Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Junior guard Kelly Moten scored a career-high 31 points to help the top-ranked Emporia State Hornets hold off Nebraska-Kearney, 73-64, Thursday night at Buckle Court.
The Hornets improve to 7-0 while the Lopers (4-3) see a four-game win streak come to an end. This was the MIAA opener for both.
While Emporia led for 32 minutes, UNK hung around, trailing 38-31 at the break and 48-43 with five minutes left in the third quarter. After assisting on a three by 6-1 post Kathryn Flott, the 5-9 Moten scored six straight to give her team its biggest lead of the night, 57-43.
The Lopers did get the deficit down to six late in the fourth quarter, 69-63, but ESU went 4 of 4 at the line and UNK committed three turnovers down the stretch.
"They are number one for a reason. They have some really good guards and post players that can play in the paint and shoot threes," said UNK head coach
Carrie Hofstetter.
Moten reached her point total by making 10 of 23 field goals (1 of 4 threes) and by sinking 10 of 11 free throws. She also had seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal in 36 minutes.
Battling foul trouble, senior post Sandra Ngoie got hot in the fourth quarter to finish with 17 points and five rebounds with Flott ending with 12 points and four offensive caroms in 18 minutes.
Emporia came in with a plus 19 rebounding margin and had a 41-34 advantage tonight. That included 16 offensive caroms
"We were pretty efficient in executing the game plan at times. Other times, we had some lapses and allowed offensive put backs and easy second chance opportunities," said Hofstetter. "Moten is difficult to contain. She can get to the rim and cause you to get in foul trouble, which is exactly what she did to us".
UNK got 16 points, eight boards and three assists from Kansas senior post
Bri Starks. To reach her total, she was 8 for 8 at the line.
In the backcourt, Trenton senior
Laramey Becker made 6 of 8 free throws to tally 16 with freshman reserve post
Kennedy Sander (Lincoln Pius X) making 6 of 8 shots to score 12 before fouling out.
The Lopers host Washburn Saturday evening. The Ichabods are 4-3 after a Wednesday loss at No. 5 Fort Hays State.
