Two 13-Point Runs Powers Griffs Down the Stretch
Kearney, Neb. – Super senior forward Darrian Nebeker scored a career-high 30 points but Missouri Western State rallied past Nebraska Kearney, 83-78, Thursday night in St. Joseph.
This game was originally set for December but postponed due to COVID protocols with the Griffons program. The first makeup date was Feb. 27 but then got pushed up a few days to help seed next week’s MIAA Tournament.
MWSU (12-15, 8-13) bounces back from a buzzer-beating loss to Newman Wednesday night, keeps its tourney hopes alive and splits the season series with the Lopers (5-22, 3-18). UNK has now suffered 12 setbacks by 10 points or less.
Nebeker (West Jordan, Utah) came in averaging just under 17 points a night, tied for first best in the MIAA. He had 21 by the break on 9 of 12 (3 of 6) shooting and that helped UNK erase an early 7-0 hole and grab leads of 36-23 and 38-29.
However, Nebeker picked up three fouls in the first seven minutes of the second half. That allowed Mo West, who shot 58 percent after the break, to chip away at the deficit and keep Nebeker under wraps.
A three from Iowa redshirt sophomore Jaleque Dunson gave UNK a 57-48 lead with 11:14 to play but the Griffs responded with a 13-2 run to grab its first lead since the early going. The stretch featured scoring from five different players with junior wing JaRon Thames having a key three-point play. A triple from New Zealand senior Matt Brien briefly made it 62-61 Lopers but MoWest responded with another 13-3 spurt to resume control and put things on ice.
Thames went for a team-high 23 points on 9 of 12 (1 of 1 threes) shooting. He also pulled down 11 rebounds and had five assists. Six-four sophomore wing Taye Fields (15 points, 11 rebounds) had another double double against UNK with sophomore guards Zion Swader (14) and Julius Dixon (16) having big second half to reach double digits.
Nebeker went all 40 minutes and made 4 of 10 second half shots to reach his point total. Not attempting a free throw, he also had six rebounds, four dimes and was one of three Lopers called for four fouls.
Next, Wahoo redshirt senior forward Winston Cook (10) and Colorado sophomore guard Sean Evans (12) also reached double figures with South Dakota redshirt sophomore forward Ryder Kirsch at nine rebounds, eight points and three assists. Finally, Dunson had 12 off the bench thanks to 4 of 7 three-point shooting.
UNK finishes out the season Saturday afternoon against Fort Hays State (19-8, 14-7). The regionally-ranked Tigers rallied past the Lopers, 57-55, to take the first meeting earlier this year in Kansas.
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