Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team can host an MIAA Tournament first round game for a second consecutive year with a win at Southwest Baptist on Saturday afternoon.
The Lopers (11-15, 7-11) got some help Thursday night when SBU (15-12, 7-11) lost 74-48 to Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern State (12-16, 7-12) lost to Central Missouri, 71-57. Lindenwood (12-14, 7-11) is also in the mix but the Lions are at Missouri Western State (20-7) on Saturday.
UNK owns the tiebreaker over LWU but a loss to SBU and the Lopers likely would lose some tiebreakers and be on the road Tuesday night.
The game against the Bearcats will begin at 1:30 p.m. and be the third consecutive "Senior Night" UNK has been a part of. Check the
schedule page for media links.
SBU is now 11-6 at home this year and led by the one two punch of 5-6 junior guard Megan Rosenbohm (16.8 points & 4.0 rebounds per game) and 6-2 sophomore post Caylee Richardson (11.5 ppg & 7.2 rpg).
In the 'Cats 65-62 win over the Lopers back in December, Rosenbohm and Richardson combined for 30 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and four steals. SBU got out to a 34-22 halftime lead but eventually fell behind 55-53 in the fourth quarter. A late run propelled them to the victory.
UNK was led in that game by guards Michalea Barry (19 points) and
Alexa Hogberg (15) and wing
Courtney Aitken (10 points & 9 rebounds).
Barry (55) and Brown (53) have combined to make 108 three pointers this season. While the Lopers sunk just two in Tuesday's loss at Hays, they averaged just over six per game during their recent hot streak.
Inside, UNK has rebounded the ball well all season, despite the loss of sophomore
Kennedy Sander (Lincoln Pius X) to injury. Aitken is among the MIAA leaders in glass work (6.7) with senior
Kelsey Fitzgerald (5.3), junior
Imani Kyser (4.1) and Barry (4.5) helping the Lopers have a plus 2.1 rebounding margin.
Defensively, the team's 61.2 scoring margin is the lowest in a decade as only one opponent – nationally-ranked Emporia State – has cracked 80 points in regulation. Fitzgerald (30) and Kyser (21) are the Loper block leaders to date with Barry (38) and Aitken (33) the steal leaders.
