Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball hosts two top ranked NAIA squads before the end of 2016

The Midland Warriors stop by this Sunday at 2:00 p.m. with the Benedictine College (Kan.) Ravens coming to town on Friday, December 30th. That contest tips around 7:30 p.m. as the UNK women host York College that evening. Check the Loper schedule page for media links

UNK (8-3, 3-1) has won six of seven to be in sole possession of third place in the MIAA. The Lopers could easily be 10-1 as they fell in the closing seconds to both Colorado School of Mines, 73-69, and Hastings College, 85-83.

Coming off an impressive 93-80 win over then-No. 26 Washburn, UNK currently leads the MIAA in both free throws made (220) and attempted (284). Kearney's opponents have attempted 243 freebies.

Shooting a solid 78% at the line, the Lopers also have a plus 1.6 turnover margin and register 3.5 blocks a night. They swatted nine shots, tying a season-high, last Thursday in a win over Emporia State.

Individually, juniors Trey Lansman (Harlan, Ia.) and Yashua Trent (Chicago) are among the MIAA leaders in multiple areas. Lansman is at 16.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while logging 32 minutes nightly. A newcomer from Mineral Area College (Mo.), Trent is shooting a sizzling 65% (60 of 92) from the field to be at 15.9 points, 4.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. 

On the other side of the court, second-year head coach Oliver Drake has Midland off to a 9-3 start and a No. 20 national ranking in NAIA Division II. The game vs. UNK is an exhibition for the Warriors and will not count on its overall record.
 
Former Loper redshirt Alex Starkel leads in scoring (16.8) as the 6-7 senior post is shooting 61% from the field and 58% at the line. Senior guards Diamonte McKinley (15.5) and Damon Overton (14.3) join Starkel as double digit scorers. McKinley has made a team-best 40 3's while he and Overton both shoot 80% at the line.

Next, 6-6 junior forward Don Henderson pulls down 10.0 rebounds per game while also scoring about seven points a night. Midland is at No. 26 Morningside on Friday and began the year with a 70-66 exhibition loss to Wayne State. UNK beat the Wildcats by a 75-63 score back on November 28th.
 
The Ravens (9-3) hail from Atchison, Kan., and are currently 23rd in NAIA Division I. BC's last game before the Holiday break was a 69-57 home win over Grace University on December 14th.  
 
Fifth-year head coach Ryan Moody has a squad averaging 75.0 points per game and forces 15 turnovers a night. Like Midland, the game against the Lopers is an exhibition and will not count toward the Ravens overall record.
 
Six-foot senior guard Andre Yates (16.1) leads in scoring as he has made 16 threes and shoots 76% at the line.
 
Six-five, 240 lbs. senior forward Jake Schannuth (12.3) and 6-6, 220 lbs. sophomore forward Adam Kutney (11.3) also average in double figures. Kutney shoots 57% from the field with Schannuth at a team-best 5.3 boards per game.
 
UNK and Benedictine have never met in men's basketball.