Kearney, Neb. – Three starters scored in double figures to help Nebraska-Kearney out last Fort Hays State, 65-62, Tuesday night at the Health & Sports Center.

UNK (14-13, 10-8) wins a season-high fourth straight game and is now in sole possession of sixth place in the MIAA standings. Close behind are the Tigers (16-11, 9-9) and Lincoln (15-11, 9-8).

The Lopers, improving to 10-2 at home, won despite shooting 68 percent (17 of 25) at the line, having senior Trey Lansman (Harlan, Ia.) foul out with 2:49 left and seeing forwards A.J. Jackson (Bellevue West) and Kyle Juhl (Harlan, Ka.) both leave with minor ailments. There was also three technical fouls called (two on Hays and one on UNK). 

Jackson (10 points and three boards) and Juhl (nine points, six boards, two assists, two blocks and two steals) were having two of the better efforts as Lopers with Juhl running down the lane and throwing down a dunk midway through the second half. He was fouled on the play and made the subsequent free throw for good measure.

"We were fortunate to come out of here with a win. If you look at the first 10 shots they got, a lot of them were point blank layups that they couldn't get to go down. We very easily could've gone into halftime down eight or 10 but thankfully it wasn't like that," said Loper head coach Kevin Lofton. "It was a weird feeling the whole night."

In a game with 14 lead changes and 12 ties, UNK got a layup from Lansman with 3:19 to go to grab the lead for good, 57-55. He fouled out soon after but the Tigers top player, junior post Brady Werth, soon picked up his fifth foul as well.

A three from York senior guard Ty Danielson put the Lopers up 62-59 at the 1:43 mark and then neither team scored until there was 27 seconds left. During this stretch, UNK missed three shots and a free throw with the Tigers missing two freebies and a three pointer.

On that missed badly missed three, junior guard Marcus Cooper (13 points & 12 rebounds) was there for an easy put back layup. He also was fouled and tied subsequently tied things up for the final time.

UNK called a timeout near mid-court and on the ensuing inbounds pass Pierce senior guard Lane Rohrich was fouled trying to break a double team. He went 1 of 2 at the line with FHSU junior guard Kyle Kinnamon then missing a tough running layup with 14 seconds to go. Minnesota freshman reserve post Weston Baker Magrath grabbed the rebound and Minnesota junior guard Isaiah McKay made two free throws to complete the scoring. He's now 18 of 18 at the line on the season.  

FHSU had a chance to force overtime but Rohrich stole the ball from reserve guard Grant Holmes as he was about to take a three or pass to a teammate behind the arc.

Danielson (16), Lansman (15) and Jackson led UNK in scoring with Danielson, Lansman and Baker Magrath each grabbing five rebounds. Lansman, fouling out for the third time this winter, now has 1,991 career points, fifth most in school history.

Hays out rebounded UNK 42-35 including 15-7 on the offensive glass. They managed 15 second chance points but it could've been much more. Besides Cooper, Werth (17 points & eight rebounds) and Hadley Gillum (15 points) had big efforts for Hays.  

UNK hosts Southwest Baptist Friday night. The Bearcats (12-14, 6-11) are Hays on Thursday. The weird schedule is due to the NSAA state wrestling duals taking over the H & S Center on Saturday.