Kearney, Neb. – Two-time All-American forward Brooke Littrell had a big fourth quarter to help Central Missouri slip past Nebraska Kearney, 81-77, Thursday night in Warrensburg.
The Jennies (17-6, 11-6) avenge a 79-74 overtime loss to the Lopers (17-7, 11-7) earlier this year and improve to 9-1 at home vs. UNK since 2012-13. Finally, this is the eighth straight game in the series decided by 10 points or less.
Littrell came in averaging 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game but got into some foul trouble early on. She had just four points over the first three quarters but went for 14 in the final 10 minutes. She made all five shots she attempted, went 4 of 5 at the line and grabbed three rebounds.
“We battled hard but just some little things we’re going to have to clean up. We gave Littrell three and ones to end the game,” said UNK head coach Drew Johnson on the KRVN Radio post-game show. “We didn’t guard well enough; we can’t give up 26 free throws and 15 second chance points to our four isn’t going to work.”
UNK appeared to have its biggest lead of the night, 63-57, after junior wing [/roster.aspx?rp_id=8564]Meg Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) hit a corner three at the end of the third. However, a video review between quarters wiped the points off the board due to a shot clock violation. UCM then went on a 9-2 run to lead 73-66 with 3:57 to play. The spurt featured five Littrell points and a bucket from All-MIAA guard Olivia Nelson.
The Lopers, however, weren’t done as they used a 5-0 run to erase a 77-70 deficit with less than two minutes remaining. After a Nelson miss, UNK had a chance to tie things with 34 seconds left but forward Shiloh McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) went 1 of 2 at the line. UCM returned the favor as post Graycen Holden missed two freebies with 15 seconds left and the Jens up 79-77. Out of timeouts, UNK raced down the court with a 14-footer from Burns hitting iron instead of net. The Jens, this time, made both of its freebies to finish the scoring.
“We love the broken floor right there and she had a good look at it,” said Johnson. “Proud of the execution at the moment since we were out of timeouts.”
McCool had 19 points in the first half and 10 more in the second to have a new career-high point total. While her streak of seven double doubles came to an end (six rebounds), she had 10 buckets and nine freebies tonight. Her previous career-best of 25 points came last season vs. Central Oklahoma.
“She was unbelievably good. We probably didn’t get her the ball enough in the fourth, but we couldn’t seem to get her any space,” said Johnson. “She was so heady the way she played and attacked. She made a lot of right decisions … when to kick it, when not to.”
Besides Littrell, three other starters and Holden (10) scored in double figures. Nelson had 18 on 7 of 12 shooting with UNO transfer Lauren Frost (12 points, eight assists) and post Ashley Tull (14 points, nine rebounds) close to double doubles. Tull missed the game in Kearney due to injury. Finally, the Jennies had advantages in second chance, bench and fast break points.
Besides McCool’s heroics, junior wing Samantha Moore (Mullen) had 13 points, Burns tallied 14 and five assists with post Bailee Sobczak (Rapid City, S.D.) at nine points and nine rebounds (three offensive).
“When we were a really tough team, we were really guarding to the scouting report,” said Johnson. “We’ve got to get back to that just a little bit.”
UNK heads to Lincoln on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Tigers (6-17, 2-15) lost to Fort Hays State tonight, 75-47.
Kearney, Neb. – Division I transfer Keith Kiner III and freshman Tim Jordan Jr. combined for 36 points to help Central Missouri hold off Nebraska Kearney, 67-58, Thursday night in Warrensburg.
With the effort, the Mules (11-12, 5-12) snap a four-game losing streak and take the season series from the Lopers.
A 6-6, 200-pound redshirt senior who was at D1 Niagara (N.Y.) last season, Kiner III came off the bench and once again haunted UNK. He tallied 15 of his team-high 19 points in the first half; he had 32 points in the first meeting between the two. Jordan Jr., another lanky wing, got going in the second half and finished with 17 points on 7 of 9 shooting.
“First half I didn’t think we played very well at all. They out toughed us; they were getting all the 50/50 balls,” said UNK interim head coach Antoine Young on the KRVN Radio post-game show. “We challenged them a little bit at half-time; to go out and compete. I thought they did that and the type of performance we had in the second half … I can live with.”
UNK was down 34-18 before scoring the final seven points of the first half. Freshman guard D’Aundre Samuels (Denver) had five of these points and went on to have 21, one shy of his season high. The Loper momentum continued in the second half as they started on a 10-3 run to cut the deficit to two. However, the Mules never trailed on the night as they held off each Blue & Gold charge.
“You can’t get yourself in a hole on the road. Honestly, to be down only nine at the half was kind of surprising,” said Young.
A jumper from junior forward Sean Murphy (New Zealand) made it 56-52 with just over five minutes remaining. The Lopers preceded to get some stops but couldn’t cut into that deficit as they missed their next four shots. Jordan Jr. ended a four-minute scoring drought for his team with a bucket at the 1:54 mark. That made it 58-52 and UNK didn’t get closer than four the rest of the way.
“(After a timeout) we at least got a good look and executed. We were disciplined enough to at least give ourselves a chance,” said Young.
Each team made five threes with UCM sinking nine more free throws and being plus four on the glass. Besides Jordan Jr. and Kiner III, starting guard Jalen Knott had 13 points and three boards.
To record his fourth 20-point effort, Samuels was 9 of 14 (1 of 2 threes) from the field and 2 of 5 at the line. He also had six boards and five assists. Next, Murphy made 6 of 9 shots to have 12 with super senior forward Winston Cook (Wahoo) at a team-best seven boards, and five points.
“D’Aundre is just learning and at the tip of what he actually is. He hasn’t figured out how good he can be,” said Young. “For a freshman, he’s pretty special and the sky is the limit for him.”
UNK heads to Lincoln on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Tigers (13-10, 8-9) fell tonight to Fort Hays State, 60-41.
