Wednesday Morning Sports – Husker Men Fall to Late Illini Rally, Hoiberg Postgame Comments, Hoiberg Contract Revealed, Markowski Another Freshman Award, Local Sports Results/Schedule

HUSKER MEN FALL TO LATE ILLINI RALLY:

Nebraska stood toe-to-toe with No. 25 Illinois, but the Fighting Illini used a 12-2 run in the final four minutes to stave off the Huskers, 81-71 at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Tuesday night.

In a tightly contested battle, neither team led by more than five until the final stretch after Nebraska pulled even at 65-all on a pair of Bryce McGowens’ free throws with 3:57 left. Coleman Hawkins’ offensive putback started a decisive 7-0 run, as the Illini took a 72-65 lead on a 3-pointer from Da’Monte Williams with 2:20 left.

McGowens paced three Huskers (6-11, 0-6) with 19 points and six rebounds. Alonzo Verge Jr. and Derrick Walker each added 14 points.

The Huskers will continue conference play on Friday, Jan. 14 as they travel to No. 7 Purdue. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. 

NEBRASKA MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME COMMENTS:

HOIBERG – HUSKERS COULD NOT EXECUTE IN CRUNCH TIME

Nebraska Men’s Basketball suffered another defeat after a valiant effort to a Top 25 team – this time at the hands of No. 25 Illinois on Tuesday night. Head Coach Fred Hoiberg added in his postgame thoughts that his team needed to execute better down the stretch… 

The Huskers now sit at 6-11 on the season and remain winless in Big Ten play. 

HOIBERG – WALKER A KEY PIECE TO HUSKERS

Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg spoke on the loss to Illinois Tuesday night during his postgame press conference, but heaped praise on to Derrick Walker who had another solid performance… 

Walker had 14 points against the Illini. Nebraska looks for their first Big Ten win on Friday at Purdue.

HOIBERG – HOPEFULLY CONFIDENCE COMES WITH LOSS

Nebraska Men’s Basketball Head Coach Fred Hoiberg spoke during his postgame press conference after the loss to Illinois, saying the Fighting Illini are one of the best teams right now, and the Huskers should take some confidence in hanging with a tough team… 

Nebraska takes on No. 7 Purdue on the road on Friday. 

HOIBERG RECEIVED UNPUBLICIZED CONTRACT EXTENSION IN 2020:

According to a report from the Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska Men’s Basketball Head Coach Fred Hoiberg received an unpublicized contract extension from former Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Moos.

The contract extension surprised the new athletic staff that joined along with current AD Trev Alberts upon their arrival.

Hoiberg signed the extension after a 7-25 season and three months into the COVID-19 pandemic. The contract runs through the 2027 season. A buyout of the contract costs upwards of $18.5 million according to the report. 

MARKOWSKI NAMED USBWA NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK:

Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski was named the Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week by the United States Basketball Writers Association

Markowski, a 6-3 forward/center out of Lincoln Pius X High School, averaged 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds last week in home games against No. 8 Michigan (Jan. 4) and No. 22 Iowa (Jan. 9).

The 2021 Nebraska High School Player of the Year, Markowski made her first collegiate start in place of an injured Bella Cravens in NU’s 79-58 win over the No. 8 Wolverines at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

TEXAS A&M BACK COMMITS TO NEBRASKA:

After losing both of their class of 2020 running backs to the transfer portal this season, Nebraska got one back for that cycle. Texas A&M running back Deondre Jackson officially announced he is transferring to Nebraska on Tuesday.

The Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson product saw action in one game over the 2020 season and four games in 2021.

He’ll come to Lincoln with four years to play, and he’ll replace the departed Marvin Scott III and Sevion Morrison, who both left NU during the 2021 season.

The Huskers have now added a quarterback, running back and two wide receivers from the transfer portal for the 2022 season.

NEBRASKA WOMEN FACE ANOTHER TEST IN No. 6 HOOSIERS THURSDAY:

The Nebraska women’s basketball team continues Big Ten Conference road action on Thursday when the Huskers travel to Bloomington to battle No. 6 Indiana.

Tip-off between the Huskers (13-2, 2-2 Big Ten) and the Hoosiers (12-2, 4-0 Big Ten) in a battle of top-10 NET Ranking teams is set for 5 p.m. (CT) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall 

Nebraska will be looking to bounce back from its second Big Ten setback after suffering a 95-86 loss to then-No. 22 Iowa on Sunday at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. 

Indiana heads into Thursday’s game with Nebraska riding a seven-game winning streak after a 76-53 victory at Wisconsin (Jan. 5). The Hoosiers have had seven days off from competition to prepare for the Huskers.

WEIGERT NAMED TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME:

Nebraska All-American and Outland Trophy winner Zach Wiegert (WEE-gert) is one of 21 individuals who will make up the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class.  The 18 players and three coaches were announced on Monday by the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame.

The 2022 Hall of Fame class includes nine winners of major college awards, 10 unanimous first-team All-Americans and four members of national championship teams. Wiegert is the only member of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame class who was a member of four conference championship teams. A Fremont, Neb., native, Wiegert is among the group of players selected from the national ballot that included 78 All-Americans.

Wiegert becomes the 20th Nebraska player to earn induction into the College Hall of Fame. Nebraska is one of 12 programs nationally with 20 or more players in the College Football Hall of Fame. Wiegert is the seventh Nebraska offensive linemen to join the College Football Hall of Fame, including four coached by Tom Osborne and offensive line coach Milt Tenopir.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Lexington
    • KCHS 47-39
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Lexington
    • KCHS 63-33

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. No. 10 Morningside @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 6 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Morningside @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 7:45 PM

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • WRESTLING: Varsity Dual @ North Platte

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Broken Bow
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Broken Bow

• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Missouri Western St. – 5:30 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Missouri Western St. 7:30 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Lincoln High Invite
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln Northeast
    • Pregame on KGFW at 5:45 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln Northeast
    • Pregame on KGFW at 7:30 PM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Lincoln High Invite
  • WRESTLING: @ Gibbon Invite
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Hastings St. Cecilia
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. Hastings St. Cecilia

• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Graduate Classic, Lincoln NE

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • WRESTLING: HAC Championships
    • @ Columbus High School
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Lincoln High Invite
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Papillion-LaVista South – 2 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW at 1:45 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Papillion-LaVista South – 3:45 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW at 3:30 PM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Lincoln High Invite
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. North Platte
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. North Platte

• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Graduate Classic, Lincoln NE
  • WRESTLING: v. Grand View, IA – 1 PM
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Northwest Missouri St. – 2 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Northwest Missouri St. – 4 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS WRESTLING: @ Lakeland, FL
    • Fire Duals
  • WOMENS WRESTLING: @ York Open
  • M/W T&F: @ Doane Invite
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL @ College of St. Mary – 2 PM