Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team looks to pick up its first conference win of the 2016-17 season when it hosts the rival Fort Hays State Tigers Thursday night.
This the Lopers only game of the week and ends a six-game home stand. The contests tips at 5:30 p.m.; check the
UNK schedule page for media links.
The Tigers (13-2, 4-2) haven't lost since early December when they dropped back-to-back road games at Missouri Southern State and No. 5 Pittsburg State. UNK (4-10, 0-6) got agonizingly close to upsetting Hays last year, falling in overtime at Gross Memorial Coliseum, 82-75, and at home, 82-81. That contest also went an extra five minutes.
This season, the Lopers are looking for its first win in a "close game" (10 points or less). To date, UNK is 0-5 in such contests; the Tigers are 3-0 in similar circumstances. That includes a 54-51 win over then-No. 1 Emporia State.
Kearney has also tangled with the ESU Hornets and many other strong teams as well. In fact, the Lopers first 11 Division II opponents are currently a combined 111-44 (71.6 win pct.) with nine having at least 10 wins and six either in the Top 25 or currently receiving votes.
Not surprisingly, UNK's schedule is among the toughest in Division II and it'll will only rise with games against the Tigers and Missouri Western State (12-3) over the next 10 days.
Hays, which is 8-2 against Division II competition and ranked 26th nationally, is again one of the top defensive teams in the conference. The Tigers allow 56 points a night thanks to a 34.7 field goal percentage defense, 12.2 steals and 5.9 blocks per game.
A roster with seven freshmen and four seniors is led by Beatrice native Jill Faxon. The 5-10 senior guard is at 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 42 percent from the floor. She also is one of nine Tigers to have a double digit steal total.
Seven others average between 6.5-10.5 points per game, including 6-0 freshman guard Kacey Kennett and 5-10 sophomore Tatyana Legette. Kennett has made a team-best 24 threes with Legette pulling down a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game.
Finally, Hays ranks 12th in the MIAA in free throw shooting at an even 68 percent. The Tigers may warm up from the stripe as, on the season, Loper opponents make 74 percent of its freebies, second highest in the MIAA.
UNK is allowing only 4.5 made three pointers per game, fourth best in the conference. Only MSSU (10) and Pitt (nine) really got hot from behind the arc against the Loper defense.
Individually, junior guards
Michaela Barry (Battle Creek) and
McKenzie Brown (G.I. Northwest) have paced the offense of late. Brown, now with a team-high 26 made triples, is averaging 15.0 points over her last four games with Barry close to 16 in the last three contests. She is UNK's leading scorer (13.2) on the season.
Inside, Dannebrog senior wing
Courtney Aitken (6.6) continues to be one of the MIAA leaders in rebounds. She has 53 defensive boards and 39 offensive caroms while also ranking second on the team in steals (18) and fourth in assists (18).
Finally, senior point guard
Alexa Hogberg (Chandler, Ariz.) now has 344 career assists and 95 career made threes. Needing 30 more dimes to set a new school record, she'll join UNK Hall of Fame Beth Swift (1997-2002) as the only Lopers with 100 made threes and 300 assists in a career.
UNK heads to Northwest Missouri State and Mo West next week, the only time the Lopers will see the Bearcats and Griffons in 2016-17.
