Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team looks to improve upon its road record when it travels to Lincoln Thursday night and Lindenwood Saturday afternoon.
The Lopers (6-7, 2-5) face the LU Blue Tigers at 5:30 p.m. and the Lindenwood Lions at 1:30 p.m. Check the
UNK schedule page for media links.
Kearney has a 3-3 road record to date, winning at SW Minnesota State, Chadron State and Southwest Baptist. UNK easily could have two more "W's" as they fell at then-No. 1 Fort Hays State in overtime, 82-75, and lost a late lead at Central Missouri, 64-62.
Last year, the Lopers were 6-8 at home and on the road. Currently, they are 3-3 at home and on the road.
The Blue Tigers (6-7, 2-5) have lost three in a row, the latest being an 89-44 setback at Washburn. Lincoln is 4-2 at home and began the season 3-0.
Averaging 67 points per game, a team with mainly seniors and juniors is led by 6-0 forward Zuri Hill. She leads in both scoring (15.1) and rebounding (8.0) while shooting 52% from the field and 76% at the line.
Two others average in double digits but, as a team, Lincoln makes just 37% of its shots. It also shoots 28% from behind the arc. Last year, UNK lost 90-68 in Jeff City as current senior guard Lizzie Nessling had a double double (16 points & 11 rebounds) and Lincoln shot 63% in the second half.
Hosting Fort Hays Thursday, the Lions (7-6, 3-4) have dropped four of five, including losing road games at Emporia and Washburn last weekend.
They are led by one of the MIAA's top players in 5-10 junior wing Kassidy Gegenbacher. She currently is at 19.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game. She went for 30 points in a loss to Central Oklahoma and had 29 in a setback at Quincy (Ill).
Canadian senior post Vanessa Zailo is a force inside, averaging a team-best 9.2 rebounds per game. Shooting 67% from the field, she averages just under seven points an appearance.
Last season, UNK managed a 73-67 win in St. Charles despite Zailo going for 17 rebounds (seven offensive) and Gengenbacher scoring 37 on 14 of 17 free throw shooting.
In four of its last five games, the Lopers have had a plus rebounding margin and now are in the black on the season (+ 1.4). UNK has had to play the last two games minus starting post
Imani Kyser (Madison, Ala.) who could be back this weekend.
On the glass, Kearney is third in the MIAA in defensive caroms (26.7) with six different players currently pulling down at least three per game.
Senior guard
Laramey Becker is UNK's top rebounder (6.3) and scorer (15.4). Her current career point total of 1,044 puts her exactly one point ahead of her sister-in-law, Megan Becker (2007-11).
Also on the Loper career top 10, Becker is sixth in threes made (142) with Grand Island sophomore
McKenzie Brown tied for ninth (89). Brown needs 11 more treys to become the eighth Loper to reach triple digits.
Next week, Central Oklahoma (10-3, 4-3) and Northeastern State (5-8, 2-5) come to town.
