By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
KEARNEY, NE - The Missouri Western women's basketball team held a lead for about five minutes of the first half and only trailed 28-24 at halftime.
However, Nebraska-Kearney (8-1, 2-1 MIAA) outscored the Griffons 48-30 in the second half and the Lopers rolled to a 76-54 win at the Health and Fitness Center in Kearney, Nebraska on Thursday night.
It all came undone for Missouri Western (5-3, 1-2 MIAA) in the third quarter, when UNK made five three-pointers and outscored the Griffs 28-15 in that period.
Kearney made seven threes in the second half after making just one in the first. Bailee Sobczak led four Lopers in double figures with 18 points. Jillian Aschoff dropped a double-double for UNK with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Jayme Jackson led Missouri Western with 15 points. Connie Clarke had eight. The Griffons were outrebounded 44-34.
UNK made 20-of-29 free throws Thursday. Missouri Western was just 2-of-5 at the stripe.
The Griffon women have dropped each of their last seven regular season meetings played at Nebraska-Kearney.
Griffon men fall on buzzer beater at Nebraska-Kearney Thursday
The Missouri Western men kept pace with Nebraska-Kearney's hot shooting all night Thursday, knocking down 13 threes and tying the game nine times.
Down eight with 1:52 to play, the Griffons rallied and tied it at 90-90, thanks to a left wing three by Zion Swader.
But with 2.7 seconds still on the clock, Nebraska-Kearney's Damiri Lindo heaved a ball from midcourt at the buzzer, and knocked down the shot, lifting the Lopers to a stunning 93-90 win over the Griffons at the Health and Fitness Center.
Kearney (4-3, 2-1 MIAA) was a threat from long range all game, making 12 triples themselves. Lindo led the Lopers with 21 points. Taden King had 20.
Julius Dixon led Missouri Western (7-1, 2-1 MIAA) with 28 points and 11 rebounds - a new career-high in scoring and his first career double-double. Swader turned in a career-high 27 points on four made three-pointers.
Taye Fields turned in 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks. JaRon Thames dropped 11 points and two steals.
The game featured nine ties and five lead changes, but Missouri Western led for only 2:38 total and only 12 seconds of the second half.
Kearney benefitted from 17 bench points. Missouri Western's points all came from the starting five.
Both Griffon teams are on the road Saturday to face Fort Hays State. The women's game is at 2, the men's game follows at 4. Both will be on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).
The Hays women (7-0) beat Northwest Missouri State 62-48 Thursday. The Hays men (6-2) beat the 17th-ranked Bearcat men, 57-49, on Thursday as well.
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