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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Austin Luger
Todd Gottula
80
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNK 11-15,7-13 Mid-America Intercollegiate
59
Lincoln (MO) Linc 2-22,1-18 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Neb.-Kearney UNK
11-15,7-13 Mid-America Intercollegiate
80
Final
59
Lincoln (MO) Linc
2-22,1-18 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Neb.-Kearney UNK 39 41 80
Lincoln (MO) Linc 35 24 59

Next Game:

NW Missouri State

2/23/2022 | 7:30 p.m.

The River 93.1/106.9 KRVN FM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Feb. 23 (Wed) / 7:30 p.m.
 NW Missouri State
History

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

UNK Beats Lincoln by 21

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team shot 59 from the field and sunk 14 threes to pull away from Lincoln University, 80-59, Saturday evening in Jefferson City, Mo.

The Lopers (11-15, 7-13) win at LU for the first time in six years and keep its MIAA Tournament hopes alive. UNK needs some help with next Friday's game against Missouri Western possibly looming large; the Griffons (12-14, 8-10) have three games before then including tonight vs. Emporia State. Earlier this year Kearney won in St. Joseph, 81-79.

Having another solid shooting night, the Lopers made 16 of its first 27 shots including a 7 of 14 effort from behind the arc. However, the Blue Tigers (2-22, 1-18) hung around thanks to five of their own first half threes and three UNK starters having two fouls by halftime.

"In life you've got to be resilient. That was a tough blow for us on Thursday (losing in overtime at Central Missouri). The kids fought really, really hard but just couldn't get that one done," said UNK head coach Kevin Lofton on the KRVN radio post-game show. "Lincoln's record isn't great but that have enough talent to beat you. We had to have this to keep any hope alive and we got it."

UNK went into the locker room up 39-35 and started the second half on an 11-4 run. This stretch included a dunk from Utah senior forward Darrian Nebeker and a triple from Iowa junior guard Parker Badding. LU whittled the deficit down to four, 54-50, by the 10:09 mark but another Badding triple started a Loper spurt. To close things out, Kearney finished the game on a 13-5 run.   

"We were really consistent today. They didn't get too high or too low," said Lofton. "It was good to see that (14 of 29 3's) because in the last couple of games we hadn't it shot that well."

Colorado graduate guard David Simental had another big performance, going for a game-high 27 points thanks to 11 of 19 (5 of 8 3's) shooting. He also had four defensive rebounds over 38 minutes and has now reached at least 25 points eight times this winter. Next, Badding had 12 of his 16 in the second half with Nebeker at 14 points on an efficient 6 of 9 shooting. Finally, reserves Sean Evans (Parker, Colo.) and Winston Cook (Wahoo) combined for 10 points and five rebounds with Nebeker now sitting with an even 1,000 points in college (549 at UNK; 451 at Snow J.C., Utah). 

"We played with some maturity today. Darrian and Austin (Luger) did some really upperclassmen-like things today. Composure was big thing when they started making threes," said Lofton. "We now have to go back home and find a way to pull out two. At this point, that's the surest way to give yourself a chance at getting in."

Lincoln got 19 points from reserve John Gaines with starter Chuck Wilson close to a double double (13 points and seven rebounds).

Prior to Mo West, UNK hosts two-time defending national champion Northwest Missouri on Wednesday night.
 
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Players Mentioned

Parker Badding

#12 Parker Badding

G
6' 2"
Sophomore
Winston Cook

#14 Winston Cook

F
6' 5"
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
Winston Cook

#14 Winston Cook

6' 5"
Freshman
F
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