Women's Basketball 2/28/2024 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Hosts Northwest Missouri Thursday Night

Bronchos Needing Two Wins On Final Week Of The Season

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma enters the final week of the 2023-24 regular season with two home games at Hamilton Field House.

Central Oklahoma (7-19, 6-14 MIAA) hosts Northwest Missouri (20-6, 14-6) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday night. The Bronchos also welcome Newman (2-24, 1-19) on Saturday afternoon.

"We know we're in a must-win situation but we're not thinking about that pressure," UCO second-year head women's coach Emma Andrews said. "We're going to go out there and play our game and give it everything we have. We were able to beat them at their place, so we know we're capable. We just have to execute and execute for all four quarters."

Central Oklahoma is in 11th place in the MIAA. The top 10 teams make next week's postseason tournament. UCO is one game behind Washburn for the 10th and final spot. To make the tournament, the Bronchos need to go 2-0 this week and hope Washburn goes 0-2.

UCO beat Northwest Missouri back on Jan. 18 in Maryville, Missouri. The Bronchos took a lead in the second quarter and pulled away for a 71-57 win.

Northwest Missouri leads the all-time series with UCO, 9-8, including Central's win earlier this season. The Bearcats also have a four-game win streak in the series in Edmond.

Central Oklahoma is coming off a split last weekend on the road, with the Bronchos beating Rogers State before falling at Northeastern State. UCO is averaging 63.8 points per game this season and shooting 37.3 percent from the floor.

The Bronchos shoot 28.7 percent from behind the 3-point line with an average of 6.0 made threes per game. UCO also shoots 73.0 percent from the free-throw line with an average of 11.7 makes per game from the stripe.

Defensively, Central is allowing 70.9 points per game with opponents shooting 42.4 percent against the Bronchos. Teams are hitting 32.4 percent of 3-point attempts against the Bronchos with an average of 6.5 makes per game, and opponents shoot 73.1 percent from the free-throw line with an average of 16.3 makes per game.

Karly Wadsworth leads UCO in scoring at 8.8 points per game. The fourth-year junior from Oologah, Oklahoma returned last week after missing three games with an injury. Wadsworth shoots 40.1 percent overall and 36.1 percent from behind the 3-point line. She leads the team with 43 made 3-pointers.

Reagan Fox is second on the team in scoring at 8.5 points per game. The sophomore from Blanchard, Oklahoma shoots 34.6 percent overall and 37.5 percent from behind the 3-point line. Fox has 36 made threes on the season. She is also 54-for-60 at the free-throw line, a 90.0 percent rate, leading the team there.

Alena Wilson, who averages 7.8 points per game, is the team's leading rebounder at 5.7 boards per game. Wilson has a team-high 84 made field goals this season and shoots 43.1 percent from the floor. Wilson has 110 defensive rebounds, 40 more than any other Broncho.

Aliyah Llanusa is the team's second leading rebounder at 5.1 boards per game. She has a team-high 52 offensive rebounds and 70 more on defense. Llanusa averages 6.6 points per game and is 52-for-63 from the free-throw line.

Wilson (35) and Llanusa (32) lead UCO in total steals this season.

Natalie Stice also averages 6.6 points per game, Caley Young adds 6.3 points per game, and LaKysia Johnson chips in an even 6.0 points per game. Talia Pogi (4.0), Gracee Miller (3.2), Alexis Martin (3.1) also help with the scoring load.

Molly Hartnett leads Northwest Missouri into Edmond this weekend. The veteran has played in and started all 26 games this year for the Bearcats and leads the team in scoring at 13.0 points per game. She adds 3.8 rebounds per game. Caely Kesten also averages double figures at 11.9 points per game. Kelsey Fields, who averages 7.0 points per game, leads the team in rebounding at 5.9 boards per game.

Saturday afternoon before the Bronchos tipoff against Newman, Central Oklahoma will recognize their seniors and graduating juniors. Llanusa, Wilson, Stice, Young, and Megan McClendon will all take part in the ceremony before UCO looks to beat Newman for the second time this season.

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Players Mentioned

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

#0 Megan McClendon: G; 5' 6"; Junior

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

#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

#25 Alexis Martin: F; 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

#0 Megan McClendon
: 5' 6"; Junior
: G

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

#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

#25 Alexis Martin
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: F