Women's Basketball 1/3/2024 12:08:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Visits Washburn

Bronchos Return To Play After Two-Week Holiday Layoff

TOPEKA, Kan. – Central Oklahoma resumes the 2023-24 season Thursday evening with an MIAA matchup against Washburn. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Central Oklahoma is 2-10 this season with a 1-5 record in the MIAA. Washburn welcomes UCO to Lee Arena Thursday night with an 8-3 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the MIAA.

"Washburn is really improved and this will be a tough test for us," UCO head women's basketball coach Emma Andrews said. "We're focusing on trying to play our game for four quarters. That's kind of been our weak spot, not playing our best for four quarters, and we think if we can do that, we have the potential to win more games."

Central Oklahoma resumes play in 2024 averaging 65.4 points per game as a team. The Bronchos shoot 37.5 percent from the floor, 29.7 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 71.0 percent from the free-throw line. UCO averages 6.6 made 3-pointers per game and 10.8 made free-throws per game.

Karly Wadsworth continues to lead the Bronchos. The fourth-year junior from Oologah, Oklahoma is averaging 10.8 points per game through 12 games played. Wadsworth has a team-high 45 made field goals and 27 made 3-pointers. She is shooting 39.5 percent overall and 34.2 percent from behind the arc, averaging 2.2 made threes per game. Wadsworth also leads the team with 24 steals, 2.0 per game.

Reagan Fox averages 9.5 points per game and has also been a key figure for the Bronchos through the first 12 games played. Fox, a sophomore from Blanchard, Oklahoma, is third on the team with 32 made shots and second on the team with 19 made 3-pointers. She leads the team in both makes (31) and attempts (34) from the free-throw line and her 91.2 percent rate there is the best in the MIAA.

Natalie Stice is Central's third-leading scorer through 12 games. The Tahoka, Texas sixth-year senior is averaging 7.2 points per game. She is shooting 31.2 percent overall and has 15 made 3-pointers. Stice, at her third school, has scored 998 career points since 2019.

Alena Wilson, who averages 6.3 points per game, is one of Central's leading rebounders at 4.9 boards per game. Wilson, a junior from Dallas, is second on the team with 34 made shots this season. She shoots 44.2 percent overall.

LaKysia Johnson (5.8) and Aliyah Llanusa (5.0) also help with the load on offense. Llanusa leads the Bronchos with 5.3 rebounds per game. Aspen Williston (4.6) and Caley Young (4.2) both help scoring on the inside. Gracee Miller (3.8) and Talia Pogi (3.4) round out the regular contributors for Central.

Washburn welcomes the Bronchos averaging 76.3 points per game and the Ichabods have a stout +16.5 scoring margin after 11 games this season. WU allows just 59.8 points per game.

The team shoots 44.5 percent overall, 37.4 percent from behind the arc with 7.3 made 3-pointers per game, and 69.6 percent from the free-throw line with 15 makes per game.

Four in double figures lead the way. Yiibari Nwidadah (14.0) and Aubree Dewey (13.9) are the top two scores and both rank 10th and 11th in the MIAA in scoring. Aniah Wayne (11.1) and Gabi Giovannetti (11.0) also average double figures. Nwidadah leads the team with 9.9 rebounds per game.

The series between the two schools has been tight. The teams have split the season series 1-1 in each of the last three seasons and the series is 10-9 in favor of Washburn since the Bronchos joined the MIAA in 2012. The all-time series is 14-11, Washburn.

Central Oklahoma has two games this weekend in Kansas. The Bronchos will follow Washburn with Emporia State Saturday at 1:30 p.m. UCO takes on the Lady Hornets from White Auditorium in Emporia, Kansas. The Bronchos return home next week to take on Northeastern State (1/10) and Rogers State (1/13).

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

#3 LaKysia Johnson: G; 5' 7"; Junior

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

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

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

#23 Talia Pogi: F; 5' 9"; Sophomore

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

#3 LaKysia Johnson
: 5' 7"; Junior
: G

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

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

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

#23 Talia Pogi
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: F

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