Box Score
ADA, Okla. (Jan. 21) -- An early 3-point barrage put Central Oklahoma in control and the No. 17-ranked Bronchos went on to overwhelm Lone Star Conference North Division rival East Central 86-49 here Wednesday night.
UCO nailed five shots from outside the arc during a five-minute span in stretching a three-point lead (9-6) to a 10-point advantage (26-16) midway through the first half and the outcome was never in doubt.
The Bronchos ended up hitting a season-high 13 treys -- one off the school record -- in shooting 43.3 percent from long range and 51.6 percent overall. UCO had 23 assists on 33 made buckets and committed just 12 turnovers in winning for the third straight time.
Eight players made at least one 3-pointer for the Bronchos, who improved to 13-3 overall and 3-0 in the LSC North while dropping ECU to 7-10 and 1-2. UCO returns home Saturday to host Southeastern Oklahoma at 6 p.m.
“We did a great job of running our offense tonight,” head coach Guy Hardaker said. “We ran the floor well, moved the ball around and hit the open shots.”
The Bronchos also had a masterful defensive performance, limiting ECU to 28.1-percent shooting (18-of-64) from the field.
All 10 UCO players scored and all five starters were in double figures, led by Ashley Beckley's 19-point outing on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and a 3-of-3 effort from the free throw line.
Rose Anderson had 12 points, while Mallory Markus made three 3-pointers in an 11-point effort. The Bronchos also got 10 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and five assists from Cristina Yarbrough and 10 points, eight rebounds, four steals and four assists from Lizzie Brenner.
UCO trailed only once, at 6-5 in the opening minutes. The Bronchos surged in front behind their outside sharpshooting, with Courtney Allen's 3-pointer from the top of the key capping the onslaught that made it 26-16.
UCO continued to pull away, taking a 37-22 lead late in the half when Yarbrough drilled a trey from the corner as the shot-clock expired and the Bronchos took a 41-25 cushion into intermission.
Any suspense left was extinguished in the first two minutes of the second half as UCO opened with eight unanswered points, getting a layup from Beckley and back-to-back 3-pointers from Brenner and Markus in pushing the lead to 49-25.
A 9-0 run six minutes later pushed it to 65-32 and the Bronchos coasted in from there.
