March 13, 2004

Big Second Half Propels Men over Bemidji

All Five Starters in Double Figures

Kearney, Neb. – The 7^th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney men’s basketball team scored 65 second half points to come back and defeat the Bemidji State Beavers, 104-90, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday afternoon in Denver.

All five starters were in double figures for UNK (27-4), which won its fourth straight North Central Regional game, dating back to last year. The win allows the blue and gold to even its all-time NCAA record at 8-8. 

UNK will play tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. CST against South Dakota. USD, seeded sixth in the region, upset third seeded UNO in today’s first game, 82-71.

Bemidji, champions of the Northern Sun, finish the year at 20-10.

UNK, which won all three North Central regional games last year after trailing at the half, was on the short end of a 42-39 halftime score today. The Lopers, who shoot 74 percent from the free throw line on the year, were just 7 of 18 at the stripe in the first 20 minutes.

On three separate occasions late in the first half, BSU held a seven point lead but the Lopers out scored the Beavers 8-4 in the final 3:14 to close the gap.

A BSU three tied the game at 49 early in the second half but Grand Island senior Chad Sheffield followed with a triple of his own. Right before he it, BSU point guard James Roberson sprained his ankle and didn’t return. He had tallied nine points and handed out 11 assists up until that point.

With Roberson on the bench, UNK went on a 12-4 run to open up an 11-point lead, 64-53, by the 14:26 mark. During the run, the Lopers went 6 for 6 at the line and missed only one shot from the field.

BSU didn’t get closer than nine points after that and the Loper lead grew to 18 points by the seven minute mark, 91-73.

UNK was much more like itself in the second half, going 20 of 24 at the line. The Lopes also shot a solid 62.5 percent from the field.

North Platte senior forward Nick Branting had 26 points to lead the way. He was 10 of 13 at the line and 8 of 16 from the field. The effort pushed his season point total to 689, the third most in Loper lore and the most since Loern Killion tallied 715 in the 1976-77 campaign.

Sheffield hit 5 of 6 shots from the field to finish with 14 points, one off his season high. He also had six assists and no turnovers in 36 minutes. Backcourt mate Brian Dunagan had 13 of his 20 points after halftime.

Also, Columbus lefty Dusty Jura had a double double (14 points, 10 rebounds), despite fouling out, while swingman Will Taukiuvea had 15 points on 5 of 7 shooting.

Finally, senior Jacob Mohs paced the bench with eight points and four boards in 20 minutes.

Northern Sun Player of the Year Charles Hanks led BSU with 34 points and 17 rebounds. Martez Young (15) was the only other Beaver in double digits.