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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Hannah Moeller
Hannah Moeller
66
Winner Southwest Minn. St. SMSU 2-1,0-0 NSIC
51
Central Okla. CentOK 0-1,0-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Southwest Minn. St. SMSU
2-1,0-0 NSIC
66
Final
51
Central Okla. CentOK
0-1,0-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Southwest Minn. St. SMSU 17 15 17 17 66
Central Okla. CentOK 9 20 11 11 51

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Bronchos Fall To Southwest Minnesota In Season Opener

UCO Drops 66-51 Decision to 18th-ranked Mustangs In First Day of Central Region Challenge

EDMOND – Shooting woes from close range proved costly for Central Oklahoma in a 66-51 season-opening setback to No. 18-ranked Southwest Minnesota Friday night at Hamilton Field House.

The Bronchos made only 11 of 35 layups in the contest, downing 5-of-15 in the first half and 6-of-20 in the final 20 minutes. UCO shot just 29.5 percent overall (18-of-61) against the Mustangs, who made the Division II Sweet 16 last season.

"We just couldn't buy a basket," first-year head coach Hannah Moeller said. "I thought we played hard and showed a lot of fight against a really good team, but you have to make shots."

UCO returns to the court Saturday for a 3 p.m. contest against St. Cloud State to finish out the two-day Central Region Challenge. The Huskies downed Washburn 73-61 in Friday's first game.

Freshman Nykaiya Dillard had an impressive collegiate debut in leading the Bronchos. The rookie guard finished with 18 points, six rebounds and four steals in 20 minutes off the bench, hitting 7-of-14 shots and 4-of-5 free throws.

Junior transfer Olivia Quapaw hit three 3-pointers in adding 12 points, while Kaitlyn McCarn added 11 points, five rebounds and two steals.

The Bronchos got off to a slow start, committing six turnovers and missing six of their first seven shots to fall behind 14-2 barely six minutes into the game.

UCO cut the deficit to eight (17-9) by the end of the opening quarter and trailed by seven (25-18) with 5:24 left in the half before going on an 11-2 run to take its only lead of the game.

McCarn started that surge with a 3-pointer from the wing, then Quapaw followed a SMSU bucket with a trey from the top of the key to get the Bronchos within 27-24.

McCarn's follow shot made it 27-26 and Quapaw splashed through another long-range rainbow to end the run and put UCO on top 29-27 with 2:49 left in the half.

The Mustangs answered with five straight points to take a 32-29 lead at the intermission and then started the second half with a 6-1 run to push their advantage to 38-30.

Central got to within three at 39-36 on a Quapaw free throw, but SMSU went on to grab a 49-40 cushion at the end of three quarters and the Bronchos never got closer than seven in the final stanza.

 
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