Lopers BB sit 11th in MIAA after 2 big wins

February 3, 2017

Ellen Laird
Antelope Staff

The Lady Lopers took on the Lindenwood Lions and Lincoln Blue Tigers, coming out on top in both games.
 
The Lopers rallied with the Lindenwood Lions last Thursday, scoring tightly in all four quarters. UNK outscored the Lions each quarter, coming out 69-55. The Lopers only had to fight back for the lead twice.

The Ladies had hot hands shooting threes against the Lions, making 13 three pointers to tie for second-most in school history, one make away from tying the all-time school record.

UNK had 20 points in the paint to the Lion’s 28, but out-rebounded Lindenwood bringing down 47 rebounds to Lindenwood’s 35.
Offensively, UNK brought down 14 out of the 47, which was two more than Lindenwood.

Rising above the rest, Kelsey Fitzgerald, a senior forward from Yankton, South Dakota, goes in for a layup.
Rising above the rest, Kelsey Fitzgerald, a senior forward from Yankton, South Dakota, goes in for a layup.

Barry racks up 23
Junior elementary education Michaela Barry, from Norfolk Catholic, racked up 23 points that night with 18 of those points coming from three pointers.
Mackenzie Brown, a junior business administration major from Grand Island Northwest, tied her season-high of 20 points. She made 18 points from the three point line out of 14 attempts.

Senior Alexa Hogberg, from Chandler, Arizona, hit the 13th three-pointer of the night.

Struggling for the ball, Imani Kyser, a junior forward from Alabama tries to make the basket.
Struggling for the ball, Imani Kyser, a junior forward from Alabama tries to make the basket.

The Lady Lopers shut down Lincoln on Saturday afternoon on the Buckle Court with yet again, scoring ten threes. Lopers.com published stats indicate this is the first time since November 2014 UNK has had back-to-back games with double digit threes scored.

The top-scoring players were similar to the previous game, as Barry and Brown racked up 46 points together.

Lopers rip down 47 rebounds
The Nebraska-Kearney Lopers ripped down 47 rebounds to Lincoln’s 37, offensively out-rebounding Lincoln by 4 grabs. Senior recreation parks tourism management major from Centura, Courtney Aitken, pulled 11 points off the glass. She walked away as the high rebounder that afternoon. Imani Kyser of Madison, Alabama ripped nine down. Barry and Hogberg followed in suit with seven apiece as well.

The Lopers tied with Lincoln 19 points off of turnovers but was beat in the paint by the Blue Tigers 22-18.

Going in for the shot, freshman point guard Grace Barry, from Lincoln, fights to make the basket.
Going in for the shot, freshman point guard Grace Barry, from Lincoln, fights to make the basket.

Shots in the paint sealed the deal
UNK had to fight hard to keep the lead the entire game, Lincoln had a tight hold on the close point gap.

Free throw shooting and shots in the paint sealed the deal in the second half.

This week the Kearney Lopers will take on Washburn University and Emporia State in Topeka, Kansas and Emporia, Kansas.