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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Sean Evans
Corbey R. Dorsey
81
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNK 6-9,2-7 Mid-America Intercollegiate
79
Missouri Western MW 8-9,4-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Neb.-Kearney UNK
6-9,2-7 Mid-America Intercollegiate
81
Final
79
Missouri Western MW
8-9,4-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Neb.-Kearney UNK 41 40 81
Missouri Western MW 35 44 79

Next Game:

at NW Missouri St.

1/15/2022 | 3:30 p.m.

The River 93.1/106.9 KRVN FM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Jan. 15 (Sat) / 3:30 p.m.
at NW Missouri St.
History

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Last Second Shots Lifts Lopers, 81-79

Kearney, Neb. – Senior forward Darrian Nebeker hit a 17-footer from the left wing with four seconds left to help Nebraska-Kearney edge Missouri Western State, 81-79, Thursday night in St. Joseph.

The Lopers (6-9, 2-7) stop a four-game losing streak while the Griffons (8-9, 4-5) drop a fifth straight. These two teams will close out the regular season on February 25th at the Health & Sports Center.

"We were tired of losing and needed that desperately," said UNK head coach Kevin Lofton on the KRVN radio post-game radio show. "The guys just found a way. Sometimes when a team (Mo West) has some key players out, the pressure is off them. It frees them just to play and that's what they started doing. We got tight a little but we found our way out of it."

Mo West was minus two of its top three scorers and promptly fell behind 30-7 midway through the first half. The Lopers shot 63% (15 of 24) over the first 20 minutes to get out to that lead and be up 41-35 at the break. Making 56% (18 of 32) of it second half shots, the Griffons not only whittled down the deficit but took a 77-76 lead after a Reese Glover floating jumper with 1:02 remaining. UNK had led by as many as 13 in the second half.

The Lopers responded with a Matt Brien (New Zealand) triple from the right wing with 42 seconds left but forward JaRon Thames attacked the paint and converted a layup 17 seconds later. He was fouled but missed the free throw. The Griffs grabbed the rebound and missed a five-footer with Nebeker (West Jordan, Utah) grabbing the loose ball.

After a timeout, point guard David Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.) got the ball at the top of the key and was running down the clock. He found Nebeker on the wing who promptly knocked down his seventh shot. He finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds (10 defensive), five assists and two steals over 38 minutes. The Griffs had a chance to tie or win the game and, after a timeout, Thames tried to hit another runner in the lane but this time the ball found clanked off the rim.

Freshman Sean Evans (Parker, Colo.) had a game-high 22 points on 9 of 12 (3 of 6 3's) shooting). He had 13 in the first half and also had three dimes and two thefts. Next, Alliance senior Austin Luger and Simental had 11 apiece with Brien and Parker Badding (Carroll, Ia.) combining for 15 points off the bench. The Lopers finished the night at 63.5 % (33 of 52), one of the top shooting nights in recent memory.

"Sean made some good offensive plays tonight. He hit some big threes, had a big downhill drive late in the second half that went for us," said Lofton. "I can't say enough about Darrian stepping up and hitting that last shot. We were then able to get something to go right on that last defensive possession."

MWSU was plus seven on the glass and got big efforts from reserves Taye Fields (15 points & 15 rebounds) and Zion Swader (20 points) and Thames (17 points).

UNK heads to two-time defending national champion Northwest Missouri State on Saturday.
 
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Players Mentioned

Parker Badding

#12 Parker Badding

G
6' 2"
Sophomore
Austin Luger

#30 Austin Luger

F
6' 8"
Junior
Matt Brien

#1 Matt Brien

G
6' 4"
Freshman
Darrian Nebeker

#5 Darrian Nebeker

F
6' 6"
Senior
David Simental

#10 David Simental

G
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Sean Evans

#23 Sean Evans

G
6' 3"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Parker Badding

#12 Parker Badding

6' 2"
Sophomore
G
Austin Luger

#30 Austin Luger

6' 8"
Junior
F
Matt Brien

#1 Matt Brien

6' 4"
Freshman
G
Darrian Nebeker

#5 Darrian Nebeker

6' 6"
Senior
F
David Simental

#10 David Simental

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
G
Sean Evans

#23 Sean Evans

6' 3"
Freshman
G