Women's Basketball 3/1/2021 12:30:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Starts Postseason Wednesday

Bronchos Visit Kansas For MIAA Quarterfinals

EMPORIA, Kan. – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team will play in its eighth consecutive MIAA Tournament after joining the league nine years ago. The Bronchos drew the fifth seed in the tournament and will take on fourth-seeded Emporia State Wednesday in Emporia, Kan. with a tipoff scheduled for 6 p.m. from White Auditorium.

Central Oklahoma is 7-7 in the MIAA Tournament. The Bronchos are 0-3 against Emporia State, including one meeting in the 2017 MIAA Championship game. The Bronchos have wins over former league foe Lindenwood (three), as well as Missouri Southern, Missouri Western, Nebraska Kearney, and Northwest Missouri. Central is 3-0 in games played in Edmond, 1-0 in games played on the road, and 3-7 in games played in Kansas City.

Kelsey Johnson leads UCO in scoring and rebounding, as well as several other categories. The senior forward is averaging 18.4 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 55.9 percent this season, which ranks first in the MIAA and is the only 50 percent mark in the league. Johnson ranks third in the MIAA in made free-throws (97) this season and ranks third in the league in attempts (121). Her 80.2 percent mark from the charity stripe ranks eighth in the league.

Brooke Rayner is second on the team in scoring, averaging 9.4 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 8.6 points per game and is second on the team in both made 3-pointers (28) and made free-throws (54). Littell is 28-for-86 from behind the arc and is 54-for-75 from the free-throw line this season. She also averages 3.9 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 87 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 17.

Caley Young, Clary Donica and Kaci Richardson all lend an equal hand in the effort for the Bronchos. Young averages 6.1 points and 4.3 rebounds, Donica averages 5.2 points and 4.4 rebounds, and Richardson averages 4.2 points and 3.6 rebounds.

Emporia finished the regular season 17-5. The Hornets average 73.7 points per game and are the leading scoring team in the MIAA. ESU made and attempted a league high for 3-pointers (224-for-635). Tre'Zure Jobe leads the team with 20 points per game and is the MIAA's leading scorer and the only player that scored more points this season than Kelsey Johnson. Ehlaina Hartman (13.1), Fredricka Sheats (12.9), and Karsen Schultz (12.6) all average double figures as well.

Central Oklahoma is just 8-25 all-time against Emporia State. The Bronchos split the regular season meetings with the Hornets this year with the home team winning both games.

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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