Women's Basketball 2/4/2022 12:17:00 PM Chris Brannick

UCO Hosts Fort Hays State

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma women's basketball team is scheduled to host Fort Hays State on Saturday. Tipoff for the MIAA contest is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Hamilton Field House.

Central Oklahoma is 13-9 this season overall and the Bronchos are 9-7 in the MIAA. Fort Hays State, which is ranked No. 6 in the country in this week's WBCA Top 25, is 18-2 overall and 12-2 in the MIAA.

"We just need to play our game," UCO head women's basketball coach Guy Hardaker said. "We have to play our style of basketball and make them play that way too. We need to pressure the ball, force turnovers, and hopefully knock down some shots."

UCO leads the MIAA in total turnovers forced (431) and per game (19.6). The Bronchos have forced almost 50 more turnovers than any other team in the league. Central Oklahoma also has more steals (239) than any team in the league and records more steals per game (10.8) than any other team in the league.

Turning that into offense is a focal point of Central's game plan. The Bronchos are averaging 73.5 points per game this season and that mark ranks fourth in the MIAA. UCO shoots 42.1 percent overall from the floor and the Bronchos make 27.2 percent of their 3-point attempts, making an even 5.0 per game. Central also shoots 77.9 percent from the free-throw line, making an average of 14.4 per contest.

Kelsey Johnson continues to lead UCO in several statistical categories but the senior forward is looking to bounce back after a rare off night on Thursday. Johnson scored four points in Central's win over No. 22 Nebraska Kearney. It was just the seventh time in 73 career games Johnson didn't score double figures. She has scored at least 10 in 67 of 73 games with the Bronchos.

Johnson averages 21.0 points per game to lead Central. She entered the week having scored more points than any other player in the country. She ranks fourth in points per game and is also among the national leaders in field-goal percentage. Johnson shoots 57.5 percent from the floor.

She also averages 9.6 rebounds per game, leading the team on the boards.

Alayzha Knapp is second on the team in scoring at 10.7 points per game. She was big on Thursday, scoring 16 points. Knapp shoots 47.0 percent from the floor overall and also averages 4.3 rebounds per game.

Brooke Rayner, who averages 9.6 points per game, was also key in Central's win over UNK on Thursday. She scored a game-high 17 points. She's averaging just under 10 per game and does a little bit of everything for the Bronchos.

Rayner also averages 3.3 rebounds per game, 3.1 assists per game, and 2.3 steals per game. Her 51 steals this season are the second-most of any player in the MIAA and her 2.3 per game average is tied for third.

Rayner is tied with teammate Aliyah Llanusa, who has 50 total steals in 22 games this season. The two are among the best duo in the country at swiping balls away from the opposition .

Llanusa is also fourth on the squad in scoring at 6.7 points per game. She also averages 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists to go with her 2.3 steals per game.

Central has a group of Bronchos scoring 4-5 points per game.

Karly Wadsworth is averaging 5.3 points per game and leads the team in made 3-pointers with 29. Caley Young is averaging 5.1 points per game and also adds 4.4 rebounds per game. Clary Donica and Taylor Dement both average 4.5 points per game, with Donica chipping in on the boards too at 4.1 per game. And Jaci Littell is averaging 4.3 points per game.

Avery Allen averages 2.9 points per game but leads the team in assists with 85. She ranks third in the MIAA in total assists and is also fifth in assists per game at 3.9 per outing.

Fort Hays State is 18-2 overall this season and the Tigers of Hays, Kansas come to Edmond averaging 75.6 points per game. That ranks second in the MIAA. FHSU shoots 44.5 percent from the floor overall, 32.1 percent from behind the 3-point line, making 6.1 per game, and 75.4 percent from the free-throw line, making 15.5 per contest.

Katie Wagner leads Fort Hays in scoring at 15.7 points per game and is also the team's leading rebounder at 8.9 per game. Olivia Hollenbeck and Whitney Randall both average 11.4 points per game and are almost averaging the same numbers on the boards too. Randall averages 4.7 rebounds per game and Hollenbeck averages 4.0 per game. Jaden Hobbs also averages double figures at 10.3 points per game.

The two schools have played once already this season. Fort Hays won 78-71 in Hays in December. Central had a four-point halftime lead but a big third quarter for the Tigers put the game just out of reach of the Bronchos.

Central Oklahoma and Fort Hays State have played 19 times and FHSU has a 14-5 advantage in the series. The Tigers have won three in a row. The last Broncho win came at Hays in February of 2020.

UCO wraps up its short, two-game homestand with Saturday's contest against Fort Hays State. The Bronchos will be away from home for the next two weeks too. UCO plays at Newman, Rogers State and Northeastern State before returning home. UCO is scheduled to play Central Missouri and Missouri Southern the last weekend in February in a pair of home games to close out the 2021-22 regular season.

Central Oklahoma is currently sitting in seventh place in the MIAA standings. The top 10 teams in the league make the postseason tournament, scheduled for the first week of March in Kansas City, Missouri at historic Municipal Auditorium.

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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