KEARNEY, Neb. - The Lincoln women's basketball team tried to overcome a slow start, but Nebraska Kearney, ranked No. 9 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Division II poll, ended up with the win, 70-50, on Thursday (Jan. 6).

Niyah Jackson led LU with 11 points, Mercy Gonzalez grabbed a team-high seven rebounds while scoring eight points, and Kylie Bernskoetter finished with eight points and a steal. Aliyah Bello had six rebounds on the evening and chipped in five points, and AJ Bradley had a pair of assists to go with three points and two boards.

Nebraska Kearney (12-1, 7-0 MIAA) finished the first quarter with a 17-2 lead, but Lincoln (4-9, 0-7 MIAA) played the nationally-ranked Lopers evenly in the second period, with both programs scoring 15 points. The Blue Tigers came out of halftime strong, out-scoring the Lopers, 22-17, to pull within nine entering the final stanza.

UNK opened the fourth quarter by hitting a three, and Ayreona Carter answered with a bucket of her own. Nebraska Kearney drained two more treys, however, and eventually built a 21-point lead. Ashtin Ingram made a pair of shots at the free throw line to cut the deficit down to 15 entering the final three minutes of the contest, but the Lopers held on for the win. Carter and Ingram each blocked two shots, with Carter finishing with five points and Ingram providing four.

Kelsey Mitchell completed the scoring for Lincoln with six points, two steals and a pair of rebounds. Haylie Holloway added an assist and a rebound to the Blue Tiger cause.

Lincoln remains on the road to play Fort Hays State in Hays, Kan. on Saturday (Jan. 8) at 2:00 p.m. CST.