Men's Basketball 3/1/2022 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Top-Seeded Central Oklahoma Heads To Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – From September workouts to October training camp, and the grind of the last four months of the regular season, Central Oklahoma has spent that time working toward reaching the top. Now March, the recently crowned MIAA champion Bronchos are ready for the next challenge.

The 2022 MIAA Basketball Championship presented by Citizen's Bank & Trust begins Wednesday at historic Municipal Auditorium. Central Oklahoma is the No. 1 seed in the 10-team postseason tournament. The Bronchos are waiting in the quarterfinals for the winner of Wednesday's first-round game between (8) Central Missouri and (9) Northeastern State.

UCO is scheduled to play the winner at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Central Oklahoma won its first MIAA title since joining the league 10 years ago. The Bronchos are looking to win their first postseason championship.

"That was one of our goals to win the regular season but that wasn't our only goal," UCO head men's basketball coach Bob Hoffman said. "The guys worked so hard for so long to accomplish that first goal and now they're excited about the opportunity to go after the next goal. It's one game at a time in the postseason. We need to show up focused and ready to execute every possession."

Central Oklahoma posted a 23-5 record this season. The wins tied for ninth-most in school history. The Bronchos went 18-4 in the MIAA. That win mark is tied for fifth-most in MIAA history.

Central takes to Kansas City the highest scoring team in the MIAA. The Bronchos have held that title all season as UCO racked up 83.0 points per game over the last 28 games.

Isaiah Wade leads Central into KC. The senior forward is averaging 18.7 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. He also leads UCO in field-goal percentage at a blistering 58.7 percent.

Wade has posted seven double-doubles this season, with five of those 20-point, 10-rebound performances. His season high was 29, scored against then No. 4 Northwest Missouri in a win that ultimately gave UCO the No. 1 seed over the co-champion Bearcats. He also scored 28 in a blowout of Newman on Jan. 3. Wade's season high for rebounds is 16, pulled down in the season opener Nov. 13.

Callen Haydon is Central's second-leading scorer at 14.8 points per game but the point guard who is ranked eighth in the country in assists per game this season is producing more. He averages 6.1 assists per outing, creating nearly 30 points per game for the Bronchos.

Haydon also averages 2.9 rebounds per game and 1.6 steals per game. He's a 46.4 percent shooter overall, makes 36.6 percent of his 3-point attempts, and 91.3 percent of his free-throws. He's third in the MIAA in the latter having made 105 of 115 free-throws this season.

Jaden Wells is marginally behind Haydon in scoring at 14.6 points per game. The second-year freshman guard leads the country in free-throw percentage (94.9 pct.) and leads the MIAA in 3-point field-goal percentage (43.5). Wells, who is also second on the team at 5.7 rebounds per game, is 84-for-193 from outside the arc and 74-for-78 from the free-throw line this season.

Camryn Givens is averaging 13.7 points per game. The junior forward also adds 5.0 rebounds per game. Givens is a 53.6 percent shooter overall, a 43.0 percent 3-point shooter, and is one of four Bronchos with at least 70 made free-throws this season.

Jalyn Turner is UCO's fifth starter and continues to excel in several roles. He scores 3.7 points per game, averages 3.3 rebounds per game, and is involved and aggressive on the court.

Carson Calavan, Davon Richardson and Preston Aymond head up a short rotation for the Bronchos. The veteran Calavan averages three points and three assists like Turner and spells Haydon but can also play alongside him for a faster offense. Richardson averages 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. And Aymond puts up 7.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

If it is to be Central Missouri the Bronchos face on Thursday, the UCO folks would be mightily interested. UCM won at Hamilton Field House just a week ago in what ultimately spoiled Central Oklahoma's outright conference title.

If it is to be Northeastern State the Bronchos face on Thursday, the UCO folks would be mightily interested. Those two old foes would be facing off against each other on the hardwood for the 150th time on record.

Central Oklahoma qualified for the MIAA postseason tourney in each of the first six seasons the Bronchos navigated the new league. UCO missed the 2018-19 season but this will be the ninth trip in 10 years.

Central is 10-8 all-time in the tournament. The Bronchos reached the 2014 championship game but fell short to Missouri Southern. UCO has played in the semifinals four times (2013, 2014, 2018, 2021).

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Players Mentioned

#13 Carson Calavan: G; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#33 Camryn Givens: F; 6' 6"; Junior

#10 Jalyn Turner: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

#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

#23 Preston Aymond: F; 6' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#13 Carson Calavan
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G

#33 Camryn Givens
: 6' 6"; Junior
: F

#10 Jalyn Turner
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F

#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

#23 Preston Aymond
: 6' 7"; Freshman
: F