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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Guy Hardaker
71
Central Oklahoma UCO 8-1, 1-1 MIAA
84
Winner Pittsburg State PSU 6-1, 2-0 MIAA
Central Oklahoma UCO
8-1, 1-1 MIAA
71
Final
84
Pittsburg State PSU
6-1, 2-0 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Oklahoma UCO 18 13 19 21 71
Pittsburg State PSU 22 23 20 19 84

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Chris Brannick

UCO Downed At Pitt State

PITTSBURG, Kan. - The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team lost its first game of the season Saturday, an 84-71 setback to Pittsburg State in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play at John Lance Arena.

The Bronchos are 8-1 on the season and 1-1 in MIAA competition.

"Hats off to Pittsburg State for the way they shot the ball today," UCO head basketball coach Guy Hardaker said. "We don't let teams do that usually but they found a way today and they just kept making three after three. It's hard to beat a team that shoots it that well."

Pittsburg State hit 15 3-pointers on the day and made 55 percent of its attempts from outside. The Gorillas were over 60 percent through three quarters of play.

Central Oklahoma found itself in an early deficit thanks to that hot shooting by Pittsburg State. PSU forward Meghan Maher knocked down a pair of 3-pointers before the Bronchos could get on the board. She hit a third shot from behind the arc to put the Gorillas up 9-2. 

The Bronchos battled back though. Despite a 64.3 percent opening quarter for PSU, Central found itself down only 22-18 after one. Ireon Smith and Madison Lee each had a 3-pointer to effort the comeback. Both finished the opening frame with five points. A pair of free-throws by McKenna Pulley, who was fouled on a 3-point shot with one second left in the quarter, pulled UCO to within four points.

Pittsburg State kept up its solid shooting in the second quarter, beginning with a 5-0 run to start the period. PSU had another 5-0 run later in the quarter, and soon followed that with an 8-0 run. Pitt made its eighth 3-pointer of the first half out of a late, second quarter timeout to go up 45-31, its biggest lead of the first half.

That's how the game went to halftime. Central Oklahoma was down because of Pittsburg State's near 60 percent first half. PSU's 8-for-12 mark on 3-pointers didn't help. Smith's 7-point, 5-rebound performance led the way for UCO in the first half. Central had eight of its nine players score at least two points. The Bronchos weren't bad on offense in the first half by any means. They shot 46 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the arc, and knocked down 4 of 5 free-throws.

Once again, Pitt State's hot hand continued into the third quarter as well, with the Gorillas knocking down five more 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the half to give them 13 on the day and a 20-point lead. PSU finished the quarter making 6 of 7 shots in the frame from behind the arc.

Blake Blessington had 10 third-quarter points to keep UCO's fighting chances alive. The senior guard didn't take a shot in the first half, but was 4-for-5 in the third quarter.

UCO wouldn't go away in the fourth. Central forced nine fourth-quarter turnovers in its comeback attempt. But the deficit was too much. The Bronchos pulled within 11 late in the quarter, but couldn't get their shots to fall as PSU did. UCO shot 8 of 22 from the floor in the final frame.

Blessington and Smith finished with game-highs in scoring for UCO. Both had 14 points. Micayla Haynes also had double figures with 11 points. Pulley added eight points off the bench.

Saturday was a season-high for 3-pointers allowed by the Bronchos. It was only the second time this season a team made double-digit shots from outside. Cameron, which Central beat by 28 points, made 10 threes.

Central Oklahoma has a full week off before returning to the court. The Bronchos will travel for the ninth time in 10 games to start the season next Saturday, Dec. 15, for an afternoon non-conference contest at Arkansas-Fort Smith.
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