Kearney, Neb. – The now 12th and seventh-ranked Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team finishes up the fall semester this weekend with home games against Newman and Central Oklahoma.

Due to winter graduation taking place in the Health & Sports Center Friday morning, the games are a Friday night/Sunday afternoon format. UNK (8-1, 3-0) will face the Jets (2-8, 0-4) Friday at 5:30 p.m. and the Bronchos (7-3, 3-1) on Sunday at 1 p.m. Fans not in attendance can watch via The MIAA Network, listen to The River 93.1/106.9 FM or following along with live stats.

With the first half of the year almost complete, the Lopers currently rank in the MIAA top two in six different categories. That includes first in field goal percentage defense (35.1) and defensive rebounds per game (29.3) and second in scoring defense (53.6 points per game). Nationally, UNK is 19th in scoring defense with the Blue & Gold holding three opponents under 50 and five others under 60. 

Individually, three Lopers average double digits led by junior forward Shiloh McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.). She's at 10.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while shooting an MIAA-best 62.3% from the field. She joins guard Michaela Barry (January 2018) as the only UNK women's basketball players to have earned back-to-back MIAA Player of the Week honors. The fourth-year sophomore eligibility wise has posted four straight double doubles, the first time that's happened in the program since All-American Jade Meads accomplished the feat way back in November 2008.

Juniors Elisa Backes (10.2) and junior wing Klaire Kirsch (11.2) are the others in double figures with Kirsch having missed the last four games due to injury. She'll return to the lineup soon; her 7.2 rebounding average will also help a team that has the second-best rebounding margin (7.9) in the conference. McCool (27 o-boards) has picked up the slack in Kirsch's absence.

UNK is 5-1 all-time against the Jets who are led by first-year head coach Drew Johnson and his wife, assistant Nicole Ohlde-Johnson. Newman started the year 0-4, won in its next two games and is now on a four-game skid. They are led by 5-8 JUCO transfer guard Tiffany Dortland (10.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.1 apg) and Northeastern State transfer Britney Ho (9.6 ppg, 4.9rpg). The Jets average 61 points a night, shoot 72% at the line and are plus 3.2 on the glass.

The 'Chos are 3-3 on the road heading into a Friday game at nationally-ranked Fort Hays. UCO has won three straight and is led once again by 6-3 senior post Kelsey Johnson. The D1 transfer is at 19.4 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting 54% from the field and 83% at the line. The only other player in double digits is 6-2 sophomore forward Alayzha Knapp (10.0 points & 4.4 rebounds pg). UCO averages a healthy 71 points a night thanks to 17.3 assists per game. UNK leads the all-time series 10-9 with the teams splitting the last eight meetings.

This year the mandatory Division II winter moratorium runs from Dec. 21-27 (no practice or games). The Lopers return to the courts on Dec. 28 in preparation for a weekend road trip at Rogers State and Northeastern State.