20 remaining, but the Lopers rallied to within 65-60 in the final minute.
 
Ward downed two charity shots with 50.9 seconds left to go up 67-60 and Solberg answered a UNK 3-pointer with two more free throws at 35.5 to push the lead to 69-63.  Haley Weathers was fouled rebounding a Loper miss and swished a pair of foul shots at 19.0 to make it 71-63 and seal the verdict.
 
The Bronchos used long-range sharpshooting to open a six-point first-quarter lead, nailing four 3-pointers in a three-minute span to overcome an early 7-4 deficit.
 
Gray had two of those bombs and O. Mason and Taylor also hit from outside the arc as UCO went up 18-12 six minutes into the game.
 
It was a 25-22 advantage after the opening period and the lead was two (33-31) before the Bronchos ended the half with seven unanswered points.
 
O. Mason started the run with a pair of free throws, Taylor converted a three-point play after scoring on a nice baseline drive and Solberg made two foul shots with 22.3 seconds remaining to give UCO its 40-31 halftime cushion.
 
UNK cut that 11-point deficit to three at 47-44 late in the third quarter, but Marley Anderson ended the period with a nifty drive and scoop to push the lead to 49-44 and set the stage for Solberg's final-period domination.
 
The Bronchos finish the quick two-game road-swing Saturday with a 2 p.m. contest in Hays, Kan. against No. 3-ranked Fort Hays State.
 
 
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