Kearney, Neb. – Junior guard Debi Johnson scored a season-high 23 points to help the Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball defeat New Mexico Highlands, 72-68, Saturday night in Las Vegas, N.M.

UNK (8-7, 7-4 RMAC) wins a third straight road game and improves to 17-0 all-time against the Cowgirls (6-12, 3-9 RMAC).

On this 2,200-mile roundtrip, the Lopers trailed at the half, 33-28, for a second straight night. UNK went 5 of 10 from behind the arc in the final 20 minutes, and made nearly half its second half field goals (46.9 pct.), to eventually catch Highlands.

With 10:49 left, a layup from senior post Megan Becker (Southern Valley H.S.) gave UNK its first lead, 50-49, since early in the contest. The Cowgirls never got the lead back or tied the game but also never trailed by more than seven points down the stretch. 

A jumper from Briana Gholston cut the Kearney lead to one, 64-63, with 2:45 left on the clock. Freshman reserve Shelby Zimmerman (Tri-County H.S.) responded by making two free throws about 20 seconds later and, after Highlands made two freebies, Becker made another shot in the lane to make it a three point game again.

The Cowgirls had two more chances to cut the lead to one, or tie the game with a three, but Gholston and guard Whitley Coca misfired. With 41 seconds left, Johnson (Perkins County H.S.) made a layup to give the Lopers a five point cushion.

On the night, Johnson went 8 of 11 from the field, including a 4 of 7 effort from the three point line. She has now scored in double figures in the last four games.

Becker (12 points, 11 rebounds) had her second straight double double of the year and her third such effort in the last four games. Also, junior wing Vanessa Leeper (Colorado Springs) had 14 points and seven rebounds in a team-high 34 minutes.

Finally, junior guard Kim Rickels (Iowa City, Ia.) had five points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal with Zimmerman going 2 of 2 at the line and from the field to tally a season-best seven points.

UNK out rebounded Highlands, 38-34, and tied a season-low with by committing just 15 turnovers.

Having similar team numbers as the Lopers, the Cowgirls were placed by Alyssa Lopez (17 points) and Gholston (12 points and seven rebounds) off the bench.

UNK hosts Colorado-Colorado Springs and CSU-Pueblo next weekend.