Loper Women Rally Past Roadrunners, 74-66

The Nebraska Kearney women's basketball team used a 13-0 run early the third quarter and got a career-high 20 points from junior reserve guard Saniya Simmons to beat Metro State, 74-66, Friday afternoon in Hays, Kan.

This was the Lopers (0-3) first meeting with the Roadrunners (0-3) since the 2013-14 season. UNK is now 24-18 against its old Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) rival. 

The 'Runners came in averaging just 46 points per game but were strong on the offensive glass and feasted on Loper turnovers to lead by eight at the break and open a 43-30 cushion two minutes into the second half. UNK started the third quarter with four straight turnovers but responded with 13 -0 run to things up.

Graduate wing Meg Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) started the comeback with a triple, the Lopers then went 4 for 4 at the line with Simmons (Olathe, Kan.) capping the spurt with a driving layup. While Metro briefly grabbed the lead back, it was all Lopers from that point on as they led by four after three and by as many as 10 in the fourth.

A steal by freshman reserve Alex Flattery (Sioux City, Ia.) led to a Simmons paint bucket and then sophomore wing Brinly Christensen (Lincoln SW) nailed a three after a defensive board by Simmons. That made it 67-57 right before the under five-minute time out. While the 'Runners got within five twice down the stretch, Simmons responded each time with a bucket, the second being her third trey of the day.

UNK shot 48% (14 of 29) in the second half and was a solid 19 of 25 at the line overall. Metro was plus eight on the glass, 43-35, which led to 19 second chance points. They also tallied 20 points off 16 turnovers.

The Lopers countered by getting 39 bench points and limiting Metro to a 9 of 38 (24%) effort from the field in the first and third quarters. Simmons reached her game-high total in 26 minutes by going 7 of 12 (3 of 4 threes) from the field and 3 of 4 at the line. For the Lincoln Blue Tigers, her career-high point total was 13 against both Washburn and the Lopers. She also had had four defensive caroms and drew four fouls.

Next, redshirt sophomore reserve post Bailee Sobczak (Rapid City, S.D.) had 12 points, six boards (three offensive), two blocks and drew four fouls with sophomore reserve forward Jordan Sears (McPherson, Kan.) at five points and two rebounds in 10 minutes.  Among the starters, Burns had 13 on three treys with senior wing Samantha Moore (Mullen) at a team-best nine boards (eight defensive), six points, and three assists

Going just 3 of 22 from behind the arc, Metro was led by junior guard Mikylah Espinosa (18 points, five fouls drawn, four rebounds) and senior post Jackie Pippett (10 points, six rebounds, two steals). Finally, both the 'Runners and Lopers had nine different players in the scoring column.

UNK faces Adams State Saturday at 3 p.m. The Grizzlies (2-1) faced Fort Hays State on Friday night.