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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

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Julia Mason
59
Central Oklahoma UCO 16-9, 10-9 MIAA
68
Winner Emporia State ESU 20-5, 14-5 MIAA
Central Oklahoma UCO
16-9, 10-9 MIAA
59
Final
68
Emporia State ESU
20-5, 14-5 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Oklahoma UCO 15 15 21 8 59
Emporia State ESU 20 21 16 11 68

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

No. 22 Hornets Hold Off UCO

EMPORIA, Kan. (Feb. 17) – Missed shots down the stretch curtailed a spirited Central Oklahoma upset bid as the Bronchos fell to No. 22-ranked Emporia 68-59 here Wednesday night.
 
UCO misfired on its last four shots after pulling within 64-59 in the final two minutes and made only 3-of-13 fourth-quarter field goal attempts – including an 0-of-6 effort from 3-point range – in losing its second straight Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association contest.
 
The Bronchos dropped to 16-9 on the season and 10-9 in league play, while the Hornets improved to 20-5 and 14-5.
 
"We played well in spurts and gave ourselves a chance in the fourth quarter, but just couldn't get any shots to fall," head coach Guy Hardaker said.  "I thought we really picked it up defensively in the second half to stay in the game and I was proud of the way we battled."
 
Julia Mason led UCO with 16 points and two blocked shots.  McKenzie Solberg added 15 points, while Jordan Ward made 6-of-7 shots in a 12-point, five-assists, three-steal outing.
 
The Bronchos stayed close despite being outrebounded 38-26 and ESU ended the game a perfect 17-of-17 from the free throw line.
 
The Bronchos led only once in the first half (8-7), trailed 41-30 at halftime and were down 50-36 early in the third quarter after ESU hit its third straight trey of the period before getting back in the game with a 12-2 run.
 
Ward sparked that spurt with a pair of driving layups through the teeth of Emporia's defense, while Bailey Taylor had a steal and layup before feeding Olivia Mason for a 3-pointer from the wing that pulled UCO within 52-48.
 
The deficit went back to nine (57-48) in the final seconds of the period, but Taylor splashed through a 25-foot jumper at the buzzer to get the Bronchos within six at 57-51.
 
UCO missed its first four shots of the final quarter and also had four turnovers in falling behind 61-51 before Solberg made a steal and hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 61-54 at the 4:24 mark.
 
Another Ward drive made it 61-56 at 2:41 and Solberg answered ESU's conventional three-point play with one of her own at 1:29 to keep the Bronchos within five at 64-59.
 
J. Mason came up with a steal on the other end, but her 3-pointer at the 48-second mark that could have made it a two-point game rimmed out and the Hornets sealed the win at the free throw line.
 
UCO returns to action Saturday, traveling to Topeka, Kan. to take on Washburn at 5 p.m.
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