KEARNEY, Neb. – Four Mountain Lions scored in double figures but the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs were nonetheless beaten Saturday, 82-67 by the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers at the health and Sports Center.
Tonya Tripp led UCCS with 16 points, while Nancy Hoist had 13. Janean Jubic and Jazzmin Awa-Williams each added 11. Emily Jenkins had a team-high eight rebounds and Jubic dished out seven assists.
The loss ended the Mountain Lions’ season with an 11-19 record, 5-14 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
The Lopers, on the other hand, tied a school record with their 24th win of the season against just five losses. Three other UNK teams – 1996-97, 1997-98 and 2000-01 – also reached won 24 games.
The Lopers’ 17-2 RMAC record puts them into the conference tournament as the No. 2 seed. UNK will host first round game Friday at 6:00 p.m. vs. an opponent to be announced.
Jade Meads led Nebraska-Kearney with 20 points. Melissa Hinkley added 17 points as well as team highs in rebounds (nine) and assists (six).
A 3-pointer by Awa-Williams got UCCS to within two at 18-16 with 7:02 remaining in the first half, but the Lopers answered with a 10-2 run behind six points by Hinkley. Nebraska-Kearney went into the intermission leading 36-25.
That lead grew to as many as 19 in the second half and was sitting at 15 with 17:11 remaining when a 3-point play by Tripp and two free throws by Jenkins close the gap to 68-58. With the score at 72-60 with 4:26 left, Awa-Williams had four points during a 9-1 UCCS run that cut the deficit to six.
But while the gap was shrinking, so was the clock. In the final two minutes, the Lopers made seven of their eight free throw attempts to inflate the final margin.
It was the final collegiate game for UCCS seniors Tripp and Jenkins.
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