October 31, 2004

Women Cagers Fall to 'Huskers

Early Foul Trouble Does in Lopers 

            Kearney, Neb. - Sophomore guard Kiera Hardy scored 26 points to lead the Nebraska women’s basketball team to an 82-52 exhibition victory over Nebraska-Kearney Sunday afternoon at the Devaney Center in Lincoln.

            This was the fourth straight season the ‘Huskers and Lopers have met prior to the start of the regular season. 

            UNL used its height advantage to dominate the glass, 49-28, including grabbing 19 offensive rebounds. That led to a series of fast breaks where the ‘Huskers out scored UNK, 20-4.

            UNL had 38 points in the paint, compared to 18 for the blue and gold. The two teams, who’ve been practicing for only two weeks, also combined for 37 turnovers and 40 fouls.

            Early foul trouble was the story for UNK as junior center Kalee Modlin (Knoxville, Ia.) played just eight minutes in the first half. She picked up her second foul five minutes into the game and her third about eight minutes before halftime.

            Her three pointer gave the Lopers a 9-6 lead at the 15:49 mark. UNL responded with a 10-0 run over the next four minutes and UNL just built its lead from there.

            Modlin and sophomore guard Liz Fischer (Leigh) combined to score 22 points in the second half. After trailing by 21 at the break, UNK was out scored by just nine points, 39-30, in the final 20 minutes.  

            Modlin scored 12 of her team-best 17 points after the break. She was 7 of 13 from the field in 22 minutes of work.

            Coming off an ACL injury, Fischer scored 14 points and had five rebounds in her first game since December 2003. She had 10 second half points and was 6 of 13 from the floor

            Also, senior guard Amber Whitlock (Stoneham, Colo.) had six points, five rebounds and two assists.

            The super quick Hardy sunk 10 of 20 shots from the field, including four triples, in 31 minutes of work.

            The only other UNL player in double figures was junior forward Elena Diaz, who came off the bench to score 16 points and grab four rebounds in just 16 minutes.

            UNK finished the game shooting 35.2 percent from the floor while UNL was at 46.3 percent. The Lopers hurt themselves a bit at the line, going 12 of 19 (63.2 percent).

            The Lopers open the regular season Nov. 15th when UNO comes to the Health & Sports Center.