Saturday Morning Sports – Kearney Basketball Sweeps Norfolk, Husker Men Face Penn State, Husker Wrestling Drops Iowa Dual, Loper Wrestling Takes on Midwest Duals, Local Sports Schedule

KEARNEY BASKETBALL SWEEPS NORFOLK FOR HOME WINS:

The Kearney Basketball teams earned a sweep victory over Norfolk on Friday night at home with a 59-41 victory for the girls and a 55-36 win for the boys. Full recaps are available at the KGFW.com sports page. 

Both squads are off for another week before traveling to the Capital City to face Lincoln North Star on Friday night, then heading to the Metro next Saturday for contests against Omaha Benson. All games will be carried on KGFW with Austin Jacobsen on the call. 

HUSKER MEN FACE PENN STATE:

The Nebraska men’s basketball team looks for its second straight win Saturday afternoon, as the Huskers travel to Penn State. Tipoff from the Bryce Jordan Center is set for 1:15 p.m.

The Huskers (10-9, 3-5 Big Ten) have been challenged away from home as Saturday’s game will be Nebraska’s fourth road game in six games this month.

Penn State (12-6, 3-4 Big Ten) looks to bounce back after losing 63-60 at Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

HUSKER WRESTLING DROPS DUAL WITH IOWA:

In the third conference dual of the season, the Nebraska wrestling team (6-3, 2-1 Big Ten) fell at Iowa on Friday night, 34-6. 

Despite the lopsided finish, the All-American duo of Peyton Robb and Mikey Labriola extended their impressive undefeated seasons with a pair of decisions. 

Up next, the Huskers return home to face Wisconsin on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 2 p.m.

LOPER WRESTLING HOSTS MIDWEST DUALS:

The second-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team hosts the annual Midwest Duals this weekend at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.

UNK faces Northern State (9 a.m.), Western Colorado (10:30 a.m.) and Adams State (12 p.m.) on Saturday. Junior varsity duals vs. NSU and ASU have been added to the schedule and will take place at the same time as the varsity.

UNK WRESTLING RANKED THIRD NATIONALLY:

The Nebraska Kearney wrestling team is now ranked third in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division II rankings.

This is a tournament powering ranking index where teams get points based on where individuals are ranked in their respective weight class. A number one ranking is worth 20 points, second is 16 points, third is 13 points etc. Thus, the Lopers tallied 63 points with MIAA rival Central Oklahoma (77) and Lander of South Carolina (66) just ahead. UNK was second in the last rankings.

UNK faces No. 8 Adams State, No. 20 Northern State and No. 23 Western Colorado Saturday in the Midwest Duals at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.

STORM SHUT OUT LANCERS IN OMAHA:

The Tri-City Storm shut out the Omaha Lancers by a final score of 4-0 Friday night at Liberty First Credit Union Arena. 

Goaltender Patriks Bērziņš recorded the first win, and first shutout, of his USHL career in the victory. Haden Kruse netted the first goal of his USHL career in the game. August Falloon, Graham Gamache, and Philippe Blais-Savoie also scored goals in the victory for Tri-City.

Tri-City hits the ice again on Saturday, in a home game against the Omaha Lancers. Puck drop for the game is set for 7:05pm CT.

LOPER SOFTBALL PICKED EIGHTH IN MIAA:

The Nebraska Kearney softball team is picked eighth in the 2023 MIAA preseason softball coaches’ poll.

The poll is voted upon by the league’s 14 head coaches and they cannot vote for their own team.

This is the highest preseason ranking the Lopers have received since joining the conference with the 2012-13 year. UNK has been picked 10th several times in its MIAA tenure.

The 2022 season saw UNK go 25-27 and reach the MIAA Tournament for the first time., upsetting top seeded Central Oklahoma. 

The Lopers start the “spring” on Friday, Feb. 3, at the annual Lubbock Sports College Classic.

NFL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:

SATURDAY:

AFC – #4 Jacksonville Jaguars @ #1 Kansas City Chiefs – 3:30 PM

NFC – #6 New York Giants @ #1 Philadelphia Eagles – 7:15 PM

SUNDAY:

AFC – #3 Cincinnati Bengals @ #2 Buffalo Bills – 2 PM

NFC – #5 Dallas Cowboys @ #2 San Francisco 49ers – 5:30 PM

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Girls Basketball: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School
    • KHS 49-31 Norfolk
  • Boys Basketball: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School
    • KHS 55-36 Norfolk
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • Women’s Basketball: v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena
    • DWU 77-58 HC
  • Men’s Basketball: v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena
    • HC 70-59 DWU

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Swimming & Diving: @ Ralston Dive Invite – 9 AM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Swimming & Diving: @ Ralston Dive Invite – 9 AM
  • Wrestling: @ Centennial Conference – 10 AM
  • Girls Basketball: v. Aquinas – 1:30 PM
  • Boys Basketball: v. Aquinas – 3:30 PM
• UNK:
  • Wrestling: v. Northern State – 9 AM
  • Wrestling: v. Western Colorado – 10:30 AM
  • Wrestling: v. Adams State – 12 PM
  • M/W T&F: @ NW Missouri State Open – 12 PM
  • Women’s Basketball: @ Washburn – 1:30 PM
  • Men’s Basketball: @ Washburn – 3:30 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE: 
  • M/W T&F: @ Polar Dog Invite @ Concordia – 10 AM / 1 PM
  • Men’s Wrestling: @ Missouri Valley Invite @ Marshall, MO – 9 AM
  • Women’s Basketball: v. Jamestown @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 1 PM
  • Men’s Basketball: v. Jamestown @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 2:45 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Men’s Basketball @ Penn State (12:15 PM – 4 PM)

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Maryland (12:45 PM – 4 PM)