Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team will have its final regular season home games this weekend when 9th-ranked Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State come to the Health & Sports Center.

This will be the first of two meetings with the Bronchos and RiverHawks. Next weekend, UNK (7-14, 3-10) heads to Edmond and Tahlequah.

The Lopers host the league leading 'Chos (20-2, 11-1) Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. with the 'Hawks (6-15, 2-11) visiting Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Visit the UNK schedule page for media links.

On Thursday, UNK will recognize the Loper SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) for raising over $4,000 for Make-A-Wish while former equipment manager Dick Collins will be honored on Saturday.

Coming off a 19-11 (12-10) season, UCO has been the surprise of the MIAA, winning 20 of its first 21 games. Sporting a 10-0 road mark, they've lived dangerously, going 10-2 in games decided by 10 points or less. One of those setbacks came last Saturday at home to Southwest Baptist, 76-73.
 
UCO leads the MIAA in field goal percentage defense (34.1) and is fifth in blocks (5.9). A balanced and deep rotation features nine players averaging 10 plus minutes with three starters in double figures.
 
Junior guard Melinda Murillo (5-5), a 2016 JUCO All-American, leads in scoring (15.4) and assists (69) and is second in steals (31) and threes made (35). Another impact transfer is 6-5 junior post Jesheon Cooper (11.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game).
 
UNK has lost four straight to the 'Chos and has yet to win in Edmond (0-4).
 
Northeastern State is riding an eight-game skid heading into a Thursday night game at Fort Hays State. They are 3-6 away from Tahlequah this season.
 
Sophomore transfer Rylie Torrey (5-11), a 2016 JUCO All-American, is one of the MIAA's top newcomers, averaging 17.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. She is shooting 89% at the line and has made 46 threes. Next, returning guard Cailyn Long (6-0) is at 14.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. She is an 88% free throw shooter, helping NSU rank first in the MIAA as a team (79.0%).
 
Last year, UNK beat the 'Hawks 82-49 in the Health & Sports Center and 51-43 in Tahlequah.
 
After the game Saturday, seniors Courtney Aitken (Dannebrog), Kelsey Fitzgerald (Yankton, S.D.), Alexa Hogberg (Chandler, Ariz.) and Nieka Wheeler (Independence, Mo.) will be honored. Fitzgerald and Hogberg are four-year team members, Aitken has been at UNK the past two season while this is Wheeler's first and only year as a Loper.
 
Fitzgerald winds down her career currently ranked seventh in Loper lore in career blocks (88). She has 21 to date, six more than junior Imani Kyser (Madison, Ala.). A three-year starter, Hogberg is about to become UNK's all-time assist leader while also ranking among the top 35 scorers. To date, she has 366 career dimes and 836 points.
 
Next, Aitken is among the MIAA rebounding leaders (6.8) this year with Wheeler the Lopers top scorer (5.2) off the bench.
 
UNK is at UCO next Thursday night and NSU on Saturday afternoon.