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Jo'Nah Johnson
67
Central Oklahoma UCO 20-6, 11-6 MIAA
82
Winner Fort Hays State FHSU 21-5, 12-5 MIAA
Central Oklahoma UCO
20-6, 11-6 MIAA
67
Final
82
Fort Hays State FHSU
21-5, 12-5 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Oklahoma UCO 10 22 21 14 67
Fort Hays State FHSU 19 23 24 16 82

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Chris Brannick

UCO Falls At Fort Hays State

HAYS, Kan. – An uncharacteristic defensive effort left the University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team with an 82-67 loss Saturday to Fort Hays State in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association action at Gross Memorial Coliseum.
 
The Bronchos allowed a season-high 82 points, and a season-high 49.2 percent effort from Fort Hays State to fall to 20-6 on the season, and 11-6 in MIAA play.
 
"We were out of sync from the beginning on defense," UCO head coach Guy Hardaker said. "We did communicate well, we let them get a lot of easy buckets. You can't do that, really anytime, but especially on the road. We let them get really comfortable in front of their fans on their own court and just made it too easy for them."
 
Saturday marked just the third time an opposing team has shot better than 40 percent against the Bronchos. UCO is 1-2 in such games. Fort Hays State also hit 42.1 percent of its 3-pointers against UCO Saturday, the second time Hays has done such against the Bronchos in a week.
 
UCO overcame that last Saturday in Edmond, holding on for a 72-70 win over the Tigers. Things wouldn't be the same this week in Kansas.
 
Central got out to a sluggish start on offense in the first quarter. The Bronchos, whistled for a traveling call on the game's opening possession, would only make four baskets in the first quarter. Melinda Murillo made the game's first basket to give UCO a 2-0 lead. That would be the only lead the Bronchos held on the day.
 
The first quarter for the Bronchos, 4-for-14 from the floor and five turnovers, left UCO in a 19-10 deficit after 10 minutes of play.
 
UCO started to make up some ground in the second quarter, making three of its first four baskets. But the Broncho defense was in rare form, allowing Fort Hays easy buckets early and often. Hardaker called a timeout with 5:20 to play after a Hays 3-pointer made it 33-17 Tigers.
 
Hays' 18-point lead moments later was its biggest of the game.
 
Central made a push though, cutting the halftime lead to 10 points with a furious charge led by Megan Hartness. She came off the bench to lead UCO with nine first-half points, hitting both of her 3-point-attempts in the Broncho effort.
 
UCO brought its offensive numbers of from with a 9-for-15 second quarter shooting performance. The Bronchos shot nearly 50 percent (44.8) in the first half.
 
UCO in the third continued what became of a shoot-out with the Tigers. A 23-22 second quarter was followed by a 24-21 third quarter. Fort Hays State improved its lead from nine points after one quarter, to 10 at halftime, and led by 13 after the third quarter.
 
Jo'Nah Johnson led UCO with 19 points on 8-for-15 shooting. The freshman hit 3 of 7 from behind the arc. Murillo finished with 13 points, five rebounds, and two assists and two steals. Jesheon Cooper was the only other Broncho in double figures. She had 11 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocked shots.
 
Hartness finished with nine points. Blake Blessington added eight points. Ireon Smith also scored four points and Madison Lee three for the Bronchos.
 
Central now looks to bounce back in the final week of the regular season back in Edmond. UCO hosts Washburn on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m., and closes out the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 24 against Emporia State at 1:30 p.m. in Hamilton Field House.
 
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