Six of UNK’s Last 12 Wins by Five Points or Less
Kearney, Neb. – Redshirt junior forward Shiloh McCool made driving a left-handed layup with four seconds left to help No. 10 Nebraska Kearney get past No. 29 Missouri Southern State, 58-56, Thursday night in Joplin. Reigning MIAA Player of the Year Lacy Stokes had a chance to force overtime but her jumper in the lane, contested by super senior forward Brooke Carlson (Elkhorn), hit the back of the iron at the buzzer. Stokes initially was looking to hit 6-3 redshirt junior post Madi Stokes but UNK defended that action and forced her into the jumper. Carlson switched off the bigger Stokes and made the last shot a tough one for the 5-4 Stokes. UNK (25-3, 18-2) wins a 12th straight game with six of those coming by five points or less. On the year, the first place Lopers are 6-3 in contests decided by six points or less. Finally, this marks the 10th season in program history with at least 25 victories. "Credit to our team. You've got a fifth-year kid (Elisa Backes) who got dinged for her fifth foul and she's engaged as anybody," said Loper assistant coach Devin Eighmey on the KRVN Radio post-game show. "These kids are just unbelievable … they are just tough, gritty. They have the get-it factor." Twenty-three seconds before McCool's winner, MSSU (21-5, 13-5) had a chance to take its first lead of the night. However, Stokes saw a shot at the rim swatted by super senior wing Klaire Kirsch (Rapid City, S.D.). She then made maybe the play of the night, catching a long transition pass right in front of the Loper bench. UNK subsequently called timeout to setup the game-winner. "We were just trying to push there and go get something. That was our bench (making Kirsch aware to catch the long pass) and a big-time player making a big-time play," said Eighmey. "We drew it up but Shiloh went out and made the play." McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) had eight quick early points as part of a 14-0 run that gave UNK an 18-4 lead. However, she didn't score again until the fourth quarter (nine points). On the winning play, she took a pass from point guard Sarah Schmitt (Swisher, Ia.), got a screen from Carlson, went right and then crossed up Stokes in the lane for her sixth bucket. Stokes, who fouled McCool on the play, leads the MIAA in blocks with 63. Reaching the 1,000-career point mark last Saturday, McCool had a team-high 17 on 6 of 12 shooting. She also hit five freebies and grabbed six rebounds. Next, Schmitt (12) reached double digits thanks to five shots (two these) and pulled down six boards as well with Kansas super senior forward Elisa Backes at 12 points, four boards and two steals. She and Iowa redshirt sophomore wing Meg Burns both fouled out late; UNK came in with only four foul outs on the season. MSSU took advantage of those fouls by going 15 of 18 at the line including a 9 of 9 effort in the fourth. That helped them erase a 51-44 deficit with 4:45 to play. After that early Kearney barrage, they were down 21-7 before climbing back into things. Madi Stokes went for 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks with redshirt sophomore guard Kaitlin Hunnicutt at 12 points (two threes) with Lacy Stokes held to seven on 2 of 9 shooting. UNK forced her to go 5 of 19 from the field earlier this year as part of a 54-51 win. "We missed some shots early where we could've stretched it," said Eighmey. "You just find a way and it goes back to living in the moment." UNK was plus 11 on the glass, outshot MSSU by three percentage points and hit one more three. Finally, the Lopers grabbed 14 o-boards but turned them into only five second chance points. Another tough test awaits Saturday at Pittsburg State. The Gorillas (20-5, 15-4) are now 10-2 at home after a 76-66 decision over Fort Hays State tonight.
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