Box Score

Central Oklahoma UCO 10-1

Southern Nazarene SNU 2-8

Central Oklahoma UCO

10-1

Final

Dec. 18, 2018

Southern Nazarene SNU

2-8

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Central Oklahoma UCO	24	13	16	21	74
Southern Nazarene SNU	17	11	19	18	65

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 12/18/2018 2:51:00 PM | Chris Brannick

UCO Calms Crimson Storm

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at East Central

12/30/2018 | 2 p.m.

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Dec. 30 (Sun) / 2 p.m.

at East Central

Recap
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BETHANY, Okla. - The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team beat Southern Nazarene 74-65 Tuesday afternoon at the Sawyer Center in a non-conference game for the Bronchos.

Central Oklahoma, which moved up to No. 22 in the country from 23 earlier in the day, improved to 10-1 on the season with the win. UCO has played 10 of 11 games away from home this season, winning nine of those contests.

"This game was a little closer than I thought it should have been," UCO head basketball coach Guy Hardaker said. "We turned the ball over too much and we didn't force as many turnovers as we've been used to and that hindered us a little bit. But they fought it out and got the win and that's all that matters at the end of the day."

Central Oklahoma had five players score in double figures Tuesday. Madison Lee led the Bronchos with 16 points, just two short of her career high. She knocked down all three of her 3-pointers and 5 of 6 free-throws.

Micayla Haynes added 12 points, also going perfect from behind the arc. The junior guard made both of her attempts from deep. Blake Blessington scored 11 points and Shatoya Bryson and McKenna Pulley each had 10 points.

The Bronchos shot 48 percent from the floor Tuesday, making 24 of 50 shots. UCO got a boost from its 10-for-19 afternoon on 3-point shots. The Bronchos added 16 of 22 free-throws to get the win.

Central Oklahoma was ahead 24-17 after the first quarter thanks to a late quarter rally. Blessington put the Bronchos ahead 16-13 with a 3-pointer from the wing to give UCO the lead. After SNU responded with a layup, Pulley sank a baseline jumper, then a 3-pointer of her own, followed by another Blessington bucket from deep. The latter made it 24-15 UCO.

Blessington led the Bronchos with eight in the opening frame. Pulley's five straight off the bench late in the quarter, as well as five from Haynes, helped Central Oklahoma to its early lead.

Central Oklahoma kept its lead with a 13-11 second quarter. The Bronchos shot just 4-for-9 in the quarter, including making only one 3-pointer, but UCO out-rebounded SNU 11-1 in the quarter. Haynes made a pair of layups and Pulley sank another jump shot to go with a Lee three and four Broncho free-throws to give UCO a 37-28 lead at the half. Central hit 6 of 8 free-throws in the first half.

Southern Nazarene continued to keep it in reach, battling back to within two baskets on more than one occasion in the third quarter. But an offensive outburst by Lee - the senior hit one more 3-pointer and added a layup - plus another 3-pointer by Blessington, kept the Bronchos ahead throughout the frame.

SNU cut the lead to one basket, 46-43, with about 2:30 to play in the quarter, but Lee sank her third 3-pointer of the game to make it a two-score game again. Lee knocked down one of two free-throws a minute later to make it 50-45. The Bronchos held a 53-47 lead after the third quarter came to a close thanks to a Pulley 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The fourth quarter was much the same. SNU continued to chip away at the lead, with a 5-0 run in the middle of the quarter pulling the Crimson Storm to within three, 61-58. Haynes sank her second 3-pointer in as many attempts moments later though to put Central up 65-58.

SNU kept at it though, knocking down a 3-pointer with two minutes left to get within two points, 65-63, the closest the game was since the first quarter. Central responded with a put-back layup from Ireon Smith and an old-school 3-point play from Megan Hartness to make it 70-63 with one minute to play.

Central would only need to make its free-throws as the game saw its final minute to earn the win. Lee made all four of those for the Bronchos.

Smith finished with eight points, six rebounds, and a career-high five blocked shots. Hartness added five points off the bench and Lauren Chancellor scored two.

The Bronchos improved to 10-1 on the season with the win. UCO is off for a week for Christmas Break, and will pick back up on Sunday, Dec. 30 with its final non-conference game of the season against East Central.

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