Kearney, Neb. – Riding a two-game winning streak, the Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team hosts the Washburn Ichabods and Emporia State Hornets this week.

The doubleheader vs. the Ichabods starts at 5:30 p.m. with the double dip vs. the Hornets beginning at 2:00 p.m. That is the only remaining Saturday MIAA home game for the Lopers (7-10, 3-7) this season.

The doubleheaders can be heard on KGFW AM 1340 and available (for purchase) on America One. Live stat links are available on the UNK schedule page.

Both Washburn (14-3) and ESU (14-6) have identical 7-3 conference marks. NW Missouri State (9-1) and Missouri Southern State (8-2) are 1-2 in the league standings with Central Missouri (8-3) close behind.

Washburn finished off a 3-1 home stand by beating Northeastern State, 75-63, on Saturday. The Ichabods improved to 10-1 at home; they are 2-2 in true road games.
 
Averaging 81.3 points per game, Washburn is led by 6-2 junior guard Kyle Wiggins (14.5 points, 3.1 rebounds & 3.8 assists pg) and 6-6 junior forward Alex North (14.3 points, 9.6 rebounds & 3.3 assists pg).
 
Wiggins shoots 43% from the field (17 made 3's) and 74% at the line with North one of four 'Bods shooting over 50% from the field.
 
Also in the rotation is former CSU-Pueblo player Leon Flowers, a Wichita native. The senior guard is at 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds pg.
 
Having a plus five rebounding margin, Washburn averages eight made threes per game as seven different players have made at least 10. Last year, Washburn beat the Lopers 72-56 in Kearney and 71-52 in Topeka.
 
Emporia is having a strong season after going 13-14 (8-10) last year and 9-18 (5-15) in 2011-12.
 
Owning a 9-1 home mark and a 3-4 road record, Emporia features 6-4, 200 lbs. senior wing Kaleb Wright from Chicago.  He is at 18.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 76% at the line.
 
One of five Hornets with 10 or more threes, Wright tallied 35 vs. Newman and 33 vs. Central Missouri.
 
Not to be outdone, 6-2 sophomore guard Terrence Moore comes in at 15.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game thanks to 50% shooting from the field and a 71% effort at the line.
 
Up front is the biggest player in the MIAA in senior Paul Bunch (6-11, 250 lbs.). He averages over three blocks per game and, not surprisingly, shoots 65% from the floor to average 9.5 points every night.
 
In the only meeting between the two last year, UNK beat the Hornets 81-58 in Kearney. The Lopers shot 50% from the floor and 81% at the line to lead from start to finish.
 
Now the league's top shooter (67.4%), senior post Mike Dentlinger is entering some rare territory as he ranks 25th on UNK's all-time scoring list (1,138).

About to past 1959 graduate Gary Smidt (1,142) and 1998 graduate Matt Kaminski (1,154), Dentlinger has scored 180 points in the 13 games (13.8 avg.) he's played in this year.
 
One of six Lopers shooting 70% or better at the line, he has been in double figures in each of the last three games with his top three point totals – 25 (Mo. West.), 22 (SBU) and 19 (Pitt) – having come in road conference games.
 
On the perimeter, feisty Kevin Dineen (Creighton prep) leads UNK in steals with 21 after having four in last Friday's 81-69 victory over S.D. Mines.
 
Having almost a 2 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio, Dineen has 15 made 3's and shoots 80% at the line to average 5.8 points per game.
 
Thanks to Dineen and fellow newcomer Davion Pearson (Las Vegas, Nev.), UNK has been better at hanging onto the ball this year, averaging around 15 turnovers per game. On five occasions, the Lopers have had 10 or fewer turnovers.
 
Next week, the 24th-ranked Fort Hays State Tigers visit Wednesday and then Kearney heads to Topeka to face Washburn on Saturday.