Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Six-three senior center Merissa Quick had 20 points, five rebounds and three blocks to help 13th-ranked Emporia State pull away from Nebraska Kearney, 73-57, Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.
 
Emporia improves to 20-4 (13-4) and takes the season series from UNK (11-14, 5-11).
 
The Lopers more than held their own as they led for the first five minutes and then never let the Hornets get ahead too far. UNK out rebounded E-State by a wide margin, 25-12, in the first half but trailed 36-29 as Quick scored 10 and senior guard Kelly Moten went for 11.
 
In the second half, a three by Grand Island freshman McKenzie Brown made it just a one-point Hornet lead, 45-44, with 13:16 to play. The deficit was only at six seven minutes later before Emporia closed on a 15-5 run.
 
The key spurt featured threes from Moten and fellow starter Addie Lackey and four of Kearney's 21 turnovers. Emporia finished the night scoring 26 points of Loper miscues.
 
"I thought for 32 minutes we were in that game. But, they just execute so well," said UNK head coach Kevin Chaney. "Good teams knock down shots and they hit about six in a row on a drive and kick. Those are killers when they are scoring every time down the floor and we're having some turnovers."
 
The Hornets were 20 of 29 at the line and out rebounded UNK 16-11 over the final 20 minutes. Quick was 8 of 17 from the field with Moten finishing with 16 points, four steals, four rebounds and three assists.
 
Lackey (15) was one of six other Hornets to score.
 
For UNK, Arizona sophomore point guard Alexa Hogberg had 10 of her team-high 15 points in the second half. The MIAA assist leader was 5 of 9 from the field and 3 of 3 at the line while having three dimes to boot.
 
Next, Brown also was 5 of 9 from the floor to tally 12 with senior post Amara Williams (St. Louis, Mo.) hot early to score 10 while also grabbing four rebounds and blocking two shots.
 
UNK hosts 5th-ranked Fort Hays State Saturday night.