Men's Basketball 2/26/2021 3:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Visits Missouri Southern For Season Finale

JOPLIN, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma men's basketball team visits Missouri Southern for the final game of the 2020-21 regular season. The Bronchos enter the weekend with a record of 11-10 and are trying to lock down a spot in next week's MIAA Tournament. Missouri Southern is 13-8.

Central Oklahoma is averaging 79.4 points per game this season and currently with 21 games played, 11 wins and 10 losses, the Bronchos have outscored their opponents 1,667-1,650. UCO shoots 46.1 percent overall this season, 37.6 percent from behind the arc with 8.6 made 3-pointers per game, and 73.2 percent from the free-throw line with 15.6 made free-throws per contest.

Callen Haydon leads Central in scoring at 15.3 points per game and has scored at least 20 in each of the last four games (21, 21, 32, 20). The junior point guard from El Reno, Oklahoma is also the team's leader in assists and among the best in the conference in dishing the ball. Haydon averages 4.9 assists per game, which ranks fourth in the league. His 103 total assists also ranks fourth in the league. Haydon is shooting from the floor 55.9 percent overall, 61.7 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 85.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Isaiah Wade is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game. He's also the team's leading rebounder at 9.4 boards per game. Wade has posted eight double-doubles this season, including a monster game of 21 points and 18 rebounds last month. Wade shoots 53 percent from the field and is also second on the team from the free-throw line (60-for-93).

Camryn Givens joins Haydon and Wade in averaging double figures in scoring this season. A junior forward, Givens is averaging 13.1 points per game to go with 7.4 rebounds per game. He shoots 48 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from behind the arc with 31 made threes this season, and 80.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Jaden Wells makes it four Bronchos in double figures scoring 10.2 points per game. The freshman from Texas leads the team from outside having gone 50-for-131 from behind the arc. His 38.2 percent is also a team high. Wells hit three 3-pointers in four consecutive games prior to Wednesday. He's made at least one 3-pointer in 17 games, multiple 3-pointers in 15 games, and three 3-pointers in nine games. Wells hit five in a win at Emporia State last month and hit five again against Central Missouri Thursday night. He also hit a season-high six in a win over Lincoln on Feb. 2.

Shemar Smith (7.3) and Davon Richardson (6.4) are also both lending big hands in the scoring load for the Bronchos. Smith also averages 3.7 rebounds per game and Richardson averages 2.5 to with 20 steals, which is the second most in the lineup.

Missouri Southern is currently third in the MIAA with a 13-8 record. The Lions are averaging 81.7 points per game this season. Cam Martin leads the team with 25 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. Stan Scott is averaging 13.2, Winston Dessesow is averaging 12, and Lawston Jenkins is averaging 10.4 points per game.

Central Oklahoma trails in the all-time series 12-4 and is looking for its first win against Missouri Southern since March 2, 2013 when the Bronchos beat MSSU on the final day of the 2012-13 regular season. Southern owns a 11-game win streak in the series.

Central Oklahoma hasn't qualified for the MIAA Tournament yet, but are sitting in eighth place heading into the final weekend. A UCO win Saturday and the Bronchos are in. The top four teams in the conference will host a quarterfinal game. The highest remaining seed after the quarterfinals will host the remainder of the tournament.

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Players Mentioned

#33 Camryn Givens: F; 6' 6"; Junior

#23 Shemar Smith: G; 6' 7"; Redshirt Freshman

#2 Isaiah Wade: F; 6' 7"; Senior

#1 Davon Richardson: G; 6' 3"; Freshman

#24 Jaden Wells: G; 6' 1"; Freshman

#14 Callen Haydon: G; 5' 11"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#33 Camryn Givens
: 6' 6"; Junior
: F

#23 Shemar Smith
: 6' 7"; Redshirt Freshman
: G

#2 Isaiah Wade
: 6' 7"; Senior
: F

#1 Davon Richardson
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: G

#24 Jaden Wells
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: G

#14 Callen Haydon
: 5' 11"; Junior
: G