Kearney, Neb. – The Emporia State Hornets shot 51 percent from the field, hit 12 three pointers and blocked 12 shots in an 85-64 win over Nebraska-Kearney Thursday night in Kansas.

Coming off a 29-5 season in which it was the Central Region Runner Up, Emporia improves to 5-2 while the Lopers (8-1) fall for the first time this season.

While the Hornets lost star guard Addie Lackey to a season-ending injury in October, and have battled some other bumps and bruises, they were still too much for the Lopers this time around. 

Facing a bigger team, UNK threw a zone at E-State right out of the gates, a defense that helped the Lopers rally past Newman and Pittsburg State earlier this season. However, this time around, the opposition hit six threes in the first 10 minutes to grab a 24-15 lead. Emporia came in averaging six triples a game and shooting 37 percent from long range.

UNK did hang around as senior guard Michaela Barry (Battle Creek) scored nine of her team-high 15 points in the opening quarter. A layup from sophomore reserve guard Grace Barry (Lincoln East) made it a nine-point deficit, 28-19, at the 8:40 mark of the second quarter. But E-State quickly got the lead back to double digits and didn't allow the Lopers to make any sort of run after the break.

Still a deep team, 11 Hornets took to the court with each scoring at least three points. Six different players hit a trey, led by starting guard Marissa Preston (5 of 8). The grad transfer from UNO had a team-high 17 points and helped Emporia go 12 of 26 from behind the arc.

When the threes weren't falling, six-foot junior post Tyra Jones was wreaking havoc inside. Spending her freshman season at Division I Duquesne (Pa.), the Detroit native had 14 points, nine boards (three offensive), five blocks, two assists and two steals in 25 minutes.

No other Hornet reached double figures but reserve guard Jessica Wayne did get close to a double double (nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks). Overall, Emporia went 32 of 63 from the floor, had 15 second chance points and tallied 18 points off just 12 Loper turnovers.

Due to the blocks, UNK shot a season-low 35.0 percent (21 of 60) from the field. Out rebounded by eight, the Lopers did go 19 of 26 at the line and had 10 different players reach the scoring column.

Barry ended 6 of 14 from the field (1 of 1 threes) while also grabbing a career-high nine rebounds, all at the defensive end. Off the bench, Grace Barry netted 10 on 5 of 8 shooting with Illinois freshman guard Kyleigh Vaught having six of her 10 points in the fourth quarter. Finally, Missouri freshman point guard Adreon Bell had six points and two assists over 21 minutes.

Kearney heads to Washburn on Saturday night. The Ichabods (7-1) beat the 29th-ranked Fort Hays State Tigers, 62-59, on Wednesday.