Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The third-ranked Metro State women's basketball team started the second half on a 14-3 run to take control and eventually beat Nebraska-Kearney, 65-51, Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The Roadrunners improve to 7-0 (0-3 RMAC) while the Lopers fall to 0-7 (0-3 RMAC).

A defensive struggle, Metro was held scoreless for the first four minutes as the teams combined for just 20 points by the 9:35 mark.  

UNK, eventually warming up a bit, closed out the half on a 10-3 run to lead by two, 27-25, at the break. Sophomore wing Shelby Zimmerman (Tri-County H.S.) was the key Loper during this stretch tallying eight of her 10 first half points.

The thorn in the Lopers side all season has been turnovers and that problem reared its ugly head early in the second half. In its first six possessions of the final half, UNK committed five turnovers and suddenly Metro held a four-point lead.

After making only 30% of its shots in the first half, the 'Runners then started to heat up as they built a 37-28 advantage by the 12 minute mark. UNK scored the game's next five points but Metro promptly went on a 12-4 run that featured two more Loper turnovers and seven points from 6-2 senior post Caley Dow.

Overall, the 'Runners scored 28 points off 21 Loper turnovers. Metro, with a plus 17 rebounding margin for the year, also won the battle on the glass, 40-32, with nineteen of those caroms came on the offensive end.

That board work helped Metro take 25 more shots, 66 to 41, than the Lopers.

Individually, Dow finished with a team-high 13 points while junior guard Brandi Valencia had eight points, eight rebounds and two teals. Three others were in double digits, including freshman post reserve Jenessa Burke (11 points & 11 rebounds).

For UNK, Zimmerman finished with a career-high 17 points on 5 of 5 field goal, and 7 of 7 free throw, shooting. Playing 22 minutes, she also had five rebounds and a steal.

Among Loper starters, sophomore point guard Nicole Arp (Kearney) tallied a season-high 12 points and freshman post Melissa Norman (Elk Grove, Calif.) had a team-high nine rebounds, seven points and two blocks.

The Regis Rangers visit on Sunday.