Kearney, Neb. – Senior post Tara Biocanin had 22 points and sophomore guard Myleigh Weers got close to a triple double as Nebraska Kearney hung on to beat Minnesota Crookston, 67-59, Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.
This game was part of the annual MIAA/NSIC Crossover Tournament. Missouri Western rallied past Northern State, 68-65, in game one.
The Golden Eagles tried to follow the Griffons lead as they almost overcame a disastrous first half. They tallied just 20 points on 7 of 28 shooting (25%) and fell behind by as many as 22 points. Down 40-20 at the break, they never climbed the mountain but got within one, 60-59, by the 4:51 mark.
"They did a nice job coming back. They are a talented team, coming off an exhibition win over a Division I program (North Dakota). We knew they were going to fight; it's not a team that was going to give in and quit," said Loper head coach Drew Johnson. "We must understand the perspective coming out of the halftime locker room; they were going to try something different. They got into zone pressure, and we have to find a way to battle through that. You like to learn lessons in a win."
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Biocanin (Serbia) and point guard Eliana Arambula (St. Joseph, Mo.) were both whistled for two fouls just four minutes into the game. UNK overcame limited minutes from the pair by shooting 60% in both the first and second quarters to seemingly open a big enough lead. However, the Lopers also committed 29 turnovers tonight after having 22 Monday in a loss to Sioux Falls.
"We're running a totally different offense than we've run the last three years. The reads are different for everyone. We're dominating people in the paint, but they aren't going to let us just play high-low and one-on-one all game long," said Johnson. "We have to start finding where the help is coming from and understanding that read."
UNK scored the game's final seven points and shut out UMC in the last 4:51. Senior forward Jordan Sears (McPherson, Kan.) knocked down two freebies with 2:54 left, Biocanin hit her seventh bucket of the night about 1:40 later and then Weers and Sears closed things out at the line. Meanwhile, UMC missed its last six shots and committed three turnovers.
Biocanin made all eight free throws she attempted and made her first seven shots to reach her game-high points total. Weers (10 rebounds, 10 points and seven assists) had an all-around effort with Sears (12 points, nine rebounds) close to a double double. Finally, reserve posts Makenzie McDaniel (Silver Lake, Kan.) and Lynnae Green (Northboro, Iowa) combined for 10 points and six rebounds in spelling Biocanin.
"Tara's stat line was so good; 22 points in 17 minutes. She's turned herself into a really phenomenal player," said Johnson.
Crookston was led by guard Alexis Lamppa (17 points) and wing Halle Winjum (13 points, seven rebounds).
UNK faces NSU Saturday at 3 p.m.
