Foul-shooting allows UN-Omaha to topple CSU-Pueblo

By Anthony Sandstrom

Foul-shooting allows UN-Omaha to topple CSU-Pueblo

OMAHA, Neb. - A 29-for-36 performance from the charity stripe combined with the ThunderWolves' second consecutive game shooting less than 40 percent from the floor helped to do in CSU-Pueblo, falling 75-66 to Nebraska-Omaha Monday.

UNO, which improves to 10-1 with the win, had four players score in double figures, overcame 26 turnovers by shooting 44 percent from the field and outrebounding the Pack by a 43 to 35 advantage.

But it was the Mavericks' indefensible performance at the line that gave the ThunderWolves the most fits. UNO's 29 points from the line dwarfed the ThunderWolves' output, which were only 12-for-21 from the line.

"The game was won at the line," ThunderWolves head coach, Kip Drown, said. "I thought we did a good job defending them, but when you shot as well from the line as they did, you can't defend that."

The Pack did all they could defensively, registering 14 steals, including a 5-steal output by freshman Rachel Espinoza, her third 5-steal game of the season, and four steals by center Sarah Staggs, her highest output of her career.

But it was the shootling lull that kept the Pack from mounting a credible threat to the Mavericks. Much of that was due to a down night shooting the three, only 3-for-18 on the night. Overall, when you take out the top scorer, Espinoza, who logged a career-high 23 points, and Staggs, who was 6-for-12 with a 13-point night, the ThunderWolves shot just 11-for-40 from the field.

"When you're having trouble shooting, all you can do is try not to lose confidence," Drown said. "We've shot well most of the season, and we just have to work on it as our confidence comes back."

The ThunderWolves will close out the calendar year with a showdown with Newman University on the Nebraska-Omaha campus tomorrow afternoon.