Loper Women Have 46-Point Turnaround from Wednesday to Beat Hays, 75-65

Kearney, Neb. – Redshirt junior point guard Jillian Aschoff scored a career-high 30 points to help Nebraska Kearney stun sixth-ranked Fort Hays State, 75-65, Saturday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers (20-8, 13-6) record the program's 22nd 20-win season and will be the fourth seed in next week's MIAA Tournament. The Lopers will face Washburn (17-12, 11-8) Friday at 6 p.m. in Kansas City with the "KPI" power rankings determining the 10-team field this year.

On Wednesday night in Kansas, the Tigers (25-3, 16-3) handed the Lopers a 92-56 setback. To have a 46-point turnaround today, UNK weathered a quagmire in the first half, surged in the third quarter and then held off the Tigers in the fourth. 

"We challenged them, but we also asked them how do you want to finish this thing? Do you want to be a team that limps to finish line, or do you want to really go all out? They said all out and I gave them the opportunity to do that on Thursday and Friday," said Drew Johnson on the KRVN Radio-post game show. "They came out today and fought their absolute tails off. That's the way you're supposed to represent the seniors and your home court. That's what passionate basketball looks like in March."

The first half featured a combined 21 turnovers, 25 fouls, and 27 free throw attempts. Both teams had key players in foul trouble with the Tigers also having to overcome the loss of senior starter Kate Dilsaver due to a season-ending injury on Wednesday. UNK led 32-26 at the break thanks to a double double by sophomore reserve post Bailee Sobczak (Rapid City, S.D.) and 11 other bench points.

In the second half, UNK got seven straight points from freshman reserve Alex Flattery (Sioux City, Ia.) to open a 49-35 lead before Hays countered. They made five shots and two free throws in the final 4:21 of the quarter to trail by just four. Aschoff (Lincoln Pius) stopped the run with a bucket in the lane before the clock hit zeroes.

While the Lopers never trailed or were tied in the fourth, it was a one-possession game for nearly two minutes in the late stages. After Hays missed two free throws that would've tied things at 62, Aschoff converted a layup. The Tigers then went 1 of 2 at the line with Aschoff sinking two freebies to make it 66-61 with 1:44 remaining. Finally, the dagger came 40 seconds later when graduate Meg Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) hit a left wing three after taking a pass from Aschoff. That pushed the lead to eight at 69-61.

Aschoff went 11 of 11 at the line and 9 of 16 from the floor (1 of 2 threes) to reach her offensive output. She also had seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. Next, Sobczak had 13 rebounds (seven offensive) and 12 points with Flattery (eight), Kansas sophomore forward Jordan Sears (seven) and Kansas junior guard Saniya Simmons (four) combining for 19 more bench points. Finally, Kansas graduate forward Kia Wilson had eight points and four o-boards before fouling out.

UNK out rebounded Hays by 11, made 18 of 24 freebies, had 31 bench points and 18 second chance points. The Tigers missed 10 free throws, shot just 17% (2 of 12) in the second quarter and had 19 turnovers.

Veterans Katie DeGarmo and Olivia Hollenbeck had 16 apiece to pace the Tigers with reserve Taliexa Weeter at 12 points and seven boards.

UNK split the season series with Washburn, winning at home, 66-61, and falling in Topeka, 85-78.