The Emporia State basketball teams were swept by Nebraska-Kearney at White Auditorium in Emporia on Saturday.
In the women’s game, the Lady Hornets fell in double overtime 79-68. ESU used a 10-2 run to lead 15-8 early and eventually built a nine-point second-quarter edge and took a 26-22 lead into the break, but the Lopers went on an 18-4 run spanning halftime to take the lead back in the second half. Neither team had more than a four-point lead in the fourth quarter and the Lady Hornets scored the final two baskets of the game and got a stop at the end of regulation to force overtime. The Lopers scored first in the first extra period but couldn’t put the Lady Hornets away and the teams traded turnovers to end the first overtime. The Lady Hornets were outscored 15-4 in the second extra session as UNK rallied for 10 points in the first 92 seconds of the frame and E-State was never closer than eight the rest of the way. For head coach Brian Ostermann and the team, it was a painful loss.
Junior guard Gracie Gilpin led three Lady Hornets in double figures with 19 points on 5 of 9 shooting from outside the arc while Katie Horyna added 15. ESU (7-8, 2-4 MIAA) finished 7-for-9 at the line while the Lopers hit 15 of 25 charity shots.
In the men’s game, the Hornets never led and came up short on their comeback bid in a 69-67 defeat. Emporia State was ice cold from the field in the first half shooting just 26% overall and 1-for-12 from outside the arc. ESU trailed 32-21 at the break and by 12 with just over 16 minutes to go, but the Hornets began hitting shots and gradually kept shaving the lead down. The Hornets were 8 of 17 from downtown in the second half and tied the game twice, but couldn’t take the lead. Like the Lady Hornets earlier, head coach Tom Billeter was pained by the defeat.
Arhman Lewis led four Hornets in double figures with 18 points while Malik Edwards tallied 15. Parker Day finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds with six assists and no turnovers. ESU (4-11, 1-5 MIAA) finished 12 of 16 at the line while the Lopers were 24-for-28 at the stripe. Emporia State hits the road Wednesday to face Washburn in the Turnpike Tussle. Tip-off for the doubleheader is set for 5:30 p.m. Coverage begins at 5:00 p.m. on the Hornet Sports Network/Mix 104.9.
