Skip To Main Content

University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Myles Arnold
Corbey R. Dorsey
65
Newman Newman 2-13,2-13 Mid-America Intercollegiate
70
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNK 6-10,6-10 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Newman Newman
2-13,2-13 Mid-America Intercollegiate
65
Final
70
Neb.-Kearney UNK
6-10,6-10 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Newman Newman 28 37 65
Neb.-Kearney UNK 35 35 70

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Whew! Walker Scores 26 as UNK Survives Newman

Kearney, Neb. – Senior guard Jake Walker scored 26 points and Nebraska-Kearney dodged a last second bullet to slip past Newman, 70-65, Saturday evening at the Health & Sports Center.

UNK (6-10) avenges a 64-61 setback to the Jets (2-13) earlier this season. Newman, from Wichita, has now dropped nine in a row.

Shooting 58 percent in the first half and going 20 of 23 at the line on the day, UNK led for 35 minutes and by as many as 14 points in the second half. However, NU made six threes after the break and had four score in double figures to more than hang around.

Walker (Centerville, Utah) made two freebies with 45 seconds left to make it a 64-59 score. Newman missed a three 18 seconds later but a tap out led to a three from the top of the key by reserve Brandon Bunn (team-best 20 points).

"We get the stop but they get the (offensive rebound). I told them in the timeout 'Look, if we get the stop you got to rebound it.' Because its' usually the rebound that kills you. They throw it out to a guy (Bunn) who spotted up," UNK head coach Kevin Lofton said. 

The Lopers again got the ball to Walker who came in shooting 83.3% from the line. He made two more but NU's Ian Lee sunk a three from the right corner with eight seconds left. Diminutive Tyjil Hereford, listed at 5-7 but more like 5-5, was guarding Walker on the in-bounds play and managed to deflect the ball. Teammate David Javorsky picked it up and was going in for a layup where Walker managed to wall up. The shot in the lane missed with Bellevue lefty Cedric Johnson grabbing the rebound with four seconds left. Johnson and Walker hit four freebies to finish the scoring.

"What didn't happen in the second half? We did a good job of coming out and starting the half … got a lead but all of sudden they come roaring back. They hit a couple of threes and even banked one it," Lofton said. "At the end we didn't have a timeout to burn so we had to get it in on our own. They made a play on it … we made the mistake of in-bounding underneath our basket. But we didn't panic and walled up at the rim."

UNK shot just 32% (7 of 22) in the second half and was minus seven on the glass but tallied 17 points off 15 Jet turnovers. Walker reached his tally thanks to an 11 of 11 effort at the line and 5 of 6 three-point shooting. Next, Utah junior Darrian Nebeker (14) and Alliance senior Austin Luger (12) scored in double figures. Nebeker made 5 of 7 shots to have one of his best games as a Loper. Finally, Johnson had eight rebounds, five assists, four points, and two steals.

"If you go back and look at our wins Jake usually has a really good game. He had a monster second half (20 points)," Lofton said. "We think Darrian is a really good four for us. When he attacks the rim and doesn't settle like he did today good things happen."

Bunn scored his 20 points in 25 minutes of work with starters Joel Boyce (14), Deandre Johnson (12), and Lee (13) also reaching double figures.

UNK heads to Northeastern State (2-11) and Rogers State (7-9) next week.
 
Print Friendly Version