Bronchos Back Home Thursday

1/6/2016 10:47:00 AM

Marley Anderson

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BRONCHOS RETURN HOME: Central Oklahoma makes a rare home appearance this week when the Bronchos welcome a pair of Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rivals to Hamilton Field House.

UCO, 10-3 on the season and 4-3 in the league, hosts No. 8-ranked Emporia State (11-2, 5-2) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Washburn (9-4, 5-2) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the first home league games of the season.

The Bronchos have played just two home games and opened the conference schedule with seven straight road contests.

UCO AT HOME: The Bronchos have an all-time record of 253-172 at Hamilton Field House, including a 74-34 mark under 10^th-year head coach Guy Hardaker.

UCO went 9-4 at home last season and is 2-0 so far this season.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO dropped a 77-69 road decision to unbeaten Missouri Western Monday, with the Griffons moving up to No. 13 in this week's national poll.

That was the fourth straight road game – and eighth in nine outings – for the Bronchos, who have played at home just twice this season.

UCO ranks sixth in the MIAA in offense (72.3 ppg) and eighth in defense (65.5). The Bronchos are second in free throw percentage (76.9), second in 3-pointers per game (7.8) and third in 3-point percentage (36.8).

Senior McKenzie Solberg is the only player scoring in double figures with a 16.4 average that is sixth-best in the league and she also tops the team in rebounding (5.1). Solberg ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage (52.2), sixth in free throw percentage (85.0) and eighth in steals (1.8).

Senior Julia Mason is the next-leading scorer with a 9.2 average to go with 4.1 rebounds. She has 738 career points, needing 100 to move into UCO's all-time top 20.

Junior Marley Anderson contributes 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists a game while shooting 47.1 percent (16-of-34) from 3-point range.

Freshman Bailey Taylor is shooting 51.2 percent (22-of-43) from beyond the arc in averaging 6.7 points a game.

ABOUT THE HORNETS: ESU enters Thursday's game with a three-game winning streak. The Hornets top the MIAA in 3-pointers per game (8.5) and rebounding margin (12.7) while ranking second in scoring (80.2) and margin of victory (19.8).

Kelly Moten is averaging 16.5 points and 4.6 assists a game to lead ESU, while Sandra Ngoie adds 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds.

The Hornets have a big 15-4 lead in the series and have won the last seven meetings, including 63-53 and 80-67 victories last year.

ABOUT THE ICHABODS: Washburn will take a three-game winning streak into a Thursday game at Northeastern State before coming to UCO.

The Ichabods are averaging 65.8 points a game and give up just 58.5, second-best in the league. WU also ranks second in rebounding margin (11.7).

Alyxis Bowens tops the team in scoring with an 11.5 average and Erika Lane adds 9.9 points a contest. Jayna Smith is the league's leading rebounder with 9.4 per game.

WU has an 8-3 advantage in the rivalry and the teams split two games last year, each winning on the road. UCO's 75-64 victory in Topeka ended a five-game series losing streak.

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