Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team hopes to advance in the MIAA Tournament when it faces the Lincoln Blue Tigers Friday afternoon.

The game, the second of the day, is scheduled for a 2:15 p.m. start. Check the UNK schedule page for media links.

In position to make the NCAA Tournament next weekend, the second-seeded Lopers (18-10) swept the season series from the seventh-seeded Blue Tigers (16-13). Lincoln won its first postseason game in 29 years when it hit a last second shot on Tuesday night to edge Emporia State, 73-71, in Jefferson City.

To beat Lincoln by scores of 87-73 and 81-67, UNK held the Blue Tigers to 21% (8 of 38) 3-point shooting. They also had a plus seven rebounding margin with Ravenna senior Connor Beranek a tough matchup for LU, averaging 34.5 points per game.

Guards Anthony Virdure (21.8 ppg) and Jaylon Smith (18l.1 ppg), both 2016 All-MIAA selections, power Lincoln. They have combined to make 158 threes this winter and shoot over 67% at the line.

In the first game with UNK back in December, Virdure scored 32. The Lopers have managed to keep Smith at bay, however, as he has fouled out twice and tallied a total of 18 points.

The Loper-Blue Tiger winner will play Saturday at 6:00 p.m. against the winner of Missouri Southern State (3rd-seed) and Missouri Western State (11th-seed). That contest starts Friday's slate.

UNK's last conference tournament semifinal appearance came back in the 2011-12 season when it fell to Colorado School of Mines in Pueblo, Colo. The Lopers won two RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) tourney titles, the last coming in 2006.