HUSKER WOMEN’S HOOPS RETURN HOME FOR ILLINOIS MATCHUP:
The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena tonight to open an important two-game series with Illinois.
Tip-off between the Huskers (14-9, 6-6 Big Ten) and the Fighting Illini (18-6, 8-5 Big Ten) is set for 7 p.m with KGFW’s pregame beginning after a shortened Sports Nightly at 6:45.
Nebraska and Illinois are both battling for position in the heart of the Big Ten standings. The Huskers are coming off their second straight win, a 78-66 victory at Northwestern on Monday night in Evanston.
Illinois comes to Lincoln as one of the nation’s most improved teams under first-year Head Coach Shauna Green. The Fighting Illini own an 11-game improvement in the win column from a year ago (7-20) and have already secured just their second winning season since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.
HUSKER FOOTBALL ASSISTANT COACH COMMENTS – WAGER & McGUIRE:
WAGER – JOURNEY GETTING TO NEBRASKA:
Nebraska Football tight ends coach Bob Wager arrived in Lincoln from the Texas High School ranks, and addressed the media for the first time Thursday afternoon talking about the journey joining the Huskers…
The Huskers are hoping Wager’s Texas ties can open up more recruiting avenues in the Lone Star State.
WAGER – TIMING WASN’T RIGHT BEFORE TO HEAD TO COLLEGE:
Nebraska Tight Ends Coach Bob Wager spoke to the media for the first time on Thursday afternoon and was asked why he chose to leave for college now instead electing to stay in the Texas high school ranks for years…
Wager ended his Texas coaching career with over 200 career wins and aiding several players to the college and professional ranks, including former No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Myles Garrett.
WAGER – TIGHT END ROOM IS ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS
New Nebraska Tight Ends Coach Bob Wager spoke to the media for the first time Thursday afternoon and gave his views on the tight end room for the Big Red…
Nebraska has a talented room with former No. 1 overall tight end Thomas Fidone still on the roster, along with Georgia transfer Arik Gilbert.
McGUIRE – LEARNED A LOT IN CAROLINA:
New Nebraska Football wide receiver coach Garrett McGuire was introduced for the first time on Thursday afternoon, and was asked about his experience and what he learned during his stint with the Carolina Panthers…
The Huskers hired the youngest assistant coach in Big Red football history as the former Baylor quarterback is only 23 years old.
McGUIRE – FATHER ADVICE FOR COACHING:
Garrett McGuire – Nebraska Football wide receivers coach – was asked how his father has aided in his coaching progression since his departure from his playing days…
McGuire comes from a strong line of coaching, as his father Joey is the current head coach for Texas Tech and just led the Red Raiders to an 8-5 record and bowl appearance last season.
McGUIRE – RECEIVER ROOM IS BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS:
Garrett McGuire is the youngest coach on staff for the Big Red as he is touted to lead the receivers, but says his role as assistant coach is to help build relationships within the locker room…
McGuire was previously with the Carolina Panthers and was also a backup quarterback under Matt Rhule while at Baylor.
NEBRASKA HOOPS DROPPED BY MICHIGAN’S HOT SHOOTING:
A game of runs did not go Nebraska’s way Wednesday night. Michigan’s hot shooting proved to be too much as the Wolverines defeated the Huskers 93-72 in Ann Arbor.
The Huskers got out to a great start. Keisei Tominaga’s off-ball movement was tough for Michigan to keep up with and allowed Nebraska to put up easy shots. After a Tominaga three, NU held a 12-11 lead with 14:34 to go in the first half
The Wolverines took over from there. Michigan proceeded to go on a colossal 30-5 run, giving the hosts a 41-17 lead.
The loss dropped Nebraska to 11-14 overall and 4-10 in the Big Ten. The Huskers’ next game is at 3 p.m. Saturday against the Wisconsin Badgers at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
BIG RED FOOTBALL ASSISTANT COACH WAGER’S CONTRACT FINALIZED:
The salary information of Husker tight ends coach Bob Wager was provided by the university on Wednesday, giving a complete picture of the dollar figures attached to Matt Rhule’s on-field coaching staff at Nebraska.
Wager will make a base salary of $315,000 and has a contract that runs three years. The former successful head coach of Arlington Martin (Texas) High School was the last of the full-time assistants whose salary information had not been supplied before Wednesday.
Prior to coming to Nebraska, Wager posted a 206-100-1 career record as a high school coach in Texas, working with numerous future FBS and NFL talents – including coaching No. 1 NFL draft pick Myles Garrett.
THREE HUSKER ALUMS RECEIVE COMBINE BIDS:
A trio of Huskers earned NFL Scouting Combine invites.
Linebacker Ochaun Mathis, wide receiver Trey Palmer and tight end Travis Vokolek all received invites this week.
The NFL announced that 319 prospects received Combine invites for the event that runs from Feb. 28 through March 6.
All three former Huskers have been busy since the end of the season. Palmer was selected for the Senior Bowl and had a strong week of practices leading up to the game. Mathis played in the East-West Shrine Game in January, while Vokolek also played in the East-West Shrine Game, though he didn’t record a catch.
Notably left off the list was EDGE rusher Garrett Nelson, who became one of the last Huskers to declare for the NFL Draft.
HUSKER BASEBALL SET TO RETIRE ERSTAD, GORDON, AND KOMINE JERSEYS:
The Nebraska Athletics Department has announced that former Nebraska baseball All-Americans Darin Erstad, Alex Gordon and Shane Komine will have their jerseys retired in a ceremony prior to the start of the Huskers’ game against Illinois on Friday, March 24.
Erstad, Gordon and Komine become the first three players to earn the high distinction in the program’s 117-year history.
Erstad was a history maker on the diamond, and he was also the starting punter on the Huskers 1994 national championship football team
After earning freshman All-America honors in 2003, Gordon was honored as a first-team All-American in both 2004 and 2005. In 2005, he was the consensus national player of the year.
One of the top pitchers in NCAA history, Komine rewrote the Husker pitching record book while leading the program to new heights. He posted a 41-8 record with a 2.84 ERA over 68 career appearances and 59 starts, tossing 18 complete-games and four shutouts.
FORMER HUSKER LUE ADDED TO USA TEAM BASKETBALL STAFF:
Los Angeles Clippers coach, and former Husker men’s basketball player, Tyronn Lue will replace Phoenix’s Monty Williams on the USA Basketball men’s national team coaching staff for this year’s World Cup and next year’s Paris Olympics.
Lue joins head coach Steve Kerr of Golden State and fellow assistants Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat and Mark Few of Gonzaga on the staff. Williams stepped down because of family commitments.
The U.S. has not yet qualified for either this summer’s World Cup or the 2024 Olympics. The Americans — who use mostly G League players in qualifying games, before filling the roster with NBA talent for the major tournaments — will look to clinch a World Cup berth in the sixth and final window of qualifying games for that tournament later this month.
SUNS SWAP WITH NETS FOR DURANT:
The Phoenix Suns pulled a midnight blockbuster on Wednesday, acquiring 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.
The Suns added Durant to a starting lineup that already includes an All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker, along with center Deandre Ayton.
Phoenix sent Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets.
The 34-year-old Durant is still playing at an elite level, averaging nearly 30 points per game this season.
WESTBROOK TRADED FROM LAKERS TO UTAH:
The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Russell Westbrook to Utah and reacquiring guard D’Angelo Russell from Minnesota in a three-team, eight-player deal.
Los Angeles is also getting guard Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt from the Jazz, bolstering its core around LeBron James in a bid to jump-start its sputtering season. The Lakers fell to 25-30 on Tuesday while James set the NBA’s career scoring record, and they sit in 13th place in the 15-team Western Conference.
The Lakers are sending Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and their first-round pick in 2027 to Utah with Westbrook.
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: HAC Diving Championships @ Lincoln Southwest – 9:45 AM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: HAC Diving Championships @ Lincoln Southwest – 9:45 AM
- UNK:
- Women’s Swimming: @ RMAC Championships @ Grand Junction, CO
- Women’s Basketball: v. Central Missouri @ Health & Sports Center – 5:30 PM
- Men’s Basketball: v. Central Missouri @ Health & Sports Center – 7:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Men’s Basketball: v. Nebraska Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 7:30 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 6:45 PM)
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Illinois (6:45 PM – 10 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Wrestling: DISTRICTS @ North Platte
- Swimming & Diving: HAC Championships @ Fremont YMCA – 11 AM
- Girls Basketball: @ Lincoln Southeast – 5:45 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 5:30 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ Lincoln Southeast – 7:30 PM
- KGFW Pregame after KHS GBB
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: DISTRICTS @ Mitchell
- Swimming & Diving: HAC Championships @ Fremont YMCA – 11 AM
- Girls Basketball: v. Lincoln Christian – 5 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Lincoln Christian – 7 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Swimming: @ RMAC Championships @ Grand Junction, CO
- M/W T&F: @ Gorilla Classic @ Pittsburg, KS
- Women’s Tennis: v. Colorado Mesa @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center – 10 AM
- M/W T&F: @ Ichabod Invitational @ Topeka, KS
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- M/W T&F: @ Concordia Indoor Invite – 10 AM
- Men’s Tennis: v. Colorado Mesa @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center – 4 PM
- Women’s Tennis: v. Colorado Mesa @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center – 4 PM
- Women’s Basketball: @ Briar Cliff – 6 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Briar Cliff – 7:45 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney Girls Basketball @ Lincoln Southeast (5:30 PM – 7:30 PM)
- Kearney Boys Basketball @ Lincoln Southeast (7:30 PM – 9:30 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Wrestling: DISTRICTS @ North Platte – 8 AM
- Swimming & Diving: HAC Championships @ Fremont YMCA – 2 PM
- Girls Basketball: v. Columbus @ Kearney High School – 3:30 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 3:15 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Columbus @ Kearney High School – 5:15 PM
- KGFW Pregame after KHS GBB
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: DISTRICTS @ Mitchell
- Swimming & Diving: HAC Championships @ Fremont YMCA – 2 PM
- UNK:
- Women’s Swimming: @ RMAC Championships @ Grand Junction, CO
- M/W T&F: @ Ichabod Invitational @ Topeka, KS – 11:30 AM
- M/W T&F: @ Gorilla Classic @ Pittsburg, KS
- Women’s Basketball: v. Lincoln U. @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
- Men’s Basketball: v. Lincoln U. @ Health & Sports Center – 4 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Men’s Tennis: v. Ottawa – 12 PM
- Baseball: v. William Penn, IA @ Winfield, KS – 12 PM
- Softball: @ Bethel, KS @ North Newton, KS – 1 PM
- Women’s Tennis: v. Ottawa – 1 PM
- Women’s Basketball: @ Morningside – 2 PM
- Softball: @ Bethel, KS @ North Newton, KS – 3 PM
- Baseball: v. William Penn, IA @ Winfield, KS – 3 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Morningside – 3:45 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney Girls Basketball v. Columbus (3:15 PM – 5:15 PM)
- Kearney Boys Basketball v. Columbus (5:15 PM – 7:15 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Tennis: v. Augustana @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center – 9:30 AM
- Softball: @ Colorado Springs – 1 PM
- Women’s Tennis: v. Cowley, KS College @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center – 2 PM
- Wrestling: @ Central Oklahoma – 2 PM
- Softball: @ Colorado Springs – 3 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Women’s Wrestling: @ Warrior Open @ Fremont – 9 AM
- Men’s Bowling: @ Baker Invitational @ Lawrence, KS – 10 AM
- Women’s Bowling: @ Baker Invitational @ Lawrence, KS – 10 AM
- Baseball: v. Southwestern @ Winfield, KS – 12 PM
- Baseball: v. Southwestern @ Winfield, KS – 3 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball @ Michigan (12 PM – 3 PM)
