Tuesday Afternoon Sports – Bearcat Basketball Receives District Seedings, Husker Men Battle Northwestern, Stars Open Up Sub-District Play, Local Sports Schedule

BEARCAT BOYS EARN THIRD SEED IN A-1 DISTRICT:

The Kearney boys locked in a third seed for the A-1 District for postseason basketball after finishing their regular season at 12-10. 

Kearney will face #2 seeded Omaha North (13-10) in Omaha on Monday, Feb. 28. The winner will take on the winner of  #1 Millard North and #4 Bellevue East/#5 Omaha Burke at Millard North High School on Wednesday, Mar. 2. 

Pregame coverage will begin on KGFW at 5:45 PM on Monday night with tip-off set for 6 PM. 

KEARNEY GIRLS BASKETBALL DISTRICT ASSIGNMENT SET:

Districts have now been set across Class A girls basketball with the Bearcat girls basketball team receiving their postseason spot. 

Kearney cemented a #2 seed in the A-2 District, joined along with #1 Fremont, #3 Gretna, #4 Lincoln North Star, and #5 Omaha North. 

The Bearcats will face Gretna at Kearney High School on Saturday afternoon with tip-off set for 3 PM. Pregame on KGFW will start at 2:45 PM. Winner of Kearney/Gretna will travel to take on the winner of Fremont and Lincoln North Star/Omaha North on Tuesday.

HUSKER MEN LOOK FOR ROAD WIN AT NORTHWESTERN:

The Nebraska men’s basketball team begins the final stretch of the regular season on Tuesday night, as the Huskers travel to Evanston to take on the Northwestern Wildcats. Tipoff from Welsh-Ryan Arena is set for 7 p.m. (central) and will be carried on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network. 

Tuesday’s game starts a stretch where the Huskers will play four of their final five games away from home, including each of the final three games following Friday’s home finale against No. 25 Iowa.

The Huskers (7-19, 1-14 Big Ten) come off a disappointing 90-74 loss to Maryland on Friday night.

Northwestern (12-13, 5-11 Big Ten) looks to snap a three-game losing streak following a 77-60 loss at Minnesota on Saturday.

LABRIOLA TABBED BIG TEN WRESTLER OF THE WEEK:

Nebraska’s Mikey Labriola (174) claimed the third Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honor of his career and second of the season, when the conference announced its award winners on Tuesday afternoon.

The Easton, Pa., native and three-time All-American most recently defeated Iowa’s No. 2 Michael Kemerer. In Sunday’s bout between the wrestlers, Kemerer was the first to score with a takedown, but Labriola answered with a reversal in the closing seconds of the first period. Both recorded escapes to continue the tie in the final two minutes. Labriola then sealed the win with a takedown to accomplish the 5-4 decision.

MICHIGAN’S HOWARD SUSPENDED FOR REMAINDER OF REGULAR SEASON:

Michigan head basketball coach Juwan Howard will not be on the sideline for the rest of the regular season following a physical confrontation with members of the Wisconsin coaching staff that occurred after the Wolverines’ loss to the Badgers on Sunday.

The Big Ten Conference has suspended Howard for five games. Howard was issued a $40,000 fine in addition to his suspension, the Big Ten said in a statement.

Along with Howard’s fine and suspension, Michigan forwards Terrance Williams II and Moussa Diabate were suspended one game, effective immediately.

Howard threw a punch toward a member of the Badgers coaching team in the handshake line after the Sunday loss, sparking pushing and shoving between both sets of players and staff.

MARKOWSKI EARNS ANOTHER BIG TEN HONOR:

Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski captured her seventh Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week honor of the season.

Markowski averaged a double-double (16.0 ppg, 10.3 rpg) to help the Huskers produce the 18th 20-win season in program history.  She opened the week with her fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and career highs of 15 rebounds and two blocked shots in Nebraska’s 72-55 win over No. 5 Indiana (Feb. 14) at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

She followed with a 23-point, seven-rebound effort at Penn State (Feb. 17). Markowski closed the week with 15 points, nine rebounds, a block and a steal in Nebraska’s 93-70 pounding of Minnesota on Sunday. 

A leading candidate for Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-America honors, Markowski is the only conference freshman leading her team in scoring (13.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.7 rpg) on the season.

Markowski is the only Power Five conference freshman to average at least 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game on the season.

McGOWENS MAKES IT FOUR STRAIGHT FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK HONORS:

Nebraska’s Bryce McGowens earned his fourth consecutive Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week honor on Monday.

McGowens posted a game-high 25 points against Maryland, his fourth performance of 25-or-more points this season en route to collecting his seventh Big Ten weekly freshman honor. McGowens’ effort was highlighted by going 14-of-15 from the foul line.  With his performance, which also included three rebounds and a steal, he moved into second place on NU’s freshman scoring list and 10th place on the Huskers’ freshman rebound charts.

McGowens’ seven weekly awards ties for second all-time since the Big Ten began presenting weekly freshman honors in 2010-11. Only Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger with 12 has earned more than McGowens during his freshman campaign.  On the season, McGowens is averaging 16.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, as he ranks first among conference freshmen in scoring and second in rebounding. McGowens has reached double figures in 15 of the Huskers’ last 16 contests.

HUSKER SOFTBALL’S GRAY EARNS HONOR:

Sophomore infielder Sydney Gray was named the Co-Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday, as she shared the honor with Illinois’ Jaelyn Vickery.

Gray was recognized for an outstanding weekend at the Troy Cox Classic in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Gray hit .438 in five games with four home runs including a grand slam. Gray tallied 10 RBIs, a 1.188 slugging percentage and a .550 on base percentage. The sophomore started all five games at third base.

This is Gray’s first Big Ten weekly award of her career. The last Nebraska player to be named Big Ten Player of the Week was Abbie Squier last week.

HUSKER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLOSED BIG TEN ROAD PLAY AT WISCONSIN:

The Nebraska women’s basketball team will shoot for a series sweep of Wisconsin while closing Big Ten regular-season road action in Madison on Wednesday night.

Tip-off between the Huskers (20-7, 9-7 Big Ten) and the Badgers (7-19, 4-12 Big Ten) is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT) p.m. at the Kohl Center. 

Wisconsin dropped a 77-44 decision at Nebraska (Jan. 27) when the Huskers returned from a 10-day pause caused by health and safety protocols. Sydney Hilliard led Wisconsin with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the first meeting, but she left the program just days later following a 57-55 loss at Minnesota (Jan. 30).

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: C1-11 Sub Districts @ Kearney Catholic
    • #1 Kearney Catholic v. #5 Gothenburg – 6 PM
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Northwest Missouri State @ Health & Sports Center – 5:30 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Northwest Missouri State @ Health & Sports Center – 7:30 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ No. 9 Morningside University – 6 PM

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: State Tournament
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: State Tournament
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: C1-11 Sub Districts Championship @ Kearney Catholic
    • TBA
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships @ Maryville, MO
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Missouri Western State @ Health & Sports Center – 5:30 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Missouri Western State @ Health & Sports Center – 7:30 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • BASEBALL: @ Ottawa, KS
    • @ Ottawa University – 12 PM
    • @ Ottawa University (Doubleheader)
  • SOFTBALL: @ Hillsboro, KS
    • @ Tabor College – 2 PM
    • @ Tabor College (Doubleheader)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: A-2 District Basketball Tournament:
    • #2 Kearney v. #3 Gretna @ Kearney High School – 3 PM
      • Pregame on KGFW starts at 2:45 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships @ Maryville, MO
  • WRESTLING: @ NCAA Super Region VI @ Grand Junction, CO
  • SOFTBALL: @ Washburn Classic @ Topeka, KS
    • v. Mary
    • v. St. Louis
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS WRESTLING: @ KCAC Conference Tounament @ St. Mary’s KS – 9 AM
  • BASEBALL: @ Ottawa, KS
    • @ Ottawa University – 12 PM
    • @ Ottawa University (Doubleheader)
  • SOFTBALL: @ North Newton, KS
    • @ Bethel College – 1 PM 
    • @ Bethel College (Doubleheader)