Kearney, Neb. - The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team begins a long stretch of home games this weekend when No. 3 Metro State and the Regis Rangers come to the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers (0-6, 0-2 RMAC) are playing a rare Sunday league game due to the UNK Loper Open wrestling tournament being in the Health & Sports Center on Saturday.

Fans can follow the action by listening to Dave Jenner on KGFW AM 1340 or, for a price, watch the action on America One. Live stats are also available.

UNK hopes to break into the win column against either a Metro squad that is a perfect 6-0 or a Ranger team (4-4) that won two RMAC games last weekend.

Coming off an Elite Eight appearance, Metro second-year head coach Tanya Haave has reloaded and gotten her team off to another fast start.

Allowing an RMAC-low 57.2 points per game, Metro also has a staggering + 16.8 rebounding margin and shoots a solid 47% from the field.

A very balanced and deep team is led by 5-9 senior guard Alyssa Benson (13.0 points & 2.2 rebounds pg) and 5-9 true freshman wing Jenessa Burke (10.8 points & 4.8 rebounds pg). Also, 6-2 senior center Caley Dow, a transfer from Colorado, is at 8.0 points and 8.0 rebounds pg.

UNK went 0-2 vs. Metro last year but, even minus post Megan Becker, took the 'Runners to the wire in Kearney before losing, 62-60. Metro has won three straight over the Lopers but still trails in the all-time series 23-15.

Veteran head coach Linda Raunig has the Rangers off to a 2-0 start in RMAC play after wins over Western New Mexico, 78-72, and New Mexico Highlands, 76-65.

Sophomore forward Tae'lor Purdy averages a team-best 14.1 points pg thanks to a team-best 11 made threes. Six-one junior forward Sarah Feeney (11.0 points & 6.0 rebounds) is another Ranger to watch.

Regis is 12th in the RMAC in scoring (58.1 pg) and 13th in 3-point percentage (25%). They do, however, have a + 4.6 rebounding margin.

UNK, with two of the league's top scorers in Debi Johnson (18.5) and Vanessa Leeper Joines (15.8), will have to be strong on the glass this weekend against bigger teams.

The Lopers are 11th in the RMAC in rebounding margin (- 1.8) but grabbed a season-best 16 caroms last Friday at Western State.

Leeper Jones leads the team in board work (8.3) with sophomore Shelby Zimmerman (4.3) second and true freshman Melissa Norman third (4.0).

Next week, undefeated Fort Hays State (7-0) comes to Kearney on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. The Lopers then host Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Christian over the weekend.