December 7, 2003

Men’s Basketball Win at UNO

Lopers Solid at the Line, Make Plays Down the Stretch

            Kearney, NE – The 24^th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney men’s basketball team made 31 of 41 free throws and senior point guard Chad Sheffield was big down the stretch as the Lopers won in Omaha over the previously unbeaten Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, 80-72, Saturday night at Sapp Fieldhouse.

             UNK, in winning at UNO for the first time since 1997, remains perfect at 5-0 while UNO (6-1) losses for the first time this season. The Lopers have now won 52 of their last 54 regular season games dating back to early in the 2001-02 season.

            In a game that featured 52 fouls, the Lopers lost three starters to foul trouble. North Platte senior forward Nick Branting and junior swing man Will Taukiuvea, who each tallied 17 points in the contest, each fouled out and missed roughly the game’s last four minutes.

            But Sheffield tallied nine of his 11 points in the last 4:11 of the game to compensate. His scoring binge started with a layup that gave UNK a three-point lead, 65-62, at the four minute mark. After a runner in the lane put the lead to five seconds later, Sheffield hit one of two frees shots to keep UNK ahead by four, 68-64, with 3:13 to go.

            After two UNO free throws cut the lead to two, Omaha junior reserve Cameron Lollar stepped up and converted on an “old fashioned” three point play at the 2:44 mark. The Mavs then misfired on a close shot in the lane and then Sheffield, after getting blocked, got the rebound and scored at the 1:36 mark to pretty much seal things.

            UNK then made seven of eight free throws to keep the Mavs at bay. UNO, on the other hand, hurt itself at the charity stripe all night, making only 14 of 30 shots (40.0).

             The Lopers led for the last 35 minutes of the game and had several eight point leads, including at halftime (40-32). However, UNO never went away, always charging back when the Lopers were poised to put things away.

            After a 30-point effort Tuesday night at Wayne, Taukiuvea hit seven of 12 shots to reach 17 points. He also had five rebounds, including four on the offensive end. Branting was one rebound short of a double double and, as usual, was very solid at the free throw line (11 of 12).

            Lollar hit eight of nine free throws to tally 10 points off the bench while Iowa junior reserve Matt Jenkins scored all eight of hits points in just over a minute in the first half. His scoring binge helped UNK go from three down to three ahead early in the game.

            Ty Graham paced UNO with 14 points and four assists while Tolda Dada had 13 points and seven rebounds.

            UNK heads to Mesa State to begin RMAC play next Friday.