Rough Start to the Season for the Women’s Basketball Team

This past weekend, the Central Oklahoma women’s basketball team kicked off their season hosting the Central Region Challenge, losing to No. 18 Southwest Minnesota State and St. Cloud State, opening their season 0-2.

Central Oklahoma began the two-game series with a 66-51 loss against Southwest Minnesota Friday night at Hamilton Field House, as the Bronchos battled a cold shooting night, a challenging pace from SMSU, and a tall task on the boards. 

UCO started slow offensively, committing six turnovers and missing six of their first seven shots in the game. The Bronchos never fully recovered from that rocky start, though they clamped down defensively at times to claw within single digits. By the end of the first quarter, UCO had trimmed the gap to eight and trailed 18-25 at halftime. 

A late second quarter burst, with an 11-2 run sparked by Kaitlyn McCarn’s three, temporarily gave UCO its only lead of the night at 29-27 with 2:49 left in the period. SMSU answered with a late bucket run to lead 32-29 at intermission.

UCO shot 18 out of 61 from the field, and made only 11 of 35 layups. SMSU, a program that reached the Division II Sweet 16 the previous season, extended the pressure in the second half and gradually increased its advantage. Freshman Nykaiya Dillard had a standout collegiate debut with 18 points, six rebounds, and four steals in 20 minutes off the bench. She was efficient and aggressive, delivering a pair of key drives and a late layup that kept the game within reach. Olivia Quapaw added 12 points, including 3 three-pointers. 

In a roller coaster finish on the second and final day of the Central Region Challenge, Central Oklahoma watched a late lead disappear as St. Cloud State escaped with a 61-59 victory Saturday Night. The heartbreak marked UCO’s second straight loss to begin the young season, while the Huskies improved to 2-0. 

The opening quarter was a chess match as UCO and St. Cloud traded the lead four times, with both squads demonstrating energy and urgency. By the end of the frame, SCSU held a slim 18-15 advantage, a lead they would extend as the game progressed.

Central entered halftime down 37-28, but the Bronchos found a pulse in the third, outscoring St. Cloud by five to trim the deficit. The surge set the stage for a dramatic fourth quarter, in which UCO seized control and nudged ahead for the first time since early in the game. The Bronchos sparked an 8-0 run to claim a three-point edge. Kaitlyn McCarn and Jerney Bennett put points on the board, and Dillard delivered two crucial free throws to push Central Oklahoma in front, 57-56, with 2:24 left in the game.

Dillard added a layup moments later to stretch the lead to 59-56, but the lead would be brief. SCSU responded with a 13-second burst to reclaim the advantage, and a late sequence sealed the outcome. The Huiskies’ layup with 1:21 remaining put them back in front, and an ensuing three-point play iced it at 61-59. Central Oklahoma had one last chance, but Dillard missed a layup. With five seconds remaining, Dillard secured her own rebound, but the Bronchos were whistled for an offensive foul with one second left, allowing St. Cloud State to escape with the win.

The Bronchos will get their next chance at claiming a win when they take on Midwestern State tomorrow evening, with tipoff to begin at 5:30 p.m. at Hamilton Field House. The Bronchos will remain home for the remainder of November, as they plan to face off against No.10 Harding next Monday, before playing UC Colorado Springs on Saturday, Nov. 29.