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Opponent: University of Central Oklahoma
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma (Hamilton Field House)

Bolivar, Mo. - The Southwest Baptist University Bearcats will open MIAA Conference play on the road Thursday night against Central Oklahoma. Tipoff is set for 5:30 PM from Edmond, Oklahoma.

Previewing the Bearcats 
The Bearcats are 7-1 on the season with their most recent win coming in comeback fashion on the road against Rogers State. Over their eight games, the Bearcats are averaging 85.3 ppg while shooting 84.1% as a team from the line. The 85.2 ppg ranks 8th in the entire NCAA and the 84.1% free throw percentage ranks 3rd in the nation. Megan Rosenbohm and Caylee Richardson make the Bearcats go. Rosenbohm is the 10th best scorer in the NCAA and leading scorer in the MIAA with 22.9 ppg. She also collects 5.5 rpg, 3.3 apg, and 2.8 spg. Caylee Richardson averages a near double double with 16.6 ppg and 9.8 rpg on a scorching 61.2% from the field and 94.4% at the line.

Previewing the Bronchos
#25 Central Oklahoma enters this matchup with a 7-1 (2-1 MIAA) record. The Bronchos opened MIAA play last weekend, going 1-1 over those two games. This past Tuesday, December 5th, they played fellow MIAA opponent Northeastern State and defeated the Riverhawks by a final score of 55-46. The Bronchos are led by Melinda Murillo and Jesheon Cooper. Murillo averages a team leading 14.6 ppg and 3.3 apg. Cooper averages a double double with 11.9 ppg and 10.5 rpg. As a team, the Bronchos score 64.2 ppg on 38% shooting and limit their opponents to 55.6 ppg and only 34% shooting. 

??????The Coaches

SBU head coach Kelsey Keizer is in her fourth season on the Bearcat bench after leading SBU back to the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City for the first time in three years. Coach Keizer and the Bearcats are coming off back-to-back winning seasons (16-14, 7-12 MIAA last year), which has not been done since the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons. The 7-1 start to the 2017-18 is the best start to a season in a decade. Coach Keizer holds a career coaching record of 50-46 and a 22-38 mark in the MIAA.

Guy Hardaker is in his 12th season at Central Oklahoma. He has led UCO to five Divison II national tournament appearances and five twenty win seasons. Hardaker holds a career 208-120 record at UCO and has coached 15 all-conference players and two Player of the Year selections. 

All-Time Series
Central Oklahoma leads the all-time series against Southwest Baptist 8-7. Their most recent matchup came on February 4th when the Bearcats traveled to Edmond and upset UCO by a score of 76-73.