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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Klaire Kirsch
Corbey R. Dorsey
69
Central Okla. UCO 15-7,9-5 MIAA
75
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNKWBB 21-2,10-2 MIAA
Central Okla. UCO
15-7,9-5 MIAA
69
Final
75
Neb.-Kearney UNKWBB
21-2,10-2 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Okla. UCO 20 20 10 19 69
Neb.-Kearney UNKWBB 19 18 17 21 75

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Nationally-Ranked UNK Lays Down the Law to Get Past UCO, 75-69

Kearney, Neb. – Graduate transfer Haley Simental was big in the game's final minute and freshman guard Trinity Law had a huge third quarter to help No. 23/30 Nebraska-Kearney get past Central Oklahoma, 75-69, Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.  

UNK (21-2, 10-2) pushes its win streak to nine in a row to tie the all-time series with the Bronchos (15-7, 9-5) at eight apiece. The rematch is set for later this month in Edmond.

Out rebounded by 11 but having a plus eight turnover margin, the Lopers were down 46-37 midway through the third quarter. Law (Brandon, S.D.), who hadn't appeared in a game since mid-January due to injury, had just entered and promptly manage to rip off 11 points, a steal and rebound in nine minutes. Her play not only helped erase the deficit but also gave UNK a 54-50 lead heading into the fourth. Brooke Carlson

"UCO is a very talented and good basketball team. They've got size, they've got athleticism, and they score it from a lot of different places. So we knew this one was going to be a challenge," said UNK head coach Carrie Eighmey. "First half I thought defensively we were not able to get enough stops. Forty was a lot to give up … I thought we stepped up in the second half and were better on that end of the court."

UCO countered with reserve junior forward Kaci Richardson (11 points & five rebounds) who knocked down back-to-back threes to tie the game at 60 with 6:54 to play. She had hit an earlier triple after coming into the night with only eight makes from long distance.

Starting guard Shatoya Bryson, who haunted the Lopers last year with a 25-point effort, tied the game at 69 with 56 seconds left on a right wing three. That setup Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.) who calmly hit a pull up jumper from 17 feet out eight seconds later. She then made four straight free throws and had a key steal over next 30 seconds to put UCO away.

"Trinity is not scared of the big moments. She is coming off injury and hasn't played in about three weeks. She came in today and it looked like she hasn't missed a game or hasn't missed a beat," Eighmey said. "Trinity already is and is going to be in her career a really good college basketball player. She is so athletic and able to score in a lot of different ways."

Scoring 24 points off 20 UCO miscues, UNK got scoring from 10 different players with Simental at a team-high 19. She made eight freebies and four shots with Elkhorn sophomore post Brooke Carlson 5 of 6 from the field to tally 11. Next South Dakota sophomore wing Klaire Kirsch had nine rebounds, four assists and two points with Kansas sophomore reserve forward Elisa Backes at six points, three steals, two rebounds and several defensive deflections.

Having a 42-30 advantage in points in the paint, UCO was led by 6-3 junior post Kelsey Johnson (12 points) and fellow starters Jaci Littell and Clary Donica who had 10 apiece.

UNK hosts the Newman Jets (9-14, 4-10) on Saturday afternoon. They fell to Fort Hays State tonight, 78-58.
 
 
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