Women's Basketball 2/8/2019 9:20:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Visits NSU Saturday Afternoon

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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team begins a three-game road trip Saturday when the Bronchos take on Northeastern State in a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association matchup at the NSU Event Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Central Oklahoma is 14-8 on the season and 5-7 in league play. Northeastern State is 6-15 overall and 3-6 in the MIAA.

"Tahlequah is always a place and Northeastern is always a team that you just throw everything out. It's going to be a good game," UCO head women's basketball coach Guy Hardaker said. "I know we have the ability to play really well. We just need to come out from the opening tip with our minds made up that that is how we're going to play and focus and work on doing that for all four quarters."

Central Oklahoma heads into Saturday's matchup averaging 67.1 points per game. The Bronchos shoot 41.5 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from behind the arc. UCO averages 7.6 made 3-pointers per game.

Ireon Smith, Micayla Haynes, and Shatoya Bryson – all juniors – continue to lead UCO in from a statistical standpoint. Smith averages 11.3 points per game and a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game. Haynes also averages 11.3 points per game and she has the team high for made threes with 37. Bryson averages 10.6 points per game with a team-high 3.0 assists per game. Bryson also leads the team in made free-throws (45) and steals (36).

Blake Blessington, Madison Lee, and Megan Hartness – all seniors – are also leading the Bronchos. Blessington averages 8.6 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game. She is second on the team in assists (2.8) and rebounds. Lee averages 5.2 points per game, but is also the primary defender and locks down the top scorer on the opposing team night-in and night-out. Hartness averages 7.1 points per game, but had a 15-points per game outburst last week.

Northeastern State averages 64 points per game and as a team shoots 38 percent from the floor. NSU averages 5.3 made 3-pointers per game this season.

The Riverhawks are led by Cenia Hayes, who averages 13.2 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game. Bailee Eldred averages 12.4 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. And Cailyn Long adds 12 points per game to the NSU scoring.

UCO swept Northeastern State last season and the year before that. The Bronchos have won four-straight against their old foe. NSU does own a 37-26 all-time advantage in the series between the two schools.

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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

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