November 19, 2004

Scoring Drought Dooms Women’s Basketball

Lopers Fall to Zias

            Kearney, Neb. –   A four minute scoring drought cost the Nebraska-Kearney women’s basketball team in an 71-64 setback to the Eastern New Mexico Zias Friday afternoon in Pueblo, Colo.

            The game was part of the Marzolf-Al Kaly Shrine Classic. Eastern, which beat RMAC member Fort Lewis Monday night, improves to 2-0 while UNK falls to 1-1.

            The Lopers led for the first 35 minutes of the contest but UNK tallied just eight points in the final eight minutes.

            Two Anne Manning (North Platte) free throws gave UNK a 56-52 lead with 7:59 to go but Eastern went on a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to take the lead for good.

            During the cold spell, UNK was 0 for 8 from the field with two turnovers.

            Eastern took its first lead of the game, 59-56, on a Heather Brown three pointer with just under five minutes remaining.

            Back-to-back buckets by junior center Kalee Modlin (Knoxville, Ia.) kept UNK in the contest and then a Manning layup cut the Eastern lead to three, 65-62, with 1:12 to go.

            However, Eastern responded with its own jumper and then UNK missed a three pointer with 54 ticks left. The Zias followed with four straight free shots to seal the deal. 

            Modlin led UNK with 19 points on 7 of 13 shooting from the field. She also paced the team on the glass with nine rebounds.

            Six other Lopers tallied at least six points with senior Amber Whitlock (Stoneham, Colo.) going for nine.

            Four Eastern starters were in double figures, led by Brown with 16.

            UNK led 40-34 at the break but shot just 25.6 percent (8 of 31) in the second half. The Lopers, who committed 21 turnovers, finished the game at 39.7 percent.

            The Lopers face Northern Michigan tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. The Wildcats rallied for an 85-51 win over Colorado State-Pueblo tonight.