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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Megan Hartness
57
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 6-1, 1-1
53
Northwest Missouri NWMSU 1-7, 0-2
Winner
Central Oklahoma UCO
6-1, 1-1
57
Final
53
Northwest Missouri NWMSU
1-7, 0-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Oklahoma UCO 9 11 15 22 57
Northwest Missouri NWMSU 11 21 10 11 53

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Bronchos Rally Late to Edge NWMSU

MARYVILLE, Mo. (Dec. 2) – Madison Lee and Shatoya Bryson hit 3-pointers to spark a game-ending 10-1 run that propelled Central Oklahoma to come-from-behind 57-53 triumph over Northwest Missouri here Saturday afternoon.
 
The Bronchos trailed most of the game and overcame a 14-point first-half deficit in bouncing back from their first loss of the season Thursday at Missouri Western.  UCO improved to 6-1 on the season and 1-1 in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play.
 
"That was ugly, but we'll take it," head coach Guy Hardaker said.  "We didn't play very well and made a lot of mistakes, but I was proud of the way we hung in there and gave ourselves a chance at the end.  Maddie and Shatoya made two big shots and defensively we were pretty good in the second half."
 
UCO limited the Bearcats to 29.7 percent shooting (8-of-27) and outscored NWMSU 37-21 in the final two quarter to rally for the win.
 
Central trailed 52-47 when Lee drilled a 3-pointer at the 2:00 mark and Jesheon Cooper blocked a NWMSU layup on the other end to get the ball right back.  Bryson then took a Cooper pass and knocked down the trey that put the Bronchos on top 53-52 with 1:28 remaining.
 
It was just the fourth 3-pointer of the season for Lee and the fifth for Bryson.
 
Neither team could score again until Melinda Murillo was fouled with two seconds left and she made both foul shots to boost the lead to 55-52.  UCO fouled NWMSU's Jaelyn Haggard with one second remaining to prevent the Bearcats from taking a tying 3-point shot and she made one free throw.
 
Blake Blessington was fouled after Haggard missed the second foul shot and she swished both charity tosses to arrange the final margin.
 
Blessington was the only Central player in double figures, finishing with 11 points and five rebounds.  Murillo added nine points and Cooper had seven, while Lee and Megan Hartness scored six apiece.  Megan Womack contributed four points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
The Bronchos shot just 35.5 percent in the game, making 22-of-62 shots.  UCO was even worse from long range, connecting on 6-of-29 attempts beyond the arc (20.7 percent).
 
Central's only lead until the final minutes came on Lee's 3-pointer to open the game.  The Bearcats answered with an 8-0 run to go up 8-3 and led 11-9 after one quarter and stretched their lead to 14 several times in the second period before settling for a 32-20 halftime lead.
 
Womack's layup in the final seconds of the third period pulled UCO with seven at 42-35 heading into the final 10 minutes and the Bronchos made it a two-point game at 45-43 on Hartness' layup with 6:52 to play.
 
It was 47-45 after Blessington followed a NWMSU bucket with a layup at the 5:34 mark and the Bearcats regained a five-point lead at 52-47 to set up UCO's late comeback.
 
Central wraps up a three-game league road trip Tuesday with a trip to intrastate rival Northeastern State.
 
 
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