Wednesday Afternoon Sports – Big Ten Considering Removal of Divisions, Husker T&F Another Award, Bourne Receives Scholarship, Loper Women Win in Oklahoma, Local Sports Schedule

BIG TEN CONSIDERING REMOVAL OF DIVISIONS:

The Big Ten is considering scheduling models that could eliminate divisions and reduce conference play to eight games according to a report stated by Iowa athletic director Gary Barta.

The Big Ten plays a nine-game conference schedule that features six divisional and three cross-divisional games. However, the league could reevaluate its positioning after its media rights expire following the 2022 season. 

The Alliance created last summer between three power conferences – the Big Ten, ACC, and Pac-12 – adds another level of intrigue to the situation. Each conference expressed interest in scheduling non-conference matchups heading forward. Eliminating a conference game could be a way to free up extra opportunities for non conference matchups.

No West Division team has won the conference in the eight years since the format was introduced in 2014.

ISABELLE BOURNE TO RECEIVE ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP:

Nebraska forward Isabelle Bourne has been selected as the recipient of the Latimer Family Women’s Basketball Scholarship, which will be presented for the first time during Thursday night’s game with Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The Latimer Family Women’s Basketball Scholarship recognizes a Husker who combines a high level of academic and athletic achievement, effective leadership skills, integrity and commitment to excellence in all endeavors.

Bourne, a 6-2 sophomore forward from Canberra, Australia, has been one of Nebraska’s top performers on the court and in the classroom in her three seasons for the Huskers. The two-time team captain is averaging 10.1 points and 4.4 rebounds while starting all 17 games for the Big Red this season, after earning honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades in 2020-21.

NEBRASKA T&F ALEX TALLEY EARNS SECOND BIG TEN HONOR:

Nebraska track and field’s Alex Talley was named the Big Ten Men’s Field Athlete of the Week for the second time this season

Talley captured his third win of the season in the shot put with a launch of 64-10 (19.76m), while finishing second with a toss of 69-10 1/4 (21.29m) in the weight throw.

The West Fargo, N.D., native leads the 12th-ranked Huskers as the Big Ten’s leader in the shot put and weight throw. On the national level, Talley currently sits fifth in both events.

LOPER WOMEN REBOUND WITH WIN IN TAHLEQUAH:

The now 17th/14th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney women’s basketball team shot 54 percent from the field and got 33 bench points to defeat Northeastern State, 58-46, Tuesday evening in Tahlequah, Okla.

This game was originally set for January 3rd but got postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the RiverHawks program. The two teams will meet again February 10th in Kearney.

UNK (16-3, 11-2) records its 16th straight win over the RiverHawks (4-13, 2-9) and also improves to 7-0 in true road games this winter.

In a game with MIAA and Central Region implications, UNK hosts the rival Fort Hays State Tigers Saturday afternoon.

COOK, “IF ALBERTS HAD NOT TAKEN THE AD JOB, I WOULD HAVE”:

Head Nebraska Volleyball Coach John Cook joined Lincoln’s 93.7 The Ticket on Tuesday and gave an interesting perspective regarding the Athletic Director hire made back in July, even adding he would have stepped into the role if needed… 

Cook reiterated that Nebraska Athletics was in desperate need of central leadership, and that Alberts has been one of the best Athletic Director’s that the Head Volleyball Coach has worked with at Nebraska. 

SEAN PAYTON TO LEAVE SAINTS:

In a shocking move, Sean Payton is stepping down as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. The initial report is that Payton is retiring from coaching altogether.

Payton has been the Saints head coach since 2006, helping turn the franchise into one of the NFL’s best during his tenure. He led the team to its first Super Bowl title in the 2009 season with a 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

After a rough three-year stretch from 2014 to ’16, Payton made the Saints into one of the most dominant teams in the NFC. They had a streak of four consecutive NFC South titles from 2017 to ’20.

He is the franchise’s all-time leader in games coached (241), wins (151), playoff games (17) and playoff wins (nine).

KEARNEY BOYS BASKETBALL DOMINATES NORTHWEST, AWAITS NORTH PLATTE:

The Kearney High School Boys Basketball team hit the road Tuesday for a matchup with the Omaha Northwest Huskies and dominated, winning 70-42.

The Bearcats edged past the winless Huskies in the first quarter 18-14, but then stormed by with huge offensive quarters scoring another 18 in the second and 19 in the third. 

Kearney improves to 8-7 on the year and hits the road again on Thursday to take on North Platte in a game rescheduled from earlier this month. 

HUSKER WOMEN RETURN HOME TO FACE BADGERS:

Following a 10-day competitive layoff due to health and safety protocols, Nebraska will return to action Thursday night to battle the Wisconsin Badgers as part of a men’s and women’s basketball double-header between the two schools at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Tip-off between the Husker women (13-4, 2-4 Big Ten) and the Badgers (5-13, 2-6 Big Ten) is set for 8 p.m. (CT) with live coverage by the Big Ten Network.

Because of the rare double-header, men’s basketball ticket holders for the Wisconsin game will be able to attend the women’s game and sit in select general admission areas free of charge

Nebraska will be looking forward to the return of Jaz Shelley to the court after missing the game at Iowa (Jan. 16) because of COVID protocols. Shelley is the only Big Ten player to rank in the conference’s top in scoring (13.8 ppg), rebounding (7.5 rpg), assists (4.4 apg), blocks (1.2 bpg) and steals (1.8 spg).

The Badgers have won two of their past three Big Ten games, including their first road win with a 49-45 victory at Rutgers (Jan. 16).

HUSKER MEN’S BASKETBALL READY TO RETURN TO ACTION:

The Nebraska men’s basketball team returns from a short pause on Thursday afternoon, as the Huskers host No. 11 Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. (central) and will be carried on the Big Ten Network and the Huskers Radio Network.

The matchup was originally scheduled for Jan. 25, but was pushed back two days to allow for Nebraska to return from its short pause

The Huskers (6-13, 0-8 Big Ten) have been off since a 78-71 loss to Indiana on Jan. 17

Wisconsin (15-3, 6-2 Big Ten) looks to bounce back following an 86-74 loss to No. 14 Michigan State on Jan. 21.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Omaha Northwest
    • KHS 70-42
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament
    • #4 KCHS v. #5 GICC
      • GICC 48-39
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament
    • #2 KCHS v. #7 Lincoln Lutheran
      • KCHS 63-50
• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Northeastern State
    • UNK 58-46
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ No. 19 Concordia – 6 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ No. 25 Concordia – 7:45 PM

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ North Platte – 5 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW starting at 4:45 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ North Platte – 6:45 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW starting at 6:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament @ Bergan
    • #4 Kearney Catholic v. #3 Archbishop Bergan 
• UNK:
  • WRESTLING: @ Central Missouri – 7 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Westside Invite
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln High – 6 PM
    • Pregame coverage on KGFW starting at 5:45 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln High – 7:45 PM
    • Pregame coverage on KGFW starting at 7:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Westside Invite
  • WRESTLING: v. Perkins County
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament @ GICC
    • #2 Kearney Catholic v. #3 Omaha Concordia – 7:45 PM
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: Charlie Foster Classic Invite @ Cushing Coliseum – 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ Charlie Foster Classic, Kearney
  • MENS WRESTLING: @ Sioux City, IA (GPAC Duals)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:WRESTLING: @ Garden City, KS Invite
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Westside Invite
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Westside Invite
  • WRESTLING: @ Doniphan-Trumbull Invite
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament @ TBA
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: Centennial Conference Tournament @ GICC
• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Fort Hays State @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Fort Hays State @ Health & Sports Center – 4 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Dordt University @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 2 PM
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Dordt University @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 4 PM