Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team will get used to seeing the Central Oklahoma Bronchos and Northeastern State RiverHawks as the teams will battle each other over the next two weeks.
UNK (18-3, 10-3), tied with Pittsburg State for second in the MIAA standings, is at UCO Thursday and NSU on Saturday. Next week, the Bronchos (17-5, 8-5) come to Kearney on February 15 with the RiverHawks (9-11, 5-8) stopping by two days later. Check the
Loper schedule page for tip times and media links.
UCO has been in the WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaching Association) Division II Top 25 poll most of the year but is now out after dropping four of seven. Late last winter, UNK upset the 'Chos when they were ranked ninth and 18th, respectively, but UCO still reached the NCAA Tournament with a 25-7 record. The two UNK wins came by a combined 17 points.
UNK is 6-5 all-time vs. the 'Chos while posting a 7-2 mark against NSU. The Lopers have beaten the 'Hawks seven straight times, sweeping last year's games by scores of 54-36 (Kearney) and 73-70 (Tahlequah).
Currently 11-0 in games decided by 10 points or less, the Lopers lead in the MIAA in three-point percentage (35.8) while ranking second in opponent free throws attempted (12.0) and made (8.6) per game. By comparison, UNK's opponents averaged 25 free throws per game four years ago.
Individually, Grand Island senior
McKenzie Brown (17th/1,219) and Battle Creek senior
Michaela Barry (35th/812) are both on UNK's career scoring list. Averaging around two made triples per night, Brown needs 21 more to break Beth Swift's career record of 247. Barry, including her days at Wayne State and Hastings College, now has 1,338 career points on 193 made threes.
Finally, with just two more victories, UNK will record the program's 17th 20-win season. The modern era of Loper women's basketball begins with the 1968-69 season; UNK's last 20 win campaign came back in 2008-09 (20-10) when it reached the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
U. of Central Oklahoma Bronchos
2017-18 Record: 18-5 (8-5); 9-1 at home
2017-18 Notable Results: Beat Lindenwood, 88-76; Won at Washburn, 62-60; Lost at #4 Central Missouri, 64-58; Lost at Missouri Western, 71-59
Players to Watch: 5-5 senior guard Melinda Murillo (17.2 points, 3.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds), 5-9 junior guard Blake Blessington (10.8 points and 5.4 rebounds) and 6-5 senior post Jesheon Cooper (9.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks)
Team Numbers: 69.0 points per game, + 10.2 scoring margin, + 3.4 rebounding margin, + 0.9 turnover margin, 80% at the line, 34% field goal percentage defense
Northeastern State U. RiverHawks
2017-18 Record: 9-11 (5-8); 5-4 at home
2017-18 Notable Results: Beat Missouri Southern, 63-60; Won at Washburn, 67-58; Lost to Central Oklahoma, 55-46
Players to Watch: 6-0 junior Cailyn Long (11.6 points and 3.6 rebounds; 48 made 3's) and 6-2 redshirt freshman Lauryn Blevins (10.8 points and 5.1 rebounds; 58% field goal)
Team Numbers: 64.8 points per game, + 3.8 scoring margin, + 0.8 rebounding margin, - 2.9 turnover margin, 65% at the line
