Skip To Main Content

University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Sam Morris
Corbey R. Dorsey
51
Washburn WASH 8-7,3-3 MIAA
79
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 11-5,5-2 MIAA
Washburn WASH
8-7,3-3 MIAA
51
Final
79
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB
11-5,5-2 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Washburn WASH 32 19 51
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 39 40 79

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

The Beat Goes On ... 79-51 over Washburn

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team started and ended with a bang to dominate Washburn, 79-51, Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers (11-5, 5-2) have won seven of its last eight while the Ichabods (8-7, 3-3) are now on a two-game skid. The 28-point margin of victory is UNK's largest ever against Washburn, the largest margin of victory against an MIAA opponent, the biggest win over a D2 foe in five years and stops a four-game skid vs. the 'Bods. 

UNK nailed its first four threes to zoom out to early leads of 19-9 and 32-15. However, a bigger Washburn squad got the Lopers front court in foul trouble and some costly turnovers also helped the 'Bods trail by just a 39-32 score at the break.

"Getting off a strong start always feels good. That shows our guys were doing the little things and we executed really well offensively," UNK head coach Kevin Lofton said. "Defensively we got out and guarded pretty well."

The Lopers started the second half on an 8-2 run to lead by double digits again but WU hung around once more, trailing 56-47 with just under 11 minutes remaining. That's when the Blue & Gold exploded, finishing on a 23-4 run that featured almost no misses from the field. Kyle Juhl
 
"Early (in the second half) we were kind of shaky with their press. Our guys got their composure so we didn't have to draw up a bunch of fancy stuff. They figured it out and we started to attack it," Lofton said. "It's good to see guys playing with confidence. The biggest thing I'm proud of is guys are truly playing for each other."

Kearney ended up shooting 66% (15 of 23) over the final 20 minutes included a 4 of 9 effort from downtown. Meanwhile WU missed a series of bunnies to come in at 31% (9 of 29). They also went 0 of 6 from behind the arc.

Tallying 27 points off 18 WU turnovers, UNK had four starters score in double digits. That group was Iowa senior Kyle Juhl (16), Bellevue senior AJ Jackson (15), Kansas senior Morgan Soucie (15) and Utah junior Jake Walker (15).

Juhl had one of his best games of the year, scoring seven of UNK's first 10 points while grabbing a team-best nine rebounds. He also had three assists, two steals and no turnovers in 30 minutes of work. Juhl is now up to 143 made 3's in his career which puts him just outside the Loper all-time top 10. 

Next Jackson was 6 of 7 from the field and 3 for 4 at the line with Soucie pulling down seven caroms and making 7 of 9 shots. Finally Walker was 6 of 13 from the floor and had four assists. As a team Kearney had 21 dimes on 30 buckets.

"Chemistry has been huge. We've preached that and always have but we're going overboard there. We want the team to have an identity … be a mentally tough gritty group that plays hard, that plays smart, that plays together," Lofton said. "When they do that we feel like we can play with anybody."

Washburn was led by post Jonny Clausing (13 points & seven rebounds) and guard Jalen Lewis (12 points).

UNK hosts Emporia State on Saturday afternoon. The Hornets (9-6, 3-3) lost at Fort Hays State on Wednesday, 56-46.
 
 
Print Friendly Version