Women's Basketball 1/28/2022 11:04:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Travels To Washburn For MIAA Tilt

TOPEKA, Kan. – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team is scheduled to play its second of two MIAA road games in the Sunflower state this week when the Bronchos take on Washburn at Lee Arena Saturday at 1 p.m.

Central Oklahoma is 12-8 overall this season and has an 8-6 record in the MIAA. UCO is in seventh place in the league standings heading into the final weekend of January. Washburn is 8-9 overall and 6-5 in the MIAA, which is good for eighth place at the moment.

UCO is gaining ground in this all-time series, trailing Washburn 10-12. The teams met last month in Edmond and Central came away with a 69-58 win. It was the second in a row for the Bronchos in the series. The teams have been streaky as of late. UCO won four in a row (2016-18) before WU won three in a row (2018-20) before Central's now two-game win streak in the series.

UCO is averaging 73.5 points per game this season and outscore their opponents by an average of 4.2 points per game. Defensively, Central allows 69.3 points per game. The Bronchos lead the league in forced turnovers this season. UCO has forced 393 turnovers through 20 games, more than any other team in the league. The 19.7 turnovers per game is also a league high. Similarly, Central has more steals (214) than any other team in the MIAA and averages more per game (10.7) than any other squad.

Kelsey Johnson leads UCO into the weekend. She has scored 434 points this season and that is more than any other player in the country. Johnson is averaging 21.7 points per game. She averaged 34.0 points per game in two games last week.

Johnson came into this season with the single season (60.2 pct., 2019-20) and career (57.6 pct., 2019-21) field goal percentage records at UCO. She's keeping up to the task this season. Johnson is shooting 57.4 percent from the floor overall. She's got a 35.0 percent mark on 3-point attempts, hitting seven from outside. And she's at 85.6 percent at the free-throw line, making 95 of 111 attempts this season.

Johnson, who also leads the country in total field goals made (166), is also the team's leading rebounder at 9.5 per game. That mark ranks third in the MIAA and is among the top 50 nationally. Johnson is also nearing the next rung on the ladder of all-time scorers at UCO.

She has 1,263 career points, which is fifth all-time. Keri Smith scored 1,343 points from 1998-2002.

Alayzha Knapp is Central's second leading scorer at 10.4 points per game. Knapp shoots 46.6 percent overall and 71.2 percent from the free-throw line. She adds the 11 points per game as well as 4.5 rebounds per game.

Brooke Rayner is leading the guard play for Central on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Rayner averages 8.8 points per game, 3.3 assists per game, 3.3 rebounds per game, and 2.2 steals per game. She shoots 35.2 percent overall, has 22 made 3-pointers and is 28-for-33 from the free-throw line through 19 games played, a 90.3 percent rate.

Aliyah Llanusa joins Rayner in leading the guard play for the Bronchos. She averages 7.2 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game, 1.9 assists per game, and 2.2 steals per game. She is a 36.5 percent shooter overall, has a dozen made 3-pointers, and is a 70.5 percent free-throw shooter. Rayner's 44 steals are the second most in the MIAA and Llanusa is third with 43 steals. They are both in the top 50 in the country in that category.

Karly Wadsworth adds 5.6 points per game for the Broncho offense. Most of her work is done outside the 3-point line. The second-year freshman guard has a team-high 29 made 3-pointers through 20 games played. She is 29-for-83, a 34.9 percent mark. She ranks ninth in the league in made threes.

Caley Young has been coming off the bench to add another post presence for the Bronchos. She started this past weekend and has four starts this season, but the second-year freshman is providing options any time she's on the floor. Young averages 5.3 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Clary Donica has been doing the same and has identical numbers. She is averaging 4.9 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game, giving the Bronchos four strong post options.

Jaci Littell chips in with 4.4 points per game. She has 13 made 3-pointers and 31 made free-throws. Taylor Dement (4.6) and Avery Allen (2.4) add to the offense. Allen as a team-high 77 assists. She ranks third in the MIAA in total assists and fifth in the league in assists per game (3.6).

Central Oklahoma returns home next week to host Nebraska Kearney on Thursday, Feb. 3 and Fort Hays State on Saturday, Feb. 5.

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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

#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

#15 Alayzha Knapp: F; 6' 2"; 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

#13 Jaci Littell
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: G

#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

#15 Alayzha Knapp
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: F