Senior Karlie Free hit a mid-range jumper to break a tie with 21 seconds remaining, and then iced the game with two free throws to help top-seed Central Oklahoma advance in the Lone Star Conference tournament quarterfinals past Tarleton State with a 72-68 win at the Bruin Field House.

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            Free scored 14 points, including 10 in the second half, while Lizzie Brenner, the North Division Co-Player of the Year, poured in 26 points and added 14 rebounds to lead the Bronchos, who improved to 22-6.

            UCO, the top seed in the North Division, advances to Saturday's semifinal round to face Abilene Christian, the No. 2 seed from the South. UCO defeated the Wildcats in Abilene, 78-69, in the team's only meeting this season back on Dec. 1.

            The loss likely ends the season for Tarleton (17-11), the fourth-seed in the South Division.

            The TexAnns had three players in double-figure scoring, led by Jamie Ansley, who had 18 points and nine rebounds. D'Anna Dingler and JoAnne Jones both scored 14 points, and added nine and eight rebounds, respectively.

            In the only meeting between the two teams this season, Central Oklahoma defeated Tarleton in Stephenville, 62-57 in an LSC crossover game on Jan. 3.

            And this was another contest, especially in the second half where the lead changed hands four times.

            Tarleton's largest lead of the game was only four when Ansley hit a layup to give the TexAnns a 66-62 lead with 4:47 to play. But the Bronchos battled back to tie the score twice, the final time on Brenner's short jumper in the paint, pulling things even at 68-68 with 1:35 to go.

            Both teams missed shots but a turnover by the TexAnns with less than a minute to play set up Free's game-winning jumper.

            UCO had a big advantage from the foul stripe, where they hit 19 of 21 attempts. Tarleton had only 10 free throw attempts, making eight. Although the Bronchos were out-rebounded 41-35, they made up for things with 10 steals, including three by Brenner, who tied former UCO star Patti Komalty (1981-83) on the school's all-time steals list with 192. 

In the first half, UCO was paced by Cassidy Pillow, who scored all of her 16 points in the first 20 minutes.

Central Oklahoma

Guy Hardarker

"Very pleased with our girls. I tell them to get better every single day whether it is game and practice. We keep climbing hurdles and this was no different. We were competitive defensively and wanted to guard every possession."

"We shoot free throws pretty well. I tell the girls in practice that there is no water break until they make their shots."

(On Abilene)

"I think they've won 16-of-18. They have position players everywhere. They have three big post players who can score and a great shooting guard. If I was picking a team, I would like to design one like that. If you look at the last half of the season, they are as good as anyone."

Lizzie Brenner

"We have a lot more confidence than what we had in the past. We're just not looking to make it like we were maybe in the past. We want to get beyond this point and we feel that we can make a good run at it."

Karlie Free

(on late basket)

 "I saw where they just kind of sagged off of me so I just pulled up for a jumper."

(free throws)

"I told myself it was just like practice. I tried not to think of the score or the time.".

TSU QUOTES

Head Coach Ronnie Hearne

Opening statement...

"I was extremely proud of my team in every fashion and every way.  This has been a first class tournament in the way it has been run by the Lone Star Conference.  The people here in Bartlesville have just done a wonderful job of going out of their way.  It's all been a great experience for our team.  I thought our team played with class and played their hearts out, and things just didn't work out for us."

D'Anna Dingler

On the physicality of the game...

"It was a very physical game.  UCO came out very strong.  It was very physical out there and I thought we handled it pretty good up to the end."

Jamie Ansley

On scoring 8 points in the game...

"I think the main reason was just the atmosphere.  I love pressure.  I think all this was pretty hyped, so I just came out and played my best."

UCO NOTES 

• The Bronchos are now 6-10 all-time in the tournament and won for only the second win in their last eight appearances. Last year UCO defeated Abilene Christian, 76-57, in the opening round to break a seven-game tournament losing streak.
• 
  Lizzie Brenner led the Bronchos in scoring with 26 points. UCO is now 11-3 this season when she leads the way. Central Oklahoma is also 6-3 on the year when she cracks the 20-point barrier. Brenner also recorded her sixth "double-double" of the season with 14 rebounds and UCO improved to 4-2 on the year when she accomplishes that feat.

• Brenner tied the UCO's career record with three thefts in the game. Her career total now stands at 192 and has her sharing the top spot with former Broncho Patti Komalty.
  
  As a team, UCO shot 90.4 percent from the free-throw line (19-21), marking its third-best performance of the season.

• The Bronchos advance to the LSC Tournament semi-finals for only the four time in school history. UCO is 1-3 in semi-final games with its only win coming in the 1992 tournament, a 76-72 win over Eastern New Mexico. UCO went on to win the tournament that year defeating Abilene Christian, their opponent in this year's semi-final, 87-85 for their only tournament title.

Tarleton State Notes

• The TexAnns fell to 0-6 all-time in the LSC Tournament, now dropping five
  consecutive first round games under head coach Ronnie Hearne. TSU's other tournament appearance came in 2002, a first round loss to Midwestern State.
  
  
• TSU went 3-6 in games decided by five points or less this season. Tarleton State ended the season as losers of five of its last six games after opening up LSC South play 7-2.
  
  
• The TexAnns did not grab a lead in the second half until the 10:40 mark,
  going up 56-55 with a three-pointer by junior D'Anna Dingler. It was TSU's
  first lead since the 18:13 mark of the first half (4-3) and it maintained
  the lead until 21 seconds left, 70-68, on a jumper by Karlie Free. Free
  added two free throws with seven seconds left to seal the win.
  
  
• TSU was led in scoring by junior Jamie Ansley with a career-high 18
  points. It was just the second time this season she has led the TexAnns in
  scoring. Tarleton State loss both games, also falling 54-49 at home
  against Northeastern State on Jan. 5.
  
  
• The three-pointer made by freshman Meagan Curtis with 13:45 left in the
  second half was the first long-range attempt of her career.