Lincoln (MO) Linc 1-16,0-12 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Neb.-Kearney UNK 8-12,4-10 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Lincoln (MO) Linc

1-16,0-12 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Final

Jan. 31, 2022

Neb.-Kearney UNK

8-12,4-10 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Lincoln (MO) Linc	31	38	69
Neb.-Kearney UNK	41	46	87

Summary
Box Score

Corbey R. Dorsey

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 1/31/2022 5:16:00 PM

Monday Matinee Win

Kearney, Neb. – Point guard David Simental scored 29 points and Nebraska-Kearney shot 58 percent from the field to down Lincoln University, 87-69, in an MIAA makeup game Monday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.

This game was originally set to be played January 6th but postponed due to COVID issues within the Blue Tigers program. The two teams will meet again February 19 in Jefferson City, Mo.

Lincoln (1-16, 0-12) had won four of the last five over UNK (8-12, 4-10) but the Lopers never trailed this afternoon. Kearney led by as many as 21 points, had four reach double digits and had another efficient effort from downtown.

"We weren't quite as hot from the three-point line as we have been recently. In the first half we got a lot of production inside the arc. To see us up 10 at the half with only three triples was a step in the right direction," said UNK head coach Kevin Lofton. "I also was really proud of our defensive effort and we rebounded the basketball."

Simental (Pueblo West, Colo.) led one of UNK's top offensive games of the year by making 11 of 16 (3 of 4 3's) shots and by going 4 of 5 at the line. Paying 39:11, he also drew six fouls, grabbed four defensive rebounds and had an assist. This marks his seventh game of at least 20 points this season as he bumps his average to a team-high 16.7.

Scoring 21 points off 15 Lincoln miscues and going 14 of 16 from two-point land in the first half, UNK used a 7-0 spurt to grab a 35-23 lead right before the break. This mini-run featured a Simental jumper and five points from redshirt junior guard Parker Badding (Carroll, Ia.). The Lopers led 41-31 at the break and then started the half on a huge 29-18 run. The Blue & Gold went 5 of 8 from behind the arc over the last 20 minutes, pushing its four-game total to exactly 50% (50 of 100).

"It helps when David gets off to the start that he got off to (18 first half points). It really kind of set the tone for us," said Lofton.

The Blue Tigers, who had two-time defending national champion Northwest Missouri down big last week, didn't go away quietly. They went on a 16-4 run, encompassing just 3:29 of clock time, to get the deficit to single digits at 74-65. However, Badding knocked down another three with senior Darrian Nebeker (West Jordan, Utah) hitting a jumper and two free throws to push the advantage back to 15 points.

Nebeker had an all-around effort (17 points, game-high eight assists, four boards, three blocks and two steals) with Badding going 7 of 10 from the field (3 of 5 3's) to also reach 17 points. Finally, senior Austin Luger (Alliance) added 11 points and a game-high nine boards.

"They had Northwest down by 19 in Maryville which never happens. We had to tell our team to put their record aside because they have talent. You still have to play at a high-level in order to win," said Lofton. "(Outside of the threes) Darrian found ways to get going and we had good cuts to the basket. That helped us because we don't really have some down there where we can just throw it in and always get points."

LU used 11 different players with nine reaching the scoring column. Reserve Mekhi Kimble hit 3 of 4 treys to tally 17 with starting guard Chuck Wilson close to a double double (10 points & eight rebounds).

The Lopers face nationally-ranked Central Oklahoma Thursday night and Newman on Saturday afternoon.

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