Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team shot 64 percent from the field and made a season-high 14 three pointers to race past rival Fort Hays State, 101-88, Thursday night in Kansas.

The Lopers (19-8, 12-6) remain in contention to receive a first round bye in next week's MIAA Tournament while the Tigers (16-10, 10-8) lost in front of a "Senior Night" crowd of 4,150.

To win in venerable Gross Memorial Coliseum for the first time since December 2006, UNK went 35 of 55 from the field (63.6%) which included a sparkling 14 of 23 effort (60.9%) from behind the arc. Earlier this year in an 86-69 win over Hays, the Lopers made 13 of 23 triples.

For good measure, UNK also went 17 of 20 at the line and committed just nine turnovers.

The Tigers more than hung around, however, shooting 69 percent in the first half (20 of 29; 5 of 7 threes) and even 60 percent overall (36 of 60). Making eight threes and eight free throws, they had a plus eight rebounding margin as well, 27-19.

"We're fortunate to come in and play at a high enough level to get out of here with a win," said UNK head coach Kevin Lofton. "From an offensive perspective, that's the best we've played all year in two halves. In the first half, our guys were competing (defensively) but they were just hitting shots. I think their coaches would say the same thing about our team."

UNK led by as many as 10 points in the first half but went into the locker room tied at 48. The Lopers led for the final 14 minutes, slowing pulling away thanks to a balanced attack.

With 8:58 to play, sophomore forward Carter Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) capped a 7-0 run with a layup to make it 78-69. A three-point play by freshman forward Kyle Juhl (Harlan, Ia.) three minutes later pushed the lead into double figures, 88-76, but Hays had one more run in them.

Using some full-court pressure, the Tigers made it 92-86 after a three from Kyler Kinnamon with 3:16 remaining. Star guard Rob Davis (game-high 30 points) missed a shot in the lane soon after and UNK took advantage, getting a corner three from Juhl at the 2:30 mark. That pushed the lead back to nine Hays was done.

"It was a gutty second half. It came down to who was going to get a few stops in a row to separate from the other team. Fortunately, we were able to do that," said Lofton. "The main thing that jumps out at me is our balance. And Kyle came in with a huge nine points and hit a big three."

Haunting the Tigers once again, junior forward Trey Lansman (Harlan, Ia.) had 17 of his team-high 27 points in the first half. He went 5 of 5 from the line and also had seven boards, five assists and two steals.

"Trey Lansman is the best big in the league, but he doesn't play like a big," FHSU coach Mark Johnson told the Hays Daily News. "He shoots 3s. He drives it. That's a hard, hard matchup."

Continuing a recent hot streak, sophomore guard Isaiah McKay (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) went 5 of 6 from behind the arc to score a career-high 23. He is now shooting 45% on the season from three-point land (53 of 117).

Next, junior Ty Danielson (York) had 10 points in each half to 20 with junior Yashua Trent (Chicago) going 6 of 6 from the floor to score 13. He also had four dimes and no turnovers in 28 minutes. Finally, off the bench, Juhl had nine points and two boards in 28 minutes.

Davis, reaching 30 points for the eighth time this season, was 12 of 20 (3 of 5 threes) from the field and 3 of 3 at 3 at the line. He also had five assists and worked around four fouls to play 38 minutes.

Three other starters were in double figures, including Hadley Gillum (22), as Hays had its highest point total since mid-December.

UNK is at Southwest Baptist (14-12, 7-19) on Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats host Hays on Thursday night.