Monday Morning Sports – Taylor Leads Bengals to Super Bowl, Super Bowl LVI Matchup Set, Husker Women Survive Purdue Storm, Husker Volleyball Receives Big Transfer, Weekend Sports Results, Local Sports Schedule

SUPER BOWL MATCHUP SET IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

The Rams will play the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. For the second consecutive season, a team will be hosting a Super Bowl matchup in their home stadium — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl last year on home turf.

The Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl following their 27-24 overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game Sunday. It marks the Bengals’ first Super Bowl appearance since the 1988 season

The Rams defeated the 49ers 20-17 in the NFC championship game at SoFi Stadium to reach their first Super Bowl since the 2018 season. The Rams’ victory ended their six-game losing streak to the rival 49ers.

The game will be broadcast by NBC on Sunday, February 13. 

FORMER HUSKER TAYLOR LEADS BENGALS TO UPSET IN ARROWHEAD:

Two years ago, the Cincinnati Bengals were the NFL’s worst team. Now they’re headed to the Super Bowl to play the Los Angeles Rams – in the Rams’ home stadium.

Former Nebraska Cornhusker quarterback Zac Taylor – who’s last Big 12 contest was played at Arrowhead Stadium – led the Bengals to the upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs. 

The Bengals rallied from an 18-point hole to stun Kansas City 27-24 in overtime Sunday for their first trip to the big game since the 1988 season. 

HUSKER WOMEN BEAT DOWN PURDUE:

Alexis Markowski scored 20 of her game-high 23 points in the second half to help Nebraska build a 22-point lead on its way to an 81-66 women’s basketball win in front of nearly 5,000 fans on Sunday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Fellow freshman Allison Weidner scored all of her career-high 14 points in the first half to help the Huskers take a 35-23 halftime lead that Purdue was unable to cut to single digits the rest of the way. Nebraska improved to 15-4 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten with its second straight victory, while Purdue slipped to 13-8 overall and 4-6 in the conference.

Nebraska’s victory marked its 100th women’s basketball win inside Pinnacle Bank Arena since opening the building with a victory over UCLA on Nov. 8, 2013. The Huskers improved to 11-1 at home in 2021-22.

The Huskers continue their four-game Big Ten home stand on Tuesday when they play host to Rutgers. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Scarlet Knights at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m.

HUSKER VOLLEYBALL NABS PENN STATE TRANSFER:

The Nebraska volleyball team added a talented transfer Sunday, when four-time All-America middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord announced that she will play her final season with the Huskers.

Hord earned All-America recognition each of her four seasons at Penn State, including first-team honors in 2019, second-team accolades in 2021 and third-team recognition in 2020. She was an honorable-mention All-American as a freshman in 2018.

Hord has one year of eligibility remaining after the NCAA granted all student-athletes an extra season of eligibility due to the global pandemic. She will join the Nebraska program this summer, and Head Coach John Cook says Hord is a great addition for the Huskers not only because of her talent, but because of her personality and character.

A Kentucky native, Hord totaled 1,022 kills, 522 blocks and hit .409 in her four seasons at Penn State. She ranks in the top five among all active Division I players in career hitting percentage and blocks per set (1.31).

MONDAY SPORTS NIGHTLY SCHEDULE:

On Monday’s Sports Nightly, Allison Weider will guest on the program after the Huskers Women’s Basketball win over Purdue on Sunday, while Fred Hoiberg will have a press conference previewing the Michigan contest. 

NEBRASKA BOWLING FINISHES THIRD IN TEXAS:

The Nebraska bowling team finished the Prairie View Invitational in 3rd place with an 8-3 record. Full game results here.

Nebraska will be back to the lanes next week at the Columbia 300 Saints Invite in Valley, Missouri, from Feb. 4-6.

HUSKER MEN FALL TO RUTGERS AGAIN:

Bryce McGowens tied a season-high with 29 points, but the Huskers could not hold on and fell to Rutgers, 63-61 on Saturday afternoon.

The freshman, whose 29 points matched the most ever by a Husker freshman in a conference game, kept NU ahead for most of the evening before Trey McGowens’ 3-pointer with 3:28 left gave the Huskers a 58-54 lead. Rutgers would have one last run, outscoring the Huskers’ 9-3 down the stretch to pull out the victory.

The Huskers return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 1, when they travel to Michigan. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.

LOPER WOMEN FALL TO HAYS:

The No. 6/7 Fort Hays State Tigers shot 62 percent in the second half to rally past No. 12/17 Nebraska-Kearney, 76-63, Saturday evening at the Health & Sports Center.

This game had MIAA and Central Region implications with the Tigers (17-2, 11-2) now having won 11 of the last 12 meetings between the two in Kearney. The Lopers (16-4, 11-3), who won at Hays back in December, are now 8-3 on Buckle Court.

UNK heads to Central Oklahoma and Newman next weekend.

UNK MEN FALL TO TIGERS:

The Fort Hays State Tigers shot 63 percent from the field and got a big effort from guard Kaleb Hammeke to down Nebraska-Kearney, 71-56, Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center.

This was the 137th all-time meeting between the two rivals with the Tigers (15-3, 10-3) taking this year’s season series. 

UNK (7-12, 3-10) hosts Lincoln Monday at 3 p.m. in a game that was postponed in early January due to COVID issues within the Blue Tigers (1-15, 0-3) program.

STORM SWEEP LINCOLN IN WEEKEND IN TEXAS:

The Tri-City Storm tied an organizational record by winning ten consecutive games in Friday’s 4-2 victory over the Lincoln Stars in Game #2 of the 2022 USHL Frosty Cup. The Storm swept the Stars in back-to-back games to improve to 5-0-0-0 against Lincoln this season.

The 2021-2022 Tri-City Storm team joined the 2003-2004 Anderson Cup Championship team and the 2014-2015 team as the only teams in organization history to win ten consecutive games during a single season. Tri-City improved to 28-5-1-0 in the victory.

Tri-City hits the ice again on Saturday, February 5th, in a road game against the Chicago Steel. 

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament @ GICC
  • #2 Kearney Catholic v. #1 Hastings St. Cecilia @ GICC
    • #2 Kearney Catholic 53-45 (Tournament Champions)

• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Fort Hays State @ Health & Sports Center
    • FHSU 76-63
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Fort Hays State @ Health & Sports Center
    • FHSU 71-56

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Dordt University @ Lynn Farrell Arena
    • Dordt 84-40
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Dordt University @ Lynn Farrell Arena
    • Dordt 77-34

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a

• UNK:
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln (COVID Make-Up game) – 3 PM @ Health & Sports Center

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: Dual v. GISH – 4:30 PM @ Kearney High School

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: Dual v. GISH – 4:30 PM @ Kearney High School

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS WRESTLING: @ York College – 5 PM

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Collegiate Signing Day @ Kearney High School Auditorium – 4 PM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Doane – 6 PM @ Lynn Farrell Arena
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Doane – 7:45 PM @ Lynn Farrell Arena

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • WRESTLING: Dual v. GISH – 7 PM @ Kearney High School

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Adams Central – 5:30 PM

• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Central Oklahoma – 5:30 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Central Oklahoma – 7:30 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Grand Island – 6 PM @ Kearney High School
    • Pregame on KGFW at 5:45 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. Grand Island – 7:45 PM @ Kearney High School
    • Pregame on KGFW at 7:30 PM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • WRESTLING: @ Arcadia-Loup City Invite – 3 PM

• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Concordia Classic, Seward, NE
  • M/W T&F: @ Husker Invite, Lincoln, NE

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ Concordia Classic, Seward, NE

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • WRESTLING: State Dual Wrestling Tournament @ Buffalo County Fairgrounds
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: Kearney Invite – 9:30 AM @ Kearney High School
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Omaha South – 5:30 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW at 5:15 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Omaha South – 7:15 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW at 7 PM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: Kearney Invite – 9:30 AM @ Kearney High School
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Columbus Scotus – 2 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Columbus Scotus – 4 PM

• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Husker Invite, Lincoln, NE
  • WOMENS TENNIS: @ Drake, Des Moines, IA
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Newman – 1:30 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Newman – 3:30 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS WRESTLING: @ Missouri Valley Open
  • WOMENS WRESTLING: @ Grand View Open
  • SOFTBALL: Doubleheader @ Ottawa University
  • M/W TENNIS: @ Bethany College
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Mount Marty University – 2 PM