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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Head Coach Kevin Lofton
Paul Pack
56
Neb.-Kearney UNK 12-8,6-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
69
Winner Fort Hays St. FHSU 9-11,2-9 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Neb.-Kearney UNK
12-8,6-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
56
Final
69
Fort Hays St. FHSU
9-11,2-9 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Neb.-Kearney UNK 28 28 56
Fort Hays St. FHSU 37 32 69

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Hays Wins Battle 133 with the Lopers, 69-56

Kearney, Neb. – The Fort Hays State Tigers shot 52 percent from the field and had eight players in the scoring column to down Nebraska-Kearney, 69-56, Saturday evening in Kansas.

Hays (9-11, 2-9) wins a second straight game while the Lopers (12-8, 6-5) lose three in a row for the first time this season. Facing the rival Tigers for the 133rd time, UNK was a bit shorthanded due to a bout of flu that hit the team this week.

"It's always tough to win in Hays," said UNK head coach Kevin Lofton. "We just did not play very well. That's the bottom line. You have to have to give Hays credit; they shot the ball extremely well and did a solid job on the defensive end. It wasn't the effort or performance we hoped for."

Despite being down a couple of key players things got off to a good start as the Lopers jumped out to a 7-0 three minutes in. However FHSU responded with seven straight as part of a 23-6 run and never looked back. They finished the first half 15 of 24 (62.5 pct.) from the field and 23 of 44 (52.3 pct.) overall. That included a 7 of 12 effort from behind the arc.

UNK, getting a career-high 23 points from Bellevue senior forward AJ Jackson, did make a run midway through the second half. A 9-0 spurt featured three free throws and three Jackson buckets to cut the deficit to single digits, 51-43, with 10:41 to play. But reserve guard Perry Carroll, a tough matchup with the illness, hit two free throws and then junior wing Jared Vitzum nailed a three to push the Hays lead back to 13 points.

His team's leading scorer and rebounder on the year, the 6-7, 200 pound Vitzum ended with a double double (13 points, 10 rebounds) with the quick Carroll, a 5-10, 195 pound junior, having 14 points in just 17 minutes. He came in averaging 5.1 points a night. Next senior guard Aaron Nicholson had 11 points and four assists. Finally Hays was plus eight on the glass and made 16 of 18 free throws.

Jackson was 10 of 14 to have his best offensive night as a Loper. His previous career-high of 22 came last year in a home win over Hays. Returning to his home state, senior forward Morgan Soucie had 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists with Alliance junior reserve forward Austin Luger supplying seven points, four boards, three steals, and an assist.

"(Postgame) I gave two seniors a chance to speak to the team … it was emotional, heartfelt. It needed to happen with the seniors having only eight games left," Lofton said. "It'll start Monday with film. We'll sit down and really dive into and see what it looked like. Hopefully we'll get some guys healthy. With some key guys being out last week it effected what we were doing (in practice). As a coach I was leery other people getting sick and worn down and we didn't go as hard as I would've liked."

UNK hosts Central Oklahoma (7-15, 4-9) and Newman (8-14, 2-11) next weekend.
 
 
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