Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Junior guard
Ty Danielson scored a career-high 28 points and the Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball shot 60 percent from the field to race past No. 26 Washburn, 93-80, Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center.
UNK improves to 8-3 (3-1) while the Ichabods (8-2, 0-2) lose for the second time this week.
Both teams were strong at the offensive end as Kearney made 31 of 52 shots (59.6%) and Washburn sunk 30 of 58 (51.7%). However, the Lopers made 12 threes compared to five for the 'Bods.
Coming in, UNK had made 17 triples over its last three games. They went 12 of 21 (57.1%) tonight, led by a 4 of 6 effort from Danielson (York). Earlier this year in a win over Henderson State, the Lopers went 12 of 22 from downtown.
Danielson was 7 of 10 overall from the field and made 10 of 11 free throws with the lone miss coming in the final seconds. Playing 30 minutes, his previous career-high point total of 24 came last March in the MIAA Tournament against Lincoln.
Fittingly, a three from Danielson gave the Lopers a 28-25 lead late in the first half and they never trailed again. Ahead 44-37 at the break, UNK used a 15-5 run midway through the second half to open up a 74-60 lead.
The spurt featured a three-point play from Danielson, a three from Iowa freshman
Kyle Juhl and three freebies from Danielson as he was fouled with the shot clock winding down. Getting 23 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals from sophomore post Brady Skeens, Washburn hung around but didn't get the deficit under 11 the rest of the way.
Besides Danielson's heroics, Chicago junior guard
Yashua Trent had 16 points, seven assists and six boards. He is now shooting 65.2% (60 of 92) on the young season.
Next, Iowa sophomore
Carter Burns made 6 of 9 shots to tally 15 with Minnesota sophomore
Isaiah McKay at 10 points, six dimes, four boards and two steals. Finally, off the bench, Juhl scored seven with fellow freshman
Sam Morris hitting two threes to score six.
Washburn, outscoring UNK 46-30 inside, got 18 points from guard Javion Blake and 15 points in 17 minutes from guard Randall Smith.
The Lopers host Midland on Sunday, December 18th at 2:00 p.m.
