Wednesday Morning Sports – Loper Women Rebound for Win in Oklahoma, Payton Leaves Saints, Cook Husker AD Comments, Bearcat Boys Win in Omaha, Local Sports Results/Schedule

LOPER WOMEN REBOUND WITH WIN IN TAHLEQUAH:

The now 17th/14th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney women’s basketball team shot 54 percent from the field and got 33 bench points to defeat Northeastern State, 58-46, Tuesday evening in Tahlequah, Okla.

This game was originally set for January 3rd but got postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the RiverHawks program. The two teams will meet again February 10th in Kearney.

UNK (16-3, 11-2) records its 16th straight win over the RiverHawks (4-13, 2-9) and also improves to 7-0 in true road games this winter.

In a game with MIAA and Central Region implications, UNK hosts the rival Fort Hays State Tigers Saturday afternoon.

COOK, “IF ALBERTS HAD NOT TAKEN THE AD JOB, I WOULD HAVE”:

Head Nebraska Volleyball Coach John Cook joined Lincoln’s 93.7 The Ticket on Tuesday and gave an interesting perspective regarding the Athletic Director hire made back in July, even adding he would have stepped into the role if needed… 

Cook reiterated that Nebraska Athletics was in desperate need of central leadership, and that Alberts has been one of the best Athletic Director’s that the Head Volleyball Coach has worked with at Nebraska. 

SEAN PAYTON TO LEAVE SAINTS:

In a shocking move, Sean Payton is stepping down as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. The initial report is that Payton is retiring from coaching altogether.

Payton has been the Saints head coach since 2006, helping turn the franchise into one of the NFL’s best during his tenure. He led the team to its first Super Bowl title in the 2009 season with a 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

After a rough three-year stretch from 2014 to ’16, Payton made the Saints into one of the most dominant teams in the NFC. They had a streak of four consecutive NFC South titles from 2017 to ’20.

He is the franchise’s all-time leader in games coached (241), wins (151), playoff games (17) and playoff wins (nine).

KEARNEY BOYS BASKETBALL DOMINATES NORTHWEST, AWAITS NORTH PLATTE:

The Kearney High School Boys Basketball team hit the road Tuesday for a matchup with the Omaha Northwest Huskies and dominated, winning 70-42.

The Bearcats edged past the winless Huskies in the first quarter 18-14, but then stormed by with huge offensive quarters scoring another 18 in the second and 19 in the third. 

Kearney improves to 8-7 on the year and hits the road again on Thursday to take on North Platte in a game rescheduled from earlier this month. 

HUSKER WOMEN RETURN HOME TO FACE BADGERS:

Following a 10-day competitive layoff due to health and safety protocols, Nebraska will return to action Thursday night to battle the Wisconsin Badgers as part of a men’s and women’s basketball double-header between the two schools at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Tip-off between the Husker women (13-4, 2-4 Big Ten) and the Badgers (5-13, 2-6 Big Ten) is set for 8 p.m. (CT) with live coverage by the Big Ten Network.

Because of the rare double-header, men’s basketball ticket holders for the Wisconsin game will be able to attend the women’s game and sit in select general admission areas free of charge

Nebraska will be looking forward to the return of Jaz Shelley to the court after missing the game at Iowa (Jan. 16) because of COVID protocols. Shelley is the only Big Ten player to rank in the conference’s top in scoring (13.8 ppg), rebounding (7.5 rpg), assists (4.4 apg), blocks (1.2 bpg) and steals (1.8 spg).

The Badgers have won two of their past three Big Ten games, including their first road win with a 49-45 victory at Rutgers (Jan. 16).

HUSKER MEN’S BASKETBALL READY TO RETURN TO ACTION:

The Nebraska men’s basketball team returns from a short pause on Thursday afternoon, as the Huskers host No. 11 Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. (central) and will be carried on the Big Ten Network and the Huskers Radio Network.

The matchup was originally scheduled for Jan. 25, but was pushed back two days to allow for Nebraska to return from its short pause

The Huskers (6-13, 0-8 Big Ten) have been off since a 78-71 loss to Indiana on Jan. 17

Wisconsin (15-3, 6-2 Big Ten) looks to bounce back following an 86-74 loss to No. 14 Michigan State on Jan. 21.

HUSKER TRANSFER PORTAL ADDITIONS RANKED IN TOP TEN:

In a new ranking assessed by 24/7 Sports, the Nebraska Football team’s recent transfer additions has the Huskers sitting at No. 6 nationally among all other college football teams in transfer portal inclusions.

Nebraska’s 2022 traditional recruiting ranking currently sits at No. 51 and No. 9 in the Big Ten as Head Coach Scott Frost’s staff focused primarily on the use of the transfer portal this off-season.

The 11 additions for the Huskers range from potential starting quarterback to offensive line help to expected answer at place kicker. Nebraska used the portal to add to its roster and to help paper over some of the holes that emerged during or after the 2021 season.

Here’s who the Huskers have added so far: quarterback Chubba Purdy, quarterback Casey Thompson, running back Deondre Jackson, wide receiver Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, wide receiver Trey Palmer, offensive lineman Hunter Anthony, offensive lineman Kevin Williams, defensive back Omar Brown, defensive back Tommi Hill, placekicker Timmy Bleekrode and punter Brian Buschini. 

Everyone but Bleekrode and Jackson is on campus now for the Huskers.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Omaha Northwest
    • KHS 70-42

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament
    • #4 KCHS v. #5 GICC
      • GICC 48-39
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament
    • #2 KCHS v. #7 Lincoln Lutheran
      • KCHS 63-50

• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Northeastern State
    • UNK 58-46

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ No. 19 Concordia – 6 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ No. 25 Concordia – 7:45 PM

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ North Platte – 5 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW starting at 4:45 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ North Platte – 6:45 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW starting at 6:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament @ Bergan
    • #4 Kearney Catholic v. #3 Archbishop Bergan 

• UNK:
  • WRESTLING: @ Central Missouri – 7 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Westside Invite
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln High – 6 PM
    • Pregame coverage on KGFW starting at 5:45 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln High – 7:45 PM
    • Pregame coverage on KGFW starting at 7:30 PM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Westside Invite
  • WRESTLING: v. Perkins County
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament @ GICC
    • #2 Kearney Catholic v. #3 Omaha Concordia – 7:45 PM

• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: Charlie Foster Classic Invite @ Cushing Coliseum – 3 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ Charlie Foster Classic, Kearney
  • MENS WRESTLING: @ Sioux City, IA (GPAC Duals)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • WRESTLING: @ Garden City, KS Invite
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Westside Invite

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Westside Invite
  • WRESTLING: @ Doniphan-Trumbull Invite
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament @ GICC
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament @ GICC
• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Fort Hays State @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Fort Hays State @ Health & Sports Center – 4 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Dordt University @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 2 PM
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Dordt University @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 4 PM