Kearney, Neb. – A busy stretch for the Nebraska Kearney men's basketball game begins Wednesday night when the travel three hours East to face the Bellevue Bruins.

UNK (4-1), after Wednesday, has a road game at South Dakota Mines on Saturday and a home date with Hastings College on Monday. Check the Loper schedule page for medial links and tip times.

Last year, Bellevue (8-2) upset the Lopers in Kearney, 73-65. That marked BU's second-ever win over UNK in a series that has featured 19 games.

The Bruins, ranked 8th in NAIA Division II, have won three in a row after a 68-64 decision over Dakota State Saturday in South Dakota.

Averaging 76.3 points per game, top scorer Taylor Young (19.8 ppg) has missed the last six contests. He's had efforts of 28 and 27 points, respectively, so far this season and is expected to play Wednesday night.

Six-three senior guard Percy Lemle (13.7) and 6-6 senior wing Alex Worthen-Harris (10.3) are the other Bruins in double figures. Lemle has sunk 19 threes and averages a team-best 3.5 assists per game with Worten-Harris pulling down a team-high 7.0 rebounds a night.

Last year, the Bruins went 10 of 23 from the three point line and had four players score between 10-14 to beat the Lopers.

On Saturday afternoon, UNK will face the S.D. Mines & Technology Hardrockers, currently a D2 independent but a future member of the RMAC.

The 'Rockers, began the year 0-5 and are coming off back-to-back home losses to NAIA members. Having a 2-5 mark vs. D2 competition, Mines shoots only 65% at the line and is allowing the opposition to make half of its field goals.

A roster that features six players standing 6-6 or taller, the 'Rockers are led 6-7 sophomore post Konor Klaus (14. points & 8.2 rebounds pg) and 6-3 freshman guard Travis Schock (10.1 points & 1.4 assists pg). Klaus is shooting 70% at the line and 51% from the floor with Schock make 73% of his freebies.

Last year against SDMT, UNK lost in Rapid City, 84-76, but won in the H & S Center, 81-69.

The Lopers enter Belleuve as the top free throw shooting team in the MIAA (75.8%) as well as being the league leader in defensive rebounds per game (28.4).

UNK hasn't had to worry too much about offensive rebounds as they make 52.6% of its shots. The Lopers shot 59% in a 93-73 win over Missouri Southern State last Thursday and have cracked the 50% mark in three other games.

Pierce freshman reserve guard Lane Rohrich has made 10 of his first 13 shots (76.9%) in college with Norfolk junior post Ethan Brozek not to far behind at 63.6%.

Brozek also is first in the MIAA in scoring (20.6) and second in rebounding (9.0). He has already registered three double doubles and recorded a career-best 30 points in the season-opener to Colorado School of Mines.

Finally, Rohrich and fellow freshmen Ty Danielson, Trey Lansman and Isaiah McKay are combining to score 42% of the Lopers points. This group, despite being young, is shooting 53% from the field and has more assists (23) than turnovers (14).

After the Hastings game Monday night, UNK will have two days of practice before a long road trip to Lincoln (Thursday) and Lindenwood (Saturday) to close out the semester.