December 12, 2003

Men’s Basketball Wins RMAC Opener

Lopers Pull Away from Mesa State

            Kearney, NE – Grand Island senior guard Brian Dunagan scored a team-high 18 points and Utah junior Will Taukiuvea added some key three pointers in the second half to lead the 24^th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney men’s basketball team to a 70-56 victory at Mesa State Friday night in Colorado.

            In the RMAC opener for both, UNK (6-0) remains perfect on the year while the Mavericks, picked to win the West Division, fall to 1-4.

             Leading most of the night but not able to shake the Mavs, UNK saw its double digit lead cut to six points with about nine minutes to go. Taukiuvea, who finished with 14 points, hit three straight three pointers, sandwiched around a Mesa bucket, in just over a minute to push the lead back into double figures. Mesa never made a serious run after that. 

            While the game was played at Mesa’s pace, the Mavericks struggled from both the three point line (2 of 13) and the free throw line (4 of 11). UNK also forced 21 turnovers and out rebounded the Mavs by three, 38-35.

            Dunagan had 11 of his 18 points in the first half and finished the night 8 of 13 from the field. North Platte senior forward Nick Branting struggled from the floor (4 of 18) but went 9 for 9 at the free throw line, the only free shots the Lopers got all night, to tally 17 points. He also had 10 rebounds and five steals.

            Columbus redshirt freshman Dusty Jura was the fourth starter in double figures as he was 6 of 7 from the field to score 12 points.

            Tony Qorri was the only Maverick double figures as he tallied 12 points on 6 of 10 shooting.