COLD SHOOTING COSTS EMPORIA STATE MEN IN LOSS AT CENTRALOKLAHOMA

January 28, 2021-For the second time this year Emporia State was held to below 40% shooting from the field by Central Oklahoma as the Bronchos took a 73-71 victory over the Hornets on Thursday evening in Edmond, Okla.
 
Jumah'Ri Turner got the first points of the game on a three-pointer, but the Hornets would miss their next ten shots from the field as the Bronchos opened up a 17-5 lead.  Turner finally broke through with a layup at the 12:00 minute mark and Kong Kong hit two free throws to pull ESU within 17-9 before UCO went on an 8-2 run to take their largest lead of the night at 25-11 with 8:33 left in the half.
 
The Hornets used a 10-2 run of their own capped by an Austin Downing pull up with 3:51 left to cut the deficit to 29-25. A Turner lay-up with 1:06 left would be the final field goal for either team as Shemar Smith hit two free throws for the Bronchos and Duncan Fort hit one of two for the Hornets to make it 33-28 at the break.
 
Central Oklahoma pushed the lead up to ten points at 40-30 with 17:20 left when Emporia State put on their best run of the night. Downing started the run with a three-pointer at the 16:36 mark and then Turner scored six straight to pull ESU within a point at 40-39.  Dallas Bailey nailed a three-pointer with 12:58 left to cap off the 12-0 run and give Emporia State a 42-40 lead.   The Hornets would not hit another field goal for nearly four minutes and the Bronchos took advantage to go up 50-44 with 9:43 remaining.  Fort scored on a driving layup with 9:19 left to end the drought but it would be another four minutes without a field goal as UCO took a 58-47 lead with 5:37 left. 
 
Three-pointers from Downing and Gage McGuire pulled the Hornets within seven at 60-53 with 4:37 left before the Bronchos went back up by 12 with 2:23 left.  A Turner three-pointer made it 69-61 with  1:16 remaining but UCO hit four of six free throws in the final 1:10 on the way to the 73-61 victory.
 
Jumah'Ri Turner scored 21 points to lead the Hornets but Austin Downing with 12 was the only other Hornet to reach double figures.
 
Emporia State is back in action on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Wichita to take on Newman.  Tip-off from Jason Gymnasium is set for 3:30 p.m.