Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Freshman forward Trey Lansman scored a season-high 35 points but Fort Hays State closed on a 21-9 run to beat Nebraska Kearney, 88-77, Thursday night in Kansas.
 
This was the 121st all-time meeting between the Lopers (13-7, 8-5) and Tigers (14-8, 7-6).
 
In a game with 13 lead changes and 10 ties, Lansman (Harlan, Ia.) made two free throws with 5:29 left to give the UNK its last lead of the night, 68-67.
 
Senior guard James Fleming quickly followed with a bucket and, after UNK missed a three, junior post reserve Dom Samac (Croatia) converted a three-point play and then senior guard Achoki Moikobu sunk a triple to start at 15-4 Tiger spurt.
 
Over the last 5:29, Hays was 6 of 8 from the field (2 of 4 threes) and 7 of 9 at the line.
 
"Things got away from us there at the end," said UNK co-head coach Tom Kropp. "We were down one, missed an open three and then they went on a big run."
 
Playing its sixth straight game minus leading scorer Craig Nicholson due to injury, Hays got 25 points, nine rebounds and two assists from Samac (6-9, 215 lbs.). Twenty-two of those points came in the second half.
 
To reach his total, he was 10 of 14 from the field (1 of 2 threes) and 4 of 6 at the line. Playing 23 minutes, four of his boards came at the offensive end as Hays finished with a plus 10 rebounding margin, 36-26.
 
Next, Fleming tallied 23 on 7 of 10 (3 of 5 threes) field goal shooting and a 7 of 9 effort from the charity stripe. Like Samac, he more than doubled his season average of eight points. Finally for the Tigers, Moikobu had 10 of his 17 points after the break.
 
Lansman was hot all night, going 10 of 17 (2 of 6 threes) from the floor and 13 of 13 at the line. Fouling out late, he had 19 points in the second half that included 10 made free throws.
 
This is the most points by a UNK true freshman since Nick Svehla went for 36 in a 2000 road win at Regis. Also, this is the most points scored by a Loper against Hays in 17 years.
 
"You need three or four guys to have really good efforts to win on the road. In our loss at Emporia on Sunday, Connor (Beranek) really had an outstanding game. Tonight, Trey had an outstanding game. But, we didn't get any other strong efforts so that's why we've lost two straight," said Kropp.
 
Reigning MIAA Player of the Connor Beranek (Ravenna) had 15 points and five rebounds with junior forward Ethan Brozek (Norfolk) limited due to foul trouble. He finished with eight points, a team-best eight boards and four assists.
 
Off the bench, Pierce freshman Lane Rohrich had eight points with Nevada senior Davion Pearson having a team-high five assists and five points.
 
UNK hosts Washburn (11-13, 6-7) Saturday night