Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team will try and make another run in the postseason when it begins MIAA Tournament play Thursday afternoon in Kansas City.

The Lopers (19-9) are the third seed in this year's event and will face sixth-weed Washburn (20-9) in the first of many games to be played at venerable Municipal Auditorium this weekend. Tip-time is scheduled for noon; check the Loper schedule page for media links.

Last winter, UNK reached the MIAA Tournament finals and then advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It appears only league champion Northwest Missouri State (26-1) will be considered for an at-large bid to the NCAA's so every other MIAA team will have to win the tourney in order to continue its season.

UNK is 4-3 all-time in the MIAA's and is riding an impressive seven-game winning streak over Washburn. This year, the wins came by scores of 93-80 (Kearney) and 88-73 (Topeka).
 
In those two wins, the Lopers shot a combined 59% from the field, including a 23 of 43 effort from behind the arc (53%). UNK also made 81% of its free throws and committed just 17 turnovers. Individually, junior forward Trey Lansman (Harlan, Ia.) was held six points below his season scoring average but three others averaged between 16-18.5 points per game.
 
Washburn, led by legendary head coach Bob Chipman, has won five in a row, including an 89-70 home decision over Southwest Baptist Tuesday night. Starting the year 8-0, the 'Bods were swept by both UNK and Fort Hays State.
 
Junior post Brady Skeens (6-7, 211 lbs.), the 2017 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and a 2017 first-team All-MIAA pick, leads the way at 14.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game. He is fourth in Division II in both total blocks and field goal percentage (67.1) while ranking seventh in rebounds per game.
 
A pair of 6-3 guards, junior Cameron Wiggins (12.6) and Javon Blake (12.1), are the other 'Bods in double figures. Wiggins has sunk a team-best 70 threes with Blake leading WU in free throws made with 79.
 
Washburn currently leads the MIAA in field goal percentage defense (39.7) and blocks per game (5.41) while ranking third in in rebounding margin (+ 10.9). The Loper/'Bod winner faces either second-seed Central Missouri (19-8) or seventh-seed Central Oklahoma (17-11) Saturday at noon in a semifinal game.
 
Lansman (19.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists & 1.8 blocks per game) is a 2017 first-team All-MIAA pick who already ranks 20th on the Loper all-time scoring list (1,376).
 
Thanks to 155 made free throws this year, junior guard Ty Danielson (York) will soon join him in the 1,000-point career scoring club. A 2017 honorable mention All-MIAA selection, Danielson is at 13.5 points per game and at 903 career points.
 
Two more Loper guards, Chicago junior Yashua Trent (12.4 points, 4.6 assists & 1.4 steals per game) and Minnesota redshirt sophomore Isaiah McKay (13.0 points, 3.3 rebounds & 1.9 assists pg), also made the all-league time this winter.
 
Trent is among the MIAA leaders in assists per game and assist to turnover ratio while McKay has sunk a team-best 54 threes and shooting an impressive 44.3% from behind the arc.