(KEARNEY, Neb.) – The Jennies basketball team had three players score in double-figures, downing host Nebraska-Kearney 68-49 on Saturday night at the Health and Sports Center.
The Jennies (9-3, 3-1 MIAA) grabbed an early 5-2 lead over the Lopers, with all of UCM’s points belonging to junior Shelby Winklemann. The following two possessions for the Jennies resulted in three-pointers by senior Justina Prairie Chief and junior Tayler Weiks, pushing their lead to 11-4 with 13:10 left in the half.
The Jennies lead stretched to 15-7, but Nebraska-Kearney came back to score seven unanswered points to make it a 15-14 game with 8:54 remaining in the opening half.
UCM broke the game open, stringing together 11 straight points, seven courtesy of Weiks, who would go on to score 12 of her career-high 17 points in the first half.
The Lopers’ Amarah Williams drained a jumper to cut the Jennies’ lead to 26-16, but a 9-3 run by the UCM offense in the final 4:30 made it a 35-19 game at halftime. Winkelmann scored the final four points for the Jennies and was one of three players (Weiks, Prairie Chief) to register double-digit points in the opening 20 minutes.
Coming out of halftime, the Jennies kept their foot on the gas, maintaining a commanding, 18-point edge in the first 5:57. The offense received five points from senior Jasmine Thompson and four points apiece from Winkelmann and senior Revonnia Howard.
The lead reached 20 points with 12:20 remaining, following a layup by Thompson, who scored all seven of her points in the game’s second half.
A 9-4 run by the Lopers shrunk the Jennies’ advantage to 54-39 with 8:35 left, but a pair of layups by Winkelmann bumped the lead back to 19 with 7:16 on the clock.
The Jennies and Lopers ended the game both scoring 10 points, as UCM picked up its third consecutive conference win to remain undefeated (3-0) against Nebraska-Kearney.
Winklemann finished with a team-high 23 points, while Prairie Chief added 12 points and five rebounds.
The Jennies will travel to Topeka, Kansas, where they will play Washburn on Monday, Jan. 5, for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.