Bronchos Survive Showdown

1/8/2011 7:37:28 PM

Shane Carroll

Box Score

EDMOND (Jan. 8) – Jarrod McDaniel hasn't exactly been known for his free throw accuracy this season, but the Central Oklahoma point guard was near-perfect when it counted the most in helping the No. 18-ranked Bronchos turn back No. 21 Midwestern State 68-61 Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Field House.

McDaniel entered the showdown shooting just 41.8 percent (14-of-34) from the line and promptly made 7-of-8 foul shots in the last 2:36 as UCO kept the Mustangs at bay in the physical battle between Lone Star Conference and NCAA Division II heavyweights.

It was the 17th straight home win for the Bronchos, who improved to 14-2 while ending MSU's 12-game winning streak. The two-time defending league champion Mustangs fell to 12-2.

“It was a tough, physical game between two teams who weren't going to back down from each other,” UCO coach Terry Evans said. “I thought we played hard the whole game and did a good job defensively in getting them out of what they were trying to do.”

Neither team shot well in the defensive struggle, with the Bronchos hitting just 35.2 percent (19-of-54) from the field and only 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from 3-point range. MSU was only slightly better, shooting 36.7 percent (18-of-49) overall and 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from beyond the arc.

Dauntae Williams was the only UCO player in double figures and had another brilliant all-around game, scoring a game-high 24 points and pulling down a career-high 15 rebounds to go along with two blocked shots and two steals.

Shane Carroll scored eight points, while McDaniel and Brent Friday had seven apiece in addition to playing superb defense against MSU star Chris Hagan. Hagan, who entered the game averaging a league-leading 24.2 points a game, was just 4-of-11 from the field and needed a 10-of-10 day at the line to finish with 18 points.

The Bronchos also got eight rebounds, five points and two blocks off the bench from June Carter.

UCO led 34-30 at intermission and got a Williams layup off a Friday pass five seconds into the second half to go up 36-30. The Mustangs answered with a 6-0 run to tie it at 36-all, but the Bronchos got two buckets from Tony Ross and a 3-pointer from Carl Curry in an 11-2 spurt to surge in front 47-38 at the 13:35 mark.

The lead peaked at 11 (52-41) on a Williams floater with 10:05 left and it was still a nine-point bulge at 57-48 when Carter canned a short jumper with 6:20 remaining. MSU got within six (59-53) on a 3-pointer with 3:00 to play and UCO scored its last nine points from the line to stay safely in front.

Williams had two of those and McDaniel the rest, the final two coming with 15 seconds left to seal the verdict.

Neither team led by more than four points in a back-and-forth first half that featured 10 lead changes and eight ties, with UCO scoring the final four points on layups by Williams and Carroll to break away from a 30-30 deadlock in taking its slim halftime lead.

The Bronchos begin their quest for a fourth straight LSC North Division title Wednesday, going to Weatherford to meet Southwestern Oklahoma at 8 p.m.

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