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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Brooke Carolson
Corbey R. Dorsey
60
Neb.-Kearney UNK 12-2,12-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
68
Winner Fort Hays St. FHSU 11-2,11-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Neb.-Kearney UNK
12-2,12-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
60
Final
68
Fort Hays St. FHSU
11-2,11-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Neb.-Kearney UNK 15 19 9 17 60
Fort Hays St. FHSU 10 20 19 19 68

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Big Third Quarter Propels Tigers, 68-60

Kearney, Neb. – Five players scored in double figures and Fort Hays State used a big third quarter to hold off No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney, 68-60, Saturday afternoon in Kansas.

The Tigers (11-2), winners of six straight, beat the Lopers (12-2) for the second time in 48 hours. UNK is now tied with Central Missouri (.813 scheduling points) for first place in the MIAA with Hays (.795) right behind. Emporia State (.709) is in fourth. 

After being held to a season-low 49 points on Thursday night the Lopers had one of its better offensive halves. UNK shot 59 percent (13 of 22) from the field and sunk all six free throw attempts to lead 22-12 and then 34-30 at the break. The Tigers hung around and made a late second quarter run thanks to taking nine more shots. They also were 5 of 5 at the line.

"I thought the change in the game came in the second quarter when we had a chance to extend it. But we just didn't make the right (offensive) reads. We didn't get it inside enough," UNK assistant coach Devin Eighmey said on the KRVN radio postgame show. "A little bit of that comes from youthfulness and not having your senior point guard (Haley Simental) out there."

In Thursday's 61-49 win the Tigers outscored the Lopers 23-9 in the second quarter. They got close to that with a 19-9 margin in the third, starting the half on a 17-6 run. That game-changing stretch saw the Tigers grab seven of the first eight rebounds and sink two of its four threes. A put back bucket by six-three Lincoln freshman Olivia Hollenbeck made it 47-40 with 3:03 to play but UNK made a move midway through the next quarter.

"We were focused and ready to go and good enough to win today," Eighmey said. "Third quarter we just did things that'll get you beat like not boxing out. They also made plays when they needed to."

UNK trimmed an 11-point deficit to four, 59-55, by the 3:16 mark after a turnaround jumper by junior forward Elisa Backes (Salina, Kan.). Neither team would score for the next two minutes with the Lopers missing a shot in the lane and having a turnover. A Backes block gave UNK another crack at it but Hollenbeck responded with a swat of her own with 1:11 to play. It was a jump ball situation and the Tigers got it back and then saw Hollebeck convert a three-point play soon after. The Lopers didn't get closer than six points in the final minute.

"We had 48 shots but turned it over 16 times. We get too deep (on offense) and we talked about that at halftime," Eighmey said. "Late we had some uncharacteristic things . You just can't go … you need quality possessions late in the game."

Hays had 20, 19 and 19 points over the final three quarters thanks to 18 of 23 free throw shooting and a 23 of 53 effort (43.4 pct.) from the field. They also were plus one on the glass and took advantage of 16 Kearney turnovers.

Oklahoma State transfer and senior guard Jaden Hobbs had 10 of her team-high 17 points in the second half. She also drew eight fouls and had six assists in playing almost all 40 minutes. Next, Hollenbeck had seven of her 11 points in the second half with senior wing Whitney Randall at 16 points thanks to two triples. Finally, starter Cydney Bergmann and reserve Katie Wagner had 10 apiece.

The Lopers ended up shooting a season-best 50 percent (24 of 48) but was just 3 of 16 from behind the arc. Elkhorn junior Brooke Carlson had a big day to the tune of 16 points on 8 of 10 shooting. Backes had 12 of her 14 points after the break with Iowa freshman reserve guard Meg Burns having a season-best eight points and drawing two fouls in the first half. Finally, South Dakota sophomore guard Trinity Law had eight points, seven dimes, four boards and drew three fouls in another start.

Kearney hosts Central Oklahoma (9-4) and Newman (3-11) next weekend.
 
 
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