NEBRASKA WOMEN CLASH WITH UNBEATEN JAYHAWKS AT PBA:
The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena for the fourth game of its five-game home stand when the Huskers take on No. 20 Kansas.
Tip-off between Nebraska (9-3, 2-0 Big Ten) and the Jayhawks (10-0, 0-0 Big 12) is set for 6 p.m. (CT) in Lincoln. Pregame begins at 5:45 PM on KGFW with Matt Coatney and the Huskers Radio Network on the call.
Nebraska opened its five-game home stand with wins over Wisconsin (82-54, Dec. 7) and Samford (71-46, Dec. 10) before adding a 66-39 win over Wyoming on Sunday.
The Huskers are 6-0 at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season with all six victories by double digits. Nebraska has won 23 of its last 24 at PBA with 22 wins by double figures.
KU entered the week with a 10-0 record and a No. 20 AP ranking following an 81-62 victory over Tulsa on Friday night at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.
HELD HIRED AS NEXT LOPER FOOTBALL HEAD COACH:
Former Nebraska and North Alabama coach Ryan Held has been hired as head football coach at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Director of Athletics Marc Bauer announced today.
UNK will formally introduce Held as its 19th coach in team history at an 11 a.m. news conference Jan. 3 at UNK’s Health and Sports Center.
Held, 48, spent the past season as interim head coach and offensive coordinator at NCAA Division I University of North Alabama. Before that, he was an assistant/running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Nebraska (2018-21) and assistant/running backs coach at the University of Central Florida (2016-17). He was twice named one of the nation’s top 25 recruiters by Rivals.com while at Nebraska.
A coaching veteran with 13 years of head coaching experience, Held climbed the coaching ladder as a junior college, NCAA Division II and NAIA head coach before joining the Division I ranks. He had head coaching stints at junior colleges Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Highland Community College, Division II Southwestern Oklahoma State and Oklahoma Panhandle State, and NAIA Peru State College.
Athletic Director Marc Bauer chose Held following a nationwide search. He replaces Josh Lynn, who was UNK’s head coach the past six seasons.
HUSKER FOOTBALL WRAPS SIGNING DAY:
Nebraska Football continues to climb back into the recruiting rankings, starting the day in the top 60 in all of college football and currently projected to finish with a Top 25 rated class.
The biggest catch of the day came before noon, when Lincoln East receiver and edge rusher Malachi Coleman announced his re-commitment to Nebraska Football after decommitting after the initial hire of Matt Rhule as Head Coach.
Find full details on the signing day and all class details online at KGFW.com under the Huskers tab and at Huskermax.com. A full recap will be available on Thursday morning.
STEELERS LEGEND FRANCO HARRIS DIES AT 72:
Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris died Wednesday, just three days before the Pittsburgh Steelers were set to retire his No. 32 at a ceremony Saturday night.
He was 72. No cause of death has been reported.
The Steelers were set to honor Harris over the weekend on the 50th anniversary of The Immaculate Reception, perhaps the single most iconic play in NFL history.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted Harris in 1990. He was also named to the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team, the Steelers’ All-Time Team and the Steelers’ Hall of Honor.
RODRIGUEZ ADDED TO ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN HONORS:
Nebraska sophomore libero Lexi Rodriguez was named to the Academic All-America Third Team by the College of Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Wednesday.
Rodriguez carries a 3.64 GPA majoring in advertising and public relations and was one of 21 student-athletes selected to one of the three Division I Academic All-America teams. She is Nebraska volleyball’s 25th student-athlete to earn Academic All-America recognition.
Her selection increased Nebraska’s total to 40 Academic All-America awards, the most of any volleyball program in NCAA history.
Rodriguez was also an AVCA second-team All-American this season.
HUSKER MEN DOWN QUEENS IN ‘BATTLE AT THE VAULT’:
Sam Griesel’s 16 points led five Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska closed out non-conference action with a 75-65 win over Queens in Campio’s Battle in the Vault Tuesday evening.
Griesel, who hit 6-of-9 shots and added three assists, keyed a balanced attack that saw the Huskers shoot 53 percent from the field, including 56 percent in the opening 20 minutes. Nebraska (7-6) never trailed in snapping a three-game losing streak.
The Huskers will be off for Christmas before returning to action on Dec. 29 when the Huskers resume Big Ten action against Iowa.
TUESDAY:
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Eastern Michigan 41-27 San Jose State
Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo 21-19 Liberty
WEDNESDAY:
New Orleans Bowl: South Alabama v. Western Kentucky – 9 PM
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
TUESDAY:
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Basketball: @ Boone Central
- KCHS 47-39 Boone Central
- Boys Basketball: @ Boone Central
- Boone Central 50-30 KCHS
- Girls Basketball: @ Boone Central
WEDNESDAY:
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Kansas (5:45 PM – 9 PM)
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- N/a
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- N/a
