Women's Basketball 1/12/2022 8:03:00 AM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Visit UCM Thursday

Central Oklahoma Takes Three-Game Win Streak To Central Missouri

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team takes its three-game win streak on the road this week when the Bronchos visit Central Missouri Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in a crucial MIAA matchup.

Central Oklahoma is 10-5 overall this season and 6-3 in the MIAA. Central Missouri is 10-6 overall and also stands at 6-3 in league play heading into Thursday night's contest. The two squads are tied for fifth place in the MIAA standings with still more than half of the league games left to play.

"Central Missouri is always a tough matchup," UCO head women's basketball coach Guy Hardaker said. "They've got some really talented players and they make things tough on you. And it's a tough place to play. We just need to be focused on what we do and our gameplan."

Central Oklahoma heads to Central Missouri having won three straight games – all in league play. UCO beat Newman, Northeastern State and Rogers State last week.

The Bronchos are averaging 72.4 points per game through 15 games played this season. UCO has a 41.9 percent shooting rate, including a 26.6 percent mark from outside the 3-point line and a 77.9 percent mark from the free-throw line.

Central Oklahoma ranks among the best in the MIAA in a handful of team categories.

The Bronchos lead the MIAA in assists (264), steals (162), and total rebounds (598). UCO is second in the league in all three categories on a per-game basis. Central Oklahoma also ranks second in the league in free-throw percentage (77.9).

Central Oklahoma is led by Kelsey Johnson, a fifth-year senior forward that earlier this week was named MIAA Player of the Week for the third time this season.

Johnson averages 20.1 points per game, which is tied for second in the MIAA and ranks 11th among all Division II players in the country. She shoots 56 percent from the floor, having made 112 of 200 shots through 15 games played this season.

Johnson is also 72-for-83 from the free-throw line. Her 72 makes is the most of any player in the league and the 86.7 percent mark ranks third in the MIAA and is 32nd nationally.

Johnson also averages 9.8 rebounds per game, a rate that is among the best in the MIAA.

Central Oklahoma's other starting forward, Alazyha Knapp, is second on the team in scoring behind Johnson. Knapp averages 10.3 points per game and also shoots over 50 percent. She is 65-for-129 through 15 games played this season, a 50.4 percent rate. Knapp also averages 4.5 rebounds per game.

Brooke Rayner and Aliyah Llanusa are posting near identical numbers for Central Oklahoma at the two-guard spot.

Rayner is Central Oklahoma's third leading scorer at 7.9 points per game. She shoots 36.4 percent from the floor, 22.8 percent from behind the arc, and is second on the team with 13 made 3-pointers in 15 games played. Rayner is also a perfect 19-for-19 from the free-throw line this season.

Llanusa is averaging 7.5 points per game, is also shooting 36.4 percent from the floor, and has made 10 3-pointers in 15 games. She is 22-for-30 from the free-throw line.

The two head up UCO's league-leading defensive effort. Both have a team-high 33 steals, an average of 2.2 per game, and both of those marks rank third in the MIAA.

Karly Wadsworth lands fifth on Central Oklahoma's scoring list at 6.4 points per game. Wadsworth, a second-year freshman guard, is the team's leading shooter from outside. She is 24-for-67 from behind the 3-point line through 15 games played, a 35.8 percent mark. Wadsworth is tied for seventh in the MIAA with 24 made 3-pointers this season.

Clary Donica, 5.9 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game, gives Central a solid presence in the post coming off the bench. Caley Young, 4.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, does the same.

Taylor Dement (4.3), Ginger Reece (2.4) and Avery Allen (2.3) all chip in in reserve duty as well. Allen does have a team-high 53 assists too. That mark is tied for fourth in the league.

Central Missouri, like UCO, has two post players that carry most of the load. The Jennies are led by Nija Collier, who scores 19.7 points per game and pulls down 11.7 rebounds per contest. Brooke Littrell posts 18.9 points per game and pulls down 9.3 rebounds per game. Olivia Nelson gives UCM a third double-digit scorer at 14.0 points per game and she averages a league-best 5.0 assists per game.

UCM averages 71.6 points per game through 16 games played this season. The Jennies do get almost all of that through its starting lineup. UCM averages 7.1 points per game off the bench.

Central Oklahoma and Central Missouri have played 14 times, with 11 of those meetings coming since the Bronchos joined the MIAA in 2012. Central Missouri owns an 11-3 advantage in the series. The Bronchos won last season's first meeting in Edmond before UCM won the most recent meeting in Warrensburg during the last week of the regular season last year.

Central Oklahoma will continue on a short, two-game road swing following Thursday night's contest. The Bronchos are scheduled to play Lincoln on Saturday afternoon in Jefferson City, Mo. UCO is scheduled to return home for a pair of MIAA matchups with Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western next weekend.

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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

#22 Aliyah Llanusa: G; 5' 7"; Sophomore

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

#4 Taylor Dement: G; 5' 5"; Redshirt Freshman

#21 Karly Wadsworth: G; 5' 8"; Freshman

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

#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

#22 Aliyah Llanusa
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: G

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

#4 Taylor Dement
: 5' 5"; Redshirt Freshman
: G

#21 Karly Wadsworth
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: G

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

#35 Ginger Reece
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: F