Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Senior Connor Beranek scored 34 points and the Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team used a big first half to beat Lincoln, 81-67, Thursday night on the Buckle Court at the Health & Sports Center.
 
UNK (16-9, 12-7) is now in sole possession of second place in the MIAA after Fort Hays State knocked off Lindenwood, 64-56. The Lions (15-10, 11-8) are tied with the Tigers for fourth place with Missouri Southern State in third.
 
There were just 20 combined points scored over the first eight minutes before UNK really warmed up. By the break, the Lopers led 45-19 as they were shooting 59% (16 of 27) from the field, getting 24 of those points from Beranek (Ravenna).
 
The MIAA's third highest scoring team, Lincoln was ice cold in the first half, shooting 25% (7 of 28) from the floor. That included a 1 of 14 effort from behind the arc.
 
"We came out focused and did what we needed to do, which was to take their top two scorers out of it," said Loper head coach Kevin Lofton. "We held them to one three and that's a shot that really fuels them. Offensively, we were efficient."
 
To reach 24 by the intermission, Beranek was 8 of 11 (1 of 1 threes) from the field and 7 of 8 at the line. UNK also went into the locker room with a 22-14 edge on the glass.
 
Featuring two of the MIAA's top guards in Anthony Virdure and Jaylon Smith, Lincoln used its athleticism to try and make a second half comeback. On a series of drives to the bucket and 5 of 8 three point shooting, they tallied 48 second half points and cut the Loper lead down to 13.
 
Two buckets by senior forward Ethan Brozek, and two free throws from sophomore guard Ty Danielson, quickly pushed the UNK lead to 67-48 with 6:07 left to play and Lincoln never made another run.
 
"The first half is how we would like to play every time out. We got complacent in the second half and didn't put together a good 20 minutes," said Lofton. "They came to compete in the second half. They didn't lay down and fought their way back into it."
 
Reaching 30 points for the seventh time this year, Beranek finished 11 of 12 at the line. He also had seven boards (four offensive) and two of UNK's three steals. Next, Brozek ended with 17 points, seven boards and a team-high five assists with sophomore forward Trey Lansman having his second career double double (15 points & 12 rebounds).
 
Finally, Danielson recorded 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks.
 
Virdure (22) and guard Richie Lewis (13) combined for 35 of the Blue Tigers points.
 
UNK and LWU tip off Saturday at 4:00 p.m.