Thursday Morning Sports – Kearney Baseball Drops Third Game, Husker Women Head to Lawrence for Super 16, Big Red Pro Day Recap, Johnson Enters Portal from UNK MBB, Sweet Sixteen Begins Today, Local Sports Schedules

KEARNEY BASEBALL DROPS THIRD STRAIGHT CONTEST TO KNIGHTS:

The Bearcat Baseball team couldn’t keep pace with a talented Lincoln Southeast squad Wednesday evening, falling 13-3 in five innings at Sherman Field. 

Kearney (0-3) dropped their third straight game in as many days, scoring three runs on three hits with three errors. Lincoln Southeast (1-1) earned their first win on the season by scoring thirteen runs on seven hits with no errors.

Kearney is back in action on Friday at the Lincoln Pius Invite taking on Pius in their opening matchup on Friday at Lincoln’s Densmore Field. The invite runs through Saturday.

NEBRASKA WOMEN HEAD TO LAWRENCE FOR WNIT REMATCH:

The Nebraska women’s basketball team continues 2023 postseason play when the Huskers travel to Lawrence to clash with Kansas in the WNIT Super 16.

Tip-off between the Huskers (18-14, 8-10 Big Ten) and the Jayhawks (21-11, 9-9 Big 12) is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT) at Allen Fieldhouse.

The Huskers advanced to the WNIT third round with a 77-57 victory over Northern Iowa in Lincoln on Sunday. Kansas powered its way to a 75-47 win over border rival Missouri at Allen Fieldhouse on Monday. 

KU entered the WNIT ranked No. 37 in the NCAA NET rankings while Nebraska was No. 43. The Huskers defeated the then-AP No. 20 Jayhawks, 85-79 in triple-overtime at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Dec. 21, 2022, snapping KU’s 10-game season-opening winning streak.

KGFW’s pregame begins at 6 PM tonight. 

BIG RED PRO DAY WRAPS FOR HUSKER ALUMS:

Scouts from all 32 NFL teams watched nearly a dozen Nebraska football players go through a series of drills inside the Hawks Championship Center on Wednesday.

Trey Palmer, Ochaun Mathis, and Travis Vokolek were among the participants. The Husker trio worked out at the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this month. Garrett Nelson, who opted to pursue a pro career instead of playing an additional college season, was very deliberate in the various tests.

New Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule was also in attendance. He spent time visiting with former Husker Cam Jurgens, who played in the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this year.

Official results from the Pro Day will be released later. Palmer has the highest draft grade currently by analysts, likely being selected in the later rounds.

HUSKER FOOTBALL PRACTICE COMMENTS – HEINRICH HAARBERG:

HAARBERG – NO MESSING AROUND THIS TIME:

Kearney Catholic alum and current Husker Quarterback Heinrich Haarberg spoke to the media after Monday’s practice and said the new coaching staff has brought more focus to the squad right from the start…

The Huskers are hoping to remain locked in on Haarberg, who has not seen a game-time rep in his three year stint with the Big Red. Haarberg did add however he has been open to a position switch if necessary.

FORMER LOOMIS STAR; LOPER WALK-ON JOHNSON ENTERS PORTAL:

Quinn Johnson – a former Loomis star who owns the record for career three pointers made in Nebraska Boys State Basketball history – is set to enter the transfer portal after one season with the UNK Men’s Basketball program.

Johnson was a freshman last season who redshirted during his first year on campus in Kearney. 

During his high school career at Loomis, Johnson averaged 25 points per game as a junior and 24 as a senior. He scored over 2,000 points at Loomis and set the state record with 375 made three pointers in his career.

HUSKER SOFTBALL DOWNS CYCLONES IN HOME OPENER:

Brooke Andrews smashed a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the Nebraska softball team past Iowa State, 3-1, Wednesday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium in the Huskers home opener. NU (20-9) claimed the win after falling behind 1-0 in the third inning as the Cyclones moved to 11-13 on the season. 

Along with Brooke Andrews’ three-run homer, Billie Andrews and Caitlynn Neal powered the Nebraska offense. Both finished 2-for-3 while Neal added a double.

Courtney Wallace (12-5) earned the win for the Big Red. The senior pitched the complete game, holding Iowa State to five hits and one run. 

The Huskers return to action this weekend as they open Big Ten Conference play against Purdue. NU will take on the Boilermakers in a three-game series starting Friday at 5:30 p.m. 

SWEET SIXTEEN MATCHUPS/SCHEDULE:

THURSDAY:

No. 7 Michigan State v. No. 3 Kansas State – 5:30 PM

No. 8 Arkansas v. No. 4 UConn – 6:15 PM

No. 9 FAU v. No. 4 Tennessee – 8 PM

No. 3 Gonzaga v. No. 2 UCLA – 8:45 PM

FRIDAY:

No. 5 San Diego State v. No. 1 Alabama – 5:30 PM

No. 5 Miami v. No. 1 Houston – 6:15 PM

No. 15 Princeton v. No. 6 Creighton – 8 PM

No. 3 Xavier v. No. 2 Texas – 8:45 PM

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Baseball: @ Lincoln Southeast
    • LSE 13-3 KHS
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • Softball: @ College of St. Mary
    • HC 1-0 St. Mary
  • Softball: @ College of St. Mary
    • HC 4-0 St. Mary

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Track & Field: @ Lincoln Northeast Relays – 10:30 AM
  • Girls Soccer: @ North Platte – 6 PM
  • Boys Soccer: @ North Platte – 7:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Girls Tennis: @ Hastings – 4 PM
  • Track & Field: @ Minden Triangular – 4 PM
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • WNIT – Nebraska Women’s Basketball @ Kansas (6 PM – 9:15 PM)

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Baseball: @ LNK Invite @ Densmore Fields – 11 AM
  • Track & Field: v. KHS Indoor Invite @ UNK – 4 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Track & Field @ Aurora Invite – 1 PM
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Emporia State Relays @ Emporia, KS – 10 AM
  • Women’s Tennis; @ Newman @ Wichita, KS – 1 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Illinois (5:30 PM – 10 PM)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Boys Soccer: v. KHS Invite
    • KHS v. Burke – 10 AM @ KHS
    • KHS v. Lincoln High – 4 PM @ KHS
  • Baseball: @ LNK Invite @ Densmore Fields – 12 PM
  • Girls Soccer: v. KHS Invite
    • KHS v. Lutheran NE/Norfolk Catholic @ KHS – 2 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Girls Tennis: @ Ralson Invite – 8:30 AM
  • Girls Soccer: @ Seward Tournament – 9:30 AM
  • Boys Soccer: @ Seward Tournament – 9:30 AM
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Emporia State Relays @ Emporia, KS – 11:30 AM
  • Women’s Tennis: @ Emporia State – 11 AM
  • Softball: @ Fort Hays State – 12 PM
  • Softball: @ Fort Hays State – 2 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE: 
  • Men’s Tennis: @ Concordia – 11 AM
  • Women’s Tennis: @ Concordia – 11 AM
  • Softball: v. Doane – 1 PM
  • Baseball: v. Jamestown – 1 PM
  • Softball: v. Doane – 3 PM
  • Baseball: v. Jamestown – 4 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Illinois (1:30 PM – 6 PM)

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • Baseball: v. Jamestown – 12 PM
  • Baseball: v. Jamestown – 3 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Illinois (12:30 PM – 5 PM)