Kearney, Neb. – Senior guards Elijah Nnanabu and Jaheim Holden combined 42 points to help Fort Hays State down Nebraska-Kearney, 80-67, Friday night in Kansas.
The nationally-ranked Tigers (21-6, 16-5) take the season series from the Lopers who saw its season end tonight. FHSU, meanwhile, advances to the MIAA Tournament next weekend.
New Zealand junior forward Sean Murphy had 17 points and 12 rebounds, his third straight double double and sixth of the season with Idaho junior Taden King at 15 points thanks to three triples. Additionally, guard D’Aundre Samuels (Denver) finishes with 101 assists, becoming just the second Loper true freshman with triple figures in dimes during a season. UNK Fall of Famer Kenya Crandell holds that UNK mark (105/1992-93).
“They battled and when they started to pull away from us a little bit, I thought we got fatigued a little bit,” said UNK interim head coach Antoine Young on the KRVN Radio post-game show. “But we came back out after that first media timeout (in the second half) and just kept battling and battling. After the year that we’ve had, that’s all I can ask, and I commend those guys.”
Colorado junior guard Sean Evans hit three early triples to help the Blue & Gold lead 27-23 by the eight-minute mark of the first half. However, the Tigers – one of the Division II’s top defensive teams – scored 35 of the next 42 points to more than take control. The Lopers didn’t go down without a fight, however, getting within 67-55 by the 5:40 mark. A three from California junior reserve guard Miguel Robles capped a 13-4 spurt and forced the Tigers to call a timeout. They promptly went on a 10-0 run to regain control and salt things away.
“These guys have been fighting all year through the adversity that’s been happening. We’ve just gone out, done our best and tried to compete,” said Young.
Murphy reached his point total by going 8 of 15 from the field with King and Samuels both making five field goals. Samuels (13.0) joins Brian Nielsen (1991), Michael Dentlinger (2011) and Kanon Koster (2019) as the only true freshman to lead UNK in scoring in the Division II era (1991-present). Finally for the Lopers, Wahoo super senior Winston Cook had four points and three boards in his 102nd and final collegiate contest.
“Sean has just been a Terminator for us. It’s just been a pleasure to see him grow and get better and better each year,” said Young. “He’s been a rock for us all year and battles his tail off every possession.”
Nnanabu was 9 of 16 and 5 of 6 from the line to reach his point total while also pulling down 10 rebounds. Holden, averaging around seven points on the year, was 7 of 12 (3 of 5 threes) from the field with All-American candidate Kaleb Hammeke at 12 points, eight assists, six boards and three steals.
