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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Kelsey Sanger
Corbey R. Dorsey
53
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNK 18-3,18-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
50
Northwest Mo. St. NMSU 7-14,7-14 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Neb.-Kearney UNK
18-3,18-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
53
Final
50
Northwest Mo. St. NMSU
7-14,7-14 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Neb.-Kearney UNK 6 18 13 16 53
Northwest Mo. St. NMSU 12 7 12 19 50

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Lopers Grind One Out in Maryville, 53-50

Kearney, Neb. – Senior guard Kelsey Sanger scored 10 points and sophomore reserve guard Trinity Law was big in the fourth quarter to help No. 14 Nebraska-Kearney hold off Northwest Missouri State, 53-50, Thursday night in Maryville.

The Lopers improve to 18-3, move to 9-1 on the road and sweep the season series from the Bearcats (8-13). The win also puts a dent into Northwest's postseason hopes.

UNK led for the last 2.5 quarters but could never pull away from a 'Cats team fighting for its postseason life. Like the Lopers, Northwest is one of the top defensive units in the MIAA and its grind-it-out offensive style keeps the score low. Northwest Mo 2021

"They are one of the top five defensive teams in the MIAA (allowing 60 ppg) and then they came out with a unique lineup. I think that stunned us a little bit," UNK assistant coach Devin Eighmey said on the KRVN radio post-game. "We were able to make some adjustments and able to take a six-point lead into the half. We had a chance to extend the lead in the third but they battled back."

The Lopers led 32-22 early in the second half and then was up nine, 37-28, with just 1:10 left in the third. However, Northwest went on a 10-4 run over the six minutes to make it a one possession game. The patient 'Cats finished the night 6 of 22 from behind the three-point line but was 13 of 27 (48%) inside the arc.

"They are a gritty team that will defend you at a high level. We only had 52 shot attempts," Eighmey said. "The uniqueness about this league is everyone is good. Our 14th team is good when you compare them to other Division II leagues. We knew it was going to be tough."

Law (Brandon, S.D.), having eight points, drawing four fouls, and grabbing two boards in the fourth, sunk two free throws to push the lead back to five. UNK followed with a stop and then junior reserve Elisa Backes (Salina, Kan.) hit a shot in the lane to make it 45-38 at the 4:26 mark.

Northwest had one more run in them as senior reserve Mia Stillman hit two threes down the stretch to make it 51-48 with only 1:03 remaining. UNK ran down the ensuing shot clock with Backes missing a contested elbow jumper. But the 'Cats couldn't take advantage, seeing a layup from senior guard Mallory McConkey clank off the rim with 14 seconds left. At that point Northwest had to foul several times to send UNK to the line.

Getting 23 bench points, the Lopers also were plus eight on the glass and committed just eight turnovers. Sanger (Crofton) helped erase a 12-6 first quarter deficit by scoring eight of her 10 points in the second. They included a put back three-point play and a transition three from the right wing. Next, Law finished with nine on 5 of 6 free throw shooting with Backes (10) reaching double digits for a fifth straight game. Finally, junior wing Klaire Kirsch (Rapid City, S.D.) had 13 rebounds, five points, two assists, and two steals in playing nearly 36 minutes.

"We had some players step up tonight. Trinity was good off the bench and gave us some explosiveness. She was a key in the second half," Eighmey said. "Those free throws she hit late were clutch, clutch, clutch."

Freshman Molly Hartnett, held to a 2 of 21 shooting night in the loss to UNK back in January, rebounded to score a team-high 19. She made 7 of 14 shots and went 4 of 4 at the line. McConkey (12) was the other 'Cat in double figures.

UNK heads to Missouri Western State (6-15) on Saturday afternoon. The Griffons, playing a game for the second straight night, battled but lost to No. 5 Fort Hays State, 77-69, on Thursday.
 
 
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