Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team heads to Oklahoma this weekend for the GAC/MIAA Central Region Challenge.

The Lopers battle 10th-ranked Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and then face Oklahoma Baptist Saturday at 3 p.m. MIAA-member Washburn is the fourth team in the tournament. Check the Loper schedule page for media links; free live video and live stats are available.

This is UNK's second straight trip to Bethany, Okla., as the Lopers played the Crimson Storm last November prior to a tournament at Arkansas-Ft. Smith. Southern Naz shot 55% from the field and took advantage of 17 turnovers to post an 83-68 win in that game. They went on to win the Great American Conference (GAC) regular season and tournament titles before falling to St. Cloud State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The majority of the roster returns this winter.

UNK and OBU, a relatively new NCAA Division II member, have never met in men's basketball.

A young Kearney squad enters the weekend looking to replace departed seniors Trey Lansman (2,042 career points), Ty Danielson (1,301 career points) and Lane Rohrich (13.0 ppg in 2017-18).

Forwards AJ Jackson (6.9) and Kyle Juhl (5.5) are UNK's top returning scorers with post Weston Baker Magrath averaging a block every 15 minutes as a freshman. The Lopers get a boost of experience with the return of wing Sam Morris. The sophomore appeared in all 30 games in 2016-17 before medically redshirting last season.

The Lopers head to rival Chadron State next Thursday before former RMAC rivals Colorado-Colorado Springs and Colorado School of Mines come to town next weekend.
 

About the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm
2017-18 record: 27-3 (21-1 GAC)

GAC preseason poll rank: 1st of 12

Top Returners: #25 Jhonathan Dunn (Jr., G, 6-4, 19.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals pg), #3 Micah Speight (Jr., 5-10, G, 16.5 points, 5.1 assists, 4.4 rebounds & 2.2 steals per game), #32 Noah Starkey (Sr., 6-11, 250 lbs., C, 13.2 points, 6.6 rebounds & 1.7 blocks pg)
 
About the Oklahoma Baptist Bison
2017-18 record: 10-18 (7-15 GAC)

GAC preseason poll rank: 12th of 12

Top Returners: #10 Brantly Thompson (So., 6-4, G, 8.5 points & 5.0 rebounds per game) and #20 Harrison Stoddart (So., 6-7, F, 225 lbs., 7.4 points & 3.0 rebounds pg)

About the Chadron State Eagles
2017-18 record: 3-25 (1-21 RMAC)

GAC preseason poll rank: 15th of 16

Top Returners: #2 Jaisean Jackson (R-Sr, 6-0, G, 12.5 points, 3.1 assists, & 2.9 rebounds per game), #4 Jeremy Ruffin (Sr., 6-5, F, 8.9 points, 6.9 rebounds & 1.0 blocks pg), #23 Jordan Mills (Jr., 6-3, G, 8.0 points, 2.3 rebounds & 1.1 assists pg)