Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team sank 33 free throws and got 20 point games from senior Chris Deans and sophomore Mike Dentlinger to beat New Mexico Highlands, 82-68, Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center.

UNK (9-5, 7-4 RMAC) has won three in a row and improves to 21-2 all-time against the Cowboys (8-8, 6-6 RMAC).

Highlands jumped to an early 12-4 lead but the Lopers countered with a 15-2 spurt that put them in the lead for good.  Five different players scored during this stretch and UNK went on to lead 42-29 at the intermission.

On the night, there was 53 fouls called with two players fouling out and three others having four fouls. UNK was the beneficiary of all these whistles as they sank 21 of their first 25 freebies to build that double digit cushion.  

Eventually down 61-41, Highlands made one big push to get back into the game. Thanks to a 19-4 run, and a six minute stretch where the Lopers didn't make a field goal, the score was suddenly 65-60 with 6:39 to play.

After a timeout, UNK got the ball into Dentlinger (Millard), who snapped the field goal drought with a bucket in the lane. Two free throws from senior guard Quinston Reggins (Houston, Texas) got the lead back to nine, 69-60, and Highlands didn't get closer than eight down the stretch.

Deans (Hemingford) tallied his 20 points by making 7 of 10 field goals, including making all three of the Lopers threes. He also had seven rebounds and two assists. 

A night after going 10 of 10 from the floor, Dentlinger went 10 of 11 at the line. Making five shots as well, he grabbed a team-best nine rebounds and handed out three assists. Finally, Reggins made eight free throws to finish with 14 points.

The best free throw shooting team in the RMAC, UNK went 33 of 49 (67.3%) at the line and had a plus nine rebounding margin, 48-39.  The 39 makes are tied for the third most in school history and 11 off the UNK record. The 49 attempts are tied for the fifth most in Loper lore.

Former Bellevue U. player Aaryon Williams lead the Cowboys with 13 points in 13 minutes.