KEARNEY, Neb. - Aliyah Bello, Saniya Simmons and Niyah Jackson each scored in double figures, but the Lincoln women's basketball team fell to Nebraska Kearney, ranked No. 11 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division II poll, 76-66 on Saturday (Feb. 11).

Bello led the Blue Tigers with 14 points and finished with two each of rebounds, assists and steals. Simmons added 13 points, two takeaways and a team-high four assists. Jackson, meanwhile, collected five boards to go with a pair of assists and 13 points.

Lincoln (5-19, 3-15 MIAA) played the nationally-ranked Lopers tough all day, with UNK clinging to a 16-15 lead at the end of the first quarter. After an Ashlyn Alloway layup tied the score at 24 late in the second period, the Lopers scored four-straight points, and eventually went into halftime with a 31-26 advantage.

Nebraska Kearney (24-3, 17-2 MIAA) led by as many as 11 midway through the third quarter, but the Blue Tigers refused to yield. AJ Bradley scored to cut the deficit down to nine, and Jackson and Bello later each hit three-pointers. Lincoln, which shot .700 overall in the third period, scored six-straight points to end the quarter down just 47-45.

The Blue Tigers scored 21 points over the course of the final 10 minutes, shooting .643 from the field and .500 from three-point range. Nebraska Kearney was just as hot, however, shooting .634 overall and .500 from long distance while score 29 total points in the fourth. Lincoln closed the gap down to one early in the frame, but UNK made 13 free throws down the stretch to secure the win. For the game, Lincoln shot .531 from the floor and .667 from three-point territory.

Alloway led LU with 10 rebounds and tallied seven points and a steal while Bradley finished with six points, a rebound and an assist. Miriam Bazylewicz also scored seven points to go with four rebounds, and Kelsey Mitchell rounded out Lincoln with six points, three boards and two assists.

Lincoln will return to Jason Gym to play in front of its home crowd for the final two times of 2022-23 next week, starting on Thursday (Feb. 16), when the Blue Tigers host Washburn at 5:30 p.m. CST.