KEARNEY, Neb. – Central Missouri Jennies Basketball got down early and couldn't find their way back in a 78-61 loss to Nebraska-Kearney. With back-to-back losses, the Jens are now 8-13, 7-9 in the MIAA.
Like the first time these two teams met in December, the Jennies went down by double-digits in the second period. However, the Jennies weren't able to come-from-behind this time against a Loper team that shot 52.6% from the floor (30-57) and 47.4 (9-19) from three.
Shelby Winkelmann led the Jennies scoring a game-high 22 points on 9-19 shooting and grabbing five rebounds.
Ashley Jones scored 15 and collected a team-best eight rebounds.
Danielle Barry chipped in with seven points and four boards.
The Lopers stormed out of the gates, using a 10-3 run in the first 4:10 of the game and forcing a Jennies timeout.
The Jens came right back out of the break with a 10-2 answer of their own, claiming their first lead of the game, 13-12.
The lead didn't last long as UCM went 0-4 in the final three minutes of the period and UNK reclaimed a 17-15 lead after the first.
Nebraska-Kearney pushed their lead in the second period, outscoring UCM 27-9 in the frame on a 16-2 run in the final 5:19. The hot-shooting Lopers went 6-of-11 from deep in the first half, taking a 20-point lead, 44-24, at intermission.
The Lopers were all too happy to trade points with the Jennies the rest of the way, maintaining a double-digit lead for much of the half. The Jens were able to score 23 in the third period, but only trimmed the lead down five, 62-47.
Central Missouri was able to cut the lead to single-digits, 64-53, after a three from
Tayler Weiks and a three-point play from Jones to start the fourth. They did so again later in the frame, but it was too little too late, as the Lopers continued to shoot the ball well enough to keep the Jennies comeback at bay.
Three Lopers were in double-figures on the afternoon. McKenzie Brown and Alexa Hogberg each scored 15 and hit three triples. Imani Kyser scored 10 points and Laramey Becker scored nine and secured a game-high nine rebounds.
UCM is halfway through their four-game roadtrip. The Jennies will travel to Topeka, Kan. to take on Washburn University Wednesday, Feb. 10 for a 5:30 p.m. tip.
