Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney basketball teams finish up a quick two-game road swing when they go to Missouri Southern State on Saturday afternoon.

The games in Joplin tipoff at 1:30 p.m. and approximately 3:30 p.m. Both games will be on The MIAA Network and on The River 93.1/106.9 KRVN FM.

The new-look Lion women (10-4, 6-2) have won seven in a row including decisions over nationally-ranked Pittsburg State, 71-65, and Fort Hays State, 67-58. Head coach Ronnie Ressel had to retool the roster after All-American guard Lacey Stokes departed for Division I Missouri State, 6-3 Madi Stokes didn't return for her COVID year, and two others graduated.

MSSU, going 29-7 last winter and reaching the NCAA Central Regional final, is at 74 points per game. They are paced by senior guard Kryslyn Jones (12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds), senior transfer Brandi Hudson (11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds), redshirt junior Kaitlin Hunnicutt (11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds) and newcomers Ryan Franklin (6-3 freshman) and Maggie Sockey (D1 Oral Roberts).

UNK swept the regular season series last season but fell to MSSU, 63-51, in the MIAA Tourney semifinals in Kansas City. The two teams have split the last 16 meetings with the Lopers having won three straight at Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

On the men's side, second-year head coach Sam McHahon has a team that sits at 5-9 (3-5) and is 3-2 in its last five games. MSSU also is 2-3 at home.

Averaging 74 points nightly, the Lions have a balanced attack lead by 6-6, 220-pound junior newcomer Darius Dawson (13.4 points, 6.6. rebounds) and D1 grad transfer Cam Williams (11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds). He previously was at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. UNK has lost seven in a row to MSSU with the last victory coming back in Dec. 2017 at home, 82-79. The Lopers are 2-5 in Joplin during the MIAA era.

Individually, Mullen junior wing Samantha Moore has come off the injured list to promptly shoot 52% from the field and 59% from behind the arc. Now in the starting lineup, she is at 6.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game and tallied a career-best 12 points Thursday night at Pitt. Next, forward Kia Wilson (St. George, Kan.) has been in double figures in the past four contests. For the season, the former UNO Maverick and Fort Hays Tiger is at 10.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 55% from the field.

The UNK men have all five starters in double figures (10.0-12.7 per game) with everyone shooting at least 45% from the field. Guard D'Aundre Samuels (Denver) has amassed 35 points, 14 boards and 10 assists in the last two games with junior wing Taden King (Rexburg, Idaho) having three straight 13-point efforts. On the season, he's made 23 threes with junior guards Sean Evans (26) and Miguel Robles (22) also having sunk at least 20. Finally, the team is at 76.1 points every night.

The Lopers have only one game next week, a Saturday afternoon home affair against the FHSU Tigers.