Women's Basketball 1/13/2021 4:30:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Hosts Central Missouri

Bronchos Welcome Jennies To Hamilton Field House

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma is set for an MIAA matchup with Central Missouri Thursday evening with tipoff scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

UCO will not be allowing spectators in Hamilton Field House. The game will be live on The MIAA Network as well as KOKC FM.

Central Oklahoma plays just its second game of the new year Thursday. UCO is 4-3 on the season after a win at Northeastern State last week. The Bronchos started the year 2-0 before a tough stretch left UCO 2-3. Central snapped the skid with a win over Newman before taking its holiday break, then beat NSU by 27 points after a 19-day layoff.

As a team, Central averages 65.7 points per game, shoots 39.6 percent from the floor and 26 percent from behind the arc (4.6 makes per game). The Bronchos also shoot 70.7 percent from the free-throw line and average 15.1 made free-throws per game.

Central Missouri is 7-1 this season and coming off its only loss this past Saturday at home against Nebraska Kearney.

For the Bronchos through seven games, it's been all about Kelsey Johnson. The senior forward from Washington, Oklahoma is averaging 22.6 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game. She's the only player in the MIAA averaging a double-double and is second in the league in both scoring and rebounding. Johnson leads the Bronchos in several categories – minutes per game (29.7), field goals made (62), field goals attempted (103), field goal percentage (60.2), free-throws made (31), free-throws attempted (38), rebounds (73), blocks (four), and points (158).

Johnson, in shooting 60.2 percent from the field, is currently tied with the new UCO record she set last season by hitting 60.2 percent of her shots throughout the entire season. Nobody in school history had ever shot 60 percent and Johnson is aimed at doing in two consecutive seasons.

The Bronchos feature a handful of players that help out in more than one way. Jaci Littell is second on the team behind Johnson in scoring, averaging an even 8.0 points per game. Littell has made 11 3-pointers this season which leads the team. She also averages 3.7 rebounds per game and 2.5 made free-throws per game.

Brooke Rayner is averaging 7.2 points per game this season and has played in one less game than Littell and Johnson. Rayner's 16 made field goals is second on the team. She's also hit five 3-pointers in six games and is averaging just under three assists per game and one steal per game.

Avery Allen, as a redshirt freshman, has played in and started all seven games for the Bronchos at point guard. Allen is averaging 5.6 points per game. She scored 17 in her UCO debut to go with seven assists. Thursday in Tahlequah, Allen didn't score at all but had a season-high nine assists.

Central Oklahoma is just 2-10 against Central Missouri all time. The teams played in 1982-83 for the first time ever, then again in 1996-97 and then 2005-06. After UCO joined the MIAA, the teams have met every year at least once since 2012-13. Central Oklahoma won in 2015-16, 77-48, and in 2016-17, 65-55. UCM has won four in a row.

Taking a closer look at Central Missouri, the Jennies are averaging 71.9 points per game this season and shooting 45 percent from the floor overall. UCM is shooting 35.8 percent from behind the arc, averaging 6.6 makes per game, and 77.7 percent from the free-throw line, averaging 15.3 makes per game. Graycen Holden and Nija Collier lead the way for Central Missouri. Holden averages 14.3 points per game and Collier 13.3. Collier leads the team with seven rebounds per game and Holden is second at 6.7.

Up next for the Bronchos, Central Oklahoma hosts Lincoln Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Hamilton Field House.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Avery Allen: G; 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

#33 Kelsey Johnson: F; 6' 3"; Senior

#13 Jaci Littell: G; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#11 Brooke Rayner: G; 5' 7"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#1 Avery Allen
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman
: G

#33 Kelsey Johnson
: 6' 3"; Senior
: F

#13 Jaci Littell
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: G

#11 Brooke Rayner
: 5' 7"; Junior
: G