Lopers in Missouri Next Weekend
Kearney, Neb. – Junior guard Trinity Law scored 15 points and No. 26/29 Nebraska Kearney held Northeastern State in check, 79-46, Saturday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center. The Lopers (10-1) start the conference season at 2-0 while the RiverHawks fall to 4-3 (1-2). This was the only meeting between UNK and NSU this winter. Holding a foe under 49 points for the fifths straight game, the Lopers still had to work a bit as they led by just a 20-14 margin at the end of the first quarter. However, NSU tallied only 18 points over the next 20 minutes of game action. Thus, by the end of the third quarter, UNK held a comfortable 31-point lead. "They (NSU) play really hard. Offensively they play fast, they cut and are active. It's not an easy team to defend and takes quite a bit of energy," said Loper head coach Carrie Eighmey. "We did a good job defensively again. Good execution and effort." Law (Brandon, SD) tallied five in the first 10 minutes and the erupted for 10 in the second. She made 4 of 9 shots and went 2 of 2 at the line during this span as UNK grabbed its first double digit lead and never relinquished it. Law ended the day 6 of 11 (1 of 3 threes) from the field in 22 minutes of work. "We got off to a bit of a slow start offensively. But we able to get things going and had a lot of people score in the end. We were able to get good looks in a lot of different ways," said Eighmey. "Trinity got us going. She was being aggressive but still playing with good pace. She also had some incredible passes and, with Sarah (Schmitt) in foul trouble, came in and ran the point well in the second quarter." UNK out shot NSU by a 46-37 percent margin while being plus seven on the glass and having 10 fewer turnovers. The Lopers out scored the 'Hawks 23-0 in points off turnovers in addition to getting 32 points from its bench. Starting forward Shiloh McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) had a game-high 17 points thanks to 7 of 10 shooting with reserve forward Maegan Holt (Council Bluffs, Ia.) going 4 of 4 from the field to tally 10 and be the other Loper in double figures. Finally, senior wing Klaire Kirsch (Rapid City, SD) had nine rebounds and seven points with reserve froward Lexi Moes (Smithville, Mo.) at seven points and three boards. NSU was paced by starting forwards Courtney Lee (13 points, four rebounds). UNK is at defending Central Region champ Missouri Western (6-3, 1-1) on Thursday night.
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