Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team looks to continue its winning ways when it faces 18th-ranked Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State this weekend on the road.
 
Last week at the Health & Sports Center, UNK upset then-9th-ranked UCO, 55-52, and then turned up the defense some more in 54-36 win over NSU on Saturday.
 
Now having won five of its last eight games, Kearney (9-14, 5-10) is tied with Lindenwood for 10th place in the MIAA. The pair are a game out of eighth place; teams five through eight at the end of the year host an MIAA Tournament first round game on Tuesday, February 28th.
 
UNK is at UCO (20-4, 11-4) Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and then heads over to Tahlequah on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. to face the RverHawks (6-17, 2-13). Check the wbb schedule page for media list.
 
Over the past eight games, the Lopers are allowing 58.8 points per game. The team's current scoring of defense of 60.7 is a 13-point improvement from two years ago and the lowest by a UNK team since the 2003-04 squad allowed 61.0 a night.
 
Not surprisingly the

Lopers are 8-3 in games when it holds the opposition under 60 points. That includes efforts of 23 (Grace U.), 36 (NSU) and 43 (Midland U.) points. The total of 36 points was the fewest scored by a D2 Loper opponent in five years.
 
During this winning stretch, UNK has also out rebounded its opponent five times and is averaging just nine turnovers the past three games. That includes four turnovers vs. NSU last Saturday, the fewest by a Loper team in over 15 seasons.
 
Offensively, senior point guard Alexa Hogberg (Chandler, Ariz.) is two assists away from breaking Tami Tully's school record of 373. Tully started at UNK in the mid-1990's; Hogberg is at 82 assists and just 47 turnovers for the season.
 
After winning 20 of its first 21 games, the 'Chos have lost three in a row. After losing to the Lopers, UCO fell at Fort Hays State, 57-44, its largest margin of defeat of the season.
 
The struggles coincide with the loss of reserve sophomore guard Madison Lee (2.8 points & 2.4 rebounds per game). Since suffering a season-ending injury vs. Central Missouri, UCO is 1-3.
 
The 'Chos still lead the MIAA in field goal percentage defense (34.1) and rank second in blocks (5.3). They had nine blocks in the loss to the Lopers and held UNK to 21% (6 of 28) shooting in the second half.
 
Five-five junior guard Melinda Murillo leads in scoring (14.7) and assists (3.2) and is second in steals (34) and threes made (35). Another impact transfer is 6-5 junior post Jesheon Cooper (11.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game). Cooper was saddled with foul trouble in Kearney, finishing with six boards, five rebounds and four blocks in 21 minutes.
 
UNK has yet to win in Edmond (0-4) since joining the MIAA.
 
Northeastern State is riding a 10-game skid heading into a Thursday tilt vs. Hays. They are 2-8 at home, owning wins over NW Missouri State and Bacone College (Okla.)
 
UNK held NSU to 36 points last Saturday as the 'Hawks went 5 of 38 (13%) over the final three quarters. Leading scorer, junior forward Rylie Torrey (16.7), was held in check by senior Courtney Aitken. Torrey finished with a season-low eight points on 2 of 11 shooting.
 
Last year, the Lopers posted a 51-43 win in Tahlequah.  

The final regular season games are next week at Hays (Tuesday) and Southwest Baptist (Saturday).