Tuesday Morning Sports – Husker Baseball Begins Homestand, Nebraska Football Presser Comments, Huskers Earn Conference Recognition, Legion Baseball Meeting Notice, College Basketball Top 25, Local Sports Schedules

HUSKER BASEBALL BEGINS HOMESTAND AGAINST NORTHERN COLORADO:

Nebraska opens its 10-game homestand with a two-game midweek series against Northern Colorado today and Wednesday.

The home opener is set for 4:05 p.m. at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park on Tuesday, while Wednesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.

Nebraska holds a dominant 48-7 advantage in the all-time series against Northern Colorado.

The Huskers enter Tuesday’s game with a three-game win streak in the series, as Northern Colorado’s last win over the Big Red came on March 13, 2018. 

Nebraska is 47-6 in home openers since the 1970 campaign. Since the opening of Haymarket Park in 2002, the Huskers are 20-1 in home openers.

Through its first 10 games, the NU offense is hitting .315 with 29 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs and a .537 slugging percentage.

Pregame on KGFW begins at 3:30 PM. 

HUSKER FOOTBALL PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS:

RHULE – WORKING ON THE DETAILS:

Head Coach for Nebraska Football Matt Rhule addressed the media on Monday morning as the team nears the conclusion of winter conditioning and spoke about some of the insights he’s gathered from the Big Red…

Nebraska has not made a bowl game since 2016 and is hoping to achieve a postseason berth in Rhule’s first season after he was fired from the Carolina Panthers. 

RHULE – NOT MANY I’M ‘NOT HAPPY’ WITH:

Matt Rhule, first year Nebraska Football Head Coach, spoke to the media on Monday morning and said so far he’s only seen positives from the Huskers in winter conditioning…

The Huskers are still well over the scholarship limit heading into spring practices, as the NCAA only allows 85 scholarship athletes to be on the team at one time – Nebraska was last tallied around 100. 

RHULE – FIDONE LOOKS HEALTHY, ATHLETIC:

Matt Rhule spoke to the media on Monday morning and was asked what his impressions of tight end Thomas Fidone has been in the early stages of the off-season program…

Fidone had suffered two ACL tears over his two seasons in Lincoln, but has seen some game action in his first year. 

RHULE – HUSKERS ARE A FAST TEAM:

Matt Rhule told his initial thoughts on the Husker Football team from the conclusion of winter conditioning during Monday’s press conference…

Rhule added that his staff has worked on mobility, agility, and flexibility in hopes of keeping healthier athletes on the field longer while also aiming to give the Big Red an advantage in more movement on the field. 

BORDERS – BROTHERHOOD IS DEVELOPING IN LINCOLN:

Chief Borders, a transfer from Florida and off-season team captain for the Husker Football team, spoke for the first time at Monday’s press conference and said he’s already sensing team building and bonding in Lincoln…

The Huskers begin their spring practices in two weeks with the first practice set for March 19. The Red-White spring game is scheduled for April 22. 

FIDONE – COMEBACK COULD BE HUGE:

Thomas Fidone, a third year tight end for the Huskers, has not seen the field often during his tenure due to two torn ACL’s by the Class of 2020 No. 1 rated Tight End. The Council Bluffs native spoke on his upcoming expectations, and how he remains confident despite the setbacks…

The Huskers are hoping to bring Fidone into the fold after sending their past two big men to the NFL in Austin Allen and Travis Vokalek. 

KEARNEY LEGION BASEBALL SIGN UP MEETING NOTICE:

There will be an organizational meeting for all boys (grades 9-12) and their parents interested in playing American Legion Baseball this summer on Sunday, March 12th, at 6:00 PM in the Bingo Hall at the American Legion. 

Individuals interested in playing for Runza, Jersey’s, Post 52 or Five Points Bank are encouraged to attend. 

HUSKER FRESHMAN EARNS BIG TEN HONOR:

Nebraska freshman Jamarques Lawrence was honored Monday afternoon, as he was selected as the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week for the first time in his career.

Lawrence, a 6-foot-3 guard from Plainfield, N.J., averaged 15.0 points on 63 percent shooting, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in two games last week.  He set or tied season highs in points (15), field goals made (seven), assists (four) and 3-pointers (five) in helping NU to a 1-1 record.

He is the first Husker to receive either Big Ten weekly award this season and is NU’s first freshman honored since Bryce McGowens won the award eight times in the 2021-22 season.

NEBRASKA SOFTBALL FRESHMAN EARNS CONFERENCE AWARD:

Katelyn Caneda was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week Monday following a big performance in the Huskers’ perfect 5-0 weekend at the Hillenbrand Invitational. 

A Cerritos, Calif., native, Caneda produced three multi-hit games and tallied three extra-base hits. She finished the weekend 8-for-17 (.471) with two doubles, one home run, five RBIs and four runs scored, averaging more than one hit and one RBI per game. 

Caneda was crucial in Nebraska’s win over No. 16 Arizona. The freshman went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. She added her second home run of the season with a solo shot in the seventh inning to help the Huskers run past the Wildcats, 10-3.  

HUSKER HOOPS TO HEAD TO SPAIN THIS SUMMER:

Nebrasketball is heading to Spain this summer for a nine-day trip beginning in late July.

The trip is scheduled from July 28 to Aug. 7, and the Huskers will visit Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona while playing three games against teams from Spain. Some of the off-court highlights of this summer’s trip will include touring the city of Toledo, visiting the Royal Palace in Madrid, taking in the world-famous beaches of Valencia, visiting La Sagrada Familia and a guided tour of Camp Nou, the home of FC Barcelona.

NCAA programs are allowed to take foreign trips once every four years and this will be Nebraska basketball’s first foreign trip since going to Italy. It will be the second time NU has traveled to Spain, as the Huskers also went there in 2015.

EX-RAIDER CARR SIGNS WITH SAINTS:

Derek Carr has proved repeatedly that he can produce as a passer.

What the former Raiders quarterback hasn’t done is win in the playoffs, something he aims to change in New Orleans, where he’ll be reunited with Dennis Allen — his first NFL coach.

Carr has agreed to a four-year contract with the Saints, and a person familiar with the situation said the deal could be worth up to $150 million.

Carr played nine seasons for the Raiders and holds club records for yards passing (35,222) and touchdown passes (217). But after struggling late last season, he was benched with two games remaining.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 KEEPS HOUSTON, UCLA, KANSAS IN TOP SPOTS:
UCLA is surging, both toward the postseason and in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

While Houston was No. 1 for a third straight week in Monday’s poll, the Bruins rose two spots to No. 2 for their highest ranking of the season. UCLA (27-4) has won its last 10 games, including a showdown with highly ranked Arizona in the regular-season finale.

The only change in the top five came with UCLA trading places with No. 4 Alabama, with Kansas remaining at No. 3 despite a loss at Texas in Saturday’s regular-season finale and the Boilermakers staying at fifth.

Marquette stayed at No. 6, followed by the Longhorns climbing two spots to No. 7. Arizona, Gonzaga and Baylor rounded out the top 10.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Northern Colorado (3:30 PM – 8 PM)

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Northern Colorado (1:30 PM – 6 PM)
  • BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: Nebraska Men’s Basketball v. Maryland (6:30 PM – 11 PM)

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Women’s Tennis: v. Northwest Missouri State – 12 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • TBD

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Women’s Basketball: NCAA TOURNAMENT – CENTRAL REGIONAL @ Duluth, MN
    • UNK v. Pittsburg State – 2:30 PM
  • M/W T&F: NCAA Indoor Championships @ Virginia Beach, VA – 9 AM
  • Wrestling: NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS @ Cedar Rapids, IA – 10 AM
  • Women’s Tennis: v. Washburn – 11 AM
  • Softball: v. Missouri Western State @ Patriot Park – 2 PM
  • Softball: v. Missouri Western State @ Patriot Park – 4 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • Baseball: v. Cornerstone (MI) – 8:15 AM
  • Women’s Wrestling: @ NAIA CHAMPIONSHIPS – 10 AM
  • Baseball: v. Cornerstone (MI) – 10:15 AM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • TBD

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: NCAA Indoor Championships @ Virginia Beach, VA – 9 AM
  • Wrestling: NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS @ Cedar Rapids, IA – 10 AM
  • Softball: v. Northwest Missouri State @ Patriot Park – 1 PM
  • Softball: v. Northwest Missouri State @ Patriot Park – 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE: 
  • Wrestling: NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS @ Cedar Rapids, IA – 10 AM
  • Softball: @ Benedictine (KS) – 1 PM
  • Baseball: v. Thomas – 1 PM
  • Softball: @ Benedictine (KS) – 3 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • TBD

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • Baseball: v. Aquinas (MI) – 8 AM
  • Softball: @ Tabor – 1 PM
  • Softball: @ Tabor – 3 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • TBD