No. 16 Bronchos rebound with home win over MSSU

UCO Sports
Chris Brannick, Director of Sports Media Relations

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma women’s basketball team beat Missouri Southern 75-65 Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Field House in a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association matchup. The 16th-ranked Bronchos improved to 17-3 on the season and 8-3 in league play.

“I feel like we had a few players really step up today and help us when a lot of players got in foul trouble,” UCO head coach Guy Hardaker said. “Both teams had a couple of players foul out of the game and we were fortunate to have some girls step up.”

Hardaker got three, big bench performances from Ireon Smith, Megan Hartness, and Sadie Mason.

Smith scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and added three blocks and two assists. Hartness scored 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Mason didn’t score, she was just 0-for-1, but had seven rebounds and a block, and also drew a charge on defense.

Melinda Murillo led the Bronchos in scoring Saturday, going for 22 points. She made 7 of 13 shots, both of the two 3-pointers she attempted, and all six of her free throws. Murillo also had four rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Murillo and Smith both fouled out. Referees whistled 51 fouls on the day. The Bronchos had an early edge thanks to its free-throw shooting. UCO hit 23-of-31 free-throws on the day.

Central Oklahoma hits the road for two games, playing at Central Missouri next Thursday and at Southwest Baptist next Saturday.

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