Week 4 Preview: A Road Trip to the Show Me State

Women's Basketball 1/5/2021 10:27:00 AM

Week 4 Preview: A Road Trip to the Show Me State

Kearney, Neb. – After almost a three-week break the Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team is back in action with games at Lincoln Thursday night and Central Missouri on Saturday afternoon.

The game with the Blue Tigers (0-5) tips at 5:30 p.m. with the showdown against the No. 21 Jennies (6-0) beginning at 1 p.m. Catch the action via The MIAA Network and KRVN FM (93.1 FM and 106.9 FM)

UNK (6-0) starts the calendar year among NCAA Division II's best on defense. No opponent has reached the 57-point mark, sunk more than six threes or shot better than 45% from the field. Overall, the Lopers are allowing 49 points per game on 34% shooting (19.5 % from the 3-point line) while being plus 5.7 on the glass. UNK also has a plus 1.7 turnover margin.

Offensively a balanced attack has six players averaging 5.8-9.5 points per game. Twelve different Lopers have already scored with eight having sunk at least one three. While UNK hasn't tallied more than 68 points in any game they are have made at least 41% of its shots in three different contests.

The LU Blue Tigers are "new" this year as they are led by first-year head coach Andrea "Drea" Mize. Her 12-player roster features eight junior college transfers with four hailing from the College of Central Florida.

Lincoln hasn't played since a 92-69 home loss to UCM back on December 12; a December 19 road date with Washburn was postponed. The Blue Tigers are 0-3 at home and allowing 81 points per game. Opponents are plus seven on the glass and are shooting 44% from behind the arc.

Five-five sophomore guard Niyah Jackson is averaging a healthy 17.8 points per game thanks to 51% field goal shooting. She also averages over three assists nightly. Finally, UNK hung on for a 60-52 win in Jeff City last February as three starters scored in double digits. That gave the Lopers an 8-2 all-time series lead.

UNK is just 1-8 all-time against UCM, a longtime MIAA power. The Jennies handed the Lopers a 75-65 setback last February in Warrensburg. Central went 27 of 28 at the line en route to a 32-point fourth quarter.

UCM hasn't played since 67-45 road win at Washburn on December 17. Two days later a game at Emporia State was postponed. Three average in double figures led by 6-0 senior Nija Collier (15.8). She is shooting 81% at the line and went for 12 points and six boards in last year's win over UNK. Next, 6-2 freshmen Graycen Holden (13.8 points & 7.2 rebounds) and Brooke Litterell (12.7 points & 6.7 rebounds) have similar numbers as Collier.

The Lopers return next week to face Missouri Western State and Northwest Missouri State.

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