EDMOND, Okla. – Despite having four players in double figures and making a couple of runs in the second half, Missouri S&T's women's basketball team was unable to make up the difference from Central Oklahoma's hot shooting in the first half as it dropped a 99-84 decision to the Bronchos Friday evening.
S&T shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and made 27-of-31 at the free throw line over the course of the night, but UCO was able to build a sizeable lead in the first half by shooting 56.8 percent over the first 20 minutes of the contest that the Miners couldn't dig out of in the second half.
The Miners (1-3) held the advantage early in the contest, taking an 11-10 lead on a three-point basket by
Kristen Keys (St. Louis, MO/Westminster Christian Academy) at the 6:06 mark of the opening period. However, the Bronchos – playing in their season opener – went on an 11-0 run to take a 10-point lead and thanks to 60 percent shooting from the field, ended the quarter with a 10-point lead of 30-20.
UCO pushed its lead to 14 early in the second quarter, then took the lead to 16 before
Laura Rodriguez (Gran Canaria, Spain/Baloncesto Torrelodones) drained the Miners' second three-point basket of the night with just over three minutes to go in the half. But the Bronchos continued to shoot well, making over 50 percent of their shots in the second quarter as well while the Miners were under 35 percent, allowing UCO to extend its lead to 52-35 at the intermission.
After the Bronchos extended their lead to 19 in the opening moments of the second half, the Miners made a run to get back into the contest.
Michaela Davis (Keokuk, Iowa/Keokuk) hit two free throws, then Rodriguez scored five straight points on a driving layup and a three-pointer to cut the lead to 11 by the six-minute mark.
A short time later, though, the Bronchos pushed their lead back out with a run of their own and held a 20-point advantage by the time the fourth quarter began. The Miners did shoot 56.3 percent in the final period in cutting the final margin to 15.
Rodriguez, who had scored just 20 points over S&T's first three games of the season, broke loose for a season-high 25 Friday as she went 10-of-19 from the floor.
Alex Kerr (St. Louis, MO/St. Joseph's Academy) recorded the 22
nd double-double of her career with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Keys and
Anna Finley (Owensville, MO/Owensville) – getting her first collegiate start on Friday -- had 14 points apiece.
UCO shot 51.5 percent in the game and hit 10-of-21 from three-point range; it had six three-pointers in the second half to help keep the Miners at bay. Brooke Rayner and Alayzha Knapp had 22 points apiece for the Bronchos, who had no other players in double figures but got scoring from 10 different individuals.
Missouri S&T will face Newman, who improved to 2-0 with a win over Oklahoma Christian in the opening game of Friday's event at UCO, in a 4:30 p.m. contest on Saturday.
