Friday Afternoon Sports – Kearney Basketball Returns Home to Face Links, Storm Set to Return Home for Military Appreciation Night, Loper Basketball Falls to Griffons, Mayfield Magic Continues, Local Sports Schedule

KEARNEY BASKETBALL RETURNS HOME TO FACE LINKS:

Both Bearcat boys and girls basketball teams return to Kearney High to take down the Lincoln High Links tonight in doubleheader basketball action. 

The Kearney girls look to improve their 1-1 mark on the year by upsetting the Links after Lincoln High rode to the semifinals of the state tournament last season. 

Meanwhile, the boys matchup showcases a HAC Showdown as 2-0 Lincoln High aims to keep their perfect mark over the high-riding 1-1 Bearcats. 

Pregame begins at 5 PM from Kearney High School on KGFW with Austin Jacobsen on the call. Listen to the contests on 1340 KGFW, 96.1 FM, on the free KGFW mobile app, and online at KGFW.com.

STORM SET TO RETURN HOME FOR MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT:

The Tri-City Storm returns home to the Viaero Center tonight for the organization’s annual Military Appreciation Night game against the Omaha Lancers. 

The game is presented by the Nebraska Warriors. More information about Nebraska Warriors can be found at https://www.nebraskawarriors.com/. 

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 pm CT.

HUSKER VOLLEYBALL FALLS IN FIVE SETS TO DUCKS:

The No. 7 Nebraska volleyball team had its season come to an end with a five-set loss to No. 9 Oregon in an NCAA regional semifinal on Thursday at the KFC Yum! Center.

The Huskers finished the season at 26-6 and had their nation-leading streak of 10 straight NCAA regional final appearances come to an end. 

Lindsay Krause led Nebraska with 16 kills and added a career-high six blocks. Ally Batenhorst (15 kills) and Whitney Lauenstein (12) produced double-figure kills, while Batenhorst, Nicklin Hames and Anni Evans each produced double-doubles. Kaitlyn Hord led the Huskers with nine blocks and Lexi Rodriguez led NU with 18 digs.

The loss to Oregon snapped Nebraska’s 10-match winning streak in NCAA Regional Semifinals, which was the nation’s longest active streak.

With the loss, the Huskers failed to advance to an NCAA Regional Final for the first time since 2011 and for just the fourth time in 23 seasons under John Cook.

LOPER WOMEN FALL SHORT TO GRIFFONS:

The Missouri Western State Griffons used a balanced offensive attack and a zone defense to hold off No. 22/24 Nebraska Kearney, 68-65, Thursday night in St. Joseph.

MWSU improves to 7-3 (2-1) while the Lopers (9-2, 2-1) see an eight-game win streak to come an end. The Griffs ended UNK’s season this past March in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 72-59.  

Trinity Law scored a season-high 20 thanks to 6 of 15 (4 of 10 threes) shooting.

UNK hosts MWSU on Saturday, Jan. 28. They visit Northwest Missouri this Saturday; the Bearcats were off tonight as they host Fort Hays State on Sunday afternoon due to Winter Commencement.

MAYFIELD MAGIC CONTINUES IN LOS ANGELES; UPSETTING RAIDERS ON TNF:

Baker Mayfield was waived by Carolina on Monday and claimed by the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday. After a cross-country flight, he got one short practice with his new team on Wednesday.

And on Thursday night, Mayfield led the Rams to two late fourth-quarter touchdowns and a stunning 17-16 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, capped by a 23-yard scoring pass to Van Jefferson with 10 seconds left.

Just two days after the Rams (4-9) claimed him, Mayfield went 22 of 35 for 230 yards — and eventually snapped the defending Super Bowl champions’ six-game losing streak in dramatic style.

NFL SCORES/SCHEDULES:

Thursday:

Los Angeles Rams 17-16 Las Vegas Raiders

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Wrestling: Triangular v. GICC & North Platte St. Pats
    • POSTPONED
• UNK:
  • Women’s Basketball: @ Missouri Western, St. Joe, MO 
    • MWSU 68-65 UNK

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