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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Matt Brien
Corbey R. Dorsey
84
Winner Central Okla. UCO 9-2,5-1 MIAA
63
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 5-6,1-4 MIAA
Winner
Central Okla. UCO
9-2,5-1 MIAA
84
Final
63
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB
5-6,1-4 MIAA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Central Okla. UCO 36 48 84
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 28 35 63

Next Game:

at Rogers State

1/1/2022 | 3:30 p.m.

The River 93.1/106.9 KRVN FM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Jan. 01 (Sat) / 3:30 p.m.
at Rogers State
History

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Dynamic Duo Leads 'Chos Over the Lopers

Kearney, Neb. – Senior forward Isaiah Wade and junior guard Callen Haydon combined for 56 points and Central Oklahoma used a late run to down Nebraska-Kearney, 84-63, Sunday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.

The Bronchos (9-2, 5-1) win a fifth straight MIAA game by double digits and improve to 17-5 all-time against the Lopers (5-6, 1-4). The two will meet again Feb. 3 in Edmond with each team not playing again until Jan. 1. The Division II winter moratorium this year runs from Dec. 21-27.

Wade, who began his career at Washington State, went for 29 points and eight rebounds with Callen, at 5-11, having 27 points and eight assists. The pair combined to go 23 of 34 from the field (6 of 7 threes) with each sinking a desperation trey with the shot clock winding down in the second half. 

UCO scored 22 of the first 30 points but the Lopers closed the first half on a 12-3 run, capped by three from point guard David Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.) and a buzzer-beating layup by Simental after a Darrian Nebeker (West Jordan, Utah) steal. That made it 36-28 heading into the break.

"They had stretched the lead in the first half but we got it down to eight so I went into the locker room thinking, okay, maybe," said Loper head coach Kevin Lofton. "We went back and forth at the start of the second half and they got up again. We hit some shots but it was the little things that hurt us in the end. Four or five times we had 50/50 rebounds or 50/50 loose balls where we just had to grab them."

The 'Chos led by at least five in the second half and was up 55-41 after a put-back layup by Wade 13:32 to play. UNK responded with a 9-4 spurt that featured triples by seniors Nick Huston (Rigby, Idaho) and Austin Luger (Alliance) and another one from freshman Sean Evans (Parker, Colo). That made it 59-50 at the 10:34 mark; UCO responded with a quick 10-3 run over the next three minutes to salt things away. Fittingly, Wade and Haydon finished the run with back-to-back buckets.

"The way they play and as long as they are you've got to hit some shots. I thought we had some hustle plays like the one at the end of the half. We ran through a loose ball, kicked it ahead, went one-two lay it up," said Lofton. "David had a really good first half for us. We had four of five defensive stops at the end of the half and that's how you cut into a lead."

An athletic and deep UCO squad shot 51% (32 of 63) from the floor, was plus nine on the glass, had 22 second chance points and sunk nine treys. UNK made a season-best 13 threes with Luger (21), Simental (15) and Evans (10) all in double figures. Luger made a career-high six threes, Simental had 14 first half points and Evans 10 in the second half.

"Next to Northwest Missouri I think they are the second-best team in the league. On the right night they may be the best but until somebody beats Northwest you have to always go with them," said Lofton.

Finally for UNK, both Luger and Nebeker had seven rebounds with Nebeker at six assists and three steals. The Lopers are at Rogers State on Jan. 1 (Sat.) and Northeastern State on Jan. 3 (Mon).
 
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Austin Luger

#30 Austin Luger

F
6' 8"
Junior
Darrian Nebeker

#5 Darrian Nebeker

F
6' 6"
Senior
David Simental

#10 David Simental

G
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Nick Huston

#24 Nick Huston

G/F
6' 4"
Senior
Sean Evans

#23 Sean Evans

G
6' 3"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Austin Luger

#30 Austin Luger

6' 8"
Junior
F
Darrian Nebeker

#5 Darrian Nebeker

6' 6"
Senior
F
David Simental

#10 David Simental

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
G
Nick Huston

#24 Nick Huston

6' 4"
Senior
G/F
Sean Evans

#23 Sean Evans

6' 3"
Freshman
G