KEARNEY – The Nebraska Kearney basketball teams host Lincoln University for the final time this Thursday night (Jan. 4) at the Health & Sports Center.
The women’s contest tips at 5:30 p.m. with the men’s game following at 7:30 p.m. Fanatics Sports Bar & Grill is the game sponsor. Both games will be on The MIAA Network.
Lincoln is leaving the MIAA after this academic year for the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). That league is also home to former MIAA members Truman (Mo.) State, Missouri S&T and Southwest Baptist (Mo.). Arkansas-Fort Smith is replacing LU starting on July 1, 2024.
The Blue Tiger women (5-6, 1-4) are coming off an 84-76 home win over NAIA Evangel (Mo.) on Dec. 30. Head coach Drea Mize has a squad that 1-3 in true road games with its league win coming against Newman. UNK leads the series by a 14-2 margin thanks to a current 12-game win streak.
The LU men (8-3, 3-2) are on a two-game skid as they lost to Pittsburg State, 77-60, on Dec. 30 while suffering a 71-69 setback to NAIA William Woods (Mo.) on Dec. 18. Both of those games came in Jeff City. The Blue Tigers are 2-1 on the road including a 12-point win at Newman. UNK trails in the all-time series, 10-9, as LU has taken five of the last seven meetings.
The Loper women continue to be stingy as they rank second in the MIAA in both opponent field goal percentage (33.3) and scoring defense (53.7). The squad also has taken the most free throws in the league (265; 22.1 per game avg.) and leads the way in rebounding margin (+13.7) as well.
Individually on the men’s side, New Zealand junior forward Sean Murphy is fourth in the conference in rebounding (8.5) and fifth in field goal percentage (60.8) with Colorado freshman guard D’Aundre Samuels seventh in assists (4.1) and ninth in assist to turnover ratio (2.0). Next, point guard Jillian Aschoff is among the MIAA women’s leaders in assists (2nd/5.8), steals (2nd/2.7), assist to turnover ratio (3rd/2.3) and rebounding (10th/7.3). Finally, veteran forward Shiloh McCool is second in board work (9.3) with wing Meg Burns the top three-point shooter (50.0; 24 of 48).
On Saturday afternoon, the Central Missouri Mules and Jennies come to town at 2 and 4 p.m.