Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney basketball teams venture into Gross Memorial Coliseum Saturday afternoon to battle the Fort Hays State Tigers.

Tip-time is 2:00 p.m. for the women and 4:00 p.m. for the men.

The Loper women (8-15, 4-12) haven't won in Hays since Jade Meads hit a buzzer beater in 2008 with the UNK men (12-11, 8-8) looking for its first victory in Gross since early in the 2006-07 season.

The doubleheaders can be heard on KGFW AM 1340 and available (for purchase) on America One. Live stat links are available on the UNK schedule page.

On February 5th at the Health & Sports Center, the Tiger women (16-7, 9-7) almost got a triple double for 6-4 junior post Kate Lehman to beat the Lopers, 85-67, while Kearney won on the men's side, 90-83, as both teams were white hot down the stretch.

The Hays women, ranked 10th in the first edition of the Central Region rankings, have dropped three straight and probably need to win the MIAA Tournament to reach the NCAA's.

Lehman came into the week averaging 16.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 58% from the field. She had 33 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks in the contest played at Kearney.

Nebraska natives and Division I transfers Chelsea Mason (13.4) and Katelyn Edwards (12.2) are the other Tigers in double figures. Overall, seven different players have made 11 or more 3's this year.

For UNK, senior Shelby Zimmerman (13.1) and junior Amarah Williams (13.3) are battling for the team lead in scoring with both coming off 23 point efforts at No. 7 Emporia State.

Despite Lehman's presence, Williams (18) and Zimmerman (14) combined for 32 points in the loss to the Tigers with sophomore Laramey Lewis (18 & 13) having a double double.

On the men's side, Hays (20-5, 11-5) is coming off a 79-70 loss at Washburn. They are ranked sixth in the Central Region this week.

Led by the senior post Dwayne Brunson (17.6 points & 7.8 rebounds) and sophomore guard Craig Nicholson (17.7 points, 7.1 assists, 3.0 rebounds & 2.0 steals), the Tigers are one of four MIA A teams regionally ranked.

In the first matchup between the two, Brunson (10 points & six rebounds) missed most of the first half due to foul trouble while Nicholson (14 points, eight assists & two rebounds) did the majority of his work in the closing minutes of the game.

Also for the Tigers, Academic All-American Carson Konrade (13.3) has a team-high 67 made 3's with 6-6 junior wing Tomislav Gabric shooting 52% from the field.

UNK shot 53% from the field (7 of 16 3's) to beat Hays in Kearney, as well as having just nine turnovers.  Sophomores Connor Beranek (25) and Ethan Brozek (24) had big offensive nights with junior Davion Pearson limiting Nicholson for most of the game.
 
Next week, Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma come to Nebraska to close out the 2014 regular season.