March 10, 2008

Men's NCAA Bubble Bursts

Lopers NCAA Streak Ends at 6 Straight Years

         Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team saw the 2007-08 season come to an end Sunday night when it didn't receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

      This is the first time the Lopers (16-12) haven't made the North Central Regional since 2000-01, a string of six years.

      The first seven seeds in the North Central fell as expected but the eighth and final seed was a battle between UNK, SW Minnesota State, Adams State and Colorado Christian.

      The CCU Cougars (18-12) got the nod, thanks to advancing to the RMAC Tournament finals. Had UNK beat CCU Friday night, the Lopers would be heading to Winona, Minn., for the third straight year.

      Winona State (32-1), the 2006 national champion and 2007 national runner up, will host the North Central Regional. This is Christian's first-ever trip to the NCAA's and they'll be facing a team that has lost only two games since the start of the 2006-07 season.            

      Individually for UNK in 2008, freshmen guard Garrett Lever (Phoenix, Ariz.) set a new school record for steals. Despite missing four contests early in the year due to injury, Lever recorded 90, one more then Mike Hancock during the 1995-96 season.

      Lever has also led all of Division II in steals per game (3.6) this winter.

      Sophomore center Josiah Parker (Lincoln) had a break though year with his block total of 60 just six shy of the school mark (66, Brian Nielsen, 1990-91). At 6-9, Parker has already swatted 77 shots in his UNK career.

      Finally, Drake Beranek's 20.8 scoring average is the 13^th highest in Loper lore and the second best for a sophomore. Co-head coach Tom Kropp averaged 23.6 during his sophomore campaign (1972-73).

      Beranek (Ravenna) also led UNK in rebounds (89) and three pointers made (67) while ranking second in assists and steals.

     Team wise, UNK started the year 4-8 but, thanks to a series of close wins, finished strong. The Lopers would tie Christian (13-6) for the RMAC's East Division title and host an RMAC tournament game for the 14th straight year.