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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Jake Walker
Corbey R. Dorsey
89
Winner Mo. Southern St. MSSU 11-2,4-0 MIAA
77
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 8-5,2-2 MIAA
Winner
Mo. Southern St. MSSU
11-2,4-0 MIAA
89
Final
77
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB
8-5,2-2 MIAA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Mo. Southern St. MSSU 61 28 89
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 34 43 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

No. 18 Mo So White-Hot Early, Downs UNK 89-77

Kearney, Neb. – The 18th-ranked Missouri Southern State Lions hit 11 first half three pointers and nearly got a triple double from junior post Cam Martin to beat Nebraska-Kearney, 89-77, Monday night at the Health & Sports Center.

Finishing as Central Region runners up a year ago, a veteran MSSU squad improves to 11-2 (4-0) and remains in sole possession of first place in the MIAA. Meanwhile UNK (8-5, 2-2) sees a four-game winning streak come to an end.

The Lions arguably played one of the best halves of basketball in the 30-year history of the Health & Sports Center. Over the first 20 minutes Mo Southern scored 61 points on 67% shooting (24 of 36) which featured a mind-boggling 11 of 14 effort from behind the arc. For good measure the Lions also were 2 of 2 at the line, plus 12 on the glass and had eight players in the scoring column.

Martin (6-9, 240 lbs.) came in averaging 21 & 8 and had 16 & 6 by the break. While he missed a three, five others made at least one with fellow starters Braelon Walker and Kinzer Lambert each going 3 for 3. Kyle Juhl

"Everybody struggles to stop him (Martin). You have to pick your poison … you can run doubles at him but then they hit threes. You can try and zone them but then they hit threes. It's pretty hard to take everything away," UNK head coach Kevin Lofton said. "They were on fire to start the game and not matter what we tried it just didn't work. Sometimes you run into that."

UNK showed moxie by outscoring the Lions 18-9 to start the second half and by a 43-28 margin overall. The Lopers trimmed a 30-point hole down to 16 and had a chance to cut it some more but the Lions blocked a three point attempt.

"They did a job on us in the first half. We talked about that at half time and felt like we wanted to come out in the second half and just try and find a way to execute a little better, guard a little bit better," Lofton said. "We wanted to come out and play better because the two teams we have coming up on the road are, in some ways, as every bit as good as the one we just played."

A transfer from Jacksonville (Ala.) State, Martin ended up with 26 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and two steals. He was 12 of 19 from the field and 2 of 2 at the line. Walker (19) and starting Elyjah Clark (11) were the others in double figures.

For UNK Utah junior Jake Walker was hot all night and ended up with a season-best 23 points on 8 of 11 (3 of 6 threes) shooting. Also going 4 of 4 at the line, he grabbed five rebounds and logged just under 31 minutes of work.

Next Bellevue senior forward AJ Jackson had 15 of his 19 points in the second half while also having a career-best seven assists with Alliance junior forward Austin Luger coming off the bench to supply 14 points and four offensive boards. Finally UNK shot 54% (14 of 26) in the second half and was well under MSSU's 21-point scoring margin coming into the night.

"Our guys responded in the second half. I think we were better defensively and some of that, on the other side, you get a lead like that and it's hard to stay focused. But our kids competed, stayed together and found a way to cut into their lead," Lofton said.

UNK heads to Rogers State (11-3, 3-2) and Northeastern State (9-5, 2-3) this weekend.
 
 
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