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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Jake Hammond
65
Washburn WU 19-8, 13-5 MIAA
73
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 18-9, 11-7 MIAA
Washburn WU
19-8, 13-5 MIAA
65
Final
73
Central Oklahoma UCO
18-9, 11-7 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Washburn WU 26 39 65
Central Oklahoma UCO 30 43 73

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Chris Brannick

Bronchos Power Past Washburn

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma men's basketball team fought out a key, late season Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association win over Washburn Thursday night, edging the Ichabods 73-65 at Hamilton Field House.
 
The Bronchos improved to 18-9 with the win, and 11-7 in league play as the season's final game awaits on Saturday. The Bronchos are tied for fourth place in the league standings, looking to capture a first-round bye in next week's MIAA Tournament. The top-four teams advance directly to Kansas City, Mo. for the quarterfinals. A fifth-seed means UCO would host a first-round game on Tuesday night in Edmond.
 
The Bronchos need other things to happen besides winning their own games. But all it can control, is winning its own games.
 
"We fought hard tonight and I'm really proud of the guys, that was a good win," UCO head coach Tom Hankins said. "We had to get physical with them and we were up to the challenge. If we can keep playing like we did tonight, I think we're very capable of making a run."
 
Jake Hammond was dominant Thursday in the win for the Bronchos. The senior center had 19 points and 12 rebounds, to go with four blocked shots.
 
"Jake was key for us tonight," Hankins said. "He didn't really have a good first half because he got in foul trouble, but he stepped up for us in a big way in the second half and just played phenomenal. He was dominant."
 
Hammond had four first-half points, and three rebounds, but his two fouls limited his playing time. Matched up with one of the better bigs in the league, Brady Skeens, Hammond stepped up in the second half.
 
UCO went to Hammond early and often, but a key 3-point play in the second half halted a Washburn 5-0 run and gave the Bronchos a four-point lead with just 1:37 to play in the game.
 
Marquis Johnson missed a 12-foot jumper from just inside the free-throw line, and Hammond corralled his fourth offensive rebound of the night. Hammond went right back up, drew a key fifth-foul from Skeens, and put in the lay-up to make it 63-60, UCO. Hammond sunk the free-throw, securing a Broncho victory.
 
It was the last field goal of the game, as both teams made it to their respective final tallies via free-throws.
 
Hammond neared career-highs in both points and rebounds, but both his 19 points and 12 rebounds were season highs for the Comanche, Okla. native. He finished 5-for-6 from the floor and was a key 9-for-11 from the free-throw line.
 
The Bronchos beat Washburn for the first time in four meetings Thursday behind a stout defense. UCO held the Ichabods to just 37.3 percent from the floor, 27.8 percent from 3-point range, and limited second-chance points to just 11 while out-rebounding Washburn 44-32.
 
Hammond led the way, but UCO also got key performances from Marqueese Grayson, who scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds. Grayson hit 7 of 8 free-throws.
 
Corbin Byford also had a big night, spelling Hammond's work on the inside and scoring 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting. Byford added six rebounds and three blocked shots as the Broncho bigs flexed their muscles in route to victory.
 
Jordan Hemphill added 10 for UCO and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. The Bronchos as a team were 28-for-36 from the line, which is the second-most makes in game by UCO this season, and the third time the Bronchos have made as many.
 
UCO led by as many as seven in a back-and-forth first half. The Bronchos pulled ahead by that much with six minutes to play when Johnson hit a pair of free-throws to make it 25-18. Washburn, which led by as many as three in the first half, clawed back to tie the game with 53 seconds to play before halftime. But Phabian Glasco made a lay-up with 37 seconds left, and Grayson knocked down a 15-footer at the buzzer to give UCO a 30-26 lead at the break.
 
Central would build its biggest lead of the game at seven points again in the second half. The Bronchos went up 57-50 on a Byford hook shot with 6:15 to play, then again on a Hammond lay-up with 4:14 to play. Hammond's bucket made it 61-54. Washburn scored the next six before Hammond's big 3-point play sealed the win for the Bronchos.
 
UCO plays Emporia State at Hamilton Field House at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the final game of the regular season. Hammond, Byford, Grayson, as well as Anthony Roberson will all be honored in a senior day ceremony before the game.
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