CLAREMORE, Okla.- The Rogers State men's basketball team picked up a big conference win, 73-61, on senior night against Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday at the Claremore Expo Center.
 
Three Hillcats finished in double figures as Rogers State (9-9, 9-9 MIAA) defeated the visiting Lopers (7-11, 7-11 MIAA). Senior Devin Pullum led all scorers with 19 points, while sophomore Jett Sternberger scored 15 and senior Ricardo Lynch had 13 in the victory.
 
How It Happened: The Lopers started the scoring off in the first half and opened up a 6-2 lead early on. The teams would trade baskets with the Hillcats closing in to within one before Rogers State took the lead at the 11:24 mark on a dunk from Lynch and the Hillcats led the rest of the way.
 
Rogers State would close the final 6:51 of first half on a 21-to-10 run, taking a 41-30 lead into the halftime break.
 
Sternberger and Pullum both ended the first half in double figures with 12 points. The Hillcats shot a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. 
 
Through the first half, the Hillcats dominated inside with 16 points to just 10 from the Lopers in the paint. The Hillcats also forced eight turnovers in the first half and converted it to 11 points, while only turning it over just two times.
 
In the second half, the Hillcats and the Lopers started off the half by trading three-pointers before a 7-to-3 Loper run would cut the Hillcats lead to just seven points.
 
However, the Hillcats would answer with a 9-to-3 run that was sparked by a two-point and three-point jumper from Pullum at the 13:11 and 12:30 marks.
 
The Hillcats would continue to pull away before Lynch essentially sealed the game with a rebound and then a dunk on a fast break with 6:12 remaining in the contest. The basket but the Hillcats ahead by 15 at 62-47.
 
Rogers State would grow the lead to as much as 17 in the final minutes.
 
Key Statistic: Rogers State forced 16 turnovers and had 10 steals for the game, while turning over the ball just eight times. The Hillcats would go on to convert the turnovers from Kearney into 22 points, while Kearney just had nine points off of turnovers.
 
Players of Note:  Pullum led all scorers with 19 points, shooting 7-for-10 from the field and 3-for-4 from behind the arc. He also had five assists, five rebounds, three steals, and a block.
 
Sternberger finished with 15 points, shooting 4-for-8 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from behind the line. He also recorded a rebound and a steal.
 
Lynch finished with 13 points, shooting 6-for-13 from the field. He also recorded seven rebounds, a steal, and a block.
 
Senior Brewster Peacock finished the game with nine points, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. He also recorded six rebounds, two steals, two blocks, and an assist.
 
Senior Darraja Parnell finished with eight points, shooting a perfect 2-for-2 from the stripe. He also recorded three steals, a pair of assists, a pair of rebounds, and a block.
 
Senior Cole Kinnamon finished with three points, sinking his only three-point attempt on the afternoon. He also had two rebounds and an assist.
 
Notables: Rogers State shot a perfect 12-for-12 (100 percent) from the free-throw line, while Nebraska-Kearney shot 10-for-14 (71.4 percent) from the free-throw line.
 
Rogers State outscored Nebraska-Kearney in points off of the bench 21-to-15.
 
With the win, the Hillcats move into a tie for the No. 8 seed in the MIAA Standings. The Hillcats are tied with Fort Hays State. The Hillcats split the season series with the Tigers. The Hillcats are just one game out of fourth in the standings
 
Up Next: The Hillcats are set to close out the 2020-21 home schedule at the Claremore Expo Center on Saturday as Rogers State welcomes in the University of Central Oklahoma. The Hillcats are set to tip off with the Bronchos in the first of two games next week at 7:30 p.m.