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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Ben Averitt
53
Central Okla. CentOK 12-10,5-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
58
Winner Fort Hays St. FHSU 15-4,7-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Central Okla. CentOK
12-10,5-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
53
Final
58
Fort Hays St. FHSU
15-4,7-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Central Okla. CentOK 24 29 53
Fort Hays St. FHSU 25 33 58

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Slips, Falls At Fort Hays State

Bronchos Lose Low-Scoring Defensive MIAA Battle

HAYS, Kan. – Central Oklahoma lost a late lead and couldn't recover at Fort Hays State Saturday afternoon and ended up on the wrong side of a 58-53 setback in the MIAA.
 
UCO is 12-10 on the season following the loss and now 5-5 in the MIAA. The Bronchos return home for two next week against Newman and Emporia State at Hamilton Field House.
 
Saturday in Hays, in a low-scoring defensive battle, Central Oklahoma took a 40-39 with 5:46 remaining. Unfortunately for the Bronchos, Fort Hays State would go on an 11-0 run to take command. UCO was only 0-for-2 during the four-minute rally but also turned the ball over three times. Hays went 4-for-5, hit one 3-pointer, and made a pair of free-throws.
 
Josh Nwankwo led Central Oklahoma in scoring with 23 points. His three 3-pointers in the final two minutes were the only makes for the Bronchos from deep on Saturday. Nwankwo also had a season-high seven steals in the game.
 
Matthew Willenborg scored 12 points on 5 of 19 shooting, going 0-for-7 from behind the 3-point line. He had 10 rebounds for a double-double and also blocked three shots.
 
Ben Averitt also scored in double figures, putting up 11 points to go with four rebounds. But those three made up for 46 of 53 total points. Marcus Zeigler Jr. scored the first three points of the game and didn't make another shot. Parker Hannah and Brady Hancuff finished with two points each.
 
Central Oklahoma shot 36.4 percent from the floor, making 20 of 55 total shots. The Bronchos were 3-for-14 from behind the arc for a 21.4 percent rate. UCO did go 10-for-12 at the line.
 
UCO held an early lead in Hays. After the hosts opened up a 4-0 advantage in the first 30 seconds, the Bronchos led 6-4 after two and-1 layups from Zeigler and Averitt. Hays went back in front 7-6 and didn't trail again in the first half. The game was just 25-24 at halftime.
 
The game stayed within four points for the first 10 minutes of the second half. A 4-0 spurt by the Bronchos gave UCO its second lead of the day, 36-35, on Hancuff's bucket. Willenborg and Averitt combined for another 4-0 spurt that put the Bronchos up 40-39 before the devastating 11-0 run by Hays turned the tide.
 
Central Oklahoma hosts Newman on Wednesday, Jan. 28 and Emporia State on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Hamilton Field House.
 
 
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