Fourth NCAA Game Against the Bulldogs

3/10/2022 6:28:00 AM

Kearney Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team is in the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year, the first time that's happened since 2008 and 2009, and faces a very familiar foe in the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.

The sixth-seeded Lopers (23-7) face third-seeded UMD (24-4) Friday at noon in the first game of the Central Regional. Top-seed Fort Hays State is the host with UNK having won three in a row and six of seven at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Check the tourney web page for the complete bracket, media links and ticket prices.

The eight region winners advance to the "Elite Eight" March 21-25 in Alabama.

UNK and 12th-ranked Duluth will meet in the NCAA's for a fourth time. The 'Dawgs, currently riding a 16-game win streak and 2022 NSIC Tourney Champions, bested the Lopers in both 1999 (66-65 in OT) and 2001 (61-57) with UNK taking last year's contest in Warrensburg, Mo., 65-57. 2022 ncaa

The Blue & Gold led that contest for nearly 26 minutes and closed on a 10-2 run to record its seventh all-time NCAA win. UNK was plus 15 on the glass, plus seven in the turnover column and attempted 12 more free throws than UMD.

Both teams returned virtually intact this year and play similar styles so there'll be little secrets between the two. The 'Dawgs are led by 6-2 senior Brooke Olson and 6-2 fifth-year senior Sarah Grow. Olson went for 28 and 11 last year vs. UNK with Grow contributing 16 points, six blocks and five boards. This year, they combine for 28 points and 11 rebounds nightly. Olson is a three-time NSIC North Division Player of the Year with Grow making the NSIC second-team this season.

In that NCAA win, the Lopers saw wing Klaire Kirsch (Rapid City, SD) go for 21 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and two steals. She went 8 of 10 at the line with all 15 boards coming on the defensive end and seven points coming in the game-winning run. Next, forward Elisa Backes (Salina, Kan.) tallied 22 points on 9 of 21 (3 of 6 3's) shooting. She also had six rebounds with UNK having a 14-3 advantage in o-boards.

The UNK/UMD winner plays Saturday at five against second-seed Southwestern Oklahoma State (28-4) or seventh-seed Missouri Western (21-9). SWOSU is regular season and tourney champs of the Great American Conference (GAC) and ranked No. 10/17 nationally. UNK has won six straight over the Griffs including the two regular season meetings this year.

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