Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Chadron State seniors Chris Curtis, Kevin McClelland and Moala Tautuaa combined for 50 points to lead the Eagles to a heart stopping 75-73 win over Nebraska-Kearney Saturday night at Armstrong Gymnasium.

Chadron (13-13, 13-9) win an eighth straight game while the Lopers drop to 15-10 (13-9 RMAC). Fort Lewis went 2-0 this weekend to force a three-way tie for fourth place in the league standings; a tiebreaker will determine the four through six seeds for the RMAC Tournament.

UNK finishes with a 237-89 record in RMAC regular season games.

In front of a raucous crowd, the 174 th meeting between the Eagles and Lopers featured 18 ties and 12 lead changes. As expected, a highly contested game between rivals featured 51 fouls, leading to a combined 64 free throws.

Chadron's Sammy Hines broke a 70 all tie by making one of two free throws with 42 seconds left. After he missed the second, Tuatuaa grabbed the offensive rebound and that led to a Hines layup with 10 seconds to go.

Among the more dramatic plays of the game happened next as Loper senior Max Froehlich (Pierce) hit a half-court shot to apparently tie the game. However, Chadron called timeout right after Hines' made bucket so Froehlich's shot was waved off.

Having to go the length of the court to tie the game, UNK instead turned the ball over and was also called for a foul with about six seconds left. However, a Chadron fan stormed the court at almost the same time, resulting in a technical on the Eagles.

Froehlich took the technical free throws and made one of two and then Hines sunk both of Chadron's free throw as a result of the Loper foul. A last second bucket by Loper senior Chris Deans (Hemingford) finished the scoring.  

Already minus leading scorer and rebounder Mike Dentlinger (Millard North) due to injury, UNK lost reserve guard Tim Billingsley (Parker, Colo.) in the first half to injury. He played four minutes and didn't return to the court.

Senior point guard Quinston Reggins (Houston, Texas) tried to give the Lopers a boost by shaking off a serious right wrist ailment and suiting up for the first time since February 3rd. He came off the bench to play 10 minutes.

Both teams were saddled with foul trouble as UNK freshman post Ethan Brozek (Norfolk Catholic) fouled out late, as did the Eagles Christian McGee. Three other Lopers finished with four fouls as did one Chadron player.

UNK made two more field goals, 25 to 23, than the Eagles but Chadron sunk five more free throws, 26 to 21. The Lopers also won the battle on the glass, 36-28, and that led to 16 second chance points.

Individually, Brozek had 19 points and seven rebounds despite playing just 25 minutes while Deans had 14 of his 19 points in the first half. Finally, Froehlich and junior wing Jon Henderson (Salt Lake City, Utah) had 10 points a piece.

Making it into the RMAC tourney for the first time in 10 years, Chadron was led by Curtis, who scored a game-high 22 points thanks to 8 of 15 field goal shooting. He is averaging close to 17 points per game during the Eagles win streak.

Tautuaa (16) and McClelland (12) reached double digits as well with McClelland grabbing five defensive rebounds as well. Off the bench, Hines added 12 points, three assists and three rebounds.