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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Madison Lee
47
Washburn WU 18-9, 10-8 MIAA
77
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 21-6, 12-6 MIAA
Washburn WU
18-9, 10-8 MIAA
47
Final
77
Central Oklahoma UCO
21-6, 12-6 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Washburn WU 5 17 15 10 47
Central Oklahoma UCO 23 24 16 14 77

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Chris Brannick

Lee's Historic Night Leads UCO In Blowout Win

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team crushed Washburn 77-47 Thursday night in a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association tilt at Hamilton Field House.
 
The Bronchos jumped out to a 12-0 lead in first three minutes, forcing five Washburn turnovers in the stretch, and never looked back on the way to the fourth-biggest win of the season for the UCO.
 
"Our defense was just locked in right out of the gate tonight," UCO head coach Guy Hardaker said. "They committed to defending and pressuring and that just opened everything up. We were fortunate to hit a few shots early, and with the turnovers, the game just got a little bit easier for us."
 
Madison Lee sank three first-quarter 3-pointers on her way to a career-high 18 points. The Okarche, Okla. native, who is one of the premier defenders in the MIAA, came into Thursday's game averaging just four points per game. She had scored 10 in a game three times this season, her career high was 11 points in what was her 73rd game as a Broncho.
 
Her third three with 2:14 to play in the first quarter, gave the Bronchos a 20-5 lead.
 
Lee went on to hit two more from downtown. Her 5-for-5 night from behind the arc tied her with current UCO assistant coach Heather Davis for the most made 3-pointers in one game without a miss in school history.
 
Shatoya Bryson followed Lee's third three in the first quarter with one of her own and the Bronchos ended the opening frame up 23-5. UCO led by 25 when Bryson sank her second 3-pointer with one minute to play in the second quarter.
 
Central would lead by as many as 32 in the third quarter, and held its biggest lead of 34 points in the fourth quarter when Megan Hartness drained a three with 4:57 to play to make it 75-41.
 
Lee was UCO's leading scorer Thursday with 18 points. She was 6-for-7 from the field, 1-for-1 from the free-throw line, and added one assist and one steal.
 
Murillo scored 13 in the win, going 5-for-16 from the floor and hitting all three of her free-throw attempts. Murillo added seven assists and four steals.
 
Blake Blessington scored 10 points on a night aided by a 4-for-4 performance from the free-throw line. Jo'Nah Johnson also scored 10 in a return to the starting lineup. The freshman added three rebounds, three assists, and five steals.
 
Bryson added 10 off the bench, going 4-for-5. She was 2-for-2 from three, and also had four rebounds and two assists. Jesheon Cooper scored six points, had six rebounds, and five blocked shots. Hartness added five, as did Ireon Smith, who also had five rebounds and four blocked shots of the bench.
 
UCO improved to 21-6 on the season with the win, and more importantly, 12-6 in the MIAA. The Bronchos are tied for fourth place with Nebraska-Kearney in the league standings as both teams have one game left on the schedule.
 
Central owns that tiebreaker, and a win Saturday against Emporia State (1:30 p.m.) would give the Bronchos a first-round bye in the MIAA Tournament, sending UCO straight to Kansas City, Mo. for the quarterfinals.
 
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