Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team saw its 2013-14 season come to an end Monday night with an 88-68 loss to Fort Hays State in an MIAA Tournament first round game.
 
The Lopers, the 12th seed, finish 10-17 while the fifth-seeded Tigers (20-7) advance to Kansas City to take Missouri Southern State in a quarterfinal game on Thursday.
 
It was "Upset Monday" across the league as the 11th (Southwest Baptist), 10th (Central Oklahoma) and 9th (Northeastern State) seeds all won on the road.

UNK tried to join that trio by jumping out to a 13-8 lead by the 13:38 mark. This early stretch included seven points from Trenton sophomore Laramey Lewis and four by St. Louis junior post Amarah Williams.
 
However, Hays scored the next 15 points as the Lopers went through a five minute scoreless drought. Sophomore lefty shooter Chelsea Mason came off the bench to spark the Tigers during this run, scoring seven of her team-high 18 points.
 
Up 49-28 at the break, Hays never trailed again as they finished 25 of 32 at the line (78%) while taking advantage of 28 Loper turnovers.  

That tied a season-high total in miscues for UNK while the Tigers were just over their free throw attempts per game average of 27. They've have now shot a staggering 733 freebies this season.

 UNK shot 45.2% (28 of 62) from the field, its third highest effort of the season and out boarded the taller Tigers, 43-36. Hays came in second ranked second in the MIAA in rebounding margin (+8.4).

Kearney also was plus on the glass when the two teams met at the Health & Sports Center, 51-46.
 
Going 9 of 15 at the line, the Lopers were led on offense by Lewis (16) and Williams (14).

Off the bench, South Dakota freshman Kelsey Fitzgerald went 5 of 7 from the field to tally 11, her third double digit effort of the season.
 
Continuing her fine play of late, Kansas junior reserve Rylie Bowser had eight points, seven boards and two assists
 
Finally, UNK's three seniors – Nicole Arp, Sarah Hix and Shelby Zimmerman – finished their basketball careers tonight.
 
Zimmerman (Beatrice) had six points and a team-best 10 rebounds with Hix (Broomfield, Colo.) scoring seven and having two assists. Before fouling out late, Arp (Kearney H.S.) had grabbed three boards and had two assists, pushing her season total to 112 (4.1 per game).

Besides Mason, thee other Tigers were in double figures, including 6-4 junior center Kate Lehman (12). The 2014 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, she also had 11 rebounds, six blocks, two assists and two steals.