KEARNEY BASKETBALL DROPS HOME TESTS WITH PIUS:
The Kearney Basketball teams dropped their home tests with Lincoln Pius on Tuesday night, as the girls fell 49-43 and the boys lost 62-54.
Full recap stories from the contests can be found at KGFW.com. The Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday afternoon for another conference matchup as Kearney hosts Lincoln Northeast.
NEBRASKA MEN FALL IN CHAMPAIGN TO ILLINOIS:
Playing its seventh starting lineup of the season and coming in as heavy underdogs, Nebraska gave Illinois more of a fight than most expected on Tuesday night.
In the end, though, the final outcome was all too familiar for the Huskers in a 72-56 road defeat at State Farm Center.
After rallying to take a 50-48 lead with 12 minutes to play, NU made just two more field goals the rest of the game. That propelled the Illini to end the night on a 24-6 run over the final 12 minutes.
Sam Griesel did his part with 21 points and six rebounds, but Keisei Tominaga was the only other Husker to score in double figures with 11 points off the bench.
The loss drops NU to 10-13 overall and 3-9 in Big Ten play, having now lost six of its past seven games. Illinois improved to 16-6, 7-4.
LOPER FOOTBALL PREPARED FOR SIGNING DAY:
The Nebraska Kearney football team is expected to release the names of eight transfers and 16 high school seniors today as part of NCAA Division II signing day.
Head coach Ryan Held joined the program in late December and assembled his staff throughout January. The team is currently going through winter workouts with spring ball set to begin in late March.
The list of newcomers will be posted throughout the day once their paperwork becomes official; check www.lopers.com and the UNK Football Twitter page for the most recent updates. UNK will continue to add players throughout the spring and summer months.
The 2023 season begins Thursday, Aug. 31, at Central Oklahoma.
HUSKER FOOTBALL GEARS UP FOR SIGNING DAY:
The Huskers expect to officially grow their roster some more today, with four January commits anticipated to sign and one athlete out of Colorado to keep your eye on for today’s National Signing Day.
If things go as planned, the Huskers will have added at least 38 players to the roster in this cycle and possibly 39. As of Signing Day Eve, there are 27 Nebraska signees/commits from the high school/JUCO ranks in this cycle and 11 transfer portal additions.
Athletes are expected to sign prior to 2 PM today for Matt Rhule’s press conference.
SEAN PAYTON ENTERS AFC WEST WITH BRONCOS:
The Denver Broncos have agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Saints that will make Sean Payton their head coach, a person with knowledge of the accord said Tuesday.
The Broncos would send their first-round pick, No. 29 overall, in this year’s draft to the Saints along with a future second-rounder. Denver also will receive a third-round pick in the trade.
Payton, 59, went 152-89 in 15 seasons with the Saints and 9-8 in the playoffs. He led New Orleans to a 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl following the 2009 season. He stepped away last year when quarterback Drew Brees retired.
The Broncos, who went 5-12 in 2022 and extended their playoff drought to seven years, fired rookie coach Nathaniel Hackett on Dec. 26 after he went 4-11.
TEXANS NAME 49ers COORDINATOR HEAD COACH:
DeMeco Ryans has been hired as coach of the Houston Texans, giving him his first head coaching job and bringing him back to the place where he started his playing career.
Ryans joins the Texans from the San Francisco 49ers, where he spent the past two seasons as their defensive coordinator.
He replaces Lovie Smith, who was fired after just one season where the team went 3-13-1.
Ryans led a 49ers defense that led the NFL this season by allowing just 300.6 yards a game.
KANSAS AVENGES LOSS TO WILDCATS; BLOWS PAST K-STATE:
With revenge on their mind, Jalen Wilson and his pals jumped on the seventh-ranked Wildcats in the rematch between Kansas and K-State Tuesday night.
He finished with 20 points, Kevin McCullar Jr. had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and the No. 8 Jayhawks rolled to a 90-78 victory that also tightened the Big 12 standings at the midway point of conference play.
Dajuan Harris Jr. added 18 points for the Jayhawks (18-4, 6-3), who built a 12-point halftime lead before coasting to their 17th straight home win over K-State.
Kansas State returns home for another top-10 showdown Saturday against No. 10 Texas.
Kansas hits the road for the third time in four games against No. 13 Iowa State on Saturday.
HUSKER FOOTBALL PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS:
KNIGHTON – NFL AS RECRUITING TOOL
New Nebraska Defensive line coach Terrance Knighton met with the media for the first time on Monday afternoon, and was asked how he uses his NFL experience on the recruiting trail…
The coach known as “Pot Roast” was a former pro, playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos before transitioning to coaching.
KNIGHTON – STILL SETTING UP NEW SCHEME:
Terrance Knighton, the new Nebraska Football defensive line coach, spoke to the media for the first time on Monday afternoon and said there are still some things to work out when it comes to the new defensive schemes…
Defensive Coordinator Tony White arrives from Syracuse where he ran a 3-3-5 system, but had stated he is open to transitioning to whatever can find success for the Blackshirts.
KNIGHTON – GETTING RIGHT PLAYERS TO BUY IN:
New defensive line coach for Nebraska Football Terrance Knighton addressed the media for the first time on Monday afternoon and spoke about what the expectations for the Big Red will be and how they find players to fit that mold…
Nebraska is currently over the scholarship roster by 25 student-athletes, but Matt Rhule and his staff continue to scout and recruit players for the 2023 class.
FOLEY – LOCAL RECRUITING IS WHAT OUR STAFF DOES:
Huskers’ Special Teams coordinator Ed Foley addressed the media for the first time Monday afternoon and was asked about his local recruiting that generated buzz amongst the state of Nebraska and its prep schools…
Foley traveled to around 75 different Nebraska high schools since the beginning of January, posting photos of his stops on his social media pages. Foley was in the Tri-Cities last week.
FOLEY – STATE HAS PASSION FOR HUSKER FOOTBALL:
Nebraska Football special teams coach Ed Foley spoke at his introductory press conference Monday afternoon about the eye-popping experience he’s had meeting local high school coaches from inside the state…
The Huskers’ new coordinator said his goal is to visit each Nebraska High School in the state by the end of his tenure with the Big Red.
FOLEY – WE ARE HERE TO RETURN KICKS:
Ed Foley, new Nebraska Football special teams coach, was asked about his philosophy in regards to the kickoff and punt return game, and what Husker fans should expect on Saturdays…
The Huskers had been stagnant in the return game since 2019, where the last return for a touchdown was with JD Spielman against South Alabama.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
TUESDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Girls Basketball: v. Lincoln Pius X @ Kearney High School
- LPX 49-43 KHS
- Boys Basketball: v. Lincoln Pius X @ Kearney High School
- LPX 62-52 KHS
- Girls Basketball: v. Lincoln Pius X @ Kearney High School
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Basketball: v. Sandhills Valley
- KCHS 59-18 Sandhills Valley
- Boys Basketball: v. Sandhills Valley
- KCHS 52-23 Sandhills Valley
- Girls Basketball: v. Sandhills Valley
WEDNESDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Collegiate Signing Day @ CHaT – 4 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Women’s Basketball: v. Doane – 6 PM
- Men’s Basketball: v. Doan – 7:45 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly w/ MBB Head Coach Fred Hoiberg (6 PM – 8 PM)
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School – 4 PM
- Wrestling: @ Grand Island – 7 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Girls Basketball: v. Adams Central – 6 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball: @ Central Oklahoma – 5:30 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Central Oklahoma – 7:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 7 PM)
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Michigan State (7 PM – 10:15 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: @ Arcadia-Loup City Invite – 2 PM
- UNK:
- Softball: v. Colorado Springs @ Lubbock, TX – 11 AM
- M/W T&F: @ Concordia Classic – 12 PM
- Softball: v. Eastern New Mexico @ Lubbock, TX – 3 PM
- Women’s Tennis: v. Midwestern State – 4 PM
- M/W T&F: @ Husker Invitational @ Lincoln, NE – 4:30 PM
- Wrestling: v. Fort Hays State @ Health & Sports Center – 7 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- M/W T&F: @ Concordia Classic – 1 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: Kearney High Diving Invite @ Kearney High School – 10 AM
- Girls Basketball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Kearney High School – 3:30 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 3:15 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Lincoln Northeast @ Kearney High School – 5:15 PM
- KGFW Pregame after KHS GBB
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: Kearney High Diving Invite @ Kearney High School – 10 AM
- Girls Basketball: v. Columbus Scotus Catholic – 2 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Columbus Scotus Catholic – 4 PM
- UNK:
- M/W T&F: @ Husker Invitational @ Lincoln, NE – 12 PM
- Softball: v. Southwestern Oklahoma State @ Lubbock, TX – 11 AM
- Women’s Basketball: @ Newman – 1:30 PM
- Wrestling: v. Central Missouri @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
- Softball: @ Lubbock Christian @ Lubbock, TX – 3 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Newman – 3:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Softball: @ Ottawa, KS – 1 PM
- Women’s Basketball: @ Mount Marty – 2 PM
- Softball: @ Ottawa, KS – 3 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Mount Marty – 3:45 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney Girls Basketball v. Lincoln Northeast (3:15 PM – 5:15 PM)
- Kearney Boys Basketball v. Lincoln Northeast (5:15 PM – 7:15 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Tennis: v. Hastings – 8 AM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- N/a
