Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Junior forward Connor Beranek scored a season-high 32 points and the Nebraska Kearney men's basketball team overcame a double digit second half deficit to beat Lincoln, 90-85, Saturday evening in Jefferson City, Mo.
 
Making its first visit to Lincoln since 1963, the Lopers improve to 7-3 (3-1) while the Blue Tigers drop to 4-9 (1-3).
 
Both teams were hot from the field, LU finishing at 56.1% (32 of 57) and UNK coming in at 54.2% (26 of 48). Both squads hit seven threes with the Lopers going 31 of 41 at the line, compared to 14 of 18 for the Blue Tigers.
 
UNK had control early on, opening up a 25-17 advantage 15 minutes into the game. However, Lincoln roared back, closing the half on a 25-14 run to lead 42-39 at the break.
 
The Lincoln lead got to 10 points twice in the second half but UNK led for the last 10 minutes. A Beranek (Ravenna) jumper capped a 15-4 run to make it 61-60 Lopers with 10:35 to go.
 
Kearney seemingly held a comfortable 77-69 lead with 2:58 left but the Blue Tigers scored six straight in a 57 second span. Two free throws by junior forward Ethan Brozek (Norfolk Catholic) stemmed the tide and then freshman post Trey Lansman (Harlan, Ia.) tipped in a Brozek layup miss to make it a 81-75 score.
 
"That was the highlight play of the game," said UNK co-head coach Tom Kropp. "We had a nice lead but they were coming back and that kinda of swung the momentum back to us."
 
The Lopers sunk 9 of 10 free throws down the stretch to secure its third road victory of the winter. This also marks the seventh time Kearney has shot 50% or better from the field and the third game with 20 or more made freebies.
 
Scoring 38 last December vs. Lincoln, Beranek reached his 32 points by going 15 of 15 at the line and 7 of 12 from the field. The 15 for 15 effort is believed to be a new school record; Nick Branting went 12 for 12 at the line in a 2001 game at Fort Lewis.
 
Working around serious foul trouble, Brozek had 18 of his 20 points in the second half. Going 6 of 12 from the field and making eight free throws, he had seven boards (four offensive), three blocks, two assists and two steals.
 
"Last year, we were pretty proud of the way we played but we won only two road games (in MIAA play). It's nice to get a road win like this," said Kropp. "When Ethan got his fourth foul (15 minutes left), at that point, we were down 10. We took the gamble to play him and he was smart enough to remain in the game."
 
Finally for the Lopers, Lansman had another productive game off the bench, ending with 13 points (6 of 7 field goals), three rebounds, a block and a steal .
 
Lincoln was led by guards Joshua Buie (18 points & 12 assists) and Victor Scott (22 points & 6 rebounds).
 
UNK is off until a January 3^rd home game against defending national champion Central Missouri