Women's Basketball 11/28/2023 5:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

UCO Opens MIAA Play Thursday Night

Central Oklahoma Hosts Central Missouri Thursday Night At Hamilton Field House

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma returns to the court this week with the first two MIAA games of the season. Up first for the Bronchos is No. 3 Central Missouri, Thursday evening at Hamilton Field House. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

UCO, which is 1-5 this season, will also host Lincoln Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

The Bronchos are coming off their first win of the season in their final non-conference game last week. UCO beat Oklahoma Christian, snapping a five-game skid to start the year. This season is only the fourth time ever to start 0-5 in more than 50 seasons.

Central Missouri comes to Edmond with a 5-0 record. The Jennies from Warrensburg, Missouri, are outscoring opponents by 17 points per game this season. UCM outscored its two opponents by 23.5 points per game last week in Florida.

Lincoln is 3-2 on the year and coming off a loss to No. 17 Drury. The Blue Tigers from Jefferson City, Missouri play at Newman Thursday night before coming to Edmond for Saturday's game.

Central Oklahoma welcomes its first two MIAA opponents averaging 67.3 points per game through six games played this season. UCO shoots 38.9 percent as a team, 31.8 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 76.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Karly Wadsworth leads the Bronchos in scoring after six games with the fourth-year junior averaging 12.0 points per game. Wadsworth is 26-for-60 from the floor for a 43.3 percent rate, 15-for-39 from behind the arc, a 38.5 percent rate, and 5-for-7 from the free-throw line for a 71.4 percent rate. Wadsworth also averages 1.7 steals per game.

Reagan Fox is second on the team in scoring at 11 points per game. The sophomore transfer is shooting 37.3 percent overall, 48.0 percent from behind the arc, and 84.2 percent from the free-throw line. Fox is second to Wadsworth with 12 made 3-pointers in six games and she leads the Bronchos in both makes and attempts from the free-throw line, having gone 16-for-19 in six games played. Fox also averages 3.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

Natalie Stice is averaging 6.7 points per game for Central and is the third-leading scorer on the team. The sixth-year senior transfer is only playing 18 minutes per game but is also third on the team with seven made 3-pointers through six games. Stice is averaging 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.

There are four Bronchos averaging five points per game. Alexis Lewis (5.8), Aspen Williston (5.7), Alena Wilson (5.5), and Caley Young (5.2) all help out on the offensive end. That foursome is also big on the boards for the Bronchos. Wilson leads UCO at 4.8 rebounds per game while Lewis and Young both average 3.0 rebounds per game. Williston adds 2.5 rebounds per game.

Aliyah Llanusa missed the last two games with an injury but the fifth-year senior is averaging 4.8 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, and a team-high 1.8 steals per game. She adds 2.8 assists too in a well-rounded effort. Gracee Miller, a true freshman, is averaging 4.0 points 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game through the first six games of her career.

Central Oklahoma and Central Missouri have a recent past that has gone the Missouri way. Since the Bronchos joined the MIAA in 2012, UCM is 12-3 against UCO. The last win for the Bronchos came in January 2021 in Edmond, and all three of Central Oklahoma's wins in the series since 2012 have been in Edmond.

The all-time series between the two schools adds three more victories for Central Missouri. UCO lost in 1982-83, 1996-97, and 2005-06 as the two played non-conference games against one another.

Central Missouri is averaging 77.6 points per game through five games played. The Jennies are led by Brooke Littrell, who averages 22.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. The fourth-year junior has over 1,500 points in her career. Olivia Nelson is also a key figure for UCM averaging 18.4 points and 4.9 assists per game. Ashley Tull is the third in double figures at 10.0 points per game and adds 6.5 rebounds per game. Edmond's Graycen Holden is averaging 9.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Central Oklahoma gets Lincoln on Saturday afternoon. The Bronchos are 12-2 all-time against the Blue Tigers with a 12-game win streak as MIAA rivals. Lincoln is playing its final season as a member of the MIAA.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

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

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

#1 Aspen Williston: F; 6' 4"; Senior

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

#4 Natalie Stice: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#5 Reagan Fox: F; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#13 Gracee Miller: G; 5' 7"; Freshman

#2 Alena Wilson: F; 5' 10"; Junior

#35 Alexis Lewis: F; 6' 0"; Junior

Players Mentioned

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

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

#1 Aspen Williston
: 6' 4"; Senior
: F

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

#4 Natalie Stice
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#5 Reagan Fox
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: F

#13 Gracee Miller
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: G

#2 Alena Wilson
: 5' 10"; Junior
: F

#35 Alexis Lewis
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F