Box Score

Central Okla. CentOK 4-3,4-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Northeastern St. NE 2-6,2-6 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Central Okla. CentOK

4-3,4-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Final

Jan. 07, 2021

Northeastern St. NE

2-6,2-6 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Central Okla. CentOK	14	18	16	23	71
Northeastern St. NE	9	11	12	12	44

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 1/7/2021 7:21:00 PM | Chris Brannick

Central Whips Northeastern State

Bronchos Lead Wire-To-Wire In Road Triumph Over Longtime Rival

Next Game:

Central Missouri

1/14/2021 | 5:30 p.m.

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Jan. 14 (Thu) / 5:30 p.m.

Central Missouri

Recap
Roster

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team beat Northeastern State 71-44 Thursday night, earning the Bronchos their ninth consecutive win over their longtime rival.

"It was good to see the team play the way they did tonight when we haven't played a game in three weeks," UCO head coach Guy Hardaker said. "Kelsey Johnson was good and we got a lot of good performances from a lot of different people. That's what we need. We need more people to step up and we can be in a good position like we were tonight."

Johnson was brilliant Thursday just as she was in the first semester. The senior posted another double-double, scoring 22 points and adding 12 rebounds. She hit 9 of 14 shots from the floor and all four free-throws. Johnson scored 11 of her 22 in the third quarter.

Central got off to a good start Thursday night, showing no signs of rust from a 19-day break from the action. UCO got a 3-pointer from Jaci Littell to open the scoring on the night. Johnson made a turnaround fadeaway on the baseline to make it 5-0, Central. The Bronchos hit 5 of 15 shots, 1-for-3 from outside, and added three free-throws – all from Aliyah Llanusa – to build a 14-9 lead after the first quarter.

UCO took a five-point lead and ballooned it to 13 after just four minutes of play in the second quarter. Littell scored a layup and hit her second 3-pointer of the game surrounding another bucket from Johnson. That was part of a 11-3 run to open the quarter.

After a Northeastern State timeout, the Bronchos responded with another run.

Brooke Rayner scored to provoke the NSU timeout, then she scored again out of the timeout. Karly Wadsworth added two and then Taylor Dement made a free-throw. After Wadsworth hit two more free-throws with 2:21 to play, Central held its biggest lead of the first half, 32-17.

Central was in good position to start the second half but didn't settle. UCO opened the third quarter on a 12-2 run and led 44-22 with still 6:12 to play in the third quarter. Johnson was the culprit in the early onslaught. The senior posted nine points in that 12-2 run. She scored 11 in the quarter as the Bronchos pulled away. Central led 48-32 heading into the final 10 minutes.

Nothing changed in the fourth quarter. Central Oklahoma rolled on to its ninth consecutive win over longtime rival Northeastern State. The Bronchos swept each regular season series since 2016-17 and is now 1-0 this season against the Riverhawks.

Johnson finished with a game-high 22 points and added 12 rebounds. Littell added 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. She hit three 3-pointers. Rayner also scored in double figures, putting up 10 points on 5 of 7 shooting.

Avery Allen did not score Thursday, however the redshirt freshman tallied a season-high eight assists.

Caley Young scored seven points, including her first career 3-pointer, and added five rebounds. Wadsworth finished with four. Llanusa, Dement, and Ashley Handing all scored three. Tayler Factor, Maddie Harelson, and Clary Donica all scored two.

UCO hit 27 of 58 (46.6 percent) shots overall, making 5 of 13 from behind the arc and 12 of 16 free-throws.

UCO is not playing Saturday. The Broncho game against Rogers State was postponed due to health and safety protocol. Central will return to the court next week, hosting Central Missouri on Thursday, Jan. 14.

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