UNK MBB: Lopers Rally From 14-Point 1st Half Deficit to Win, 85-82

Redshirt junior newcomer Damiri Lindo scored 21 points and Nebraska Kearney erased a 14-point first half deficit to beat Northeastern State, 85-82, Saturday evening in Tahlequah, Okla.

This was the only meeting between the Lopers (3-3, 1-1) and RiverHawks (4-3, 0-2) this year. The win helps UNK end a three-game losing streak to NSU and also stops a 16-game road losing skid. The Lopers last true road victory came in the 2022 season finale at Lincoln (2/19/22).

NSU flew out to a 43-29 lead thanks to the hot shooting of Division I grad transfer Trey Quartlebaum who had 15 first half points thanks to 6 of 9 (3 of 4 threes) shooting. Sophomore wing Anthony Allen and junior guard Jaxon Jones combined to start 8 of 11 from the field and go 7 of 7 at the line to have 13 points apiece as well.

However, the Lopers closed the half on an 11-4 run that included two triples from junior wing Tom Connelly (Denver). This is his first game of the year after battling some early season injuries. In the second half, UNK was down 61-60 before going on a 12-2 run to help them never trail again. The four-minute spurt featured five points from junior forward Sean Murphy (New Zealand) and a trey by junior guard Sean Evans (Parker, Colo.).

In the last 11:35, the 'Hawks got the nine-point deficit down to one on four different occasions but UNK had an answer each time. After getting a stop up 79-78 with 1:40 left, freshman guard D'Aundre Samuels (Denver) made a tough jumper from the right base line to extend the lead. About a minute later, Lindo (Oakland) drove, was fouled and made two freebies to make it 83-80.

Six-seven, 240-pound freshman Ethan Blackmon had 11 second half points for NSU and tallied his fourth and final bucket of the night with 34 seconds remaining to make it a one-point game again. The 'Hawks decided not to foul, and Lindo made them pay as he converted a layup with seven seconds left to complete the scoring. NSU had a chance to send the game into over after a timeout with 4.4 seconds left but a contested turnaround three from the right wing by Jones hit the back of the iron.

Lindo, who previously played at D2 Holy Names (Calif.) University, reached his point total by making 8 of 14 shots (2 of 4 threes) and going 2 for 4 at the line. Missing the start of the year due to injury, his career-high at HNU was 25 points. Next, Murphy got close to another double double (15 points, nine rebounds) with Samuels having 12 points, six boards and three dimes off the bench. Finally, Evans continues his early-season hot shooting by making 6 of 8 shots (4 of 5 threes) to tally 16, as well as having five assists. Through six games Evans is up to 56% shooting including 14 of 27 threes. 

Shooting 50.3% on the season, UNK finished at 51.5% (28 of 60) including an 11 of 26 mark from downtown. The Blue & Gold also made 6 of 8 freebies and committed only eight turnovers. NSU shot 55% in the first half but dropped 17 percentage points after the break. Jones (23) and Quartlebaum (19) led the offense as the 'Hawks made 11 of 22 freebies, 15 of 19 free throws and had just eight turnovers.  

UNK hosts Missouri Western State (6-0, 1-0) on Thursday night. They faced Missouri Southern on Saturday night.