Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team shot nearly 60 percent from the field in the second half to blow up a close game and beat Colorado Mesa, 70-57, Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The contest, due to the winter storm, was moved up two hours.  A determination about tomorrow's Western State game will be made in the morning.

In a battle of the two teams tied for fourth place in the RMAC standings, UNK improves to 12-7 (10-6 RMAC) while the Mavericks fall to 11-9 (9-7 RMAC).

Earlier this year in Grand Junction, Mesa rolled past the Lopers 79-53 as post Colton Burgon poured in 27 points. Tonight, he fouled out and tallied just seven points in 15 minutes. 

Mesa, which lost leading scorer Michael Bear to an ankle injury last Friday night, was coming off an upset win over nationally-ranked Metro State.

The Mavs jumped out to a 9-2 lead but the two teams went into the locker room tied at 26. UNK made sure to get sophomore post Mike Dentlinger (Millard North) more invovled in the offense early in the second half and that paid dividends as the Lopers opened up a 39-30 lead by the 14:40 mark.

During this 13-4 run, Dentlinger had six points and junior wing Jon Henderson (Salt Lake City, Utah) added seven. These two both finished with 16 points as the combined to go 9 of 16 from the field and 12 of 12 at the line.

UNK's lead only grew after that first spurt, getting as big as 21 points. Dentlinger had 12 of his 16 in the second half thanks to 10 of 10 free throw shooting. He also had four rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks on the night.

Henderson made four of five shots in the second half to tally 11 of his 16. The lefty also hit two of the UNK's four threes in the game.

Mesa struggled to find an offensive flow against the Loper defense as they finished 18 of 47 (38.3%) from the field. They also missed 10 free throws and committed 20 turnovers. Post Chandler Burgon did finish with a double double (20 points and 11 rebounds).

Kearney, mean while, made 13 of 23 shots (56.5%) after the break and also sunk 20 of 24 free throws in the contest. Finally, UNK out rebounded a bigger Mesa team, 30-29.