Men's Basketball 11/2/2023 12:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

Men's Hoops Tips off New Season in Florida

Central Oklahoma Plays Two Games At Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic In Lakeland, Florida

LAKELAND, Fla. – Central Oklahoma tips off the 2023-24 season Saturday at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. The Bronchos are scheduled to play two games at George W. Jenkins Field House on the campus of Florida Southern.

UCO was tabbed No. 9 in the NABC Preseason Top 25 released earlier this week. Mercyhurst is the first opponent of the Bronchos and the Lakers from Erie, Pennsylvania were picked No. 25 in the poll. Central Oklahoma tips off against Mercyhurst at 3:30 p.m. (Eastern) Saturday. The Bronchos are also scheduled to play Cedarville (Ohio) on Sunday at the same time.

"We are excited to get the season started," UCO head men's basketball coach Bob Hoffman said. "This is a great event, and we are very fortunate to be invited to play in it. We have two tough opponents, and all of the games will be great games. We'll see what our team can do when the ball goes up and hopefully, we can play well and get off to a good start."

There are 10 teams in Florida for the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic with six teams ranked in the NABC Top 25 and three other teams receiving votes in the poll. Friday's schedule has three Top 25 head-to-head matchups.

Here is the complete schedule for the 2023 Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic:

Saturday, Nov. 4
All Times Eastern
(18) Colorado School of Mines vs. (16) Bentley, 11 a.m.
(RV) Missouri – St. Louis vs. Cedarville, 1:15 p.m.
(9) Central Oklahoma vs. (25) Mercyhurst, 3:30 p.m.
(RV) Florida Southern vs. (RV) Virginia Union, 5:45 p.m.
(20) Emporia State vs. (8) UNC Pembroke, 8 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 5
(18) Colorado School of Mines vs. (25) Mercyhurst, 11 a.m.
(16) Bentley vs. (RV) Missouri – St. Louis, 1:15 p.m.
(9) Central Oklahoma vs. Cedarville, 3:30 p.m.
(RV) Florida Southern vs. (8) UNC Pembroke, 5:45 p.m.
(20) Emporia State vs. (RV) Virginia Union, 8 p.m.

Central Oklahoma, under the direction of its fifth-year head coach Hoffman, enters the new season coming off back-to-back national tournament appearances. The Bronchos won the MIAA in 2022 and finished runners up in 2023. From last year's squad, there are eight returning lettermen paired with eight newcomers.

"This year's team has a good mix of guys that have been here, know what it takes be successful, and they know what we're trying to accomplish," Hoffman said. "The new guys are talented. They're going to have to learn what it's like to play college basketball and understand how hard it is to win in the MIAA. But I like our guys, and they have a lot of talent."

Central Oklahoma averaged 73.8 points per game last season and only allowed 60.8 per contest, one of the best marks in the country. The Bronchos shot 45.2 percent overall, 34.9 percent from 3-point range, and 76.3 percent from the free-throw line. UCO averaged 7.1 made 3-pointers per game and 16.7 made free-throws per game.

Leading the way for Central Oklahoma this season is fourth-year junior guard Jaden Wells. The Hurst, Texas native averaged 16.5 points per game last season in addition to 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. Wells is one of the best shooters in the country. He had a 43.5 overall field-goal percentage, a 42.6 3-point percentage, and an 84.1 free-throw percentage in 31 games played.

Wells led the NCAA in free-throw percentage in 2022 and led the MIAA in 3-point percentage last season. The fourth-year junior guard has scored 1,214 points in his career and ranks 24th in UCO history. He also ranks second in school history with 226 career made 3-pointers. Wells is a career 89.1 percent free-throw shooter and is in line to be the all-time leader at UCO in that category too.

Fifth-year senior Jalyn Turner, as well as juniors Preston Aymond, Luke Haasl, and Danquez Dawsey headline the returning Bronchos and also round out a veteran starting lineup for UCO. Mike Quick Jr., Ben Averitt, and Gunner Korstjens are also back and give UCO experience off the bench.

Turner has played in 115 of 116 games for the Bronchos over the last four years. With 74 wins and two national tournament appearances, the forward has been consistently steady in a role player position and provides vast experience and leadership for the Bronchos. Turner averaged 3.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game last season and has been at those numbers for his entire career.

Aymond is another fourth-year junior. After one year in junior college, the big man came to UCO and has helped the Bronchos win 50 games over the last two seasons and make back-to-back national tournament appearances. Aymond averaged 7.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last year. He is a 44.0 percent shooter that also had nearly one block per game.

Haasl is another fourth-year junior with one year in the program at UCO. The towering big man led the MIAA in blocks a year ago and is a contender for defensive player of the year. Haasl averaged 5.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in his first year with the Bronchos. He is a 60.4 percent shooter that turned back 42 shots a year ago.

Dawsey is a true, third-year junior that went from reserve minutes to a starting role in a hurry. He is now aimed at making another jump and showcase his talents this season. Dawsey is a scoring guard that averaged 6.6 points per game last season. He shot 42.8 percent overall, 41.1 percent from behind the arc, and 72.3 percent from the free-throw line. The speedy and athletic point guard had 54 total assists last season and is looking to boost that number in 2023-24.

Quick Jr. made his collegiate debut a year ago with the Bronchos and the athletic guard averaged 2.5 points per game in 27 appearances. Averitt, also a sophomore this winter, averaged 2.1 points per game in 27 appearances. Korstjens played in nine games as a redshirt freshman for Central last season.

Majok Majouk and Israel Hart both transferred to UCO. Majouk comes to Central from Southwest Minnesota State and the 6-foot-10 sophomore is ready to provide rim protection for the Bronchos as well as rebounding and some offensive output. He averaged 6.9 points and 4.8 rebounds as a redshirt freshman in Minnesota and had 29 blocked shots. Hart spent the last two seasons at Seminole State College and the junior college transfer will sit out this year at UCO.

Evan Barber, Parker Hannah, Jarreth Ingram, Connor Newton, Caiden Punt, and Matthew Willenborg are all true freshmen looking to find their roles with the Bronchos. The depth and talent Hoffman has with this year's recruiting class gives Central plenty to look forward too. The freshman bunch is a mix of bigs and guards that provide a lot of different skillsets for the Bronchos.

Central Oklahoma has never played against Mercyhurst on the basketball court. The Bronchos did face off with Cedarville just a few years back in the 1963-64 season. Central State won that matchup 95-40 in the first round of the NAIA national tournament.

Mercyhurst went 25-6 last season, falling the championship game of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) postseason tournament. The Lakers made the national field and went 1-1 there, falling in the Atlantic Regional semifinals. Mercyhurst was ranked No. 16 in the final poll of the 2022-23 season. MU returns seven lettermen from last year's squad.

Cedarville is the only team in Florida this weekend that is not at least receiving votes in the NABC Preseason Top 25. The Yellow Jackets were picked third in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) preseason coaches' poll.

UCO takes on Mercyhurst and Cedarville in Florida this weekend. The Bronchos will open the new season with four neutral-site matchups before playing at Hamilton Field House in Edmond. Central Oklahoma takes on Mary (N.D.) and Northwestern Oklahoma State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma next weekend as part of the Central Region Challenge.

Central Oklahoma opens the doors to Hamilton for the first time this season with a matchup against Southwestern Christian Sunday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Ben Averitt: G; 6' 6"; Sophomore

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

#3 Danquez Dawsey: G; 6' 2"; Junior

#11 Luke Haasl: F; 6' 10"; Junior

#15 Gunner Korstjens: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#0 Mike Quick Jr.: G; 6' 5"; Sophomore

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

#2 Jaden Wells: G; 6' 1"; Junior

#5 Majok Majouk: F; 6' 10"; Sophomore

#4 Evan Barber: G; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#12 Ben Averitt
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: G

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

#3 Danquez Dawsey
: 6' 2"; Junior
: G

#11 Luke Haasl
: 6' 10"; Junior
: F

#15 Gunner Korstjens
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G

#0 Mike Quick Jr.
: 6' 5"; Sophomore
: G

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

#2 Jaden Wells
: 6' 1"; Junior
: G

#5 Majok Majouk
: 6' 10"; Sophomore
: F

#4 Evan Barber
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: G