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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Brooke Carlson
UNK Athletics
65
Neb.-Kearney UNK 25-4,14-4 Mid-America Intercollegiate
66
Winner Newman Newman 11-16,6-12 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Neb.-Kearney UNK
25-4,14-4 Mid-America Intercollegiate
65
Final
66
Newman Newman
11-16,6-12 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Neb.-Kearney UNK 18 16 15 16 65
Newman Newman 12 19 19 16 66

Next Game:

at Central Oklahoma

2/29/2020 | 1:30 p.m.

The River 93.1 FM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Feb. 29 (Sat) / 1:30 p.m.
at Central Oklahoma
History

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Jets Hit Second Straight Buzzer Beater to Pull Upset

Kearney, Neb. – Senior guard Kaitlyn Potter hit a running bank shot with sixth tenths of a second left to help Newman upset No. 30/24 Nebraska-Kearney, 66-65, Thursday night in Wichita.

The Jets (11-16, 6-12), fighting to get into the 10-team MIAA Tournament, pull off a second straight upset at home. Last week they also hit a buzzer beater to down traditional league power Emporia State, 68-67. UNK (25-3, 14-4) had been 4-0 in games decided by five points or less.

"It was self-inflicted. Fourteen point lead, 10 for 18 at the line, got a technical, lost our composure. No one to blame but us," UNK assistant coach Devin Eighmey said. "Credit them for battling and Potter's game winner was a tough shot."  

In a game where the Lopers led for 35:11, NU moved ahead 64-63 with 4.1 seconds left as 5-5 junior guard Michaela Mack converted a three-point play. The Jets were short on a wide open three from the right corner but Mack grabbed the loose ball in the lane and sank the shot and then the freebie. She came in at 55% from the line on the year. Newman finished 17 of 21 from the charity stripe with UNK 10 of 18.

"In the first half they were playing an unconventional lineup and we fouled a three pointer shooter twice. One for three (free throws) and another for an and-one. That's seven points," Eighmey said. "We gave up nine points on o-board threes and they had two players (Potter and Madison Bimbaum) score 22 of their 31 first half points. We let the (26-12) lead go away by playing undisciplined basketball."

After back-to-back timeouts, UNK setup for a shot but point guard Haley Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.) was grabbed before any time came off the clock. Limited to 16 minutes due to illness, she sank both free throws to briefly give the Lopers the lead back.

Everyone in Fugate Gymnasium knew the ball would go to Potter, one of the MIAA's top scorers. With her team down 60-55 with 1:50 to play she hit two deep threes from the left wing to make it 62-61 by the 36 second mark. On the winning play Potter got the ball in the left corner, beat a trap by stepping through two defenders and hit a runner right before entering the lane.

UNK did have a chance to pull off a miracle but wasn't credited with a shot attempt before the buzzer sounded. South Dakota freshman guard Trinity Law chased down a pass that bounced near the three-point line and she tried to take a shot from the right corner. 

"We didn't play well but give them credit. They made the play at the very end that won them the game," Eighmey said. "Welcome to the best Division II league in the country. Little stuff can get you beat."

Potter, averaging just under 17 points, finished with 23 on 7 of 21 (4 of 11 threes) shooting. She had 14 after the break including eight in the fourth quarter. Next six-foot freshman forward Madison Bimbaum went for a season-high 16 thanks to seven free throws and three treys with fellow reserve Brooke Haney having 11 points and nine rebounds. This pair came in combining for 10 points a night.

Newman, besides the solid free throw shooting, grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, sunk nine threes and held UNK to a 5 of 17 effort from behind the arc. The Lopers did out shoot NU by a 43-34 percent margin but three missed freebies in the final 1:50 proved costly.

South Dakota sophomore Klaire Kirsch recorded her fourth double double (14 points & 10 rebounds) with Elkhorn sophomore Brooke Carlson (13) and Iowa sophomore Maegan Holt (10) also reaching double digits. Carlson added eight boards with Holt playing 19 minutes before fouling out late. Finally Wahoo sophomore reserve guard Aspen Jansa had two threes and eight points in the first half.

"Not all is lost. We'll have to regroup and try to finish off this road trip one and one," Eighmey said.

UNK heads to Central Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon. The Bronchos (17-9, 11-7) fell to Fort Hays State, 71-64 in overtime, tonight.
 
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Players Mentioned

Brooke Carlson

#45 Brooke Carlson

C
6' 1"
Sophomore
Maegan Holt

#15 Maegan Holt

G/F
6' 0"
Sophomore
Aspen Jansa

#12 Aspen Jansa

G
5' 7"
Sophomore
Klaire Kirsch

#20 Klaire Kirsch

G/F
5' 11"
Sophomore
Haley Simental

#10 Haley Simental

G
5' 8"
Graduate Student
Trinity Law

#23 Trinity Law

G
5' 9"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Brooke Carlson

#45 Brooke Carlson

6' 1"
Sophomore
C
Maegan Holt

#15 Maegan Holt

6' 0"
Sophomore
G/F
Aspen Jansa

#12 Aspen Jansa

5' 7"
Sophomore
G
Klaire Kirsch

#20 Klaire Kirsch

5' 11"
Sophomore
G/F
Haley Simental

#10 Haley Simental

5' 8"
Graduate Student
G
Trinity Law

#23 Trinity Law

5' 9"
Freshman
G