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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

UNK WBB
Corbey R. Dorsey
70
Winner Central Mo. CentMo 17-2,17-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
66
Neb.-Kearney UNK 16-3,16-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Central Mo. CentMo
17-2,17-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
70
Final
66
Neb.-Kearney UNK
16-3,16-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Mo. CentMo 10 16 25 19 70
Neb.-Kearney UNK 17 5 21 23 66

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Jennies Take Top 25 Showdown, 70-66

Kearney, Neb. – The No. 16/19 Central Missouri Jennies had three score in double figures and closed the third quarter on a 15-4 run to hold off No. 12/14 Nebraska-Kearney, 70-66, Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.

UCM (17-2) pushes its win streak to 10 in a row an avenges a 68-56 set ack to the Lopers (16-3) in early January. The Jennies and Fort Hays State (17-2), winners of 12 straight, are now tied atop the MIAA standings; the two meet Saturday afternoon in Kansas.

UNK made 7 of its first 13 shots to lead 17-10 after the first 10 minutes but a five-point second quarter gave UCM the lead and momentum back. The Lopers erased an early six-point second half deficit to take a 39-36 lead on a layup by Iowa junior Maegan Holt with 2:53 left in the third. However, that's when UCM exploded to the tune of one three, three two-point buckets and six free throws. That made it 51-40 and the Lopers never led again.

"We obviously struggled in the second quarter (2 of 19 shooting). They switched up and went zone and we had problems early on. Later in the game I think we got it figured out and did some really nice things," UNK head coach Carrie Eighmey said. "In the second we got stagnant and that's on me as a coach. We settled for some early shots … in the first quarter we were attacking the paint and getting post touches. Those early, quick shots is what they wanted and helped them get into transition."

Kearney almost erased a 63-53 hole with 4:21 left as South Dakota junior Klaire Kirsch and Colorado grad transfer Haley Simental hit back-to-back threes. Another three, this time from Kansas junior Elisa Backes, made it a 65-63 at the 1:04 mark. However, senior forward Nija Collier followed with put back bucket. She had a double double (15 points and 11 rebounds) in the second half alone.

"We gave up too many second chance points. Besides the 15 offensive rebounds I thought we fouled too much in the paint," Eighmey said. "That last bucket by Collier was a dagger."
Kirsch sunk another trey and UCM missed two freebies to give UNK a chance to force overtime but a Simental three from the left wing with nine seconds left hit the front rim. Five seconds earlier the Jennies, up a single point, recorded a key steal which led to a made free throw.  

"Haley's threes (four) were big in the second half. She obviously can score it and she hit some big ones for us tonight," Eighmey said. "We made 10 in the game and that's a helpful thing against a zone. It stretches the zone out and we were then able to attack the paint a little bit."

Collier overcame foul trouble to have 15 points and 14 rebounds on 6 of 16 shooting. She also grabbed seven of UCM's 15 o-boards which led to 18 second chance points. Next, freshman reserve post Graycen Holden (16 points & 10 rebounds) and freshman point guard Olivia Nelson (16 points, six fouls drawn, and five assists) had big efforts. Finally, the Jennies saw Morgan VanHyfte, a 24 percent three-point shooter on the year, sink 3 of 4 triples to score nine.

Backes (18) had another double double effort thanks to 7 of 14 shooting with Simental having four of UNK's season-best 10 threes. Finally, Kirsch had her second double double (16 points and 15 rebounds) of the year with Elkhorn junior Brooke Carlson (nine points and nine rebounds) close to her third.

The Lopers host Lincoln (1-18) on Saturday.


 
Gallery: (2-15-2021) UNK Women's Basketball 2021 Vs. UCM
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