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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Winston Cook
Corbey R. Dorsey
70
Neb.-Kearney UNK 3-3,0-1 Mid-America Intercollegiate
81
Winner Emporia St. ESU 6-1,1-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Neb.-Kearney UNK
3-3,0-1 Mid-America Intercollegiate
70
Final
81
Emporia St. ESU
6-1,1-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Neb.-Kearney UNK 42 28 70
Emporia St. ESU 34 47 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Hornets Catch the Lopers, 81-70

Kearney, Neb. – Guard Tray Buchanan, Division II's leading scorer, got going in the second half and Emporia State closed on an 18-7 run to defeat Nebraska-Kearney, 81-70, Thursday night in Kansas.

This was the MIAA opener for both with the Lopers (3-3) falling in White Auditorium for the sixth time in its last seven trips. The Hornets, meanwhile, improve to 4-0 at home and 6-1 overall.

Things couldn't have gone better in the first half for UNK as they had a 19-11 rebounding advantage and sunk 19 of its first 28 shots (2 for 3). That 67% was buoyed by 17 points from junior reserve forward Winston Cook (Wahoo). He went 8 of 10 from the field as the Lopers led 42-34 at the break and then tallied the first bucket of the second half.

However, ESU responded with a 29-12 run over the next 12 minutes to grab a 63-56 lead. Buchanan, a graduate transfer from South Dakota State, had 15 points during this stretch with UNK finally cooling off. Buchanan came in averaging 27 points but had just a single point in the first half on 0 for 5 (0 for 3 threes) shooting. He made up for lost time by making 6 of 8 field goals (3 for 4 threes) and 8 of 10 free throws over the final 20 minutes to tally 23.

UNK had one more run in them as they tied things at 63 on a jumper from point guard David Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.). The shot came with 6:19 left and after a driving layup by Cook and a corner three from freshman Sean Evans (Parker, Colo.). But E-State scored the next seven and the Lopers didn't get closer than four the rest of the way.

Kearney out shot Emporia, 52-48%, but the Hornets made three more triples and eight more freebies. ESU also scored 16 points off of 11 Loper turnovers and had 14 second chance points.

Cook finished with a career-high 21 on 10 of 13 shooting while also grabbing seven rebounds. Next, Utah senior forward Darrian Nebeker had his second career double double (17 points & 10 rebounds) with Alliance senior forward Austin Luger at 12 points. Finally, Simental went all 40 minutes and tallied 11 points, three assists and two steals.

Besides Buchanan's heroics, Emporia got 18 points from All-MIAA guard Jumah'Ri Turner and 16 points from 6-10 post Mayoum Buom.

UNK heads to Washburn on Saturday afternoon. The beat up Ichabods (3-4) fell to Fort Hays on Wednesday, 68-58. 
 
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