Women's Basketball 12/3/2025 1:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Open MIAA Play At Pitt State

Central Oklahoma Starts Three-Game MIAA Road Swing Thursday Night

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Central Oklahoma plays its first road game of the season Thursday night when the Bronchos open MIAA play at No. 8 Pittsburg State.

UCO is 1-4 this season after five non-conference home games in the month of November. Central hosted two nationally-ranked teams and another that was receiving votes in the DII coaches' poll.

"It was a tough first month but we learned a lot from that," UCO head women's basketball coach Hannah Moeller said. "We were in every game for the most part. We have to learn how to finish and how to win those games. Pitt will be tough but we're looking forward to the challenge."

Central Oklahoma begins conference play averaging 58.4 points per game and is shooting 36.0 percent from the floor as a team. The Bronchos shoot 27.7 percent from behind the 3-point line, averaging 5.2 made threes per game, and 61.1 percent from the free-throw line, averaging 8.8 made free-throws per contest.

UCO is outrebounding its opponents, 43.4 – 38.8 per game. The Bronchos also average 9.0 assists and 7.0 steals per game, but a 17.2 turnovers per game margin mars the stat sheet. Central averages 4.8 blocked shots per game.

Two players are averaging double figures scoring through five games played this season. Sophomore Kaitlyn McCarn leads the team at 13.2 points per game and freshman Nykaiya Dillard averages 12.0 points per game. McCarn, from Mountain Home, Arkansas, has five 3-pointers to lead the team and Dillard, from Oklahoma City, has 16 made free-throws to lead the way.

Jerney Bennett, who averages 5.2 points per game, averages a team-high 8.0 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game. The sophomore from Edmond ranks fourth in the country in blocks per game and seventh in DII in total blocked shots.

Junior Bobbie Fouquet (6.2) and senior Harley Harbour (5.2) are also key on the boards. McCarn is fourth on the team averaging 4.8 rebounds per game. McCarn is also one of six players averaging at least one assist per game. Dillard's 1.8 steals per game leads the Bronchos, Kendrick Bailey averages 1.2, and McCarn 1.0 per game.

The Bronchos are looking to snap a six-game losing streak against Pittsburg State. After winning three in a row from 2019-22, UCO has dropped each of the games since. The all-time series is 29-12 in favor of Pitt State.

Pitt is 4-1 this season with its only loss at home against then No. 8 Texas Woman's. The Gorillas won their first three games by a combined 10 points before the loss to TWU. Against Angelo State last week, Pitt won by 20 points.

The Gorillas average 70.0 points per game and shoot 40.5 percent as a team. Pitt makes 6.4 3-pointers per game and shoots 31.4 percent from deep. PSU averages 18.4 made free-throws per game and shoots 71.9 percent from the charity stripe.

Central Oklahoma will continue on from Pittsburg, Kansas to Joplin, Missouri, where the Bronchos will take on Missouri Southern Saturday afternoon in another MIAA showdown. MSSU is 5-3 overall this season and will play Rogers State Thursday night in Joplin in their respective MIAA openers. UCO will travel to Claremore, Oklahoma next week to take on Rogers, Thursday, Dec. 11.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Kendrick Bailey: G; 5' 5"; Senior

#2 Jerney Bennett: F; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#22 Nykaiya Dillard: G; 5' 5"; Freshman

#3 Bobbie Fouquet: F; 6' 0"; Junior

#25 Harley Harbour: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#5 Kaitlyn McCarn: G; 5' 8"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#12 Kendrick Bailey
: 5' 5"; Senior
: G

#2 Jerney Bennett
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: F

#22 Nykaiya Dillard
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: G

#3 Bobbie Fouquet
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

#25 Harley Harbour
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#5 Kaitlyn McCarn
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: G