HUSKER MEN READY TO FACE WILDCATS ON SATURDAY:
The Nebraska men’s basketball team returns home on Saturday for an afternoon matchup with the Northwestern Wildcats. Tipoff is set for Noon and the game will be carried on the Big Ten Network and the Huskers Radio Network.
The Huskers (6-16, 0-11 Big Ten) were in a battle for 40 minutes at Michigan Tuesday night and nearly earned their first road win of the year.
Northwestern (10-10, 3-8 Big Ten) broke a four-game losing streak with a 79-78 overtime win at Rutgers on Tuesday.
HUSKER WOMEN POWERED BY FRESHMEN TO WIN OVER PENN STATE:
Freshmen Alexis Markowski and Allison Weidner joined forces to score 18 of Nebraska’s final 20 points, as the Nebraska women’s basketball team pulled away down the stretch for a 76-61 win over Penn State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Thursday night.
The decisive outburst by the young Nebraska natives powered Nebraska to its fourth consecutive victory to move the Huskers to 17-4 overall and 6-4 in the Big Ten. Penn State suffered its fifth consecutive loss to slip to 9-12 overall and 3-8 in the conference.
Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) finished with a team-high 18 points to go along with four rebounds, while Weidner (Humphrey, Neb.) matched her career high for the second time in three games with 14 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter.
Nebraska returns to Big Ten road action for the first time in three weeks when the Huskers travel Maryland to take on the No. 17/14 Terrapins on Sunday. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Terps is set for Noon (CT) at the Xfinity Center in College Park
NEBRASKA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AMY WILLIAMS POSTGAME COMMENTS:
WILLIAMS – WEIDNER’S ATTACK LEADS TO WIN
Head Nebraska Women’s basketball coach Amy Williams was thrilled with the newfound confidence in freshman Allison Weidner, as she finished with 10 points in the fourth quarter to ease the Huskers into a win over Penn State. Williams added that Weidner powered the final minutes…
Audio PlayerWeidner from Humphrey, Neb., finished with 14 points in the contest. Nebraska takes on Maryland on Sunday in College Park.
UNK WOMEN DOWNED BY BRONCHOS IN OKLAHOMA:
Junior guard Brooke Rayner tallied 17, six-two sophomore post Alayzha Knapp scored 16 and Central Oklahoma took advantage of 19 turnovers to down No. 22/27 Nebraska-Kearney, 56-46 in Edmond.
The Bronchos (13-9, 9-7) earned its second win in its last five outings and stopped a three-game skid to the Lopers (16-5, 11-4). This marks UNK’s first road loss in eight attempts.
The Lopers had a season-low point total, shot a season-low 31.5% (17 of 54) from the field, went 2 of 20 from the arc, made 10 of 19 free throws and had a season-high turnover total.
UNK heads to Newman on Saturday afternoon. The Jets (2-19, 0-15) were blasted by nationally-ranked Fort Hays State tonight, 82-48.
UNK MEN FALL TO RANKED UCO IN OKLAHOMA:
The 16th-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos shot 56 percent from the field and got 27 points from junior guard Callen Haydon to turn away Nebraska-Kearney, 85-69 in Edmond.
The ‘Chos (18-3, 13-2) take the season series and improve to 18-5 all-time against the Lopers (8-13, 4-11). UNK has yet to win at UCO in 10 tries.
UNK is at Newman on Saturday afternoon. The Jets (4-14, 1-12) pushed Fort Hays tonight before falling, 63-60.
TOURE IMPRESSES WITH TWO TOUCHDOWNS IN EAST/WEST SHRINE BOWL:
Former Nebraska receiver Samori Touré helped his NFL draft stock Thursday night after catching two touchdowns in the East-West Shrine Bowl game played in Las Vegas.
Touré, who led NU in catches and yards this season, had five grabs for 32 yards and two scores for the East squad, which lost 25-24 to the West team. Both of Touré’s touchdowns came in the red zone.
Ben Stille appeared in the East-West Shrine Bowl, as well. Neither have been invited yet to the NFL Combine, so they’ll likely be conducting their testing at Nebraska’s Pro Day event to be held at some point in March.
NEBRASKA BASEBALL RATED IN ANOTHER TOP 25 PRESEASON POLL:
The Nebraska baseball team received its third preseason top 25 ranking on Thursday, coming in at No. 25 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association’s (NCBWA) preseason poll.
The Huskers are coming off a regular-season Big Ten title and their first NCAA Regional Final appearance since 2007 after going 34-14 (31-12 Big Ten) in 2021.
The No. 25 ranking is the third ranking in the top 25 for the Huskers this preseason. Nebraska’s previously released preseason rankings are No. 20 by Baseball America and No. 22 by Perfect Game.
The Huskers are the lone Big Ten team in the NCBWA’s poll.
FOUR HUSKER BASEBALL PLAYERS NAMED CAPTAINS:
Cam Chick, Griffin Everitt, Kyle Perry and Shay Schanaman have been selected to serve as team captains for the 2022 season after a vote by the Nebraska baseball players.
Chick, a senior from Columbia, Mo., has started 99 of his 106 games over the last three seasons. In his three years, Chick has totaled 100 hits, 13 doubles, a triple, 16 home runs, 84 RBI and scored 75 runs.
Everitt, a senior from Lincoln, Neb., started 32 of his 37 games in his lone season with the Huskers last year.
Perry, a senior from Omaha, Neb., has started in 12 of his 19 appearances on the mound for the Big Red over the last three seasons.
Finally, Schanaman, a senior from Grand Island, Neb., has 12 starts and 26 relief appearances on the mound in the last three years for the Huskers.
NEBRASKA REGENTS TO CONSIDER ALCOHOL SALES AT HOME EVENTS:
Husker fans may soon be able to celebrate or commiserate — take your pick — with a beer inside Memorial Stadium or Pinnacle Bank Arena.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider changing its policy next week allowing for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages at athletic events.
NU’s president and campus chancellors have had authority to allow alcohol to be sold, dispensed and consumed at licensed private social events on campus since 1990, but regents have banned the consumption at any University of Nebraska-Lincoln athletic events since 1999.
Under the new policy to be considered by regents on Feb. 11, the ban on consumption would be rescinded, giving administrators authority to allow beer and liquor sales to fans 21 years and older.
NEBRASKA BASKETBALL SHOWS OFF NEW BLACK HISTORY MONTH UNIFORMS:
The Nebraska men’s and women’s basketball programs will honor and celebrate Black History Month with a uniquely symbolic uniform. The jerseys which will be worn at a home game this month, are part of adidas’ Honoring Black Excellence (HBE) initiative, celebrating the achievements of Black individuals and Black culture as a whole. HBE pays homage and recognizes individuals who are positively impacting others’ lives within and around their communities.
The Huskers’ cream-colored jersey features two distinct pieces. The multi-color pastels along the sides represent the tearing down of obstacles to create something beautiful, while the goldenrods on the lettering show gratitude and appreciation for the contributions of Black individuals within the program over the years. The goldenrod is the state flower of Nebraska. All of adidas’ power conference and HBCU schools will wear similar-themed jerseys for a game during the month of February.
The men’s jersey will honor the first African American basketball player in school history, Wilbur Wood. Wood was one of the first black players to gain prominence in collegiate hoops playing for the Huskers from 1908 to 1910.
The Husker women’s team will wear the HBE uniform for its game against Indiana on Monday, Feb. 14. During this game, the Huskers plan to honor Maurtice Ivy, who was inducted into the University of Nebraska Athletic Hall of Fame last fall. The Omaha Central graduate led Nebraska to the 1988 Big Eight Conference championship and the Huskers’ first NCAA Tournament appearance.
STORM ALUMS SUIT UP FOR WINTER OLYMPICS:
Former Tri-City Storm forwards Matthew Knies and Sam Hentges are set to represent the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Knies and Hentges will become the first former players to compete in the Olympic Games in the twenty-two-year history of the Tri-City Storm organization. Knies and Hentges are two of twenty-one players with ties to the USHL to skate for Team USA in the event.
The Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics is scheduled to take place February 10th through February 20th at the National Indoor Stadium and Wukesong Sport Center in Beijing, China.
Matthew Knies, 19, of Phoenix, Arizona, appeared in ninety games with the Storm from 2018-2021 after being drafted 38th overall by Tri-City in the 2018 USHL Phase I Draft.
Sam Hentges, 22, of New Brighton, Minnesota, appeared in seven games with the Storm during the 2017-2018 regular season. He was acquired by Tri-City from the Des Moines Buccaneers in a transaction on January 10th, 2018.
LOPER WRESTLING SCHEDULES BACK-TO-BACK DUALS FOR SUNDAY-MONDAY:
The third-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team will host Newman University in a makeup dual this coming Monday, February 7, at the Health & Sports Center.
The Lopers (9-3, 1-0) and Jets (3-3, 0-2) were slated to face each other at the Midwest Duals back in January but NU postponed its trip that weekend due to COVID issues. The dual will now take place at 6 p.m. Monday. UNK is 11-0 all-time against the Wichita-based school.
On Sunday at 2 p.m., the Lopers tangle with the top-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos (10-1, 1-0). UCO recently snapped St. Cloud State’s NCAA-record 77-match dual winning streak. Last year, the UNK/UCO dual was called off due to COVID issues within the ‘Chos program. Since the 2009-10 season, UNK is 7-5 vs. the ‘Chos but UCO has taken the last two duals.
FRIDAY SPORTS NIGHTLY SCHEDULE:
On tonight’s show a preview of another installment of Kicking back with the Cooks. Greg Sharpe and the gang will talk with a couple of football players about this summer’s road race to benefit pediatric brain cancer and preview the weekend basketball action.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- WRESTLING: Dual v. GISHGISH 43-24
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Adams Central
- Adams Central 40-18
- GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Adams Central
- UNK:
- WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Central Oklahoma
- UCO 56-46
- MENS BASKETBALL: @ Central Oklahoma
- UCO 85-69
- WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Central Oklahoma
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
- GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Grand Island – 6 PM @ Kearney High School
- 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:
- 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
