Monday Afternoon Sports – Markowski Makes it Four out of Five, Texans Hire Smith, Husker Women Fall at Maryland, UNK Wrestling Tonight, Local Sports Schedule

MARKOWSKI EARNS ANOTHER BIG TEN FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK AWARD:

Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski captured her fourth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week honor in the past five weeks, when the conference announced its award winners on Monday afternoon.

The forward/center averaged 14.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals over three games for the Huskers last week. Markowski opened the week with 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to notch her third double-double of the season in a low-scoring 50-38 win over Rutgers (Feb. 1). 

Two days later, Markowski led the Huskers with 18 points in a 76-61 win over Penn State (Feb. 3) at Pinnacle Bank Arena. With Nebraska clinging to a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter, Markowski joined forces with fellow freshman Allison Weidner to score 18 of NU’s final 20 points to close out the victory. 

Markowski, who has taken over the team scoring lead on the season (12.3 ppg) and ranks second among the Huskers in rebounding (7.0 rpg), is averaging 17.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals over the past nine games as a starter.

HOUSTON TEXANS HIRING LOVIE SMITH:

The Houston Texans are reportedly expected to hire Lovie Smith as head coach. The Houston position was open after the Texans fired David Culley on Jan. 13 following just one season.

He is best known for his tenure with the Chicago Bears, which lasted from 2004 through 2012 and included one trip to the Super Bowl and three playoff appearances. Smith posted an 81-63 record during his nine years with the Bears while leading teams that were best known for their defensive prowess.

Smith’s time as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not go as well, as evidenced by his 8-24 record in 2014 and 2015.

HUSKER WOMEN FALL TO MARYLAND DESPITE SCOGGINS BIG DAY:

Nebraska fought hard in the second half but could not overcome cold first-half shooting in an 80-65 loss at No. 17 Maryland on Sunday afternoon.

The Huskers slipped to 17-5 overall and 6-5 in the Big Ten while having their four-game winning streak snapped by the Terrapins, who improved to 17-6 and 9-3 in the conference.

Ashley Scoggin led the Huskers with a career-high 20 points on a career-high six three-pointers. Scoggin scored 12 on four threes in the second half to help Nebraska outscore Maryland 45-37 after halftime. Scoggin also led NU with a career-high four steals.

Nebraska continues Big Ten road action against another top-25 foe when the Huskers travel to No. 23 Ohio State on Tuesday. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Buckeyes in Columbus is set for 6 p.m.

TOP RATED BRONCHOS EDGE PAST #3 UNK WRESTLING:

The top-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos won the last two weights and took three other matches by less than two points to edge third-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, 18-17, Sunday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.

The ‘Chos (12-0, 3-0 MIAA) remain unbeaten while the Lopers fall to 9-4 (1-1). UNK hosts Newman today at 6 p.m. in a dual that was originally scheduled for mid-January.

UNK finishes up the regular season Friday night (Feb. 11) at Fort Hays State.

STORM FALL IN OVERTIME TO END WINNING STREAK:

The longest winning streak in the history of the Tri-City Storm organization was snapped in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Steel at the Fox Valley Ice Arena on Sunday. Josh Eernisse, Mitchell Miller, and Cole O’Hara scored goals for the Storm in the loss. 

Tri-City notched one point in the standings and is now one point away from tying the organization’s record for longest point streak. The Storm fell to 29-5-2-0 in the loss.

Tri-City hits the ice again on Friday, February 11th, in a road game against the Fargo Force. Puck drop for the game is set for 7:05pm

UNK TRACK’S FERGUSON BROKE ANOTHER RECORD:

The Nebraska-Kearney track and field team won nine events (four women and six men) at the Concordia Classic and Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational this weekend in Seward and Lincoln.

At UNL, redshirt freshman Wes Ferguson (Fremont) broke his own school-record in the 800 by running a winning-time of 1:49.53. The effort came in the “special invite session” on Saturday evening as he came in ahead of AJ Green from Kansas (1:50.60). Already ranked number one in D2 in this event, Ferguson’s old record of 1:50.00 happened January 22 at Northwest Missouri.

The Lopers head to Topeka, Kan., next Saturday for the Washburn Invite. A small group of men will run at Pittsburg State on Friday as well.

UNK MEN & WOMEN WIN OVER NEWMAN:

Guard Haley Simental tallied a season-high 21 points and No. T-22/27 Nebraska-Kearney went on a 7-0 run in the third quarter to get past Newman, 62-55, Saturday afternoon in Wichita.

Meanwhile, Loper Men’s Guard David Simental scored a season-high 33 points and Nebraska-Kearney shot 54 percent from the field to fly past Newman, 89-75, Saturday evening in Wichita.

UNK hosts Northeastern State and Rogers State next weekend.

NEBRASKA WRESTLING DROPS MATCHUP WITH PENN STATE:

The No. 8 Nebraska wrestling team fought valiantly but came up short against the No. 1 Penn State Nittany Lions as the Huskers lost 21-13 at Rec Hall in University Park, Pa., on Sunday. Nebraska finished the night with victories in four bouts including one major decision.

After the loss, the Huskers fell to 5-4 and 2-4 in the Big Ten, while Penn State improved to 16-0 and 8-0 in the conference.

Next up for the Huskers is a Feb. 13 showdown with Illinois. BTN will televise the action from the Devaney Center beginning at 11 a.m.

NEBRASKA BOWLING FINISHES SECOND IN COLOMBIA INVITE:

The Nebraska bowling team competed at the Columbia 300 Saints invitational and finished with a 5-3 record and total pinfall of 9,900, which put them in second place.

Nebraska will return to the lanes February 18th-20th at the Mid-Winter Invitational in Jonesboro, Ark.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Omaha South
    • KHS 67-35
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Omaha South
    • Omaha South 60-55
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Columbus Scotus
    • Scotus 34-32
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Columbus Scotus
    • KCHS 65-43
• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Newman
    • UNK 62-55
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Newman
    • UNK 89-75
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Mount Marty University
    • HC 67-59

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • WRESTLING: v. Newman @ Health & Sports Center – 6 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • WOMENS SWIMMING: RMAC Championships @ Grand Junction, CO
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: HAC Championships @ Lincoln Southeast – 9:45 AM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: HAC Championships @ Lincoln Southeast – 9:45 AM
• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Northeastern State @ Health & Sports Center – 5:30 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Northeastern State @ Health & Sports Center – 7:30 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: HAC Championships @ Fremont – 11 AM
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln North Star – 6 PM @ Kearney High School
    • Pregame on KGFW at 5:45 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln North Star – 7:45 PM @ Kearney High School
    • Pregame on KGFW at 7:30 PM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • WRESTLING: DISTRICTS @ O’Neill
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Lincoln Christian – 5 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Lincoln Christian – 7 PM
• UNK:
  • SOFTBALL: @ Lubbock Texas
    • v. Colorado Mines – 10 AM
    • v. Lubbock Christian – 2 PM
  • MENS TRACK: @ Indoor Gorillas Classic @ Pittsburg, KS
  • WRESTLING: @ Fort Hays State – 7 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • SOFTBALL: @ Cottey College (Nevada, MO) – 1 PM (Doubleheader)
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Briar Cliff University – 6 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Briar Cliff University – 7:45 P<

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • WRESTLING: DISTRICT WRESTLING @ Kearney High School – 9:30 AM
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: HAC Championships @ Fremont – 2 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Fremont – 4 PM 
    • Pregame on KGFW at 3:45 PM
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Fremont – 5:45 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW at 5:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: Kearney Invite – 9:30 AM @ Kearney High School
  • WRESTLING: DISTRICTS @ O’Neill
• UNK:
  • MENS TRACK: @ Indoor Gorillas Classic @ Pittsburg, KS
  • MENS TRACK: @ Ichabod Invite @ Wichita, KS
  • WOMENS TRACK: @ Washburn Invite
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Rogers State @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Rogers State @ Health & Sports Center – 4 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS WRESTLING: @ Warrior Open – Fremont
  • M/W T&F: @ Concordia Invite – 10 AM
  • SOFTBALL: @ Cottey College Round Robin
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ No. 8 Morningside – 2 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Morningside – 3:45 PM