HUSKER MEN OVERCOME OFFICIALS, BUCKEYS FOR HOME WIN:
Sam Griesel scored 10 of his game-high 15 points in the second half, as Nebraska used a balanced attack and held Ohio State to 36 percent shooting in a 63-60 victory Wednesday evening at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
While Griesel kept the Huskers (10-9, 3-5 Big Ten) within striking distance early, it was some unsung heroes that gave Nebraska a hard-fought win.
The Huskers trailed 49-47 with 8:55 remaining before Denim Dawson’s basket keyed a decisive 8-0 run for the hosts.
The Huskers held OSU (10-8, 2-5) without a field goal for over six and half minutes down the stretch and hit just enough free throws in the final two minutes to earn a second straight win over the Buckeyes.
Nebraska travels to University Park to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions on Jan. 21.
NEBRASKA WOMEN RALLY FOR ROAD WIN AT PURDUE:
Alexis Markowski dominated the fourth quarter on her way to a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds to power Nebraska to a 71-64 come-from-behind Big Ten women’s basketball win over Purdue at Mackey Arena on Wednesday.
Markowski, who scored 11 of her team-high 19 points and added six rebounds in the fourth quarter alone, fueled a 23-8 surge by the Big Red in the final period that helped Nebraska improve to 12-7 overall and 4-4 in the conference. Purdue slipped to 12-6 overall and 3-5 in the league.
Maddie Krull, who did not start for the first time in the past 11 games because of illness, came off the bench to pour in 15 points while adding three rebounds and a pair of steals.
The Huskers return to Big Ten home action on Sunday when they take on No. 11 Maryland. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Terrapins is set for 1 p.m.
LOPER BASKETBALL WOMEN REMAIN UNBLEMISHED IN KANSAS:
Super senior forward Elisa Backes scored 21 points and No. 16 Nebraska Kearney shot as season-high 56 percent from the field to fly past Emporia State, 86-54, Wednesday night in Kansas.
The Lopers (17-3, 10-2) win a fourth in a row and notch its 16th all-time victory over the struggling Hornets (9-9, 4-8).
The 86 points is a season-high for the Blue & Gold with the 32-point margin of victory the third highest this winter.
UNK is at Washburn (7-9, 3-7) on Saturday afternoon.
UNK MEN DROP EMPORIA CONTEST:
The 24th-ranked Emporia State Hornets got a career-high 28 points from 6-7 guard Alijah Comithier and used a second half run to down Nebraska Kearney, 72-59.
The Hornets (15-3, 9-3) win a fifth straight game and improve to 7-1 at home against the Lopers (3-14, 1-10) since 2012.
UNK heads to Washburn Saturday at 3 p.m. The Ichabods (7-9, 4-6) upset Fort Hays State tonight, 74-64.
GARY TO MISS REMAINDER OF SEASON FOR HUSKER HOOPS:
Nebraska men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg announced Wednesday evening that Juwan Gary will have left shoulder surgery and miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season.
Gary, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound forward, suffered the injury in the first half of Nebraska’s game with Illinois on Jan. 10. An MRI revealed last week the extent of the injury, and after meeting with a shoulder specialist earlier on Wednesday, it was determined that undergoing surgery was the best course of action. Gary will undergo shoulder surgery next week.
Gary started all 17 games in his first season after transferring from Alabama and averaged 9.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and a team-high 1.4 steals per game.
LOPER FOOTBALL NAMES OFFENSIVE LINE COACH:
Nebraska Kearney head football coach Ryan Held announced today that Nate Baker is the Lopers new offensive line coach and run game coordinator.
The Georgia native spent the 2022 season as Senior Defensive Quality Control at Buffalo. Previously, he was co-offensive coordinator/tackles and tights coach at Division II Savannah (Ga.) State for three seasons. He also has coached at Georgia Military College, a junior college program, and at his alma mater, Georgia Southern.
Having recruiting experience in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and the JUCO ranks in Kansas, Baker has helped coach seven All-Americans, seven first-team all-conference picks and seen four of his players get drafted or be in an NFL camp.
LAUENSTEIN SET TO TAKE BREAK FROM HUSKER VOLLEYBALL:
Whitney Lauenstein announced her decision “to step away from the volleyball team” Tuesday evening via her social media pages, citing a need to focus on herself and be with her family. That need stems from continuing to heal after the passing of her father, Ryan Launstein, in 2021.
After appearing in 27 matches as a freshman, the Waverly native leveled up in her second season. Through the non-conference, she was playing in near All-American form. Lauenstein finished as a member of the AVCA All-Region Team.
STORM ACQUIRE NEW GOALTENDER IN TRADE:
The Tri-City Storm has acquired goaltender Patriks Bērziņš from the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NAHL) in exchange for goaltender Karlis Mezsargs and future considerations.
Bērziņš was a standout player for Team Latvia in this month’s IIHF World Junior Championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick. He faced more shots than any other goaltender in the tournament during the preliminary round of the event.
HUSKERS’ CRONIN TABBED BIG TEN WRESTLER OF THE WEEK:
Nebraska’s Liam Cronin (125) claimed his first Big Ten and NCAA Wrestler of the Week honor of his career, when the conference and the NCAA announced its award winners Tuesday afternoon.
The Orange, Calif., native and 2021 NCAA qualifier recorded two top five wins this past weekend. On Friday against Minnesota, Cronin defeated #4 Patrick McKee by decision, 11-6.
On Sunday, Cronin faced Northwestern’s #3 Michael DeAugustino. After a scoreless first period, Cronin used a takedown and four nearfall points to take the 6-1 advantage. He secured the statement win with a third period reversal, takedown and the riding time point to win by major decision, 11-1.
Cronin, who is currently the third-ranked wrestler in the nation according to the InterMat rankings, has 64 career victories. He is also 13-2 on the season and 2-0 in conference competition.
This is the first weekly honor for the Huskers since Mikey Labriola garnered the award last season on Feb. 22, 2022.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
WEDNESDAY:
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball: @ Emporia State
- UNK 86-54 ESU
- Men’s Basketball: @ Emporia State
- ESU 72-59 UNK
- Women’s Basketball: @ Emporia State
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: Norfolk Dual @ Kearney High School – 4 PM
- Wrestling: @ Columbus Dual – 7 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: Norfolk Dual @ Kearney High School – 4 PM
- Girls Basketball: @ Aurora – 5:30 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ Aurora – 7:30 PM
- UNK:
- N/a
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Girls Basketball: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School – 6 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 5:45 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School – 7:45 PM
- KGFW Pregame at conclusion of KHS GBB
- Girls Basketball: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School – 6 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Men’s Wrestling: @ Missouri Valley Invite @ Marshall, MO – 9 AM
- Women’s Basketball: v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 5 PM
- Men’s Basketball: v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 6:45 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Girls Basketball v. Norfolk (5:45 PM – 7:45 PM)
- Kearney High Boys Basketball v. Norfolk (7:45 PM – 9:45 PM)
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)
