University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Home Finale with Postseason Push in Full Swing

Corbey R. Dorsey

Women's Basketball | 2/22/2022 1:05:00 PM

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team, fighting to make the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season, has two big games to close out the 2021-22 regular season.

UNK (20-6, 15-5), sitting in sole possession of third place in the MIAA, hosts Northwest Missouri (17-9, 12-8) and Missouri Western (20-6, 14-5) this week at the Health & Spots Center. The games are on Wednesday and Friday nights as to accommodate travel partner For Hays State.

In the first edition of the NCAA Central Region Rankings, UNK was ninth in the Central. The Blue & Gold lost at No. 10 Central Missouri last Thursday but the Jennies lost to Hays two days later. The second edition of the rankings will be released on Wednesday; the top eight teams make the "Big Dance" in mid-march with auto bids going to the winners of the MIAA, NSIC and GAC Tournaments.

The Lopers bested Northwest, 67-60, and Mo West, 60-48, earlier this winter on the road. Kearney has won four in a row over the Bearcats to lead the all-time series 10-7 while taking the last five against the Griffs. That series is 24-22 in favor of MWSU.

Sporting a 10-3 home mark, the Lopers have reached 70 points in three of its last four games. They've sunk at least seven threes in three of those contests while having a double digit rebound margin in the three wins. Finally, UNK has held its opponents to around eight made free throws per game.

Individually, South Dakota senior wing Klaire Kirsch needs 30 rebounds to set a new school record. Six-footer Heather Steffen grabbed 906 caroms between 2001-04 to break Ginger Keller's mark of 894 from 1991-94. Kirsch averages 8.05 rebounds per game for her career and has 137 defensive boards this season. Offensively, Kirsch (849) joins classmates Maegan Holt (857), Elisa Backes (1,135) and Brooke Carlson (1,178) to rank among UNK's top 40 scorers of all-time. Redshirt sophomore Shiloh McCool (650) and graduate Haley Simental (720) are close to the Top 40 as well.

Northwest is 3-4 over its last seven games and 4-7 away from Maryville. They are among the MIAA's top defensive units (55.7 ppg) and are paced by underclassmen Mallory McConkey (11.8) and Molly Hartnett (11.0) on offense. UNK got out to a 36-24 halftime lead in Bearcat Arena in January and saw Backes tally a game-high 21.

The Griffons have won two of its last five and maintain a solid 7-3 road record. They have three in double figures including post Connie Clark (13.0 ppg & 9.0 rpg) and have an MIAA-best +8.0 rebounding margin. UNK was plus four in rebounding in St. Joe and held MWSU to 32% shooting in a 12-point victory. Carlson recorded her lone double double (12 points & 11 rebounds) of the winter in that game.

The field for the 10-team MIAA Tournament will be announced Saturday night. UNK likely won't play until next Friday afternoon in Kansas City.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Elisa Backes: G/F; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#45 Brooke Carlson: C; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#15 Maegan Holt: G/F; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#20 Klaire Kirsch: G/F; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#25 Shiloh McCool: G/F; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#10 Haley Simental: G; 5' 8"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#5 Elisa Backes
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G/F

#45 Brooke Carlson
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: C

#15 Maegan Holt
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: G/F

#20 Klaire Kirsch
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G/F

#25 Shiloh McCool
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G/F

#10 Haley Simental
: 5' 8"; Graduate Student
: G