Men's Basketball 3/7/2024 3:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

UCO Tips Off Postseason Friday Night In Kansas City

Central Oklahoma Is The No. 6 Seed In The Tournament

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Central Oklahoma begins postseason play Friday night in the 2024 MIAA Basketball Championship quarterfinals. The sixth-seeded Bronchos face third-seeded Pittsburg State at 8:15 p.m. at historic Municipal Auditorium.

Central Oklahoma posted a 20-10 record in the regular season and a 12-10 record in the MIAA. Pitt State, which won both matchups with the Bronchos this season, is 19-9 overall and went 15-7 in league play.

UCO and Pittsburg State met in Pittsburg, Kansas in December, with the host Gorillas taking that game 75-66. The Bronchos were at the time 8-0 on the season and had set a new school record for the best start to a season. Pitt came to Edmond in February and won again, this time 71-69, thanks to a game-winning basket with five seconds left in the game. Central Oklahoma owns a 19-16 advantage in the all-time series.

The matchup pits the top two scoring teams in the MIAA against one another. Central Oklahoma led the league in scoring this season averaging 77.0 points per game and Pittsburg State was second at 76.9 points per game. UCO has scored 2,311 points in 30 games this season.

UCO ranks seventh in the MIAA in field-goal percentage (46.2), 3-point field-goal percentage (35.0), and free-throw percentage (75.3). The Bronchos average 7.3 made 3-pointers per game and 16.3 made free-throws per game. Central's 489 made free-throws this season also leads the MIAA.

First Team All-MIAA selection Jaden Wells led the league in scoring this year at 21.4 points per game. The fourth-year junior from Hurst, Texas has scored 643 points this season. Wells ranked first in the MIAA in made field-goals (197), made 3-pointers (80), and made free-throws (169).

Wells is shooting 41.3 percent from the floor overall this season. He has a 35.1 percent rate from behind the 3-point line, and a 91.4 percent mark at the free-throw line. Wells is also the MIAA leader on the defensive end of the floor averaging 2.1 steals per game. He has swiped 63 this season.

Danquez Dawsey adds a second double-digit scorer for the Bronchos, and the true junior point guard fills up the stat sheet for Central. Dawsey averages 13.8 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game this season. He also shoots 43.7 percent overall, 40.2 percent from behind the arc, and 82.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Luke Haasl is near double figures at 9.0 points per game and the junior big man leads the Bronchos at 5.8 rebounds per game. He also leads the team with 1.5 blocks per game. Haasl shoots a blistering 63.3 percent from the floor on the year.

Jalyn Turner, a senior playing in his fifth MIAA tournament, is having a career season for the Bronchos. Turner averages 6.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. The Houston, Texas native has played in 145 of 146 games since arriving on campus in 2019.

Majok Majouk, who has started 10 games this season including the last nine, is averaging 5.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game.

Central Oklahoma is one of eight teams remaining in the postseason tournament that started Wednesday in Kansas City. No. 1 Northwest Missouri faces No. 9 Missouri Western Thursday afternoon along with No. 2 Fort Hays State and No. 10 Lincoln Thursday night. No. 4 Pittsburg State and No. 5 Rogers State will play before UCO and PSU in the other quarterfinal. Missouri Western beat Missouri Southern in the opening round Wednesday and Lincoln beat Emporia State.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#10 Jalyn Turner: F; 6' 6"; Senior

#2 Jaden Wells: G; 6' 1"; Junior

#5 Majok Majouk: F; 6' 10"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

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

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

#10 Jalyn Turner
: 6' 6"; Senior
: F

#2 Jaden Wells
: 6' 1"; Junior
: G

#5 Majok Majouk
: 6' 10"; Sophomore
: F