Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney basketball teams finish up a busy week with a road trip to NW Missouri State Thursday night.
The double header begins at 5:30 p.m. Check the Loper schedule pages (
women men) for media links.
The Bearcat men (11-2, 4-1) are tied for first in the MIAA while the Northwest women (4-10, 0-5) are looking for their first league win of 2014-15.
In the late game, UNK will be leery of Northwest's three point shooters. Sophomore Zach Schneider (51), junior Conner Crooker (33) and freshman Justin Pitts (25) have combined to make 109 triples and each is shooting well over 45% from behind the arc.
Last week at Central Oklahoma, Schneider (6-7) went 9 of 10 from triple land in a 91-70 Bearcat win. Northwest has made 10 or more threes seven times this winter, including in each of the last three games.
UNK comes into the contest ranked 13th in the MIAA in 3-point percentage defense (40.6%). However, Central Missouri and Missouri Western State were a combined 6 of 19 (31.5%) from down town last weekend.
Pitts (5-9, 135 lbs.) leads in scoring at 16.8 per night with the paint being controlled by 6-8 senior Grant Cozad (12.3 points & 5.4 rebounds per game). Northwest is holding teams to 66 points a night and has, despite all the long range shots, a plus 2.2 rebounding margin.
Last year in Kearney, Northwest pulled out a 73-69 OT victory as four starters scored in double digits including Crooker with 15.
The Loper women beat the 'Cats, 70-59, last year at the H & S Center as they forced 20 turnovers. Current senior guard Ariel Easton (5-9) led Northwest that night with 20 points.
For a squad averaging 56.0 points per game, she is currently at a team-best 13.9 points per night. Having a team-best 22 threes, she also pulls down 5.4 rebounds per game and leads the 'Cats in steals with 23.
Five others average between 5.5-8.9 points, including 5-10 junior wing Tember Schechinger. Northwest does have a plus 3.3 rebounding margin; UNK has a minus 3.3 rebounding margin in MIAA contests.
Since coming back from the Holiday break, juniors
Connor Beranek (Ravenna) and
Laramey Lewis (Trenton) have had the hot hands for the Lopers.
Beranek posted his first two double doubles of the year vs. UCM and MWSU, having efforts of 17 points and 16 rebounds and 19 points and 11 rebounds. He is among the MIAA scoring (17.5), rebounding (7.8) and block (1.5) leaders as well as shooting 87% at the line.
From the backcourt, Lewis is averaging 23.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in the second semester. The MIAA leader in minutes per game at 37.9, she is shooting 55% from the field, 64% from the 3-point line and 81% from the line over the last three games. Not surprisingly, Lewis is in the MIAA top 10 in nine different categories.
UNK is off this weekend before hosting Northeastern State (Jan. 15th) and Central Oklahoma (Jan. 17th) next week
