Loper Women Down the Griffs, Move into 2nd Place in the MIAA

Kearney, Neb – Graduate post Kia Wilson scored a season-high 19 points and redshirt junior guard Jillian Aschoff flirted with a triple double to help Nebraska Kearney get past Missouri Western State, 73-65, Saturday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers (13-3, 6-1 MIAA) have now won four in a row and split the season series with the Griffons (11-5, 6-2 MIAA),

UNK trailed 34-30 at the break but limited Mo West to just a 5 of 17 effort (29%) from the field in the third quarter to open a slim three-point lead. The quarter included five points from both graduate Meg Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) and sophomore reserve forward Jordan Sears (McPherson, Kan.).

"We've had a couple of halftime deficits recently. We've found a way in the second half to be better at the scouting report," said UNK head coach Drew Johnson. "They are a team that's going to hit some threes, but we felt like we gave them to many open ones in the first half."

The Lopers momentum continued in the fourth as they scored the first 10 points. Wilson (St. George) had a paint bucket, Aschoff (Lincoln Pius) made two free throws with true freshman reserve Alex Flattery (Sioux City) and sophomore forward Brinly Christensen (Lincoln SW) sinking threes. Down nine at this point, Mo West didn't get closer than five the rest of the way.

"In the second half we did a much better job of rotating and understanding where to come from help," said Johnson. "Alex hit a big-time three in the corner and then she made a great read and got a left-handed layup. Her minutes were huge, and she also was solid defensively."

The Blue & Gold outshot the Griffs by a 52-36 percent margin, was plus 18 on the glass and made nine threes. To overcome 20 turnovers, UNK limited Mo West to a 9 of 28 effort from deep. They are the MIAA's top triple team with 11 makes a night.

Wilson was 5 of 6 from the field in the fourth to have 12 of her 19 with Aschoff at 16 points, 11 boards (all defensive) and eight assists. This is one of several occasions where she's fallen just short of a triple double. Next, Burns had 13 points with Flattery and Sears both having seven points off the bench.

"We did a great job of finding different angles to pass it to Kia (in the post) and then she did a great job of working," said Johnson. "Our fives dominated the glass in the second half. At the half, they had almost as many rebounds as we did."

Longtime Loper killer Alyssa Bonilla was at it again, going for a game-high 25 points, six assists, three rebounds and three steals. She was 10 of 19 from the field (2 of 6 threes) in playing 35 minutes. Also for MWSU, Italian junior Laura Toffali (14) and Estonian junior Marie Sepp (11) were in double figures but they combined to go 9 of 25 from the floor.

UNK heads to Central Oklahoma and Rogers State next weekend.