Kearney, Neb. – Before heading off for a short Thanksgiving break, the Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team will face rivals Hastings College and the Colorado School of Mines.

UNK (2-1) entertains the Broncos in a rare Sunday night game. It'll be a quick turnaround for Hastings (5-2) as they host league foe Northwestern College (Ia.) Saturday afternoon.

This will be the 191st meeting between the two with Hastings having a 102-88 series edge. UNK won last year's meeting, 94-86.

On Wednesday afternoon in Golden, the Lopers face an Oredigger squad ranked 10th in the NABC Division II national preseason poll. Playing Sunday at UC San Diego, CSM is currently 2-0.

UNK and Mines have met every year on the court since 1995 with Kearney winning 40 of the 51 games. The 'Diggers have had the upper hand of late, including 91-83 last winter in the H & S Center. Check the Loper schedule page for tip times and media links.

Hastings lost to NAIA eighth-ranked Bellevue in overtime, 92-86, on October 30th but enters the weekend on a three-game win streak. Three are in double figures, led by 6-1 sophomore guard Connor Musiel (15.3) and 6-3 sophomore guard Jake Hansen (11.4). The duo have combined to make 87 three pointers with Musiel a solid 24 of 29 at the line.

Inside, 6-5 senior forward Kendall Ferguson is almost averaging a double double (10.1 points & 9.9 rebounds per game). Shooting 47% from the field and 66% at the line, Hastings features two former Lopers in Zach Clemens and Delquan Thomas.

Veteran coach Pryor Orser has won 192 games as Orediggers coach, transforming the program into a perennial NCAA Tournament qualifier. Posting a 23-5 mark last season, Mines is big as usual, having seven players 6-6 or taller. The large group includes sophomore Adam Laine (6-8, 240 lbs.).

A balanced attack is led by 6-5 junior wing Gokul Natesan (24.0 ppg), 6-3 redshirt freshman guard Ben Sonnefeld (11.5) and 6-5 junior forward Murphy Gershman (10.5).

To beat UNK last November, Mines shot 59% (34 of 58) from the field, getting 17 points, five assists and three steals from Natesan and double double by 6-8 junior post Caleb Waitsman (17 & 14).

In the early going for the Lopers, reigning MIAA Player of the Year Connor Beranek is averaging 26 points and 10 rebounds a night while shooting 57% from the field. He recently moved over 1,600 career points in college and is currently sinking 86% of his free throws.

Fellow senior Ethan Brozek had a monster effort in Wednesday's win over Chadron Sate, pushing his season numbers to 15.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He is shooting a team-best 63% from the floor, pushing his career point total to 1,102.

After the Holiday break, UNK is at rival Wayne State on Monday, November 30th.