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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Micayla Haynes
54
UPR Bayamon UPRB
58
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO
UPR Bayamon UPRB
54
Final
58
Central Oklahoma UCO
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
UPR Bayamon UPRB 13 8 17 16 54
Central Oklahoma UCO 19 17 10 12 58

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Chris Brannick

UCO Finishes Puerto Rico Classic Unbeaten

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The University of Central Oklahoma beat Puerto Rico Bayamon 58-54 Saturday night in the final game of the Division II Puerto Rico Clasico. The Bronchos went 3-0 in Puerto Rico and improved to 7-0 on the season.

"This last game was a tough one," UCO head basketball coach Guy Hardaker said. "We might have been a little tired after three games in three days and our shots weren't falling. But we battled through. When it got tough, we fought through it and we got the win. At the end of the day, getting that win is all that matters."

Micayla Haynes' 14 points led the way for the Bronchos. The junior guard knocked down three 3-pointers on the night and added two steals. Ireon Smith also had a big game, tallying 12 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and a block. 

UCO held a lead after the first quarter thanks in part to four made 3-pointers. Haynes, Smith, Blake Blessington and Brooke Rayner all made shots from deep in the opening frame to aid in Central's 19-13 lead. 

The Bronchos were also 5-for-6 from the free-throw line in the first quarter. Smith was 2-for-2, as was McKenna Pulley. Haynes made 1 of 2 to get the first point of the game.

UCO stretched its nine-point lead after one quarter to a 15-point lead by halftime. Haynes scored six in the second frame, including her second 3-pointer of the game, and had 11 at the break.

Central continued a tight defensive stance, forcing six turnovers in the second quarter after forcing five in the first. The Bronchos held Bayamon to a meager 25.9 percent from the floor in the opening half. UPRB shot just 7-for-27 overall, making only 3 of 14 attempts from behind the arc while adding four free throws.

The Bronchos shot 38.7 percent in the first half, making 5 of 13 from deep and added 7 of 10 makes from the charity stripe.

Bayamon made every effort to cut into the Broncho lead coming out of halftime. The Bronchos lead held steady between 13-16 points for most of the quarter though, until UPRB knocked down a pair of late threes to bring it back to single digits. The Bronchos still held a 46-38 lead after three quarters.

UCO led by as many as 16 thanks to a Blessington free-throw. But a 4-for-19 shooting performance in the quarter gave Bayamon a little life heading into the final 10 minutes.

Central's lead was cut to only six points after the first couple minutes of the fourth quarter before Haynes knocked down her third 3-pointer of the night to give the Bronchos a 49-40 lead with 7:30 left in the game.

But Bayamon kept fighting. A steal and fastbreak layup made it 49-45 with 5:30 to play.

UCO had a response. 

A steal and fastbreak 3-pointer by Shatoya Bryson made it 52-45. Then a steal led to a free throw by Bryson to give Central an eight-point lead with 4:24 to go in the game.

Next. Another turnover forced by the blistering defense of the Bronchos and another corner 3-pointer by Bryson to give Central Oklahoma a 56-45 lead with 3:33 to play.

UCO kept forcing the turnovers, and Madison Lee knocked down a pair of free throws with 2:18 to play to put the Bronchos lead back to double digits at 58-47.

Bayamon added a trio of late baskets and free throws in the final 90 seconds to make it 58-54. 

Bryson finished with nine points on the night, including the two late 3-pointers. Pulley's seven points led the bench scoring effort for Central. The junior forward also had two rebounds. Blessington scored six points, grabbed six rebounds, and made five steals. Rayner and Megan Hartness each had three points, and Lee and Lauren Chancellor added two.

Central Oklahoma returns home and has an 11-day layoff following the Puerto Rico Clasico. The Bronchos don't play again until Thursday, Dec. 6 when UCO opens Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play in Joplin, Mo. against Missouri Southern.
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