Women's Basketball 12/14/2021 1:45:00 PM Chris Brannick

UCO To Face Two Top 25 Squads This Weekend

HAYS, Kan. – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team opens a crucial MIAA road trip Friday night at Fort Hays State, facing a team that last week was ranked No. 1 in the country. The Bronchos are also scheduled to play at Nebraska Kearney Saturday. UNK was ranked No. 17 in the country last week before beating Hays.

Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Fort Hays State is now tied for fifth in the national coaches' poll and 14th in the national media poll. UNK is 12th in the coaches and seventh in the media polls.

Central Oklahoma, which averages 73.0 points per game, leads the MIAA in team rebounding at 41.2 per game and in team assists at 17.3 per contest. UCO heads women's basketball coach Guy Hardaker is in his 16th season leading the Bronchos. The former Broncho baseball player and UCO Athletics Hall of Famer has a 288-161 record leading his alma mater.

UCO heads into the weekend with a 7-3 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State averages 73.1 points per game this season, 0.1 more than the Bronchos. Katie Wagner leads the team with 17.6 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per game. Whitney Randall (11.9), Olivia Hollenbeck (11.4) and Lauren West (10.5) all average double figures scoring as well. Jaden Hobbs (8.3 PPG) is another player to watch for the Tigers.

Central Oklahoma trails Fort Hays State 14-5 in the all-time series. The teams played twice prior to both schools joining the MIAA and split those meetings, 1-1. Central is 4-13 in league games against Hays with wins coming once in each of the following seasons: 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2019-20.

Kelsey Johnson continues to lead UCO at a high rate. The senior forward recently eclipsed the 1,000-point mark and the 500-rebound mark for her career. She did that on Thursday. Then she hit the game-winning free-throws with 0.3 seconds left on Saturday. Johnson is averaging 19.4 points per game and 11.0 rebounds per game this season. She's third in the league in scoring and second in rebounding. Johnson now ranks ninth on UCO's all-time scoring list (1,023 points) and eighth on the all-time rebounding list (519 rebounds).

Alayzha Knapp is averaging 10.0 points per game this season. She scored exactly 10 in each of the last two games. Knapp is also averaging 4.4 rebounds per game for the Bronchos.

Karly Wadsworth is averaging 7.9 points per game this season and is among the best shooters in the MIAA. The second-year freshman from Oologah, Oklahoma is 21-for-48 (.438) from behind the 3-point line. She ranks third in percentage and sixth in made 3-pointers per game in the league.

Brooke Rayner is averaging 8.6 points per game, 3.7 assists per game, 3.6 rebounds per game, and 2.1 steals per game. The assist rate is sixth-best in the MIAA while the steals rate is third in the league.

Aliyah Llanusa, who averages 6.0 points per game, is the leader on defense pressuring the opponents' best player all game. Llanusa averages 2.0 steals per game, with 20 total in 10 games, and ranks fourth in the MIAA in that category.

Jaci Littell is averaging 6.0 points per game, 2.0 rebounds per game, and 2.0 assists per game in a do-it-all role this season for the Bronchos. Her 10 made 3-pointers in 10 games is second on the team.

Clary Donica is averaging 5.6 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game through 10 games this season. The latter mark is second only to Johnson. Caley Young, who has only played in four games due to injury, is averaging 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Ginger Reece adds 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.

Avery Allen's scoring numbers are down to just 1.8 points per game but the third-year redshirt freshman is fifth in the MIAA with 38 assists, an average of 3.8 per game.

Central Oklahoma is off for the holidays following Sunday's game at Nebraska Kearney. UCO will return to the court January 3 and play three games in the first week of the new year.

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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