June 15, 2004

Men’s Basketball Adds Guard

Division I Transfer is Lopers’ Sixth Newcomer

            Kearney, NE – Nebraska-Kearney men’s basketball coach Tom Kropp announced today that point guard James Lane is transferring to UNK.

            Lane, at 6-2 and 180 lbs., spent his freshman year at Division I Denver University and will have three years of eligibility remaining. 

            For a Pioneer team that went 14-13 this year, including a 6-9 mark in the Sun Belt Conference, Lane appeared in 24 games and averaged 6.3 minutes a night. He ended the season shooting 50 percent from the field and the three-point line.

            Lane’s season-high of seven points came January 17th in a win over Florida International.

            A native of Colorado Springs, Lane starred on the Palmer High School football and basketball teams. Colorado State also recruited him for basketball while Oklahoma State, Wyoming and Air Force recruited him to play football.

            As a senior on the basketball court, he averaged 21 points per game and was named co-MVP of his league and first-team all-area. Lane also was named honorable mention all-state as a junior and senior and was the leading scorer in a statewide all-star game called “The Show” after his senior season.

            On the gridiron, he threw for 24 TD’s and 2,042 yards as a junior.

            Lane helps fill the void left by Euvon Turner (Des Moines Area C.C./Millard North H.S.), who signed with the Lopers in the fall but is no longer planning to attend UNK.  

            Other Loper recruits this year include Corbin Biltoft (North Platte C.C.), Chad Burger (Northern Arizona U.), Chris Dean (Citrus College, Calif.), Blaine French, (Tyler J.C., Texas) and Nick Morrell (Ogallala H.S.).