Men's Basketball 2/21/2024 6:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Hits The Road Thursday

Bronchos Visit Rogers State, Northeastern State In Late Season Road Trip

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Central Oklahoma makes its final road trip of the regular season this week, beginning with a Thursday night battle at Rogers State. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Bronchos are also scheduled to play at Northeastern State Saturday afternoon.

Central Oklahoma is 18-8 on the season and 10-8 in the rugged MIAA. Rogers State is 14-10 on the season overall and 11-7 in league play, one game in front of the Bronchos in the league standings. RSU is currently in a three-way tie for third place with Washburn (15-9, 11-7) and Pittsburg State (15-9, 11-7).

The Bronchos are in sixth place with four games left before next month's MIAA Basketball Championship in Kansas City. UCO, which has clinched a spot in the tournament, takes on Rogers and NSU before hosting first-place Northwest Missouri on Feb. 29, and finishing up the regular season with Newman on March 2.

The MIAA Basketball Championship is scheduled for March 6-10 at Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City. The 7-10 and 8-9 seeds open the tournament with the first round Wednesday night, with the advancing teams taking on No. 1 & No. 2 Thursday night. The quarterfinals wrap up Friday with the No. 3/No. 6 matchup and the No. 4/No. 5 matchup. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday night with the final set for Sunday evening.

UCO has made the league's postseason tournament all but one year since joining the league in 2012. That was the year before Bob Hoffman took over the program. He has taken the team to the semifinals in each of the last three years, with last year's squad making an appearance in the championship game.

Thursday night in Claremore will sort out some of the MIAA standings for now. The Bronchos are heading across the state looking to avenge a loss to the Hillcats in Edmond last month. That win snapped a four-game win streak UCO had going in the series dating back two seasons.

The Bronchos and the Hillcats have a short history, but a spirited rivalry. Both teams have won six games in the 12 meetings. RSU went 2-1 against UCO before joining the MIAA. Rogers won three of the first four (2019-21) as league rivals before Central's four-game win streak (2022-23).

Central Oklahoma will rely on MVP candidate Jaden Wells Thursday. The fourth-year junior guard from Hurst, Texas has been on a terror since the calendar flipped to 2024. Wells is averaging 20.1 points per game this season, best in the MIAA. But that number jumps to 23.5 points per game since Jan. 1, 2024. Wells has scored 20 in 11 of the last 12 games.

He has this season worked his way up multiple lists that rank the best basketball players in UCO history. Wells is fifth in career free-throws made (338) and fourth in points (1,736), field goals made (549), and steals (170). He ranks third in field goal attempts (1,304). And earlier this year, Wells became the school's all-time leader in 3-pointers made (300) and attempted (756).

Wells also became the fifth player in MIAA history to make 300 3-pointers. He was named MIAA co-Player of the Week earlier this week.

The Bronchos have more weapons in juniors Danquez Dawsey and Luke Haasl, as well as sophomore Mike Quick Jr., and veteran fifth-year senior Jalyn Turner.

Dawsey has been big in his third season in the program. The Lawton native is averaging 13.5 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, and 3.9 rebounds per game this season. He's a 42.5 percent shooter overall, 39.5 percent from outside the arc, and 82.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Quick Jr., who has missed a couple of games with an injury, is also having a big year in his second year in the program. The Highbridge, New York native is averaging 9.0 points per game and shooting 47.6 percent from the floor. Quick Jr. 70 made shots this season, including 23 from behind the arc, and he is also gotten to the free-throw line 81 times with 54 makes there.

Haasl, a junior from Lenexa, Kansas, continues to be a force in the middle for the Bronchos. The 6-foot-10 big man is averaging 8.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Haasl shoots 63.6 percent from floor, having gone 91-for-143 on the season. He has six 3-pointers and is 27-for-48 at the line. Haasl has a team-high 55 offensive rebounds this season. Haasl's 82 career blocks at UCO is just 11 shy of reaching top five in school history.

Turner, who has played in 141 games out of 142 since 2019, is having his best season yet with the Bronchos. The Houston, Texas native and fifth-year senior is averaging 6.0 points per game and 2.7 rebounds per game – both career highs. He's already made a career-high 57 shots this season and pulled down a career-high 70 rebounds. Turner also has a career-high 21 steals this season averaging nearly one every game.

Majok Majouk and Matthew Willenborg are both newcomers at UCO this season and both have played key roles on the floor. Majouk, a sophomore from Iowa, is averaging 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game, and Willenborg, a true freshman from Norman, is averaging 4.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game.

Rogers State has an 8-3 record inside the Claremore Expo Center. The Hillcats are 1-1 in the gym in the month of February. RSU welcomes UCO to their place averaging 76.0 points per game through 24 games played. The Hillcats allow 77.0 points per game from their opponents. Isaac Johnson leads the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game and Rodney Battle is almost at the same mark, scoring 14.6 points per game. Kofi Hamilton gives RSU three in double figures, scoring 11.3 points per game. Hamilton leads the team at 5.1 rebounds per game.

Central Oklahoma visits Rogers State and Northeastern State looking for a pair of big road wins late in the season. The Bronchos will wrap up the regular season next week in Edmond. UCO hosts Northwest Missouri Thursday, Feb. 29 and Newman Saturday, March 2 inside Hamilton Field House.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#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

#21 Matthew Willenborg: F; 6' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

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

#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

#21 Matthew Willenborg
: 6' 7"; Freshman
: F