Women's Basketball 1/21/2026 10:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Visits Kearney, Hays This Weekend

Bronchos Play Thursday, Saturday In MIAA Road Trip

KEARNEY, Neb. – Central Oklahoma is back on the road this week for a pair of MIAA games beginning Thursday night at Nebraska Kearney.

UCO is 7-10 this season with a 2-6 record in the MIAA. The Bronchos are currently in 11th place in the league standings but only one game back of seventh place. Nebraska Kearney is 10-9 overall and 3-5 in the MIAA, among four teams tied one spot in front of the Bronchos.

Central Oklahoma is averaging 64.4 points per game heading into this week's contests. UCO shoots 37.5 percent from the floor overall, 26.6 percent from behind the 3-point line with an average of 4.5 makes per game, and 66.8 percent from the free-throw line with an average of 12.2 makes per game.

Defensively, Central is allowing 63.4 points per game giving the Bronchos a plus-1.1 scoring margin. Teams shoot 35.5 percent from the floor, 31.7 percent behind the 3-point line with an average of 6.9 makes per game, and 71.3 percent from the free-throw line with an average of 11.8 makes per game.

Nykaiya Dillard leads UCO in scoring at 12.7 points per game and Kaitlyn McCarn is second on the team averaging 11.2 points per game. Dillard has a team-high 77 made field goals and 56 made free-throws. Her 30 steals are a team high as well. McCarn has 75 made buckets this season and 32 made free-throws. She adds 5.1 rebounds per game.

Jerney Bennett is averaging 9.2 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, and 4.5 blocks per game. Her 76 total blocks this season rank No. 1 in the country – all divisions – and are steadily approaching a UCO record. Jesheon Cooper's 100 blocks in 2016-17 is the record and her 83 blocks in 2017-18 rank second in school history. Bennett is third through 17 games played this year.

Bobbie Fouquet chips in 8.7 points per game and is second in rebounding at 6.3 boards per game. Olivia Quapaw (5.8), Peyton Walker (4.4), Kendrick Bailey (3.8), Talia Pogi (3.8), and Harley Harbour (3.1) give UCO a handful of other options scoring the basketball. Pogi's 14 made 3-pointers are a team high while Bailey (13), Fouquet (12), Quapaw (11), and Walker (11) are close behind.

Nebraska Kearney averages 72.4 points per game this season and has a plus-7.1 scoring margin over opponents scoring 65.3 per contest. The Lopers shoot 42.6 percent overall, 32.7 percent from behind the 3-point line averaging 7.2 makes per game, and 73.1 percent at the free-throw line averaging 12.0 makes per game.

Myleigh Weers leads the team in scoring at 16.2 points per game, Jillian Aschoff adds 14.2, and Jordan Sears scores 11.3 points per game. Aschoff is the team's leading rebounder at 6.9 boards per game.

Central Oklahoma and Nebraska Kearney played just once before the schools became MIAA rivals. UNK owns a 16-10 advantage in the all-time series, winning the inaugural meeting in 1997-98 and 15 of 25 MIAA contests since the 2012-13 season. Kearney has also won the previous five meetings, the longest win streak in series history for either team. The Bronchos' last win was 56-46 in Edmond in February 2022.

UCO will move on from Kearney to play No. 5 Fort Hays State on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers are 16-1 this season with a 7-1 record in the MIAA. Fort Hays hosts Rogers State on Thursday night.

Central returns to Edmond next week to host Newman on Wednesday, Jan. 28 and Emporia State on Saturday, Jan. 31.

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Players Mentioned

#23 Talia Pogi: F; 5' 9"; Senior

#10 Peyton Walker: G; 5' 4"; Sophomore

#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

#4 Olivia Quapaw: G; 5' 6"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#23 Talia Pogi
: 5' 9"; Senior
: F

#10 Peyton Walker
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: G

#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

#4 Olivia Quapaw
: 5' 6"; Junior
: G