Men's Basketball 1/21/2026 6:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Head North For Kearney, Hays Trip

Central Oklahoma Plays At Nebraska Kearney Thursday Night, At Fort Hays State Saturday Afternoon

KEARNEY, Neb. – Central Oklahoma is back on the road this weekend for a pair of MIAA matchups beginning with Nebraska Kearney Thursday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Central Oklahoma is 12-8 on the year and 5-3 in the MIAA. The Bronchos are among six teams tied for second place in the league standings. Nebraska Kearney is 9-10 overall and 2-6 in league play.

UCO is averaging 75.4 points per game heading into this week's contests. The Bronchos are shooting 46.5 percent as a team, including 33.8 percent from behind the 3-point line with an average of 5.9 makes per game. Central also shoots 71.9 percent from the free-throw line and averages 15.1 makes per game.

Matthew Willenborg leads the Bronchos in most statistical categories and he leads the MIAA too. The junior forward averages 21.4 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game, and 3.2 blocks per game – all league highs. His blocks per game average ranks third in Division II.

Playing 33.8 minutes per game, Willenborg is a 51.8 percent shooter overall, a 36.7 percent 3-point shooter, and an 83.3 percent free-throw shooter. He also adds 1.5 steals per game.

Senior guard Josh Nwankwo is averaging 17.2 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and a team-high 2.3 steals per game. After missing six games with an injury, he returned last week to the lineup.

Marcus Zeigler Jr. has hit double figures in scoring average as well at 10 points per game. The junior guard leads the team at 3.9 assists per game. Zeigler also averages 1.7 steals per game.

Central Oklahoma also gets 9.0 points per game from Parker Hannah, a junior guard. He shoots 40.9 percent overall and 35.4 percent from three with 29 made 3-pointers in 18 games played. Hannah is also a 78.4 percent free-throw shooter.

Jack Robinson (5.8) and Ben Averitt (5.6) are also key contributors on offense, with Robinson adding 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Nebraska Kearney averages 79.3 points per game but does allow 82.8 for a minus-3.8 scoring margin through 19 games played this season. The Lopers are shooting 43.8 percent overall, 33.9 percent from behind the 3-point line with an average of 8.5 made 3-pointers per game, and 79.9 percent from the free-throw line with an average of 15.1 made free-throws per contest. A quartet of players average double figures – Ja'Bryant Hill (17.8), Anthony Swift (12.9), Kendrick Gilbert (11.1), and Wade Williams (10.6).

UCO has a 19-5 advantage over UNK in the series since the teams became members of the MIAA (2012-13). Central head coach Bob Hoffman is 10-1 against Kearney, having won each of the last 10 games. Kearney's last win in the series came in February 2020.

Central Oklahoma continues to Hays, Kansas for a Saturday afternoon matchup with Fort Hays State. The Tigers are 13-4 overall and are one of the six 5-3 teams tied for the second in the MIAA. The last time UCO and Hays met was the 2025 MIAA Basketball Championship final, won 73-71 by FHSU.

UCO returns home next week and will host Newman on Wednesday, Jan. 28 as well as Emporia State Saturday, Jan. 31 at Hamilton Field House.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Ben Averitt: G; 6' 6"; Senior

#22 Parker Hannah: G; 6' 2"; Junior

#15 Jack Robinson: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore

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

#2 Josh Nwankwo: F; 6' 6"; Senior

#5 Marcus Zeigler Jr.: G; 6' 1"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#12 Ben Averitt
: 6' 6"; Senior
: G

#22 Parker Hannah
: 6' 2"; Junior
: G

#15 Jack Robinson
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G

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

#2 Josh Nwankwo
: 6' 6"; Senior
: F

#5 Marcus Zeigler Jr.
: 6' 1"; Junior
: G