As the 2024 season begins for winter sports, the UNK men’s and women’s basketball teams are ready to improve.
The UNK women are led by second year coach Drew Johnson, who led the Lopers to a 19-11 finish last season. UNK lost in the second round of the MIAA tournament to Northwest Missouri State. It was the first time since 2020 where UNK did not qualify for the NCAA central regional.
As this new season approaches, Johnson will have a lot to work with from last year.
Key returners include redshirt sophomore guard Jillian Aschoff who averaged almost six assists per game last year, graduate forward Kia Wilson who averaged 10 points and four rebounds, junior guard/forward Samantha Moore who has increased her playing time and graduate guard/forward Meg Burns who is shooting over 38% from three-point range in her career. In total, the Lopers have seven players who played at least seven minutes per game last year, with six of them playing over 17 per game.
Johnson said they are fortunate to return what they do.
“We bring some depth at those positions,” Johnson said. “Last year we were trying to mold a system to fit the group of players and now you feel like you’re just a tougher more seasoned basketball team and it’s nice to feel like the players also know what we’re going to do.”
UNK also has four freshmen on its roster and expects Iowa all-state selection guard Alex Flattery to make a big impact this year. UNK also brought in transfers Saniya Simmons from Lincoln University, Alma Rashelbach from Division I Portland State and Tara Biocanin from Division I Oral Roberts.
The women started the year 2-0, with a 99-53 win over Minnesota Crookston and a 69-65 win over Northern State in the MIAA/Northern Sun Intercollegiate crossover. Moore scored a career high 19 points against Crookston, also leading the Lopers against Northern State with 12.
The UNK men are starting over under first-year coach Marty Levinson, as the Lopers return only two players and lost the top 11 scorers from last year’s roster that went 5-22.
UNK brings in 13 transfers on a 17-player roster, with six of those being graduates or seniors. Some of the key newcomers include redshirt senior forward Chase Thompson who averaged 13 points and four rebounds last year at Division II Florida Tech. Redshirt junior guard Ja’Bryant Hill comes to UNK from junior college National Park in Arkansas, earning second team All-American honors. Graduate guard Allen Taylor played for Levinson at Southern Arkansas University Tech for three years. Redshirt senior guard/forward Chereef Knox will play a lot as well. He spent time at three different colleges including Division I St. Joseph.
Other newcomers who had minutes this weekend include redshirt junior forward Kendrick Gilbert from College of Southern Nevada, redshirt sophomore DJ Jamerson from New Mexico Junior College, junior guard Elijah Knudsen from Colorado Mesa University and senior guard Trey Hepburn from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Levinson says it’s been a whirlwind so far putting everything together.
“We’ve had some ups and downs but we’ve seen a lot of good,” Levinson said. “I’ve got some good guys that care about each other and are here to help each other play good basketball. They’re starting to take on the same identity and I see the potential and where it could go.”
The two returners from las year’s group include redshirt freshman guard/forward Clayton Moore from Mullen and senior guard and forward Tom Connelly who is dealing with an injury.
The men started the year 0-2, losing 95-93 to Concordia-St. Paul in overtime and a 77-73 loss to Southwest Minnesota State. Thompson led the way in both games, scoring 23 against Concordia and 15 against Southwest Minnesota State. In both games four players finished in double digits. The Lopers are back in action against Dakota State at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
