Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball got scoring from 11 different players and held Bethel College to 25 percent shooting to post a 59-34 victory Saturday evening at the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers improve to 6-0, tied for the third best start in school history. The Threshers, from North Newton, Kan., remain at 4-5 as this was an exhibition game by NAIA rules.

With a fast break layup five minutes into the action, Grand Island senior McKenzie Brown became the 25th Loper to reach 1,000 career points. Now with 1,005, she also hit one three tonight, giving her 198 in her career. Only two other Lopers have 200 or more made treys.

Neither team twinkled the twine tonight, UNK coming in at 36 percent (22 of 62) and Bethel connecting on only 13 of 52 shots. The Threshers were limited to eight points in the second quarter and five in the fourth. This is the seventh time in the Division II era (1990-present) the Lopers have held a team to 34 or fewer points.

"The goal was to keep them outside the paint and make them shoot perimeter shots. For the most part we did a decent job of that," said Loper head coach Carrie Eighmey. "In a few of their second and third quarter possessions, late in the shot clock, if you let someone get a shot off there's always a chance it could go in.  We discussed that in the last five or 10 seconds you impose your will and maybe don't let that shot get off."

Bethel led 10-6 early on trailed by just a 15-10 score at the end of the opening quarter. A three from starter Karlie Schroeder tied the game at 15 three minutes into the second quarter but it was all Kearney from there. UNK led by 10 at the break and outscored the Threshers 31-16 in the second half. Several of Bethel's 13 field goals came at the end of the shot clock with one being banked in.

"Our kids are competitive and knew they would be ready (after the break). At the same time, we didn't shoot the ball particularly well but I don't think that was because we weren't ready or we didn't want to. We just didn't shoot it well tonight," said Eighmey.

Sophomore reserve post Kennedy Sander (Lincoln Pius) made 5 of 8 shots to tally a team-high 14 points. Also going 4 of 4 at the line and grabbing five boards (three offensive), she reached her point total in just 17 minutes.

UNK used 14 different players, none logging more than 25 minutes. The Lopers were plus 13 on the glass, 47-34, got 35 bench points and managed 11 steals. The leader in that category was Battle Creek senior Michaela Barry with a career-high six.

Barry (11) was the only other Loper in double figures with Brown having a team-best nine rebounds (six defensive). Finally, Humphrey senior Alyssa Frauendorfer had six assists, five points, three offensive rebounds and no turnovers in 25 minutes.

Reserve Jade Brown (11) and Schroeder (10) combined for 21 of Bethel's points.

UNK hosts Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern State next weekend to begin MIAA play.