Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Freshman guard McKenzie Brown hit a late three and got a key steal to help Nebraska Kearney survive Central Oklahoma, 65-62, Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center.
 
UNK (10-7, 5-4) has now won four in a row, its longest such streak since the 2010-11 season. Meanwhile, UCO falls to 13-5 (6-3).
 
Scoring the game's first nine points and leading from start to finish, UNK had to overcome a 5 of 15 effort (33%) from the free throw line. The Lopers came in shooting 73% from the charity stripe.
 
The final two misses came with nine seconds to go and after Brown had made three to finish the scoring and then stole the ball, all in an eight second span.  
 
After a timeout, UCO's Jordan Ward brought ball up the court and was fouled by Loper reserve Javona Wynne (Omaha North H.S.). Ward missed the first and then intentionally missed the second. The Bronchos managed to tap the ball out to Julia Mason, whose good look from the left wing missed as the buzzer sounded.
 
Brown's winning shot came after two free throws from UCO's Chelsie Robinson knotted things at 62 with 41 seconds to go. Sophomore wing Kelsey Fitzgerald (Yankton, S.D.) drove inside and, falling down, managed to kick the ball out to junior guard Laramey Lewis (Trenton), who swung the ball to a wide open Brown with just 20 seconds to go.
 
UCO raced up court, only to see Brown steal the ball and get it to a teammate.
 
"We fought the entire way and ended up squeaking out the win," said UNK head coach Kevin Chaney. "McKenzie Brown is a winner and I knew that shot was going in at the end.'
 
Brown finished 4 of 13 (3 of 10 threes) from the field but her second made three came at the 1:35 mark to give UNK a 62-58 lead.
 
Senior post Amarah Williams (St. Louis, Mo.) paced the Lopers, having 19 points and 15 rebounds (eight offensive) on 8 of 11 shooting. Next, Arizona sophomore Alexa Hogberg, besides six assists and three steals, hit 5 of 7 shots to score 12.
 
Finally, the Lopers had 17 second chance points and out shot UCO by 10 percentage points, 43-33.
 
Shooting just 29% in the second half, UCO had five players score between seven and eight points with starter Olivia Mason having a team-best 15.
 
Second-ranked Pittsburg State (16-2, 6-1) visits Thursday night.