Corbey R. Dorsey

Lopers and Tigers Twice in a Three-Day Span

1/27/2021 1:11:00 PM

Kearney, Neb. – The fourth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team finally gets to play rival Fort Hays State when the two teams meet Thursday at the Health & Sports Center.

The 95th all-time meeting between the Lopers (12-0) and Tigers (9-2) tips at the usual time of 5:30 p.m. This game was originally scheduled for December 5 (Sat.) but postponed until January 26 (Tues.) due to COVID protocols. A winter storm then pushed the game back to January 28. The originally scheduled UNK at Hays game is set for January 30 so the two teams will battle twice within 48 hours.

Those not in attendance can catch the action via The MIAA Network or on KRVN radio (93.1 FM/106.9 FM). Live stats are available as well. Live stats for the road game at Hays can be found HERE.

The two teams have split the last six meetings with the Tigers holding a healthy 56-38 all-time series lead. The last five games have been decided by a total of 34 points (6.8 avg.) with the Lopers taking last year's games by scores of 73-65 (home) and 72-67 (away).

Hays has won four straight with its two setbacks coming by a just combined eight points. Oklahoma State transfer and 5-8 senior guard Jaden Hobbs leaders the MIAA's top offense by averaging 17.1 points, 5.7 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. She shots 56% from the field and is in the league top five in seven different categories.

The Tigers come in at 75.8 points per game thanks to 46% shooting and nearly eight made threes per game. The are plus four on the glass and also have a plus 2.8 turnover margin. FHSU has been held under 70 points only twice to date.

Contrast that with UNK where the Lopers rank fourth nationally in scoring defense (48.3). Opponents are shooting just 32% from the field including a frigid 21% from behind the arc. No team has scored more than 57 points against Kearney with the team having a huge 9.8 rebounding margin.

Besides Hobbs the Tigers are getting 15.7 points and 5.1 rebounds from 5-10 senior wing Whitney Randall with 5-11 freshman Katie Wagner (9.2 points & a team-best 6.8 rebounds) a factor inside. Finally, six-three Lincoln freshman Olivia Hollenbeck has 19 blocks and makes 52% of her shots.

Current MIAA Player of the Week and junior forward Elisa Backes (Salina, Kan.) has paced UNK of late. She has been in double digits in six of her last eight games, averaging an even 13.0 points during that stretch. Getting her first career starts last Saturday after 71 appearances off the bench, she also has a team-best 16 blocks, pushing her career total to 72. That ranks her 10th in school history with just four Loper having ever the Century mark.

Backes (10.4) leads UNK in points per game thanks to 11 made treys and 71% free throw shooting. After her recent surge she now leads in both free throw makes (32) and attempts (45). Finally, her triple total is second best on the Lopers.

Next, Iowa redshirt sophomore forward Shiloh McCool has been in double digits in five of the last six games. The reserve is shooting a team-best 58% from the field while also ranking first in offensive rebounds (22). In the back court sophomore reserve guard Trinity Law (Brandon, S.D.) tallied 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and flahsed some strong defense in an expanded role last week. Finally, South Dakota junior starter Klaire Kirsch is third in the MIAA in board work (9.6) and has reached a double digit total six times this year. In the home win over Hays last winter she had 12 points and 16 rebounds.

After the short trip to Hays UNK returns home next weekend to face Central Oklahoma (7-4) and Newman (3-9).

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