Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team sunk a season-high 14 three pointers to roll past Wayne State, 86-69, Tuesday night inside Rice Auditorium.
This game was originally supposed to be played back in November but was postponed due to weather. UNK (11-8) has now won back-to-back road games while the Wildcats (4-16) have lost four straight.
With just one upperclassman on its roster, things started off well for the young 'Cats as they scored 11 of the first 15 points. However, UNK responded with an 11-2 run, capped by a three from junior guard
Josh Sweet (Topeka, Kan.).
A trey from sophomore guard
Ty Danielson (York) five minutes later made it 24-21 and the Lopers never trailed again.
"We got off to another shaky start and that's something we'll have to get fixed," said UNK head coach
Kevin Lofton. "Our guys had to crank it up a bit and get ourselves back in it. We then got control midway through the half and were able to sustain things."
Having a double digit three point total for the fourth time this season, UNK was very efficient from long range, going 14 of 26 (53.8%). Meanwhile, Wayne was 4 of 14 from behind the arc.
After going 3 of 5 from the three point line last Saturday at Missouri Western State, Sweet made 6 of 8 three point shots tonight to tally a season-high 18. The Allen (Kan.) C.C. transfer scored 12 back in November at Colorado School of Mines.
Also off the bench, Iowa freshman forward
Carter Burns scored 13 points, two off his season-high, by going 5 of 7 (3 of 5 threes) from the field.
"I was really proud and happy for Josh. These last two games have been a long time coming for him. That's the way he shot the ball, consistently, in junior college," said Lofton. "We need Josh and Carter to shoot the ball like they did tonight. It'll help take the pressure off of Connor, Ethan and Trey."
From the starting lineup, Danielson scored 11 thanks to three triples with Ravenna senior
Connor Beranek adding his fifth double double of the season (18 points & 10 rebounds). That pushes his collegiate career point total to 2,004 and his UNK career total to 1,512.
Finally, the Lopers committed just seven turnovers, the third straight contest under 10 miscues.
Sophomore guard Matt Thomas paced the Wildcats as he scored a game-high 25 thanks to a 9 of 17 (2 of 4 threes) shooting night.
UNK hosts Fort Hays State Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
