Women's Basketball 1/18/2019 1:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

UCO hosts Missouri Southern

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EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team plays its second of two home games this week when the Bronchos host Missouri Southern Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Hamilton Field House.

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association contest features two teams that are both 11-6 on the season. Central Oklahoma is 11-6 overall and 2-5 in MIAA play. Missouri Southern is 11-6 overall and 3-4 in league play.

Central Oklahoma enters Saturday's game looking to snap a four-game losing streak. Missouri Southern lost Thursday at Northeastern State and has alternated wins and losses in each of the past six games.

Saturday is the second meeting between the two schools. Central Oklahoma beat Missouri Southern 79-60 on Dec. 6 in Joplin. The Bronchos own a 6-2 advantage in the series since Guy Hardaker became head coach 13 years ago. Missouri Southern owns a 14-13 advantage in the all-time series.

Ireon Smith leads UCO into Saturday's game. The junior center had a game-high 20 points in Central's loss to Pittsburg State on Thursday. Smith averages a team-high 11.7 points per game and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. Her rebounding total (135) is the second most in the MIAA. Smith is also second in the league in field goal percentage at 52.8. The Midwest City, Okla. native is 85-for-161 this season, and even has 11 3-pointers to go with that.

Micayla Haynes averages 11.5 points per game and has a team-high 31 made 3-pointers this season. Shatoya Bryson, who just missed the game-winning three as time expired Thursday, has 27 makes from behind the arc this season, behind only Haynes for the team lead. Bryson has 34 made free-throws to lead the Bronchos.

Blake Blessington averages 8.6 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding at 5.2 per contest. She had a game-high nine rebounds Thursday night.

Central Oklahoma as a team scores 66.1 points per game and allows 60.8. The Bronchos shoot 41.2 percent from the floor and 34.6 percent from behind the arc. That 3-point percentage ranks third in the MIAA.

Missouri Southern is led by Chelsey Henry, who also leads the MIAA in scoring. The senior guard averages 18.1 points per game. She's led the Lions in scoring in 11 of 17 games this season. Chasidee Owens also averages double figures, scoring 11.2 points per game. Owens also leads the team in rebounds at 7.1 per game. Henry also averages 5.0 rebounds per game.

MSSU as a team averages 69.9 points per game this season. The Lions allow 66.8 per game. Southern shoots on average 41.6 percent from the floor and 29.6 percent from behind the arc.

Central Oklahoma will hit the road next weekend. UCO will take on Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo. on Thursday, Jan. 24 before facing Lincoln in Jefferson City, Mo. on Saturday, Jan. 26. The games are at 5:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. respectively.

The Bronchos return home the following weekend to host Southwest Baptist and Central Missouri.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Blake Blessington: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#21 Shatoya Bryson: G; 5' 8"; Junior

#24 Ireon Smith: F; 6' 0"; Junior

#34 Micayla Haynes: G; 5' 5"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#13 Blake Blessington
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#21 Shatoya Bryson
: 5' 8"; Junior
: G

#24 Ireon Smith
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

#34 Micayla Haynes
: 5' 5"; Junior
: G