Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The 5th-ranked Fort Hays State Tigers got 26 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks from All-American center Kate Lehman to edge Nebraska Kearney, 81-71, Saturday evening at the Health & Sports Center.

This was the Lopers (11-15, 5-12) final home game of the season. They are one of just four teams that had to play the three MIAA ranked squads (Hays, Pittsburg State & Emporia State) twice this winter.

After hanging with 13th-ranked Emporia Thursday night, UNK was even tougher against a Tiger squad (24-2, 16-1) that has now earned at least a share of the 2015 MIAA title.,

Despite 16 first half turnovers and a 13 of 22 (59%) effort from the line, the Lopers had whittled down a 14-point second half deficit to just four, 73-69, by the 3:07 mark.

With three starters and one reserve in double digits, the Tigers went to an unlikely source to make maybe the biggest shot of the game. From the right corner, junior Paige Lunsford hit her only bucket of the night, a three that pushed the Hays lead back to seven.

Kearney missed three shots on its next possession but a Tiger turnover led to a basket by senior post Amarah Williams (St. Louis, Mo.). Fifteen seconds later, however, Lehman hit a jumper to start a 5-0 Tiger spurt that finished the scoring.

"In order to play with a team as ranked as high as they are, you can't turn the basketball over. The teams that've been successful against them had 10 or fewer turnovers," said Loper head coach Kevin Chaney. "We had 16 in the first half and were going to get blown out if we didn't fix things."

Having just five second half turnovers, UNK shot a solid 43.1% (25 of 58) against one of the nation's top defensive teams. The Lopers also had a plus seven rebounding margin, 45-38, although Hays grabbed 18 o-boards, leading to 19 points.

"We put some pressure on them (in the second half) and made them sweat a little bit. If we make our free throws, it's even closer," said Chaney. "But you can't give them second chances. This team goes and gets (offensive) boards better than anyone I've ever seen."

A 6-4 senior, Lehman reached her point total by going 11 of 20 from the floor and 4 of 8 at the line. Having eight offensive rebounds, she is now among the top shot blockers in NCAA D2 history.

Guards Beth Bohuslavsky (16 points, eight assists, four steals & four rebounds) and Chelesa Mason (18 points & six rebounds) also played well for the Tigers.

For UNK, Trenton junior guard Laramey Lewis tallied 21 by making 7 of 13 (3 of 5 threes) shots. She also had seven rebounds (three offensive) in playing 36 minutes. Next, sophomore point guard Alexa Hogberg (Chandler, Ariz.) went 4 of 5 from downtown to score 12. She also had seven assists, pushing her season total to 131, sixth most in school history.

Finally, Williams came back from early foul trouble to get close to a double double (eight points & 10 rebounds) with fellow senior Mariam Ridgewell (Boise, Idaho) at six points and four boards.

UNK heads to Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma to close out the regular season.