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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Corbey R. Dorsey
59
NW Missouri State NWMSU 15-2, 7-2
66
Winner Nebraska-Kearney UNKMBB 7-10, 3-5
NW Missouri State NWMSU
15-2, 7-2
59
Final
66
Nebraska-Kearney UNKMBB
7-10, 3-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
NW Missouri State NWMSU 26 33 59
Nebraska-Kearney UNKMBB 30 36 66

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Missouri Western

1/20/2018 | 4:00 p.m.

The River 93.1 FM

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Jan. 20 (Sat) / 4:00 p.m.
 Missouri Western
History

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Storm the Court! UNK Stuns the Defending National Champs

Kearney, Neb. – Senior guard Lane Rohrich tallied 24 points and senior forward Trey Lansman added 19 and seven rebounds to help Nebraska-Kearney stun No. 2 Northwest Missouri State, 66-59, Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.  

UNK (7-10, 3-5), hosting the Bearcats for the first time since January 2014, hands the defending national champion just its third loss over the last two years. Northwest (15-2, 7-2) came in having won 50 of its last 52 games with both setbacks coming at Missouri Southern State.

"In the pregame speech, I told the guys I was fortunate enough to have been on the bench when we beat Fort Hays State (1997) when they were number one and had a long win streak going (49 in a row). I told them I felt like we had that in us if we played right and they came out and did that," said Loper head coach Kevin Lofton

The Lopers led by as many as 13 points and didn't trail over the final 36 minutes. Still minus starting point guard Yashua Trent (Chicago) and reserve forward Austin Luger (Alliance), UNK was plus nine on the glass, hit seven threes and limited one of the MIAA's most efficient offenses. The 'Cats came in leading the league in field goal percentage (51) and threes made (11) but shot 36 percent tonight and went 4 of 15 from the arc.

The 59 points allowed is a season-best for UNK and the second lowest for Northwest during its impressive streak. 

"The key was defense and rebounding. Our guys really got down and guarded and didn't give them many second chance opportunities," said 29150Lofton. "We had so many guys give us quality minutes. Offensively, we didn't have a lot of turnovers and we made a good percentage of our free throws."

Rohrich (Pierce) not only went 10 of 12 from the field (2 of 4 threes) and 2 of 3 at the line but also guarded the nation's best player, Justin Pitts. The reigning D2 Player of the Year came with career averages of 25 points and five assists against the Lopers but was limited to 14 points and two assists tonight. A 50 percent shooter on the year, the 5-10, 150 pound guard was 4 of 16 from the field (0 for 3 threes) and had three turnovers.

Freshman reserve post Weston Baker Magrath (Marshall, Minn.) was one of several Lopers to greet Pitts at the rim and he tallied three of UNK's four blocks. Rohrich had the other as Northwest saw fellow starters Chris-Ebou Ndow (13) and Brett Dougherty (11) reach double figures on four made field goals apiece.

"Lane really had a huge game. He's been our point guard since Yashua got hurt. He's had to play a lot of heavy minutes and tonight that meant guarding the best player in the country on one end of the court and then find a way to get into the lane on the other end. That's what Yashua does for us and he did that and then hit some really big (perimeter) shots. One was a "Hail Mary" (28-foot three pointer)," said Lofton.

UNK got out to a 24-11 lead before two threes rimmed out. Northwest stole that momentum, finishing the half on a 15-6 run. The Lopers got the lead up to nine and then 11 in the second half before the 'Cats second big spurt.

A floater by Pitts made it 59-55 with 47 seconds left and capped a 10-4 run. With Rohrich and Trent out, the Lopers had to break the Northwest full-court pressure with a forward heavy-lineup. They did as junior guard Isaiah McKay (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) and junior forward Carter Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) played a little give-and-go with McKay converting a three-point play to ice things. Four Burns free throws got the lead to nine and members of the Loper football team stormed the court, a rare occurrence on the Buckle Court.

29162Lansman (Harlan, Ia.) reached his point total by making six shots (three threes) and three free throws with York senior Ty Danielson (nine points, seven boards and three assists) close to a double double.

"Trey does what he always does and you kind of take that for granted," said Lofton. "The seniors really stepped up tonight and that's what you need to beat a team like that."

UNK hosts the Missouri Western State Griffons on Saturday. Mo West (3-13, 1-8) has lost seven in a row after a 61-42 decision tonight at Fort Hays State.
 
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Players Mentioned

Yashua Trent

#10 Yashua Trent

G
6' 1"
Junior
Carter Burns

#40 Carter Burns

F
6' 6"
Junior
Ty Danielson

#34 Ty Danielson

G
6' 3"
Senior
Trey Lansman

#31 Trey Lansman

F
6' 7"
Senior
Isaiah McKay

#15 Isaiah McKay

G
6' 2"
Junior
Lane Rohrich

#1 Lane Rohrich

G
6' 2"
Senior
Weston Baker Magrath

#24 Weston Baker Magrath

F
6' 8"
Freshman
Austin Luger

#30 Austin Luger

F
6' 8"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Yashua Trent

#10 Yashua Trent

6' 1"
Junior
G
Carter Burns

#40 Carter Burns

6' 6"
Junior
F
Ty Danielson

#34 Ty Danielson

6' 3"
Senior
G
Trey Lansman

#31 Trey Lansman

6' 7"
Senior
F
Isaiah McKay

#15 Isaiah McKay

6' 2"
Junior
G
Lane Rohrich

#1 Lane Rohrich

6' 2"
Senior
G
Weston Baker Magrath

#24 Weston Baker Magrath

6' 8"
Freshman
F
Austin Luger

#30 Austin Luger

6' 8"
Freshman
F