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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Kendrick Gilbert
Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications
71
Regis REGIS 5-6
84
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 1-8
Regis REGIS
5-6
71
Final
84
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB
1-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Regis REGIS 43 28 71
Neb.-Kearney UNKMBB 35 49 84

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Metro State

12/22/2024 | 1 p.m.

The River 93.1/106.9 KRVN FM

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Full Schedule
Dec. 22 (Sun) / 1 p.m.
 Metro State
History

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Big Second Half Propels Lopers Over Former League Rival

Kearney, Neb. – Graduate guard Allen Taylor scored 25 points, thanks to seven made three pointers, and Nebraska Kearney had a big second half to beat Regis University, 84-71, Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers improve to 2-7 while the Rangers fall to 5-6. These two clubs last met on the court during the 2011-12 season when UNK was still a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). They now lead the all-time series, 30-7.

"It feels great and what's good about it is the effort the guys won with," said Loper head coach Marty Levinson. "We've played good basketball at times and people haven't run away from us. So, we've been doing a lot right. Our urgency and organization were good, but we took it to another level tonight."

Regis came in shooting 35% from behind the arc and averaging nine made triples per game. However, they made six of its first eight long range shots and ended with 13, tying a season-high. This is their sixth game with a double-digit triple total but had just four in its last game on Dec. 14.

"They came out and really got going early. Number zero (Eddy Egun) and number one (Jalen Brown) are more drivers than they are shooters. Not that they can't shoot the ball, but those guys can really get at you," said Levinson. "We had to keep the ball in front of us and kudos to them, they just faced up and nailed it."

The Rangers shot an even 50% (16 of 32) from the field in the first half that included a 9 of 17 mark from downtown. They led 43-35 at the break with UNK hanging around thanks to five of its own treys and almost 50% shooting. Taylor (Rogers, Ark.) started the comeback right away as he hit two threes, sandwiched around a Chase Tompson (Omaha Westside) bucket, to make it just a two-point deficit two minutes into the second half.

UNK was still down by one, 60-59, at the 11:29 when it made its move. A 15-4 spurt featured two more Taylor threes, a corner triple from St. Louis junior Kendrick Gilbert and three Ranger turnovers. Regis, which had 10 second half turnovers, didn't get closer than seven the rest of the night.

"We did what we needed in order to get the loose balls, get the rebounds late, finish shots late, take care of the ball and there's a lot of moving parts that go into it," said Levinson. "We didn't let up after we made the (second half) run. We kind of settled in and hit our free throws."

A transfer from the Academy of Art (Calf.), Taylor reached his D2 career-high point total thanks to 9 of 14 (7 of 11 threes) shooting. He was two shy of tying the school made three record and is the first Loper to make seven in a game since Tom Connelly in a Nov. 2022 win over Haskell Indian Nation (Kan.). Finally, he added team-highs in both rebounds (eight) and steals (five) while playing a team-best 34 minutes.

"Allen is a winner and a beast. He couldn't walk at the end because he was so fatigued," said Levinson. "The real challenge for the guys is to spin their wheels, give everything they got and be cooked at the end."

Next, guard Ja'Bryant Hill (Duncanville, Texas) and Thompson both went for 16 points, five made shots and three assists with sophomore post Taylor Harrell (Huntsville, Texas) making his Loper debut. He had 11 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes of work off the bench. Finally, UNK shot a season-best 53% from the floor.

Regis had four in double digits as well led by Egun (19) and Brown (16). They combined to go 7 of 13 from three-point land; their teammates 6 of 19.

UNK hosts No. 22 Metro State on Sunday afternoon. The Roadrunners (9-2) fell tonight at Fort Hays State, 66-50.
 
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Players Mentioned

Allen Taylor

#23 Allen Taylor

G
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Tom Connelly

#RS Tom Connelly

G/F
6' 5"
Senior
Kendrick Gilbert

#0 Kendrick Gilbert

F
6' 5"
Redshirt Junior
Taylor Harrell

#6 Taylor Harrell

C
6' 10"
Sophomore
Ja

#3 Ja'Bryant Hill

G
5' 10"
Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

Allen Taylor

#23 Allen Taylor

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
G
Tom Connelly

#RS Tom Connelly

6' 5"
Senior
G/F
Kendrick Gilbert

#0 Kendrick Gilbert

6' 5"
Redshirt Junior
F
Taylor Harrell

#6 Taylor Harrell

6' 10"
Sophomore
C
Ja

#3 Ja'Bryant Hill

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
G