Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Senior post Amarah Williams reached the 1,000 career point milestone as Nebraska Kearney grinded out a 65-54 win over South Dakota Mines Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.
 
UNK improves to 11-8 with the Hardrockers, a future RMAC member, dropping to 8-12.
 
Junior guard Laramey Lewis (Trenton) started the contest with a three pointer but scoring was an issue all night against a 'Rockers team that packed it in. The Lopers started 4 of 20 from the field and fell behind 30-16 as Mines was 6 of 11 from the three point line in the first half.
 
Kearney scored 12 quick points in a three-minute span to trail 35-28 at the break. The Lopers then started to drive the ball to the basket, getting Mines into foul trouble.
 
UNK finished 25 of 33 (76%) at the line as two 'Rockers fouled out and two more were whistled for four fouls. The Lopers also shut down Mines offensively to the tune of 26% shooting (9 of 35) after the break.
 
"At halftime, I asked the girls to play some defense. IWe fronted the posts in the second half and they then had trouble getting the ball inside," said UNK head coach Kevin Chaney.
 
Two free throws from sophomore reserve Tori Payne (North Las Vegas, Nev.) broke a 48 all tie with 5:55 to go and UNK wouldn't trail again. The lead grew to seven as Lewis hit a three and then scored a fast break layup after a steal by sophomore point guard Alexa Hogberg (Chandler, Ariz.).
 
Mines didn't get closer than five points the rest of the way as UNK made its final 10 free throws. That included two from Williams (St. Louis, Mo.), who finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
 
After scoring 331 points over two seasons at Division I Morgan State in Baltimore, she has now tallied 669 at UNK. Her 999th and 1,000^th points came with 4:01 to go.
 
"There were times she was tripled team out there tonight. I thought it might come down to her making some free throws," said Chaney. "We're really proud of her and that's something she'll remember for the rest of her life."
 
Lewis scored 14 of her game-high 22 points in the second half as she went 4 of 9 from three point line. She also had eight boards (five offensive) and joined Hogberg as Lopers to play all 40 minutes.
 
Shooting 33% (17 of 51) from the field, UNK also got 10 points from Grand Island freshman McKenzie Brown and five points and four boards from Payne.
 
Payton Humpal led Mines, making 8 of 11 shots to score 20. Off the bench, reserve Mackenzie Kenney was 6 of 9 from the floor to score 16.
 
UNK is at Washburn and No. 2 Emporia State next week.