Neb.-Kearney UNK 1-1,0-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Colo. Sch. of Mines CSM 0-2,0-0 RMAC

Neb.-Kearney UNK

1-1,0-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate

Final

Nov. 08, 2025

Colo. Sch. of Mines CSM

0-2,0-0 RMAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Neb.-Kearney UNK	36	49	85
Colo. Sch. of Mines CSM	34	42	76

Summary
Box Score

MSUB Athletics_Shiloh Skillenrobison

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 11/8/2025 2:12:00 PM

Balanced Attack Helps Lopers Take Down #10 Orediggers

Kearney, Neb. – Senior forward Kendrick Gilbert scored a team-high 19 points and Nebraska Kearney used a balanced attack to beat preseason 10th-ranked Colorado School of Mines, 85-76, Saturday morning in Billings, Mont.

The game was part of the three-day Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Tip Off Classic at the Trailhead. On Friday, UNK lost to Angelo (TX) State while the Orediggers fell to MIAA-member Central Missouri.

In a back-and-forth game all morning long, the Lopers finally pulled away with a 10-3 run late in the second half. Senior newcomer Wade Williams (Huntsville, Texas) grabbed a rebound and made a bucket to start the spurt with a triple from junior River Johnston (North Platte) capping it. That made the score 76-69 with 3:40 remaining and Mines didn't get closer than five points the rest of the way.

"I'm just really proud of the guys for bouncing back after a tough loss and losing one of our key players in Anthony Swift (concussion after an intentional hit to the head)," said assistant coach Mitch Runco on the KRVN Radio post-game show. "Seeing a whole committee of guys step up in a variety of areas to help us win"

Coming off a 29-5 season and preseason favorites in the RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conf.), the 'Diggers lost six of their top eight scorers. However, 6-3 junior guard Markus Pastorcic-Straun returned, and he went for 32 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals. He made 12 of 17 shots (2 of 3 threes) and went 6 of 7 at the line.

UNK out shot Mines by a 48-42% margin, was plus four on the glass, had a plus four turnover margin and went 14 of 18 at the line. Meanwhile, the 'Diggers struggled at the stripe (11 of 23) and from the arc (9 of 30).

"Like Coach (Marty Levinson) said in the locker room before we came out, we were doing this for Swift. He was out an entire year due to injury and put in a lot of time and his heart into recovering," said Runco. "He was a great teammate throughout the course of the year so to lose him in his first game back was a tough thing for everybody."

Gilbert (St. Louis), tying his UNK career-best of 18 points on Friday, made 7 of 15 shots and grabbed nine rebounds (eight defensive). He also drew five fouls, worked around four fouls and had five assists. While at the College of Southern Nevada, Gilbert had several 20-point efforts including a career-high of 23.

With guard Ja'Bryant Hill (Duncanville, Texas) saddled with two fouls in the first half, UNK overcame an early eight-point hole by getting contributions from everyone. Post Taylor Harrell (Huntsville, Texas) had seven points and four rebounds in the first half with freshman Zeek Brown (Kansas City) and sophomore Clayton Moore (Mullen) combining for 10 points. The Lopers trailed by just two at the break despite going 1 of 12 from deep.

Willams (18) and Hill (12) finished in double digits with Williams having two of UNK's five threes and Hill having seven assists and two steals. Finally, senior Tom Connelly (Denver) had seven points and five rebounds in his first start since Feb. 2024.

"Kendrick deserves it and is all about UNK. He'll do whatever it takes to win; if we need him to score, he'll do that. If we need him to rebound, he'll do that. If we need him to guard the other team's best player, he'll do that and which he did today," said Runco. "Tom brings great effort everyday in practice. He consistently shows he's our best offensive rebounder because every time the ball is shot, he gets his nose on the ball."

Mines also got 14 points and six rebounds from 6-6 redshirt freshman Will Cordonnier and 16 points and 11 rebounds from 6-6 junior Alex Romack.

The Lopers battle tourney host Montana State-Billings on Sunday. The Yellowjackets (1-0) battled UCM later Saturday.

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