Paxton Ritchey-CSC Sports Information
CHADRON, Neb. – Nebraska-Kearney took charge of the game in the third quarter, as the Lopers outscored Chadron State 29-13 in the period on their way to an 86-59 women’s basketball victory over the Eagles Saturday afternoon in the Chicoine Center.
Guard Camren Morris led Chadron State with 18 points on 8 of 13 shooting. Ashayla Powers added 16 points, eight rebounds and two steals, making 5 of 10 field goal attempts and 6 of 6 free throws.
With the loss, Chadron State falls to 1-5 ahead of their RMAC conference opener next Thursday. Nebraska-Kearney improved to 6-2.
The visiting Lopers enjoyed a 50-32 advantage in points in the paint. Grad student forward Kia Wilson had a game-high 19 points and shot a perfect 9-for-9 from the field. Nebraska-Kearney out-rebounded CSC 43-28, which included 16 offensive rebounds that led to 23 second-chance points for UNK.
For the game, Chadron State shot 39 percent from the field, 21 percent from three (5-23) and 67 percent from the line (10-15). Nebraska-Kearney shot 52 percent from the field, 36 percent from three (5-14) and 58 percent from the line, making 21 of 36 attempts.
The two teams went back-and-forth in the early going. After a UNK three-pointer on the opening possession, Chadron State used two Powers free throws and a Camren Morris three to take a 5-3 lead. Another mini 5-0 run by the Eagles courtesy of a Kylie Krisethree and Powers layup put the home team up 10-7 four minutes into the game.
The Lopers went on a big run over the second half of the first quarter, however, using a 14-2 run to flip that three-point deficit into a 23-14 lead. They would maintain that advantage over the second quarter, outscoring the Eagles by one point (14-13) in period two to lead it 37-27 as the teams headed to the locker room.
Nebraska-Kearney put the game out of reach with their 16-point advantage across the third period. In the third quarter, the Lopers shot 69 percent from the field as a team and made both their three-point attempts. The Eagles cut the lead down to 21 points on two occasions in the fourth quarter before settling on the 27-point final margin of victory.
The Eagles finished with 13 assists and 18 turnovers, compared to 17 assists and 14 turnovers for UNK. The Lopers had a 16-4 advantage in fastbreak points and a 34-15 advantage in bench points.
The Chadron State women’s team will begin its RMAC conference schedule with a Thursday game against South Dakota Mines at home in the Chicoine Center. Tipoff will be at 5 p.m.