Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney women's basketball team got off to fast starts in each half and had a plus 23 rebounding margin to defeat Northeastern State,
63-52, Thursday night in Tahlequah, Okla.
Improving to 6-6 on the road, UNK (12-15, 6-12) has now qualified for the 2015 MIAA Tournament. The Lopers will play a road game next Tuesday, March 3rd, against an opponent to be determined.
UNK scored 13 of the game's first 14 points and then started the second half on a 7-0 run to open up a 17-point lead, 38-21.
NSU (11-14, 7-11) hung around thanks to nine made threes and by forcing 18 Loper turnovers. The RiverHawks got the large deficit down to seven, 48-41, with 7:21 to go but Kearney responded in a big way.
Senior post
Amarah Williams (St. Louis, Mo.) converted a three-point play and then freshman guard
McKenzie Brown (G.I. Northwest) hit a three to push the lead to 13 points at 55-42.
"We knew they were going to make a run. Trust me, I remember what happened here a year ago," said UNK head coach
Kevin Chaney, referring to NSU's 26-8 finishing run in a 64-61 win. "We kept up the pressure and that intensity we developed by playing the ranked teams (Fort Hays, Emporia and Pitt). It was just a matter of weathering the storm and executing our offense."
A balanced Loper attack featured 18 points from Williams and 15 points from both Brown and junior guard
Laramey Lewis. This trio combined to go 18 of 37 from the field with Lewis (Trenton) sinking four threes and Brown two.
Not surprisingly, UNK dominated the glass as NSU has just one six-footer on the roster. Sophomore reserve
Tori Payne (North Las Vegas, Nev.) had a career-high 11 caroms (seven defensive) with Lewis, Williams and South Dakota sophomore
Kelsey Fitzgerald each pulling down eight.
The 51 rebounds are three short of the season-high, set against Midland in double OT, with NSU's 29% effort from the field the lowest by a UNK opponent this winter.
Senior guard Fontana Tate paced NSU with 19 points on 7 of 15 (4 of 7 threes) shooting.
UNK finishes the regular season Saturday at Central Oklahoma. The Bronchos (15-12, 8-10) had a great chance to upset No. 4 Fort Hays State Thursday night but went scoreless in the final 2:26 to fall 56-55.
