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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Madison Lee
58
Central Oklahoma UCO 11-4, 2-3
74
Winner Nebraska-Kearney UNKWBB 9-5, 2-3
Central Oklahoma UCO
11-4, 2-3
58
Final
74
Nebraska-Kearney UNKWBB
9-5, 2-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Oklahoma UCO 16 13 13 16 58
Nebraska-Kearney UNKWBB 14 21 23 16 74

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Falters In Nebraska

KEARNEY, Neb. - The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team suffered a 74-58 setback at Nebraska-Kearney Thursday night in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play.

"I think we played pretty well in the first quarter, but we just didn't play well at all after that," UCO head women's basketball coach Guy Hardaker said. "We have to make sure we're playing our best in all four quarters especially on the road in this league."

The Bronchos held a lead for most of the first half, almost 13 of the first 20 minutes, and nearly all of the first quarter (7:22). 

Micayla Haynes opened the game with a 3-pointer and Ireon Smith scored the next five points to help UCO earn an 8-2 lead just two and half minutes into the game. That was UCO's biggest lead of the first half. The Bronchos led 12-8 later in the quarter before settling for a 16-14 advantage after the first 10 minutes.

UNK held a 1-point lead in the first quarter for just a moment, and again in the middle of the second quarter, but the Bronchos did what they could to hold a short lead for nearly all of the first half. That was until UNK ended the half on an 11-1 run to head to the locker room with a lead. 

Shatoya Bryson knocked down Central's second 3-pointer of the night with 4:28 to play to give the Bronchos a 28-24 lead.  Kearney would spend the next four minutes going on a run that saw the Bronchos only get one free-throw before halftime, when UNK led 35-29.

Nebraska-Kearney started the second half the same way it finished the first half - on a big run. UNK scored eight points in the blink of an eye to start the third quarter and its lead soon grew from seven to 18 in the quarter. Central made 4 of 13 shots in the quarter including one 3-pointer, but UNK hit four from behind the arc and added five free-throws before extending its lead to 58-42 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Bronchos wouldn't get any closer and eventually trailed by as many as 23 points.

Smith led the Bronchos with 14 points and 12 rebounds Thursday. The junior center grabbed seven offensive rebounds and also had two blocks and two steals in 34 minutes of action.

Bryson scored nine points Thursday while Blake Blessington, Brooke Rayner, and Haynes each scored eight points. 

UCO suffered back-to-back losses for the first time since Feb. 1-3, 2018. The Bronchos are back in action Saturday with a matchup at No. 4 Fort Hays State in Hays, Kan.
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