Men's Basketball 3/1/2021 4:09:00 PM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Begin Playoffs Wednesday

JOPLIN, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma men's basketball team will play in its eighth MIAA Tournament since joining the league nine years ago when the Bronchos take on Missouri Southern Wednesday at 6 p.m. UCO earned the No. 5 seed in the MIAA Tournament. MSSU is the No. 4 seed.

Central Oklahoma played in each of the first six MIAA Tournaments after joining the league before missing the 2018-19 season. UCO is 9-7 overall in tourney play. The Bronchos made it to the championship game in 2014 before falling to Missouri Southern.

Callen Haydon leads Central in scoring at 15.5 points per game and has scored at least 20 in each of the last five games (21, 21, 32, 20, 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 5.0 assists per game, which is tied for third in the league. His 110 total assists also ranks fourth in the league. Haydon is shooting from the floor 55.2 percent overall, 59.6 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 85.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Isaiah Wade is second on the team in scoring, averaging 14.3 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 54.1 percent from the field and is also second on the team in makes and attempts from the free-throw line (64-for-102).

Camryn Givens joins Haydon and Wade in averaging double figures in scoring this season. A junior forward, Givens is averaging 13 points per game to go with 7.4 rebounds per game. He has the most defensive rebounds on the team with 136. Wade shoots 47.6 percent from the field, 35.2 percent from behind the arc with 32 made threes this season, and 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Jaden Wells makes it four Bronchos in double figures scoring 10.9 points per game. The freshman from Texas leads the team from outside having gone 56-for-146 from behind the arc. His 38.4 percent is also a team high and is the fifth best mark in the MIAA. Wells has made at least one 3-pointer in 18 games, multiple 3-pointers in 16 games, and at least three 3-pointers in 10 games. Wells hit five in a win at Emporia State in January and hit five again against Central Missouri last week. He also hit a season-high six in a win over Lincoln on Feb. 2 and again in win over Missouri Southern this past weekend.

Shemar Smith (7.7) and Davon Richardson (6.1) are also both lending big hands in the scoring load for the Bronchos. Smith also averages 3.7 rebounds per game and Richardson averages 2.4 to with 20 steals, which is the second most in the lineup.

Missouri Southern finished fourth in the MIAA with a 13-9 record. The Lions are averaging 82.6 points per game this season. Cam Martin leads the team with 24.7 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. Stan Scott is averaging 13.8, Winston Dessesow is averaging 11.7, and Lawson Jenkins is averaging 10.8 points per game.

Central Oklahoma trails in the all-time series 12-5 but is optimistic following a big overtime win in Joplin last week. UCO earned 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. It was the final day of the 2020-21 regular season when Central snapped an 11-game win streak of MSSU's in the series.

Now begins the win or go home portion of the schedule. The highest remaining seed following Wednesday's quarterfinals will host the remainder of the tournament with the semifinals scheduled for Friday and the 2021 MIAA Championship scheduled for Saturday.

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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