KEARNEY — A pair of 10-0 runs by the College of Nebraska at Kearney swept away a nine-point Pittsburg State lead and launched the Lopers to a 70-55 victory Thursday night time on the UNK Well being and Sports activities Middle.
The Gorillas (10-4 total, 5-3 MIAA) got here out firing, but it surely did not final lengthy. After making 7 of their first 12 photographs, they might go 12 of 53 the remainder of the way in which.
In addition they by no means missed an opportunity to fireplace up a 3-pointer. However lengthy photographs solely led to lengthy misses as they made simply 4 of 32.
“We attempt to make it robust and make them pretty contested. I assumed we gave up a couple of open seems to be we had been lucky they did not make,” UNK coach Carrie Eighmey mentioned.
However early on, Pittsburg State was making it robust on the Lopers. Half a dozen missed photographs from point-blank vary performed an element in UNK (14-3, 7-2) falling behind 19-10.
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“We obtained good alternatives across the rim. i do not know if we had been simply speeding, however we had a number of photographs simply rim out,” Eighmey mentioned.
However issues rapidly improved.
UNK put collectively its first 10-0 run to steer 20-19. The second carried the Lopers to a 34-26 halftime lead.
“Offensively we did a greater job of shifting the ball,” Eighmey mentioned. “The primary quarter they had been actually squeezing us within the center third of the ground and within the paint.
“The second quarter we did a greater job of shifting it and attempting to get their protection to have to alter sides of the ground and get them unfold out a bit bit so we might operated a bit bit higher.”
From there, UNK pulled away.
5 gamers scored in double figures led by Elisa Backes with 17 factors. Sarah Schmitt and Trinity Legislation adopted with 12 every whereas Klaire Kirsch had a double double with 11 poitns and 14 rebounds.
Brooke Carlson rounded out the double-digit record with 10 factors.
UNK’s greatest offensive weapon grew to become the free-throw line. The Lopers got here into the sport taking pictures 68% from the stripe, a mark that ranks twelfth of the 14 MIAA groups.
Thursday night time, the Lopers made 20 of 24 (83%).
“Twenty out of 24 might be pretty much as good of a proportion as we have shot all 12 months,” Eighmey mentioned. “I assumed we did a great job attending to the road and making free throws.”
Three Pittsburg State gamers reached double figures led by Karenna Gerber who had 15 factors to go together with 10 rebounds.
Tristan Gegg added 14 factors and Grace Pyle scoring 12.