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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Kyle Juhl
Paul Pack
75
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 12-7,6-4 MIAA
81
Winner Missouri Western MW 9-11,5-4 MIAA
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB
12-7,6-4 MIAA
75
Final
81
Missouri Western MW
9-11,5-4 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 34 41 75
Missouri Western MW 37 44 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Late Run Falls Short in St. Joe, 81-75

Kearney, Neb. – Four players scored in double figures to help Missouri Western State hold off Nebraska-Kearney, 81-75, Saturday evening in St. Joseph.

The Griffons (9-11, 5-4) win a second straight game and are now 7-0 at home while UNK (12-7, 6-4) goes 0-2 on the weekend. This was the only meeting between the two this year.

Improving to 4-6 in games decided by 10 points or less, MWSU seemingly had things on ice up 68-56 with just 5:16 left. UNK had tied things up at 44 on layup by Kansas senior Morgan Soucie before the Griffs zoomed ahead, getting 11 points in this key stretch from freshman reserve wing Jaron Thames.

However, as it has all season, UNK battled until the bitter end and trailed by two and had the ball with 19 seconds left. A 19-9 run was capped by two Soucie free throws who tallied 25 of his game-high 34 in the second half. Up 77-75, Mo West saw junior guard Tyus Millhollin miss the front end of a one-and-one free with 19 seconds left. Soucie grabbed the rebound but Milhollin made up for his miss by recording a steal as UNK was trying to go to Soucie once again. He hit the subsequent free throws with another Mo West theft leading to two more freebies and the final tally.

"That's a gritty young group. They fought hard all game and kind of controlled it. We got up eight early but AJ (Jackson) and Morgan got into foul trouble. When I brought both of them to the bench they made a little bit of a run and we never got control of it after that," UNK head coach Kevin Lofton said.

Soucie, despite being popped in the left eye and undercut on a later shot attempt, went 13 of 17 from the floor (2 of 2 threes) to record his second 30-point game of the winter. He also had 10 rebounds, making this his second career double double. Mo West countered with Thames (6-6, 185 lbs.) who tallied 18 of his team-high 22 in the second half. Hitting a series of baseline shots he reached his total by going 9 of 15 from the field (1 of 3 threes) and 3 of 4 at the line. He also added six rebounds, three assists and a steal.

"They took off again midway through the second half and that's when we tried to pick the tempo up, going with a smaller lineup. That got us right on the cusp of stealing it but we really didn't do enough in the game, especially early, to feel bad about losing that one. They controlled the game," Lofton said. 

Milhollin (16) and Millard South graduate Tyrell Carroll (13) each hit five shots to combine for 29 points with Milhollin hitting four of the Griffs six threes. Finally redshirt freshman post Will Eames had 14 rebounds (all defensive) and nine points.

UNK was minus three on the glass, had two more turnovers than Mo West and missed six free throws. Besides Soucie, Iowa senior forward Kyle Juhl had a team-highs in both rebounds (10) and assists (five) with Bellevue senior forward AJ Jackson (12) and Utah junior guard Jake Walker (10) scoring in double figures. Jackson fouled out with 6:18 to go after making 5 of 9 shots.

"Defensively we didn't get stops. Early in the second half maybe we should've tried our zone defense but you spend so much time on your man-to-man you feel like, in that situation, you want to go with what you've worked on the most," Lofton said. "We have to keep our heads up. We easily could've packed it in down 11 with five to go. They miss a free throw and you're like wow, we have a legitimate chance."

The Lopers have just one game next week, a Saturday road tilt at Fort Hays State (7-11, 1-9).
 
 
 
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