Women's Basketball 11/30/2021 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Opens MIAA Play Thursday In Joplin

UCO Wraps Up Six-Game Road Trip This Weekend

JOPLIN, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team is scheduled to play its first MIAA game of the 2021-22 season Thursday when the Bronchos visit Missouri Southern. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Central Oklahoma posted a 4-2 record in non-conference games this season. UCO beat Northwestern Oklahoma State and Mary (N.D.) in the season-opening Central Region Classic at Hamilton Field House. The Bronchos have been on the road since then, picking up wins at Arkansas-Fort Smith and Cameron. UCO has come up short in contests at Southern Nazarene and at Harding.

Missouri Southern, which is 2-2 this season, will be the fifth of six straight opponents Central is facing on the road. The Lions of Joplin lost to Henderson State and Harding at home before winning at Missouri S&T and then topping back at home, Oklahoma Panhandle State.

"Missouri Southern is a good team that does a lot of different things well," UCO head women's basketball coach Guy Hardaker said. "They're good inside and out and you just have to be ready to play."

Central Oklahoma is aiming to avenge a late season loss in Joplin last season. The Bronchos had won 10 in a row against MSSU before falling there in the final game of the 2020-21 regular season. Central Oklahoma and Missouri Southern have split 30 all-time meetings, 15-15.

This season, Central is led into conference play by senior forward Kelsey Johnson. The Washington, Oklahoma native has been named MIAA Player of the Week two weeks in a row. She's averaging 19.3 points per game (up from 18.9 last season) and 11.0 rebounds per game (also up from 9.7 last season).

Johnson shoots 57.5 percent from the floor, hitting a combined 46 of 80 shots in one month of play this season. She also shoots 42.9 percent from behind the 3-point line and 72.4 percent from the free-throw line. Johnson also averages 1.1 blocks per game.

Central Oklahoma is averaging as a team 69.6 points per game. The Bronchos shoot 40.7 percent overall, 23.3 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 71.3 percent from the charity stripe.

Alayzha Knapp, a sophomore forward from Tulsa, Oklahoma, is also averaging double figures for the Bronchos this season. Knapp transferred to UCO this summer from Arkansas-Little Rock. She is averaging 10.0 points per game to go with 4.0 rebounds per game. Her post play is a strong compliment to Johnson on the inside. Knapp is shooting 61.9 percent overall and is also averaging 1.1 steals per game for the Bronchos.

Karly Wadsworth and Brooke Rayner are both averaging just over six points per game. Wadsworth, a second-year freshman from Oologah, Oklahoma, is averaging 6.3 points per game and has a team-high 10 made 3-pointers in six contests. Rayner, a fourth-year junior from Pond Creek, Oklahoma, is averaging 6.2 points per game to go with 3.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.

Aliyah Llanusa, a third-year sophomore from Choctaw, Oklahoma, is averaging 5.8 points per game and 2.1 steals per game. Caley Young, who sat out each of the last two Broncho games, is averaging 5.5 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game. Jaci Littell adds 5.5 points per game and is second on the team with four made 3-pointers and third on the team with 10 made free-throws in six games.

Ginger Reece and Clary Donica both average 4.3 points per game and Donica averages the same amount of rebounds per game, which is second only to Johnson on the team. Avery Allen, who averages 2.8 points per game, is the team's leader with 22 assists, an average of 3.6 per game.

Central Oklahoma has forced 124 turnovers in six games, which is the second most by any MIAA school through the first month of the season.

Missouri Southern welcomes UCO to Joplin averaging 77.2 points per game. The Lions, shooting 39.9 percent overall and 30.2 percent from behind the 3-point line, allow 67.5 points per game.

Lacy Stokes, a freshman, leads the team with impressive numbers in four career games played. She has an 18.5 points per game average and is also the team's leading rebounder at 8.0 per game. She averages 7.2 assists per game and 3.2 steals per game.

Kaitlin Hunnicutt (11.8), Layne Siles (11.0) and Madi Stokes (10.0), all average double figures as well for the Lions.

Central Oklahoma will visit Pittsburg State on Saturday, with a 1:30 p.m. tipoff scheduled for the MIAA affair. After the sixth road consecutive road game, UCO will finally return to Hamilton Field House next weekend. The Bronchos are scheduled to host Washburn Dec. 9 and Emporia State Dec. 11.

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Players Mentioned

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

#3 Clary Donica: F; 6' 0"; Junior

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

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

#22 Aliyah Llanusa: G; 5' 7"; Sophomore

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

#21 Karly Wadsworth: G; 5' 8"; Freshman

#42 Caley Young: F; 5' 11"; Freshman

#15 Alayzha Knapp: F; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#35 Ginger Reece: F; 5' 11"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

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

#3 Clary Donica
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

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

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

#22 Aliyah Llanusa
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: G

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

#21 Karly Wadsworth
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: G

#42 Caley Young
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: F

#15 Alayzha Knapp
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: F

#35 Ginger Reece
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: F