Women's Basketball 2/1/2023 8:13:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Welcomes No. 12 Nebraska Kearney

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma returns home for a two-game MIAA stretch that begins with nationally-ranked Nebraska Kearney Thursday night at Hamilton Field House.

UCO is 7-12 this season with a 4-11 record in the MIAA. The Lopers from Kearney, Nebraska, which are ranked No. 12 in the country in this week's WBCA Top 25, come to Edmond with a 20-3 overall record and a 13-2 mark in league play.

"This will be a tough test for us," first-year UCO women's head coach Emma Andrews said. "We've seen them before and they don't make it easy on any part of the game. We need to be focused on executing our gameplan and try to be opportunistic where we can."

Central Oklahoma is also hosting Fort Hays State (16-7, 11-4 MIAA) on Saturday afternoon.

UCO and Kearney met Dec. 18 in Nebraska, with the hosts handing the Bronchos a 73-52 setback. Last season, the home team won both games, with Central Oklahoma picking up a win in February at Hamilton Field House.

This season, Central welcomes Kearney to Hamilton looking to get back in the win column after a pair of road losses last week. The Bronchos are averaging 70.1 points per game this season and allowing 73.1 points per outing.

UCO is shooting an even 40 percent from the field, 30.7 percent from behind the 3-point line with an average of 6.4 threes per game, and 74.1 percent from the free-throw line with an average of 12.6 makes per game.

Karly Wadsworth is Central Oklahoma's leading scorer this season, with the third-year sophomore averaging 13.4 points per game. She leads the team in total field goals made (87), 3-point field goals made (43), and is third on the squad in free-throws made (38). Wadsworth is also leading UCO with 37 steals, 1.9 per game.

Wadsworth ranks third in the MIAA in made 3-pointers per game (2.3) and sixth in 3-point field-goal percentage (30.6). She also ranks 10th in total steals and steals per game.

Aliyah Llansua, a fourth-year junior, has been a do-it-all for the Bronchos this year. She is averaging 10.4 points per game, a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game, 3.1 assists per game, and is just two steals back of Wadsworth for the team lead. She shoots 42.9 percent overall, 40.6 percent from behind the 3-point line, and has made a team-high 51 free-throws this season.

Aspen Williston has progressively gotten better with each game this season. She is averaging 10.4 points per game as well, adds 4.5 rebounds per game, and leads the team with 38 blocked shots this season. Williston, a fifth-year senior, is averaging 2.3 blocks per game. She ranks second in the MIAA in total blocks and blocks per game.

Alayzha Knapp (13.2 points, 4.6 rebounds) and Brooke Rayner (10.2 points, 3.7 assists) have also been key contributors this season.

UNK is averaging 68.5 points per game but only allows 50.9 from its opponents. Shiloh McCool leads the team at 12.1 points per game and also averages 6.6 rebounds per game. Elisa Backes also averages double figures at 10.9 points per game. Klaire Kirsch (8.7 points) leads the team at 7.6 rebounds per game.

Central Oklahoma has seven games left in the regular season as the calendar turns to February. UCO will play two at home this weekend before one on the road next weekend at Washburn. The Bronchos then return home for two games with Rogers State and Northeastern State. Then Central wraps up the regular season at Northwest Missouri and at Newman on the final week of the February.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

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

#11 Brooke Rayner: G; 5' 7"; Senior

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

#11 Brooke Rayner
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

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

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