Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team begins its push to make the MIAA Tournament this weekend when it hosts Lindenwood and Lincoln.
There are 10 regular season games remaining for the Lopers and six will be on the road. UNK (5-12, 1-8) hosts the LWU Lions (7-10, 3-7) Thursday night and the LU Blue Tigers (3-14, 2-8) Saturday afternoon. Check the
schedule page for tip times and media links.
Twelve teams make the MIAA Tournament and, currently, LWU is 10th, LU in tied for 12th and UNK is 14th. Depending on other outcomes this weekend, UNK could vault as high as ninth with a pair of victories.
Last winter, UNK swept both Lincoln (69-36 and 75-49) and Lindenwood (72-67 and 72-57).
Lindenwood is coming off a home loss to No. 19 Central Missouri but recently has beaten Missouri Southern State and Southwest Baptist.
The Lions have a healthy plus eight rebounding margin thanks to 6-3 freshman Kallie Bildner (14.2 points & 9.0 rebounds per game). Recording five double doubles in her first 10 games, she hasn't played since December 19th but will return at some point.
Another six-foot freshman, Gabby Walker, now leads in scoring (11.6) and rebounds (5.1). She shoots 60% from the line and 54% from the field. Next, only one Lion, 5-8 freshman guard Lindsay Medlen (13), has made more than 10 threes. As a team, Lindenwood shoots 23% from behind the arc.
Lincoln, 0-8 on the road, is coming off a 72-70 home win over Southwest Baptist. Their only other win since November 23rd came at home against Northeastern State, 66-62, on January 7th. LU is at Fort Hays State on Thursday.
The Blue Tigers average 63.6 points per game on 38% field goal and 67% free throw shooting. They get out rebounded by 12 per game but force 16 turnovers a night.
Senior guards Azaria Nave (14.8) and Hunter Yoakum (12.9) lead in scoring as they've combined for 46 of LU's 92 made threes. The duo also rank first and second on the team in assists.
Next, six-foot freshman Erica Gibbons is at 12.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. She also has blocked 26 shots and leads the team in field goal (48%) and free throw (74%) shooting.
On the Loper side of the court, senior point guard
Alexa Hogberg (Chandler, Ariz.) recently moved into 35th place on the all-time scoring list. She now has an even 800 points; backcourt mate
McKenzie Brown (G.I. Northwest) is close behind with 787 points.
Hogberg (98) and Brown (155) are also on UNK's all-time made threes list. Next, Hogberg needs 22 more assists to break Tami Tully's school record of 373. Finally, senior post
Kelsey Fitzgerald (Yankton, S.D.) has 80 blocks, tied with Steph Hansen ('94) for eighth most in Loper lore.
More currently, junior guard
Michaela Barry (Battle Creek) is 12th in the MIAA in scoring at 14.1 per game. Including her stops at Wayne State and Hastings College, she has 765 career points as a collegian.
UNK heads to nationally-ranked Emporia State (16-2, 7-2) and Washburn (12-6, 5-4) next week.
