UCO Sports
Chris Brannick, Director of Sports Media Relations
EDMOND – Central Oklahoma used a late surge in the third quarter to build a lead it never relinquished in one of the biggest wins in school history, a 70-64 upset of No. 2 Emporia State, in Hamilton Field House Thursday night.
The Bronchos (14-1, 5-1) got 16 points from Melinda Murillo, 14 from Marley Anderson, and 10 each from Jesheon Cooper and Olivia Mason.
“That was a big win for us,” UCO head coach Guy Hardaker said. “One of the biggest wins of my career. I’m really proud of the girls for tonight.”
At halftime, the game was tied 31-31 and both teams shot 11 of 27 from the floor. A matchup between two top-20 teams in the country, two of the best teams in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association, was living up to its billing.
The first five minutes of the third quarter were just as even. With 5:29 to go, a pair of Emporia State free throws made it 40-39 in favor of the Hornetss. But then the Bronchos made their push.
Blake Blessington made a layup with 3:58 to go to put UCO back on top. Murillo then hit a jumper, and a layup on back-to-back possessions. A Megan Womack layup and a Shatoya Bryson jumper later and the Bronchos were up 49-40, and Central wasn’t done there.
UCO outscored Emporia State 23-13 in the third quarter, culminating with two big plays by Mason.
Emporia State got a pair of field goals to make it 49-44 as the final minute of the quarter ticked away. Then with 38 seconds left, Mason hit her first 3-pointer of the game. Emporia State missed a three on the other end, then Murillo raced down the court looking to get a final shot off.
Murillo didn’t. But she found Mason open on the wing. Mason dribbled, faked, and leaned in for a long two, sinking the basket to put the Bronchos up 54-44 heading into the fourth.
The final quarter started the way the third ended. Emporia missed a 3-pointer on the first possession, and Mason found an opportunity on the other end. She didn’t step over the line this time, and sank her second three of the game to put UCO up 13.
The Bronchos built their biggest lead of the game, 14, later in the quarter on their way to the big upset.
Murillo’s team-high 16 points came on 7 of 13 shooting. Hardaker said it was important for his leading scorer this season to have that kind of a night if UCO was going to pull off the upset.
“She’s a natural scorer,” Hardaker said. “She’s going to get points even if she doesn’t have a great shooting night. But when she does, and we needed her to tonight, that’s key for us.”
Mason finished with 10 points, including two 3-pointers, which put her in rare company. Mason is now tied with Courtney Berry for fifth-most 3-pointers made in a career in school history, with 148.
Bryson finished with seven points, Blessington finished with six, Womack finished with four, and Hayley Bryan added three.
UCO has now spent four weeks in the WBCA Coaches’ Poll, a place it hadn’t been since 2008. The Bronchos moved up four spots earlier this week from No. 20 to No. 16, and now has not only the signature win of the season, but one of the signature wins in program history.
UCO is home again Saturday, when the Bronchos host MIAA foe Washburn in Hamilton Field House at 1:30 p.m.