MUSTANGS HOST NEBRASKA KEARNEY IN NON-CONFERENCE BATTLE - The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team will continue non-conference action with a game against Nebraska Kearney on Thursday at 6 p.m., in the R/A Facility.

ABOUT NEBRASKA KEARNEY - The Lopers are 1-2 on the season, losing to Sioux Falls, 84-60 and Augustana, 82-63 before earning a 92-58 win over Midland University. UNK was picked to finish 12th in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). Sophomore guard McKenzie Brown is a top returner for the Lopers after averaging 12.5 points a game last season, while also shooting 33.7 percent from down town. Brown leads the Lopers so far this season averaging 12.3 points a game, while also shooting 43.3 percent from the floor. Imani Kyser, a transfer from Division I Jacksonville University, is also averaging double-digit points with 11.3 in the first three games while, leading the team shooting 73.7 percent from the field and averaging 5.3 rebounds per game. She also leads the squad with six blocks. Kyser played in 21 games for the Dolphins last season. UNK is averaging 71.7 ppg and shooting 43.5 percent from the field. Head coach Carrie Hofstetter is in her 1st season at UNK after coming from Hasting College in Nebraska.

MUSTANGS AGAINST THE LOPERS - Southwest Minnesota State will meet with Nebraska Kearney for the third time in program history on Thursday night with the series tied at 1-1. It will be the first time the two  teams will play in Marshall. The Lopers won last season's meeting in Kearney, Neb., 105-66. Prior to last season, the teams first met in the 2001-02 season in Grand Junction, Colo., at the NCAA Tournament with SMSU winning, 67-57. 

CATCHING UP WITH THE MUSTANGS - The Mustangs hosted the Applebee's Classic last weekend and finished with a 0-2 record. SMSU suffered its first loss of the season to Missouri Western State on Friday night, 93-61. The Mustangs finished the Classic with a 71-34 loss to No. 10 Fort Hays State on Saturday afternoon.
    
MEDIA COVERAGE - Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball during the NSIC season can be heard all season long on 105.1 FM KARL with Ryan Rohlik handling the play-by-play and Anthony Rohlik as color analyst. Games can be heard via live stream at marshallradio.net. All NSIC games can be viewed online at smsumustangs.com/watchnow.