Women's Basketball 2/26/2021 11:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

2021 Season Finale Set For Saturday

Central Oklahoma Visits Missouri Southern

JOPLIN, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team wraps up the 2020-21 regular season Saturday when the Bronchos take on Missouri Southern in Joplin. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

The Bronchos are 14-7 this season and have locked in their position as the No. 5 seed in the MIAA Tournament. Missouri Southern is 8-13 this season and is in eighth place in the MIAA standings. MSSU can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Northwest Missouri loss.

UCO is averaging 71.3 points per game through 21 games played this season. The Bronchos shoot 43 percent overall from the field, 31.4 percent from 3-point range, and 72.7 percent from the free-throw line. Central averages 5.8 made 3-pointers and 14.7 made free-throws per game.

Kelsey Johnson leads UCO in scoring and rebounding, as well as several other categories. The senior forward is averaging 18.9 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game. She's posted 12 double-doubles this season, including one in each of the last four games. Johnson ranks second in the MIAA in scoring and rebounding. She's also shooting 57.7 percent this season, which ranks first in the MIAA and is the only 50 percent mark in the league. Her 91-for-113 line leads the team. Johnson ranks fourth in the MIAA in made free-throws this season and ranks third in the league in attempts. Her 80.5 percent mark from the charity stripe ranks ninth in the league.

Brooke Rayner is second on the team in scoring, averaging 9.8 points per game and has scored in double figures in 13 games this season. She leads the team with 29 made 3-pointers this season, having made at least one in 13 games this season. Rayner has made three 3-pointers in a game six times this season. The junior guard also averages 3.0 rebounds per game, 2.3 assists per game, and 1.5 steals per game. She leads UCO with 30 steals this season.

Jaci Littell is averaging 8.5 points per game and is second on the team in both made 3-pointers (25) and made free-throws (53). Littell is 25-for-82 from behind the arc and is 53-for-73 from the free-throw line this season. She also averages 3.8 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game, and just under one steal per game.

Avery Allen, averaging 6.0 points per game, continues to lead the team on offense from the point guard position. Allen averages four assists per game and has 85 total assists this season. She ranks third in the MIAA in both total assists and assists per game. Allen is also third on Central's list of made 3-pointers with 16.

Caley Young, Clary Donica and Kaci Richardson all lend an equal hand in the effort for the Bronchos. Young averages 6.2 points and 4.3 rebounds, Donica averages 5.3 points and 4.5 rebounds, and Richardson averages 4.4 points and 3.8 rebounds.

Missouri Southern won Thursday night against Washburn to snap a four-game losing streak. The Lions average 63.2 points per game this season. Carley Turnbull leads the team averaging 14 points per game. Madi Stokes averages 10.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. She is the only player in the MIAA with more rebounds than Johnson.

Central Oklahoma leads the all-time series with Missouri Southern 15-14 thanks to a win over the Lions in Edmond earlier this season. The first meeting was the first game of the 2020-21 regular season and the Bronchos won 75-74. That win was also the 10th consecutive win for the Bronchos against the Lions.

Central will travel to Emporia State as the MIAA Tournament begins Wednesday, March 3.

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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

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

#44 Kaci Richardson: F; 5' 10"; Senior

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

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

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

#44 Kaci Richardson
: 5' 10"; Senior
: F

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