Skip To Main Content

University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Trinity Law
Corbey R. Dorsey
68
Central Okla. CentOK 9-5,9-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
75
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNK 13-2,13-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Central Okla. CentOK
9-5,9-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
68
Final
75
Neb.-Kearney UNK
13-2,13-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Okla. CentOK 19 22 12 15 68
Neb.-Kearney UNK 15 17 21 22 75

Next Game:

Newman

2/6/2021 | 2 p.m.

River 93.1 KRVN FM & 106.9 FM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Feb. 06 (Sat) / 2 p.m.
 Newman
History

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Backes Scores 30 as No. 12 UNK Rallies Past UCO, 75-68

Story Links

Kearney, Neb. – Junior forward Elisa Backes scored a career-high 30 points to help 12th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney rally from a 12-point second half deficit against Central Oklahoma, 75-68, Thursday at the Health & Sports Center.

UNK (13-2) stops a two-game skid and improves to 10-9 all-time against the Bronchos (9-5). UCO had won three in a row and seven of eight.

Back in December the Lopers pounded the 'Chos by a 63-43 score. That was a season-low point total for UCO but they came out firing tonight, shooting 70 percent (7 of 10) in the first quarter and 58 percent (7 of 12) in the second. Six-three center Kelsey Johnson (20.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game) picked up her third foul early in the second so it was her teammates that did the most damage. Several of those shots were banked in or runners in the lane.

"Early in the game I didn't think our defense was terrible. They had kids that we necessarily didn't peg as shooters making tough shots," Loper head coach Carrie Eighmey said. "We did a really good job on their post player (Johnson) who we were really concerned about. But we let everyone else score a little bit more than we would've liked."

Ahead 19-15 after the first period and 41-32 at the break, UCO sunk its first three shots in the second half to make 48-36. While that was the 'Chos biggest lead of the night, they ran into UNK's nationally-ranked defense the rest of the way. UNK held UCO to 6 of 23 shooting (26 percent) over the final 18 minutes.

"In the second half we did a better job of playing more true to everyone. Didn't double as much and we were able to slow down some of those other players that hurt us in the first half," Eighmey said.

Backes (Salina, Kan.) had 23 in the second half with one of her three triples starting the comeback. She then followed a 'Chos turnover with a shot in the lane, capping a 16-5 run that made it 53-52 by the 2:42 mark. A minute later Backes sunk a free throw to tie things at 53, the first time since early in the contest UNK was even with UCO.

The Lopers never trailed in the final period as the 'Chos were called for a travel right away and Backes followed with a bucket. The game was tied at 59 with 6:52 to play but a 5-0 spurt put things away. Crofton senior Kelsey Sanger hit a shot in the lane and then Elkhorn junior post Brooke Carlson converted a three-point play.

UCO did get the deficit down to one possession, 67-64, with 2:02 left but Backes did it again, sinking her final three from the top of the key 16 seconds later. She ended 10 of 15 (3 of 6 threes) from the field and 7 of 9 at the line. This is the 45th game of 30 or more points in Loper history and just the sixth in an MIAA contest.

"Offensively we did a good job all night but especially in the second half. We took care of the ball, valued possessions and when we got to the free throw line we made more of them (13 of 18) than we did in the first half (3 of 8)," Eighmey said.

Tallying those 30 points in just 26 minutes, Backes also had five rebounds, and three steals. Next, Carlson had 17 on 7 of 13 shooting with South Dakota junior Klaire Kirsch at seven points, seven rebounds, five assists and two thefts. As a team UNK had 44 points in the paint and tallied 17 points off 16 UCO turnovers.

"Elisa did a really good job taking advantage of the opportunities she had. It's something she's continued to get better at over the course of her career and especially in the last month," Eighmey said. "She's able to do several things … she can hit threes, is good off the bounce, can score in the post. Elisa is a tough matchup for other teams."

Ten different 'Chos scored led by starting guards Avery Allen (14) and Brooke Rayner (10). Johnson ended up with six rebounds, four points and an assist in 16 minutes.

UNK hosts Newman on Saturday afternoon. The Jets (3-12) fell at Fort Hays State tonight, 68-50.

Loper 30 Point Efforts in an MIAA Game (2011/12-present)
1.        43    Michaela Barry (vs. Northwest Missouri State, 1/18/18); 2 OT
2.        34    McKenzie Brown (at Northeastern State, 2/10/18)
3.        33    Michaela Barry (at Lindenwood, 1/25/18)
          33    Laramey Becker (vs. Lindenwood, 2/20/16)
5.       31     Maegan Holt (vs. Lincoln, 2/14/19)
6.       30     Elisa Backes (vs. Central Oklahoma, 2/4/21)



 
Gallery: undefined
 
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Laramey Becker

#15 Laramey Becker

G
5' 8"
Junior
McKenzie Brown

#10 McKenzie Brown

G
5' 10"
Freshman
Elisa Backes

#5 Elisa Backes

G/F
6' 1"
Sophomore
Brooke Carlson

#45 Brooke Carlson

C
6' 1"
Sophomore
Maegan Holt

#15 Maegan Holt

G/F
6' 0"
Sophomore
Klaire Kirsch

#20 Klaire Kirsch

G/F
5' 11"
Sophomore
Kelsey Sanger

#32 Kelsey Sanger

G
5' 8"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Laramey Becker

#15 Laramey Becker

5' 8"
Junior
G
McKenzie Brown

#10 McKenzie Brown

5' 10"
Freshman
G
Elisa Backes

#5 Elisa Backes

6' 1"
Sophomore
G/F
Brooke Carlson

#45 Brooke Carlson

6' 1"
Sophomore
C
Maegan Holt

#15 Maegan Holt

6' 0"
Sophomore
G/F
Klaire Kirsch

#20 Klaire Kirsch

5' 11"
Sophomore
G/F
Kelsey Sanger

#32 Kelsey Sanger

5' 8"
Junior
G