MIAA Preview: Rubber Match with the Ichabods

3/6/2025 3:00:00 PM

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney women's basketball team is in the MIAA Tournament for the 12th time and faces Washburn Friday in a quarterfinal game.

This will be the third meeting between the Lopers (20-8) and Ichabods (17-12) this season. The game tips at 6 p.m. in Kansas City with the winner advancing to Saturday's semifinals (6 p.m.). The opponent will be either top-seed Pittsburg State or ninth-seed Missouri Southern.

The Lopers are 8-10 all-time in this event, winning the 2021 title. Due to the pandemic, the tourney was held at campus sites and the regular season champion (Fort Hays State) that year. UNK has gone 1-1 in the tourney each of the past three seasons. Jill Aschoff

MIAA Co-Newcomer of the Year Payton Sterk will certainly be in the cross hairs of the Loper defense. The transfer from Division II Cal State East Bay went for 31 points in a 66-60 loss at the Health & Sports Center in early December and then had 30 in an 85-78 win in Topeka on Feb 1. The junior guard made a combined 18 of 36 shots (8 of 13 threes) in those games while going 17 of 18 at the line.

Six-two junior post Yiibari Nwidadah sat out the game in Kearney due to injury but had 21 points on 8 of 8 shooting in the second meeting. Getting into foul trouble in the second half, the All-MIAA Defensive team member played 21 minutes that afternoon.

Sophomore reserve Jordan Sears (McPherson, Kan.) had two strong efforts against the 'Bods, having 12 points and four boards in the first game and 16 points and four rebounds in the second. She made 10 of 19 shots and 9 of 11 free throws. Next, graduate post Kia Wilson (St. George, Kan.) shot 64% from the field in the games with point guard Jillian Aschoff (Lincoln Pius) at 11.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists.

Aschoff, a second-team All-MIAA pick, averaged nearly 17 points per game over the last six contests of the regular season. She had a career-high 30 in last Saturday's win over Hays and has made 27 of her last 30 free throws. The redshirt junior recently reached 300 career assists and is well on pace to break Alexa Hogberg's school-record (390) next season.

As a team, UNK ranks in the MIAA top two in seven categories including offensive rebounds (12.7) and scoring defense (59.1). Unfortunately, opponents seem to always make their freebies against the Lopers (MIAA-best 76%).

A strong showing this weekend could punch the Lopers ticket to the NCAA Tournament as they are eighth in the most recent region rankings. UNK has made the "Big Dance" 16 times, the last coming in 2023 in Duluth, Minn.

MIAA Tournament (8-10) … 4-6 in K.C., 2-2 at home, 2-1 at Hays, 0-1 in Edmond
2023-24 (1-1)
Vs. Washburn (W, 72-65/@ K.C.)
Vs. Northwest Missouri (L, 64-42/@ K.C.)

2022-23 (1-1)
Vs. Northwest Missouri ( W, 65-43/@ K.C.)
Vs. Missouri Southern (L, 63-51/@ K.C.)

2021-22 (1-1)
Vs. Northwest Missouri (W, 52-47/@ K.C.)
Vs. Fort Hays State (L, 56-46/@ K.C.)

2020-21 (3-0) – 1st Place
Pittsburg State (W, 66-50/Kearney)
Washburn (W, 59-40/@ Hays)
@ Fort Hays State (W, 57-51)

2019-20 (1-1)
Vs. Missouri Western (W, 68-62/@ K.C.)
Vs. Emporia State (L, 61-52/@ K.C.)

2018-19 (0-1)
Vs. Missouri Western (L, 55-47/@ K.C.)

2017-18 (0-1)
Missouri Western (L, 60-57/Kearney)

2016-17 (0-1)
Lindenwood (L, 86-68/Kearney)

2015-16 (1-0)
Southwest Baptist (W, 75-46/Kearney)
Vs. Missouri Western (L, 64-53/@ K.C.)

2014-15 (0-1)
@ Central Oklahoma (L, 90-70)

2013-14 (0-1)
@ Fort Hays State (L, 88-68)

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