Lady Bronchos split final two games; fall short of postseason

The University of Central Oklahoma women’s basketball team closed out its season at the Hamilton Field House, splitting its final two games with a dominant victory over Arkansas-Fort Smith before a crushing loss to Northeastern State, ultimately falling short of a postseason berth.

Entering the final weekend, the Bronchos sat two spots outside the tournament field and needed to win both matchups to secure a place in the bracket.

UCO’s first test came against a 17-9 Arkansas-Fort Smith team that had defeated the Bronchos by 11 points on Jan. 12. The opening quarter saw both teams battle back and forth, with neither able to gain a significant advantage.

Senior forward Jordyn Turner took control in the second quarter, dominating in the post and finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds. With 36 seconds remaining before halftime, senior guard Karly Wadsworth made history, sinking her 191st career 3-pointer to break the UCO program record. Wadsworth finished the game with 16 points.

Fueled by Turner and Wadsworth’s performances, UCO built a commanding 43-27 lead at halftime and never looked back. Junior guard Talia Pogi led all scorers with 20 points, while Lakysia Johnson added 13, bringing energy to the game despite taking two hard falls while driving to the basket.

The Bronchos cruised to an 83-55 victory, moving up to No. 11 in the KPI standings with one game remaining. However, they needed to crack the top 10 to qualify for the tournament.

With their postseason hopes on the line, UCO entered its final matchup against Northeastern State with urgency. The Bronchos controlled the game early, taking a 37-29 lead into halftime and leading for 35 minutes and 23 seconds of the 40-minute contest.

Through three quarters, UCO maintained its advantage, shooting 41% from the field. However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the fourth quarter. The Bronchos’ offense went cold, managing just one field goal on 16 attempts (6%), while Northeastern State capitalized, launching a 20-0 run.

The game saw its first tie at 57-57 early in the final period, but UCO could not respond. Northeastern State outscored the Bronchos 24-5 in the fourth quarter, sealing the 68-60 defeat and ending UCO’s postseason hopes.

Turner and senior guard Korie Allensworth led the Bronchos in scoring, each finishing with 14 points in their final collegiate games. Senior Alexis Lewis added seven points, while Wadsworth scored five. Johnson contributed four points.

With the loss, UCO finished the season with an 8-20 overall record and a 7-12 mark in conference play. Despite missing the postseason, the Bronchos have a promising future, with the potential to return eight players next season, including two starters.

While the seniors will be missed, UCO will look to build on its late-season performances and make a stronger push for the tournament next year.