UNK WBB: Lopers Blow Past Lincoln
Kearney, Neb. – Redshirt senior forward Shiloh McCool recorded her 24th career double double and redshirt sophomore point guard Jillian Aschoff had another big effort as Nebraska Kearney got out fast to beat Lincoln, 77-57, Thursday evening at the Health & Sports Center.
The Lopers (11-2, 5-2) beat the Blue Tigers (5-7, 1-5) for the 13th consecutive time with the two meeting again Feb. 17 in Jefferson City.
UNK never trailed and led by as many as 27 points. Hitting their first six shots, the Lopers zoomed out to a 27-11 first quarter lead and were up 41-19 at the break. Lincoln came back a bit in the second half, shooting 48% from the field and using a full-course press. However, they didn't get closer than 13 points.
"You always worry what that first game back from break is going to look like. We tried to make our post-Christmas practices really hard, and I thought we did a great job of answering that toughness call, especially in the first half," said UNK head coach Drew Johnson.
Aschoff (Lincoln Pius) started 5 of 5 from the field which included two threes in the first three minutes. Among the league leaders in rebounds and assists, she finished with a team-high 16 points, a game-high seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
"Three weeks ago, someone sagged off on Jill and they opened a can of worms and that's not going to go back in the can now," said Johnson. "She's shooting the three well and when people let her get going early in the game, it helps us get going. Her performances of late have been unbelievable."
In the paint, McCool (Pleasant Hill, Ia.) had 10 points and 10 rebounds (four offense) as well as three assists. Her 24th double double ranks her second all-time, trailing only All-American Ginger (Keller) Marx. She had 45 double doubles between 1991-94.
The Lopers shot 54% from the floor, their second-best effort of the year, while also being plus 14 on the glass. UNK came into the week leading the MIAA in rebounding margin at 13.2. Finally, the Blue & Gold limited LU to a 5 of 19 effort from behind the arc.
"We weren't great defensively in the second half, but I thought we were really stingy in the first half," said Johnson.
Posts Kia Wilson (St. George, Kan.) and Bailee Sobczak (Rapid City, S.D.) and wing Meg Burns (Ankeny, Ia.) were the other players in double figures. Wilson had 12 on 6 of 10 shooting, Sobczak made 5 of 8 attempts to score 10 with Burns at 15 points thanks to seven buckets.
Lincoln was led by guard Steph Torres (17 points, three triples) and forwards Ashlyn Alloway (13 points, seven rebounds, three assists) and Imani Jones (12 points, six rebounds).
UNK hosts No. 11 Central Missouri (10-2, 4-2) on Saturday afternoon. The MIAA preseason favorites won tonight at No. 10 Fort Hays State, 72-65.
