Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Regis sophomore guard Brandi Collins hit a 25 footer from the right wing with the less than a second remaining to lift the Rangers over the Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team, 57-55, Friday night in Denver.

Regis (9-15, 7-11 RMAC), who beat the Lopers with a half-court shot in 2003, moves out of an 11th place tie with UNK (6-16, 6-12 RMAC).

This marks the third straight game Kearney has played that has been decided in the closing seconds. On February 3rd against Colorado Mesa, UNK forced overtime with a last second three and went on to win 75-70.  Two days later, Western State scored four points in the last six seconds to beat the Lopers, 72-70.

Earlier this year, Kearney suffered last second setbacks to Dixie State and Chadron State.

Ahead by nine early on, UNK was down 43-32 with 11:24 to go. Getting around 29 turnovers, the Lopers clawed back, tying the game at 45 on a three from senior Debi Johnson (Elsie) at the 6:43 mark.

Johnson then gave Kearney a 54-53 lead after sinking two free throws with just under two minutes to go. The teams traded missed shots and turnovers almost the rest of the way with Tae'lor Pury missing the front end of a one-and-one with 46 seconds left.

Loper junior guard Ivy Jones (Vallejo, Calif.) seemingly hit the game winner when her floater fell through the nets with nine seconds to go. After a couple of timeouts, Regis managed to get the ball down the floor where Collins hit her only triple of the night with seven-tenths of a second remaining.

Regis picked up the win despite having 30 turnovers and getting out rebounded 41-30. The Lopers managed 15 offensive caroms but ended the night 20 of 54 (37.0%) from the field while the Rangers stuck 41% (22 of 54) of its shots.

Senior Vanessa Leeper Jones (Colo. Springs) paced Kearney with 15 points on 5 of 10 shooting. She also had a team-high seven rebounds and two steals. 

Next, Johnson had 13 points, six boards, three assists and three steals with Jones supplying eight points and four rebounds.  

Purdy was the only Ranger starter in double digits as she netted 11 on 3 of 9 (2 of 5 threes) shooting. Regis did get 21 points off its bench, led by Sarah Feeney with 12. She also had a team-best six rebounds in 26 minutes of work.

UNK is at nationally-ranked Metro State Saturday night.