February 28, 2004
Women's Basketball Wins 7th RMAC Title
UNK Top Seed in RMAC Tournament
Kearney, NE – The Nebraska-Kearney women's basketball team wrapped up its seventh RMAC title by beating Metro State, 81-66, Saturday night in Denver.
UNK (22-5, 16-3 RMAC) will be the No. 1 seed in the eight-team RMAC Tournament. The Lopers will play 8th-seeded Fort Hays State (15-12, 10-9 RMAC) Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m. in the Health & Sports Center.
UNK is 21-4 all-time in the tournament and has never lost a first round game (9-0). The blue and gold have been the top seed in the tournament eight of the 10 years it's been in the conference.
The Lopers won league titles in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003. Before last season, the league decided the regular season winner would be the official champion of the league. Previously, the winner of the RMAC tournament took home that honor.
Tonight, Iowa sophomore center Kalee Modlin registered her second straight double double (22 points, 13 rebounds) to lead the Lopers.
Her fifth straight game of at least 20 points, the effort also was Modlin's sixth double double of the year. She sunk 10 of 17 shots from the field to score her points.
Also, Colorado junior point guard Amber Whitlock scored a season-high 13 points on 4 of 7 shooting from the field while Kearney sophomore Nicole Gruntorad made 5 of 6 shots from the floor, including 3 of 4 from the three point line, to also score 13.
Metro stayed with UNK thanks to 23 of 31 shooting at the free throw line. Of the eight Lopers who played, seven were whistled for at least three fouls.
Ahead 42-37 at the break, the Lopers got its lead up to 11, 59-48, with 13:18 to go. After Metro closed within two at 61-59, UNK took control.
The Lopers scored the game's next 10 points to push its lead back into double figures by the six-minute mark and Metro never made a run after that.
Four 'Runners were in double figures, led by Kristin Hein with 18.
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Contact:
Peter Yazvac
yazvacpa@unk.edu |