Women's Basketball 1/22/2019 10:07:00 AM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Visit Lindenwood Thursday

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ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team hits the road this week to take on a pair of Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association foes in Missouri. The Bronchos first play Lindenwood at 5:30 p.m. Thursday night at Robert F. Hyland Arena. UCO will also play at Lincoln in Jefferson City at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Central Oklahoma is 12-6 on the 2018-19 season and has a 3-5 record in MIAA play. Lindenwood is 11-3 overall and 5-2 in league play. The Bronchos head to Missouri looking for a win streak. UCO beat Missouri Southern this past Saturday to snap a four-game slide and now looks to rack up some wins. Lindenwood welcomes UCO looking to snap a slide of its own. The Lions were 5-0 in league play before losing both of its conference road games last weekend.

The Bronchos are 10-2 all-time against Lindenwood and 13th-year head women's basketball coach Guy Hardaker has coached all 12 of those games. UCO won the only meeting last year, an 86-76 decision in Edmond.

Micayla Haynes continues to lead the Bronchos in scoring this season. The junior guard averages 11.8 points per game. Haynes scored 17 this past Saturday, busting out of a short scoring slump during UCO's recent slide. Haynes has a team-high 36 made 3-pointers this season and is second on the team with 30 made free-throws.

Shatoya Bryson alternates those spots with Haynes. Also a junior guard, Bryson has a team-high 35 made free-throws and is second on the team with 28 made 3-pointers. Bryson averages 10.7 points per game and leads the team with 3.1 assists per game and 1.8 steals per game.

Ireon Smith averages 11.4 points per game this season, second on the team to Haynes' 11.8. Smith had scored in double figures in five-straight games heading into this past Saturday's win over Missouri Southern, when she scored seven. Smith also played only 23 minutes Saturday in the 28-point blowout.

Smith averages 29.2 minutes per game and is also the team's leading rebounder, at 7.9 per game. The junior center has a team-high 27 total blocks, 1.5 per game, and also is tied for fourth on the Broncho roster with 19 steals, 1.1 per game. Smith also leads the MIAA with 143 total rebounds this season.

Central Oklahoma also gets key contributions from Blake Blessington, who averages 9.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Blessington has hit 25 3-pointers this season, which ranks third on the team, she averages 2.5 assists per game, second on the team, and has 19 steals, tied for fourth on the team.

Megan Hartness, Madison Lee, and Kaci Richardson also average five points per game each for the Bronchos.

Lindenwood is led by Kallie Bildner, who averages 16.7 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game. Bildner is four boards behind Smith for the league lead, but does average more than any other MIAA player per game.

Charisse Williams (9.6), Lindsay Medlen (9.1), and Lexie Moe (9.0), are all factors on the offensive end for Lindenwood, who averages 73.9 points per game as a team. The Lions shoot on average 48.4 percent from the floor.

Central Oklahoma will visit Lincoln on Saturday. The Blue Tigers are 9-7 on the season and 1-6 in league play. UCO returns home next weekend to host Southwest Baptist (Jan. 31) and Central Missouri (Feb. 2).

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#32 Megan Hartness: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#4 Madison Lee: G; 5' 8"; Senior

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

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

#44 Kaci Richardson: F; 5' 10"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

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

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

#32 Megan Hartness
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#4 Madison Lee
: 5' 8"; Senior
: G

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

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

#44 Kaci Richardson
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: F