Kearney, Neb. – Six-nine junior post Jonny Clausing scored a career-high 25 points and pulled down seven rebounds to help Washburn defeat Nebraska-Kearney, 73-62, Saturday evening at the Health & Sports Center.

The Ichabods improve to 2-0 while the Lopers, still down three starters, fall to 0-2. Kearney should be at full strength for its next game, a Dec. 5 home tilt against rival Fort Hays State (0-2).

Coming off a last second win at Hays, the 'Bods went inside early and often to Clausing (220 lbs.) and reserve Jace Williams (6-5, 235 lbs.). Clausing reached his career-night by making 10 of 14 shots and sinking five free throws with Williams providing four points and five boards. Overall Washburn outscored UNK 50-22 in the paint and was plus five on the glass.

"You have a team picked third in the league with three really good perimeter players and one really strong guy inside. They got out and got after us in the first half with even more intensity defensively than we faced Thursday," UNK head coach Kevin Lofton said. "They took things that we've been working on all preseason long and made us look like we hadn't done anything. That's what good defensive teams do when they are putting pressure on you."

Like in Thursday's loss to Emporia State the Lopers fell behind early but came out of the halftime locker room strong and won the second half. UNK whittled down a 19-point deficit to a 44-35 score with just over 13 minutes to play. The seven-minute spurt featured seven straight points by New Zealand wing Matt Brien and threes from Utah junior Darrian Nebeker and Texas senior guard RJ Pair.

"Halftime we regrouped and simplified some things. It got a little bit better but obviously we have a lot work to do based on what we've seen a top three team do," Lofton said.

WU responded to the Lopers strong second half start with a 13-6 stretch that saw six different players score. UNK didn't get closer than 11 the rest of the way as it ended the night shooting 37% (20 of 53) from the field and 58% (14 of 24) at the line. The 'Bods did miss nine free throws but took advantage of 19 Loper turnovers and almost made half its shots (29 of 62).

"They hit 14 threes Thursday at Hays and I didn't want to start doubling (the post) and getting us in a rotation where they could get those kind of good looks," Lofton said. "We took our medicine and hopefully we'll grow from it."

Besides the inside work, guards Tyler Geiman (13) and Drew Maschoff (16) scored in double digits for WU with Geiman also at eight dimes and
two steals.

For UNK, Nebeker (17 & eight) and Bellevue sophomore southpaw (15 & seven) both got close to double doubles. The combined for nine made shots with each sinking five freebies. Finally, Wahoo sophomore Winston Cook came off the bench to tally nine points and four boards in 23 minutes.
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