No. 24 UCO plays at Washburn Thursday

2/22/2017 6:54:00 PM | By: Chris Brannick

Melinda Murillo and Central Oklahoma play at Washburn on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. [UCO Photo Services]

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TOPEKA, Kan. – The final week of the regular season has arrived and the University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team is set to take on Washburn at 5:30 p.m. Thursday as the Bronchos continue to jock for postseason position.

The 24th-ranked Bronchos (21-5) sit in fourth-place in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association standings with two games left to play. UCO needs to win both of its final games to hold on to the spot, which gives it a first-round bye in the conference tournament next week. UCO could still get the bye with one win this week, and one Missouri Western loss.

But all UCO can really do is focus on Washburn.

The Bronchos beat Washburn 69-49 on Jan. 14 in Edmond. Washburn is 16-10 overall, 9-8 in league play, and seventh in the conference standings.

The Ichabods have four players – three of which have started all 26 games this season – who average double-figure scoring. A fifth player, and another regular starter, scores nine per game.

Washburn has a very balanced attack though, scoring as a team 66 points per game. That total is 10th in the league, and three points less per game than the Bronchos.

Alyxis Bowens is the leading scorer for Washburn with just over 12 points per game. Jharian Bowen, Reagan Phelan, and Erica Lane also score between 10 and 11 points per game.

The Bronchos continue to be led by Melinda Murillo, as far as scoring is concerned. Murillo averages a team-high 14.7 points per game. The junior point guard leads the team in assists with 88, and is second on the team in steals with 35.

Olivia Mason is second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.1 points per game this season. The senior is first on the team in 3-pointers made (53) and attempted (143), as well as steals (44).

Jesheon Cooper also scores in double figures for the Bronchos, averaging 10.6 points per game. Cooper leads the team in rebounds with an 8.7 per game average (Mason is second with 7.5 per game). Cooper, who shattered the single season blocks record at UCO, leads the team with 76 rejections this year, which is also ninth in the nation.

As a team, the Bronchos boast the 10th best defense in the nation. Opponents shoot just 34 percent against UCO.

The Bronchos will stay in Kansas for the weekend, playing at Emporia State on Saturday afternoon. UCO also beat Emporia State this year, the same weekend it beat Washburn in Edmond. Emporia however, is one game ahead of the Bronchos in the conference standings and needs only a win Thursday over Northeastern State to clinch its first-round bye.

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