Kearney, Neb. – Coming off a home win over Washburn, the Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team heads back out on the road this week looking to win in two tough places.
 
As an MIAA member, the Lopers (4-3, 1-1) have yet to win at Southwest Baptist, falling 89-88 in 2013 and 96-93 in 2014. Both games were decided in the final seconds. Last year, UNK got a matter of revenge against the Bearcats (5-2, 1-1), winning at home in the regular season, 80-62, and in the first round of the MIAA Tournament, 90-74.
 
UNK and SBU square off Thursday at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Lopers face the rival Fort Hays State Tigers (6-2, 0-2) for the 123rd time. That game tips at 4:00 p.m. Kearney hasn't won in Gross Memorial Coliseum in nine years.
 
For media links for both games, check the Loper schedule page.
 
Southwest Baptist, coming off a 79-76 win over Missouri Western State, has yet to leave Bolivar this season. Second-year head coach Clark Sheehy has a roster with four Australians, one Englishmen and players from five different U.S. states.
 
Junior post Brian Patterson (6-8, 230 lbs.) is at 16.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Shooting 61% from the field, he is 6 of 7 from behind the arc and makes 71% of his free throws. Florida Gulf Coast transfer Logan Hovey (6-6, 210 lbs.) is another 'Cat to watch, coming in at 15.2 points and 11.2 boards per game.
 
Finally, assistant coach Liam Simmons is the older brother of LSU freshman phenom Ben Simmons. Ben is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2016 NBA draft.
 
Like SBU, Hays has played nothing but home games to date, coming off an 86-76 win over York College on Monday night. The Tigers got off to a 5-0 start but have since fallen to Washburn, 86-82, and Emporia State, 75-63.
 
Senior guard Craig Nicholson, who suffered a serious leg injury last season, is back on the court. Shooting 31% from the field, the 2014 All-American is at 9.2 points and 4.8 assists per game. Note Nicholson hasn't played the last two contests after starting the first six. His status for Saturday is questionable.
 
Next, senior post Dom Samac (6-9, 215 lbs.) is shooting an MIAA-best 62% from the field to lead the team in scoring (16.8). He also pulls down a team-best 6.9 boards per game. Finally, junior newcomer Rob Davis is shooting 45% from the three point line to be at 14.8 points an appearance.
 
The two teams split the series last year, each winning on its home court. The Lopers haven't won in Gross Memorial Coliseum since early in the 2006-07 season.  
 
UNK has dropped its only two true road games this season, falling to Southwestern Oklahoma State, 79-72, and Colorado School of Mines, 67-66. Mines is ranked 15^th nationally this week with SWOSU off to a 6-1 start to be ranked regionally.
 
The Lopers enter the weekend ranked No. 1 in the MIAA in blocks (4.3 per game) and defensive rebounds (27.7). Senior Connor Beranek (11) and sophomore Trey Lansman (nine) are the main swatters with Beranek averaging nearly seven defensive caroms per game.
 
UNK would like a few more offensive caroms as they are averaging just over seven per game. Last season, the Lopers averaged around eight per night.  By way of comparison, Kearney's opponents are currently pulling down nine o-boards per game.
 
Individually, Beranek leads the conference in both scoring (24.6) and minutes (35.6) with Lansman sinking 52% of his threes (11 of 21).
 
UNK has just one game prior to the Holiday break, a December 19th afternoon tilt at current No. 21 Central Missouri. The Mules (7-1, 1-1) are at Emporia State (4-3, 2-0) this weekend and then host Hays next Thursday.