Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Hastings College men's basketball team shot 62 percent from the field and used a couple of second half runs to beat Nebraska-Kearney, 95-83, Tuesday night at the Health & Sports Center.
 
The Broncos improve to 12-3 and beat the Lopers (2-7) for the second time this season.
 
Trying to snap a three-game losing streak, UNK jumped out to a 9-0 lead three minutes into the action. However, the Broncos hit 16 of their next 20 shots (80%), including 6 of 8 three pointers, to not only erase that deficit but grab a 39-33 lead.
 
The Lopers did close the half strong, finishing on a 13-4 run that featured five points from freshman guard Sami Bzai (Gilbert, Ariz.).
 
Hastings, which shot exactly 60% in the first half (18 of 30), upped that ante to 64% (21 of 33) after the break. This hot shooting eventually helped the Broncos catch the Lopers again, who held several small leads in the first 10 minutes.
 
Down 63-62, Hastings went on a 9-0 run in a three-minute span to grab the lead for good. Junior guard Jake Hamburger scored four straight, including a three-point play that made it 69-63 with 9:03 to play.
 
During this spurt, UNK junior post Mike Dentlinger (Omaha) picked up three quick fouls, forcing him to the bench. The Lopers trimmed the deficit to three points on several occasions down the stretch but the Broncos had an answer each time.
 
Hamburger, who scored 19 of his team-high 21 points in the second half, delivered the final blow when he grabbed an offensive rebound and made the ensuing layup to make it 86-79 with 2:22 left.
 
Besides its hot shooting, Hastings had a plus three rebounding margin (29-26) and a plus two turnover margin (14-16).  The Broncos also got 56 points off the bench, including 17 from post Jake Marvin and 16 from Brett Wells. Finally, starter Brady Lollman had 15 points, nine assists and four rebounds.
 
Before fouling out late, Dentlinger supplied a game-high 25 points on 9 of 17 field goal shooting and a 7 of 7 effort at the line. Four other Lopers reached double figures, led by Lincoln senior post Drew Sankey (16) and Kearney sophomore forward Tyler Shields (14).
 
Sankey, finishing three points shy of tying his career high, also had seven rebounds and two of the UNK's seven steals.
 
The Lopers are off until December 30th when South Dakota Mines come to town.