by Chris Brannick
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Central Oklahoma cruised to a 96-75 victory at Lincoln Saturday afternoon, earning first-year head coach Emma Andrews her first MIAA win.
UCO is now 4-2 on the season and 1-1 in league play. The Bronchos return to Hamilton Field House next week for two MIAA contests.
“We did a good job today of getting everyone involved,” Andrews said. “We played well and were hitting our shots. It was a good all around win for the team.”
Central Oklahoma had four players score in double figures on Saturday, led by Alayzha Knapp’s career-high 25 points. Karly Wadsworth (19), Aliyah Llanusa (16) and Aspen Williston (12) also scored in double figures.
UCO shot 44.7 percent in the game and hit a season-high 14 3-pointers. The Bronchos also made 14 shots from the free-throw line.
The Bronchos jumped out to a big lead in the first quarter. After trailing 6-5 two minutes into the game, UCO went on a 12-0 run that included three consecutive 3-pointers to a take a 17-5 lead. The game was never in doubt after that.
Knapp scored 12 in the first quarter and had 17 at halftime. She finished with 25 points on 10 of 22 shooting and went 4-for-8 from behind the 3-point line. Knapp also had six rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot.
Wadsworth finished with 19 points on 7 of 11 shooting and also made four 3-pointers. She took seven shots from outside and added four assists and four steals.
Llanusa had a huge game, posting 16 points on 5 of 8 shooting. She knocked down three 3-pointers and three free-throws and had a career-high 13 rebounds.
Williston (Choctaw Nation) scored a dozen points to go with seven boards. She was 5-for-11 from the floor.
Kassie Boorer added eight points, Brooke Rayner filled up the stat sheet with seven points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Lexi Foreman (Seminole/Kiowa/SacFox) scored six points. River Romine also added three points.
