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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

UNK WBB
Corbey R. Dorsey
57
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNK 22-3,19-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
51
Fort Hays St. FHSU 22-3,20-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Neb.-Kearney UNK
22-3,19-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
57
Final
51
Fort Hays St. FHSU
22-3,20-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Neb.-Kearney UNK 19 10 14 14 57
Fort Hays St. FHSU 7 11 13 20 51

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History

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

2021 MIAA TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS

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Kearney, Neb. - Tournament MVP Brooke Carlson scored 18 points, including 10 straight in the third quarter, to help Nebraska-Kearney hold off rival Fort Hays State, 57-51, in the MIAA Tournament title game Sunday afternoon in Kansas.
 
The third-seeded Lopers (22-2) win its first-MIAA tourney title and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in the process. This will be UNK's first trip to the "Big "Dance in 12 years; the 48-team selection show airs Sunday at 9 p.m. Central at www.ncaa.com. On the other side of the court, the top-seeded Tigers (22-3) see a 17-game win streak come to an end. They were the number one team in the most recent NCAA Central Region rankings.
 
"I think it was one of our better game defensively. We made them work for their shots," UNK head coach Carrie Eighmey said. "Offensively we had some really good stretches but we also had a couple of lulls where we struggled to score. But they are a good defensive team too."
 
UNK, which went 6-3 in league title games during its Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) days, led from start to finish and by as many as 16 points. The Lopers were shot out of a cannon over the first 10 minutes, hitting four triples to lead 13-1 and 19-7. Point guard Haley Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.) hit three early threes with junior Klaire Kirsch (Rapid City, S.D.) adding another. Due to injury Simental didn't play in UNK's two regular season setbacks to Hays. Brooke Carlson
 
The Lopers nationally-ranked defense tamed the Tigers to the tune of 6 of 24 (25%) first half shooting. However, Carlson and fellow posts Elisa Backes (Salina, Kan.) and Maegan Holt (Council Bluffs, Ia.) got into some foul trouble in the second quarter, allowing the Tigers to hang around. A Simental bucket right before the first half buzzer made it 29-18 and stopped a 7-0 Hays spurt.
 
"We had a lot of poise early on and took their crowd out of it for a while. That helped us develop a rhythm … it was quieter in here and we could hear each other," Eighmey said. "We made good decisions with the ball, we weren't sped up, made the right reads, and delivering the ball to places where people could do something with it."
 
Carlson (Elkhorn) scored UNK's first 10 points in the second half, the last bucket coming off an offensive rebound by sophomore forward Shiloh McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.). That made the score 39-27 and then sophomore guard Trinity Law (Brandon, S.D.) hit a shot and made two free throws to push the lead back into double digits at 43-31.
 
"Hays and our team are a pretty good matchup because we have similar players in similar positions. They are capable of doing the same thing," Eighmey said. "It's good to see our posts want the ball in those moments. Sometimes they can hide or disappear because the defense can discourage their catches. But Brooke did a good job of making herself available and wanting to at least get a touch."
 
Hays didn't go quietly, however, making nine fourth quarter field goals to get within three on three separate occasions. But the Lopers always had a response, first getting two free throws off a Backes offensive rebound, next getting a nifty from Carlson and then a Backes top of the key triple. That made it 55-49 with 2:12 remaining and the Tigers went 1 for 3 from the field the rest of the way while also missing two free throws. UNK sunk 14 of 18 freebies (78%) with Hays just 8 of 16.
 
"I don't know if was our best game but it was a complete effort on both ends of the floor. This a great place to play and a great environment. I worked here (as an assistant coach) so the people and the building are very familiar," Eighmey said. "It means a lot to our team … they worked hard to get where they are at. We told them today that it would probably come down to players making plays. And we were able to make enough plays today."
 
Carlson finished 8 of 11 from the field while also grabbing seven boards. She also drew four fouls and had two blocks. Next, Simental logged 37 minutes and went for 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting with Kirsch at 15 boards (14 defensive) and three dimes. Backes and Law combined for 13 points, five fouls drawn four rebounds, and two assists off the bench.
 
All-MIAA selection and Oklahoma State transfer Jaden Jobbs scored eight of her team-high 14 in the fourth quarter. However, she was 5 of 13 (1 of 7 threes) from the field). Freshman reserve Katie Wagner had a big fourth as well and ended with 13 points, six boards and two assists.
 
UNK overcame a minus six turnover margin by being plus seven on the glass which led to eight second chance points. Finally, Backes and Simental joined Carlson on the five-player all-tourney team. 


 
Gallery: (3-1-2021) UNK WBB ** 2021 MIAA Tourn. Finals
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Players Mentioned

Elisa Backes

#5 Elisa Backes

F
6' 1"
Junior
Brooke Carlson

#45 Brooke Carlson

C
6' 1"
Junior
Maegan Holt

#15 Maegan Holt

F
6' 0"
Junior
Klaire Kirsch

#20 Klaire Kirsch

G
5' 11"
Junior
Trinity Law

#23 Trinity Law

G
5' 9"
Sophomore
Shiloh McCool

#25 Shiloh McCool

F
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Haley Simental

#10 Haley Simental

G
5' 8"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Elisa Backes

#5 Elisa Backes

6' 1"
Junior
F
Brooke Carlson

#45 Brooke Carlson

6' 1"
Junior
C
Maegan Holt

#15 Maegan Holt

6' 0"
Junior
F
Klaire Kirsch

#20 Klaire Kirsch

5' 11"
Junior
G
Trinity Law

#23 Trinity Law

5' 9"
Sophomore
G
Shiloh McCool

#25 Shiloh McCool

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
F
Haley Simental

#10 Haley Simental

5' 8"
Graduate Student
G