HUSKER VOLLEYBALL FALLS IN FIVE SETS TO DUCKS:
Nebraska volleyball’s postseason run has come to an end. The Huskers came up short against the Oregon Ducks falling in five sets after a tremendous rally and back-and-forth in set four.
The Huskers held Oregon to .217, below their season average, but couldn’t match the Ducks on the offensive end.
Nebraska finishes its season 26-6 and two wins shy of a Final Four trip to Omaha.
NEBRASKA HIRES NEW DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR FROM SYRACUSE:
Nebraska is hiring Tony White from Syracuse to be its defensive coordinator.
White has been instrumental in implementing the 3-3-5 defense at Syracuse over the last few seasons, making the Orange one of the better defensive units in the ACC during that time.
In 2021, Syracuse held opponents to 330 yards per game, which ranked 19th nationally and second in the ACC.
GRINER RELEASED IN SWAP FOR RUSSIAN ARMS DEALER:
Russia freed WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday in a high-profile prisoner exchange, as the U.S. released notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout but failed to win freedom for another American, Paul Whelan, who has been jailed for nearly four years.
The deal, the second in eight months amid tensions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, secured the release of the most prominent American detained abroad and achieved a top goal for President Joe Biden. But it carried what U.S. officials described as a heavy price.
Biden’s authorization to release Bout, the Russian felon once nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” underscored the heightened urgency that his administration faced to get Griner home, particularly after the recent resolution of her criminal case on drug charges and subsequent transfer to a penal colony.
Griner, who also played pro basketball in Russia, was arrested at an airport there last February for bringing less than a gram of cannabis oil in vape cartridges into the country.
NEBRASKA MEN’S HOOPS FALLS FLAT WITHOUT GRIESEL IN BLOOMINGTON:
Big runs in each half powered No. 14 Indiana to an 81-65 victory over the Nebraska men’s basketball team Wednesday night at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.
The Hoosiers opened the game on a 14-2 run en route to building a 13-point halftime lead. In the second half, Nebraska twice trimmed the lead to seven before Indiana put the game away with a 14-0 run that gave the Hoosiers an 21-point advantage.
The Huskers, who were without Sam Griesel due to an illness, had won its last three road games against ranked opponents dating back to last season, dropped its Big Ten opener and fell to 6-4 on the season.
Nebraska’s run of four consecutive games against ranked opponents continues on Saturday, when the Huskers host No. 4 Purdue at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for 1:15 p.m.
HUSKER WOMEN ROUT BADGERS IN PBA:
Jaz Shelley erupted for 31 points to lead three Huskers in double figures, as a short-handed Nebraska women’s basketball team rolled to an 82-54 win over Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Wednesday.
Playing without three starters because of injuries, Nebraska improved to 2-0 in Big Ten play by knocking down 13-of-28 three-pointers, including 7-of-12 shooting from Shelley. The Huskers, who moved to 7-3 overall, got 13 points from Shelley in the first quarter alone to sprint to a 24-10 lead after one period.
The Big Red then put the Badgers away early in the third, getting four straight points from Alexis Markowski and Allison Weidner to cap NU’s 12-0 run dating back to the first half.
Nebraska continues regular season home action on Saturday when the Huskers play host to Samford.
MAYFIELD LIKELY TO BE ACTIVE FOR THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
Coach Sean McVay says Baker Mayfield probably will be active for the Los Angeles Rams’ game against the Raiders tonight, just two days after the Rams claimed the former No. 1 draft pick off waivers from Carolina.
McVay wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Mayfield playing against Las Vegas, but the Rams coach indicated it likely would happen only if John Wolford’s persistent neck injury forces struggling Los Angeles to try an admittedly desperate solution to its quarterback woes.
Mayfield arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday night to join the Rams (3-9), a defending Super Bowl champion on a six-game losing streak. The longtime Cleveland Browns starter asked to be waived by the Panthers after falling to the third string on their depth chart.
NFL SCORES/SCHEDULES:
Thursday:
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Rams – 7:15 PM (Amazon Prime)
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: Triangular v. GICC & North Platte St. Pats – 6 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball: @ Missouri Western, St. Joe, MO – 5:30 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Missouri Western, St. Joe, MO – CANCELLED
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM- 8 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Wrestling: @ Council Bluffs Wrestling CLassic Tournament @ Mid-America Center
- Wrestling: Lincoln Northeast Tournament – 2 PM
- Girls Basketball: v. Lincoln High – 5:15 PM @ Kearney High School
- KGFW Pregame at 5 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Lincoln High – 7 PM @ Kearney High School
- KGFW Pregame after GBB contest
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: @ Wood River – 10 AM
- Girls Basketball: v. Ord – 5:30 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Ord – 7:30 PM
- UNK:
- M/W T&F: v. UNK Pre-Holiday Classic @ Cope Coliseum
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Girls Basketball v. Lincoln High (5 PM – 7 PM)
- Kearney High Boys Basketball v. Lincoln High (7 PM – 9 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Wrestling: @ Council Bluffs Wrestling CLassic Tournament @ Mid-America Center
- Girls Basketball: @ Omaha Northwest – 1 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 12:45 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ Omaha Northwest – 2:45 PM
- KGFW Pregame after GBB contest
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball: @ Northwest Missouri State @ Maryville, MO – 1:30 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Northwest Missouri State @ Maryville, MO – 3:30 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Girls Basketball @ Omaha Northwest (12:45 PM – 2:45 PM)
- Kearney High Boys Basketball @ Omaha Northwest (2:45 PM – 4:45 PM)
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Samford (5:45 PM – 9 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Wrestling: @ Fort Hays State Open @ Hays, KS – 9 AM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- N/a
