Story by NU Athletic Communications Photo by Jordan Opp

Nebraska stormed back from a second-half deficit with a 19-3 run late in the second half, but Michigan held on for an 85-79 win over the Huskers on Tuesday night in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Bryce McGowens poured in a team-high 24 points to lead Nebraska, becoming the first freshman in program history to score at least 20 points in four consecutive games.

Derrick Walker added 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting followed by eight points apiece by Alonzo Verge Jr. and C.J. Wilcher.

Nebraska shot 50.8 percent from the field, including 12-of-15 from the free throw line. NU shot 7-of-18 from three-point range while limiting Michigan to 2-of-15 shooting from long distance.

Hunter Dickinson led Michigan with 26 points and eight rebounds while Eli Brooks added 20 for the winners.

The Huskers and Wolverines exchanged buckets for the first 10 minutes, with a layup by Eduardo Andre giving Nebraska a slim 22-20 advantage with 9:18 remaining in the first half.

A 12-3 spurt in the span of 3:08 helped Nebraska build 36-26 lead with 4:57 in the first half. A pair of jumpers by Bryce McGowens, a trey from Wilcher and five straight points by Verge Jr. paced the Huskers in the three-minute rally.

Michigan responded with a 7-0 run of its own to close the gap to three with 2:40 left in the half before Lat Mayen knocked down a three-pointer to stretch the lead to 43-33 with 1:17 left.

The Huskers shot 54.8 percent from the floor in the first half, including 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from beyond the arc to give NU a 44-37 at the break.

The Wolverines raced out to a 20-3 run to begin the second half, taking a 57-47 lead with 13:57 remaining in the game.

Nebraska roared back, using a 19-3 run of its own to regain the lead. Three pointers by Wilcher and Kobe Webster and a layup by Walker brought the Big Red back within three at 58-55 with 11:41 left.

Nebraska took a 64-60 lead after Keisei Tominaga scored on back-to-back layups. McGowens capped off a 19-3 run by the Huskers with a pair of free throws, expanding the NU lead to 66-60 with 8:51 remaining.

The Huskers took a 73-66 lead with 6:06 left after a three-pointer by Tominaga before a quick 6-0 run in a little over a minute brought the Wolverines within one with 5:04 left in the game.

After a pair of Wilcher free throws tied the game at 79 with 1:20 remaining, the Wolverines scored the go-ahead layup with 1:10 left and went 4-of-4 on free throws in the final minute to clinch the 85-79 win.

The Huskers return to action on Saturday, Feb. 5, hosting Northwestern at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for noon and the game will be on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.

Story by NU Athletic Communications Photo by Jordan OppNebraska stormed back from a second-half deficit with a 19-3 run late in the second half, but Michigan held on for an 85-79 win over the Huskers on Tuesday night in Ann Arbor, Mich.Bryce McGowens poured in a team-high 24 points to lead Nebraska, becoming the first freshman in program history to score at least 20 points in four consecutive games.Derrick Walker added 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting followed by eight points apiece by Alonzo Verge Jr. and C.J. Wilcher.Nebraska shot 50.8 percent from the field, including 12-of-15 from the free throw line. NU shot 7-of-18 from three-point range while limiting Michigan to 2-of-15 shooting from long distance.Hunter Dickinson led Michigan with 26 points and eight rebounds while Eli Brooks added 20 for the winners.The Huskers and Wolverines exchanged buckets for the first 10 minutes, with a layup by Eduardo Andre giving Nebraska a slim 22-20 advantage with 9:18 remaining in the first half.A 12-3 spurt in the span of 3:08 helped Nebraska build 36-26 lead with 4:57 in the first half. A pair of jumpers by Bryce McGowens, a trey from Wilcher and five straight points by Verge Jr. paced the Huskers in the three-minute rally.Michigan responded with a 7-0 run of its own to close the gap to three with 2:40 left in the half before Lat Mayen knocked down a three-pointer to stretch the lead to 43-33 with 1:17 left.The Huskers shot 54.8 percent from the floor in the first half, including 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from beyond the arc to give NU a 44-37 at the break.The Wolverines raced out to a 20-3 run to begin the second half, taking a 57-47 lead with 13:57 remaining in the game.Nebraska roared back, using a 19-3 run of its own to regain the lead. Three pointers by Wilcher and Kobe Webster and a layup by Walker brought the Big Red back within three at 58-55 with 11:41 left.Nebraska took a 64-60 lead after Keisei Tominaga scored on back-to-back layups. McGowens capped off a 19-3 run by the Huskers with a pair of free throws, expanding the NU lead to 66-60 with 8:51 remaining.The Huskers took a 73-66 lead with 6:06 left after a three-pointer by Tominaga before a quick 6-0 run in a little over a minute brought the Wolverines within one with 5:04 left in the game.After a pair of Wilcher free throws tied the game at 79 with 1:20 remaining, the Wolverines scored the go-ahead layup with 1:10 left and went 4-of-4 on free throws in the final minute to clinch the 85-79 win.The Huskers return to action on Saturday, Feb. 5, hosting Northwestern at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for noon and the game will be on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.

Huskers Suffer Close Loss at Michigan

Story and Photo by Daniel Stinman -&nbsp;Director of Marketing and Public Information

North Platte, Neb. – The Knights fought back from a double-digit second half deficit to defeat the Plainsmen of Northeastern Junior College on Tuesday night, 67-63.

Freshman Nico Felici finished with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists, while teammate German Plotnikov and Timur Krupalija closed out the night with 14 points and 13 points, respectively.&nbsp;

North Platte (7-9) trailed by as many as ten in the second half but rallied to pull within three with 3:43 remaining. Knights tightened their grip on defense, before Plotnikov delivered a vital three from the corner to give the Knights a three-point advantage. Northeastern attempted to regain some momentum in the closing minutes, but the Knights sealed the game at the free throw line by going a perfect 4-for-4 over the last sixty-five seconds.

Knights trailed in the opening minutes, before capturing their first lead of the game on a step back jumper by Plotnikov with 11:42 to play in the first half. The margin stayed under five until Obi Agbim connected on a baseline jumper to extend the Plainsmen lead to six. North Platte tallied only one more field goal in the half and faced a nine-point deficit as teams headed into the locker room, 37-28.

Knights return home on Saturday, Feb. 5 for a DI Region IX game against the Cougars of Western Nebraska Community College. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Story and Photo by Daniel Stinman -&nbsp;Director of Marketing and Public InformationNorth Platte, Neb. – The Knights fought back from a double-digit second half deficit to defeat the Plainsmen of Northeastern Junior College on Tuesday night, 67-63.Freshman Nico Felici finished with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists, while teammate German Plotnikov and Timur Krupalija closed out the night with 14 points and 13 points, respectively.&nbsp;North Platte (7-9) trailed by as many as ten in the second half but rallied to pull within three with 3:43 remaining. Knights tightened their grip on defense, before Plotnikov delivered a vital three from the corner to give the Knights a three-point advantage. Northeastern attempted to regain some momentum in the closing minutes, but the Knights sealed the game at the free throw line by going a perfect 4-for-4 over the last sixty-five seconds.Knights trailed in the opening minutes, before capturing their first lead of the game on a step back jumper by Plotnikov with 11:42 to play in the first half. The margin stayed under five until Obi Agbim connected on a baseline jumper to extend the Plainsmen lead to six. North Platte tallied only one more field goal in the half and faced a nine-point deficit as teams headed into the locker room, 37-28.Knights return home on Saturday, Feb. 5 for a DI Region IX game against the Cougars of Western Nebraska Community College. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Knights surge past Northeastern

Story and Photo by Daniel Stinman -&nbsp;Director of Marketing and Public Information

North Platte, Neb. – Kayla Pope matched her career-high 25 points, as the Knights held off a late rally by the Plainswomen of Northeastern Junior College on Tuesday night, 57-49.

"It was a great defensive effort tonight," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "We forced 19 turnovers and won the battle on the boards, which helped us secure the win."

North Platte dominated on the glass, 52-39, as second chance opportunities helped the Knights control the flow of the game.

A quiet start for the Knights over the opening minutes helped the Plainswomen jump out to a four-point lead. A short 3-0 burst brought the Knights back within one, as Diamond Moore-Heath connected on an off-balanced shot in the paint. The Plainswomen answered with a step back three inside the closing seconds to stretch their lead back to four at the end of the opening quarter, 10-6.

A 13-2 run to open the second quarter, gave the Knights a seven-point advantage with 5:30 to play. The strong defense applied by the Knights clamped down on the Northeastern offense, limiting the road team to only five more points over the remainder of the quarter. Back-to-back three pointers by Janay Brauer kept the Knights offense running, as they closed the quarter with a nine-point advantage.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Out of the break, the Knights extended their lead to fourteen on a three by Pope. Northeastern found some momentum and cut the deficit to six with 7:13 remaining. Knights picked up the defensive pressure and managed to extend their lead to eight, as teams headed into the final quarter.

Northeastern found their rhythm offensively as they trimmed the deficit to two over the opening four minutes of the fourth quarter. The game remained tight until Pope connected on an open three from the right wing to push the lead back to six. Down the stretch, the Knights defense picked up and held off the late charge by the Plainswomen to seal the win.

Knights (16-8) hit the road for a pivotal game against DII Region IX opponent Central Community College on Saturday, Feb. 5. Tip is set for 2 p.m. inside the Raider Field House in Columbus.

Story and Photo by Daniel Stinman -&nbsp;Director of Marketing and Public InformationNorth Platte, Neb. – Kayla Pope matched her career-high 25 points, as the Knights held off a late rally by the Plainswomen of Northeastern Junior College on Tuesday night, 57-49."It was a great defensive effort tonight," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "We forced 19 turnovers and won the battle on the boards, which helped us secure the win."North Platte dominated on the glass, 52-39, as second chance opportunities helped the Knights control the flow of the game.A quiet start for the Knights over the opening minutes helped the Plainswomen jump out to a four-point lead. A short 3-0 burst brought the Knights back within one, as Diamond Moore-Heath connected on an off-balanced shot in the paint. The Plainswomen answered with a step back three inside the closing seconds to stretch their lead back to four at the end of the opening quarter, 10-6.A 13-2 run to open the second quarter, gave the Knights a seven-point advantage with 5:30 to play. The strong defense applied by the Knights clamped down on the Northeastern offense, limiting the road team to only five more points over the remainder of the quarter. Back-to-back three pointers by Janay Brauer kept the Knights offense running, as they closed the quarter with a nine-point advantage.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Out of the break, the Knights extended their lead to fourteen on a three by Pope. Northeastern found some momentum and cut the deficit to six with 7:13 remaining. Knights picked up the defensive pressure and managed to extend their lead to eight, as teams headed into the final quarter.Northeastern found their rhythm offensively as they trimmed the deficit to two over the opening four minutes of the fourth quarter. The game remained tight until Pope connected on an open three from the right wing to push the lead back to six. Down the stretch, the Knights defense picked up and held off the late charge by the Plainswomen to seal the win.Knights (16-8) hit the road for a pivotal game against DII Region IX opponent Central Community College on Saturday, Feb. 5. Tip is set for 2 p.m. inside the Raider Field House in Columbus.

Knights hold off late rally to defeat Plainswomen

Atwood-Rawlins County, KS 49, Hitchcock County 37 Chase County 55, Yuma, CO 29 Hershey 70, Mullen 31 Lincoln Pius X 64, North Platte 35 Maywood-Hayes Center 53, Medicine Valley 25 North Platte St. Patrick's 47, Paxton 38 Perkins County 66, Maxwell 39 Sutherland 45, Garden County 42 Wallace 61, Brady 21

Hershey 51, Mullen 46 Lincoln Pius X 84, North Platte 47 Maxwell 59, Perkins County 57 Medicine Valley 52, Maywood-Hayes Center 37 Wallace 77, Brady 55 Yuma, CO 85, Chase County 52

Girls basketballAtwood-Rawlins County, KS 49, Hitchcock County 37 Chase County 55, Yuma, CO 29 Hershey 70, Mullen 31 Lincoln Pius X 64, North Platte 35 Maywood-Hayes Center 53, Medicine Valley 25 North Platte St. Patrick's 47, Paxton 38 Perkins County 66, Maxwell 39 Sutherland 45, Garden County 42 Wallace 61, Brady 21Boys basketballHershey 51, Mullen 46 Lincoln Pius X 84, North Platte 47 Maxwell 59, Perkins County 57 Medicine Valley 52, Maywood-Hayes Center 37 Wallace 77, Brady 55 Yuma, CO 85, Chase County 52

Area sports: Basketball results from 2/1/2022

News Release North Platte Community College

Four winners have been announced in the Mid-Plains Community College Shooting Club raffle.

Ryan Propst, of North Platte, won three flats of shotgun shells, and Trevor Peterson, of Imperial, won two flats. Dick Potts, of Cambridge, and Greg Weigel, of North Platte, each won 50-pound bundles of ground beef.

More than $2,400 was raised from the raffle, the proceeds of which will be used to help offset the cost of entry fees and travel expenses for upcoming competitions.

The Shooting Club, an area-wide club that is open to both traditional and non-traditional students, is new to MPCC. Members began training over the fall semester and will start competing this spring.

They will have a practice competition Feb. 26 against the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. The first actual competition for the MPCC Shooting Club will be during the Doane Invite in Lincoln March 5.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643735615463.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>News Release North Platte Community CollegeFour winners have been announced in the Mid-Plains Community College Shooting Club raffle.Ryan Propst, of North Platte, won three flats of shotgun shells, and Trevor Peterson, of Imperial, won two flats. Dick Potts, of Cambridge, and Greg Weigel, of North Platte, each won 50-pound bundles of ground beef.More than $2,400 was raised from the raffle, the proceeds of which will be used to help offset the cost of entry fees and travel expenses for upcoming competitions.The Shooting Club, an area-wide club that is open to both traditional and non-traditional students, is new to MPCC. Members began training over the fall semester and will start competing this spring.They will have a practice competition Feb. 26 against the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. The first actual competition for the MPCC Shooting Club will be during the Doane Invite in Lincoln March 5.

North Platte man wins MPCC Shooting Club raffle

2.1.2022 NPHS at Lincoln Pius X - LIVESTREAM

Your North Platte High School wrestling team has qualified for the 2022 NSAA Class A State Dual Tournament Championships to be held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, NE this coming Saturday (2.5.22) starting at 10:30 AM!&nbsp;

The Bulldogs will bring a 22-4 dual record to Kearney on Saturday and are projected to grab the #5 seed in the Class A bracket. They are projected to square off against Norfolk in the opening round.&nbsp;

Best of luck to the Dawgs and congratulations&nbsp;on this amazing accomplishment!&nbsp; &nbsp;

Your North Platte High School wrestling team has qualified for the 2022 NSAA Class A State Dual Tournament Championships to be held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, NE this coming Saturday (2.5.22) starting at 10:30 AM!&nbsp; The Bulldogs will bring a 22-4 dual record to Kearney on Saturday and are projected to grab the #5 seed in the Class A bracket. They are projected to square off against Norfolk in the opening round.&nbsp; Best of luck to the Dawgs and congratulations&nbsp;on this amazing accomplishment!&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643649147253.jpeg" alt="State Dual.jpg" />
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NPHS Qualifies for state dual tournament

Peru, Neb. – Avery Johnson's first career double-double helped pace the Knights, as North Platte dominated the Bobcats of Peru State College JV on Sunday afternoon, 91-46.

"This was a good road win for us," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "Despite the margin of victory, we will need to clean up a few things as we prepare for a tough matchup on Tuesday."

Johnson tallied up her 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-4 from the free throw line, while adding 13 rebounds.

Teammate Janay Brauer contributed 17 points, on 6-of-12 shooting, while grabbing five rebounds and three steals. Sophomore Kayla Pope also chipped in 17 points, eight assists, and three rebounds against the Bobcats.

North Platte flexed their muscle early, jumping out to an 11-5 lead in the opening four minutes of the first quarter. Strong defense gave the Knights extra offensive possessions, as a three by Brauer capped off a 19-5 run to end the first quarter.

The Knights dominance continued in the second quarter, as Madison Heinzen added her name to the scoring column with a layup to extend the lead to twenty-four. Strong defense by the Knights allowed only one field goal for the Bobcats over the opening 7:42, as North Platte extended their lead to thirty-eight. Peru State responded in the closing minutes, launching an 8-0 run to trim the margin to thirty by the halftime break, 51-21.

Out of the break, the Knights pushed their lead to thirty-nine on a baseline jumper by Johnson. Peru State would begin to exploit some holes in the Knights defense, as the Bobcats matched North Platte bucket for bucket for the remainder of the quarter.

Peru State scored the opening bucket of the fourth quarter, before the Knights lead grew to forty-five when Dayonna Roberts connected with Jada Ballard in transition for an open layup. The Bobcats offense got a little spark midway through the fourth quarter, but North Platte once again tightened up on defense and controlled the final minutes to seal the road win.&nbsp;

Knights (15-8) return home on Tuesday, Feb. 1 for a rematch against the Plainswomen of Northeastern Junior College. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium. North Platte won the previous matchup in Sterling on Jan. 11, 70-51.

Peru, Neb. – Avery Johnson's first career double-double helped pace the Knights, as North Platte dominated the Bobcats of Peru State College JV on Sunday afternoon, 91-46."This was a good road win for us," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "Despite the margin of victory, we will need to clean up a few things as we prepare for a tough matchup on Tuesday."Johnson tallied up her 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-4 from the free throw line, while adding 13 rebounds.Teammate Janay Brauer contributed 17 points, on 6-of-12 shooting, while grabbing five rebounds and three steals. Sophomore Kayla Pope also chipped in 17 points, eight assists, and three rebounds against the Bobcats.North Platte flexed their muscle early, jumping out to an 11-5 lead in the opening four minutes of the first quarter. Strong defense gave the Knights extra offensive possessions, as a three by Brauer capped off a 19-5 run to end the first quarter.The Knights dominance continued in the second quarter, as Madison Heinzen added her name to the scoring column with a layup to extend the lead to twenty-four. Strong defense by the Knights allowed only one field goal for the Bobcats over the opening 7:42, as North Platte extended their lead to thirty-eight. Peru State responded in the closing minutes, launching an 8-0 run to trim the margin to thirty by the halftime break, 51-21.Out of the break, the Knights pushed their lead to thirty-nine on a baseline jumper by Johnson. Peru State would begin to exploit some holes in the Knights defense, as the Bobcats matched North Platte bucket for bucket for the remainder of the quarter.Peru State scored the opening bucket of the fourth quarter, before the Knights lead grew to forty-five when Dayonna Roberts connected with Jada Ballard in transition for an open layup. The Bobcats offense got a little spark midway through the fourth quarter, but North Platte once again tightened up on defense and controlled the final minutes to seal the road win.&nbsp;Knights (15-8) return home on Tuesday, Feb. 1 for a rematch against the Plainswomen of Northeastern Junior College. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium. North Platte won the previous matchup in Sterling on Jan. 11, 70-51.

Hot shooting propels No. 17 North Central Missouri to win over Knights

Lincoln - Alexis Markowski scored 20 of her game-high 23 points in the second half to help Nebraska build a 22-point lead on its way to an 81-66 women's basketball win on Sunday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Fellow freshman Allison Weidner scored all of her career-high 14 points in the first half to help the Huskers take a 35-23 halftime lead that Purdue was unable to cut to single digits the rest of the way. Nebraska improved to 15-4 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten with its second straight victory, while Purdue slipped to 13-8 overall and 4-6 in the conference.

Nebraska's victory marked its 100th women's basketball win inside Pinnacle Bank Arena since opening the building with a victory over UCLA on Nov. 8, 2013. The Huskers improved to 11-1 at home in 2021-22.

Isabelle Bourne added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Sam Haiby put four Huskers in double figures with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists. Jaz Shelley also put together an impressive all-around effort with eight points and team highs of seven rebounds, six assists, three blocked shots and three steals.

After going just 1-for-6 from the field in the first half with the lone make coming on a three-pointer, Markowski hit 7-of-8 shots in the second half including two more threes. The four-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week from Lincoln finished the day 8-of-14 from the floor, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. In her six games as a starter, Markowski is a remarkable 12-for-15 from three-point land. She added a team-high seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block for the Big Red against the Boilermakers.

While Markowski carried Nebraska in the second half it was her fellow Nebraskan Weidner who carried NU to a first-half lead. Weidner scored 12 points in a seven-minute stretch to end the first quarter and start the second, combining with Bourne on an 18-2 NU outburst to take control of the game. The 5-10 guard from Humphrey, Neb., went 5-for-5 from the field in the first half, including a three-pointer, while adding a trio of free throws. She added five rebounds, an assist and a steal in the game.

Overall, Nebraska hit 50 percent (29-58) of its shots from the field, including a scorching 11-for-20 three-pointers (.550) against a Purdue team that entered the game as the Big Ten's best three-point field goal percentage defense. The Huskers also hit 12-of-16 free throws (.750) and won the rebounding battle, 41-38.

The Huskers held Purdue to just 36.2 percent (25-69) shooting, including 10-of-31 threes (.323), while the Boilers hit just 6-of-13 free throws. Purdue did win the turnover battle, 18-13. Jayla Smith led the Boilermakers with a career-high 16 points off the bench, including 4-for-4 three-point shooting. Brooke Moore added 12 points off the bench, including a pair of early third-quarter three-pointers, while Cassidy Hardin pitched in 11 points on a trio of second-half threes.

Purdue shot to a 9-3 lead early, but Nebraska responded with a 16-2 surge to close the first quarter. Markowski started the surge with a three-pointer, before Bourne and Weidner combined for NU's next 13 points off the bench to close the quarter with a 19-11 Nebraska lead.

Bourne buried a three to tie the game at 9-9 with 2:30 left in the period before Weidner scored the next seven points in 1:12 for the Big Red. Bourne then capped the quarter with a traditional three-point play with five seconds left.

Weidner kept the momentum building for NU to start the second quarter with five straight points to push the lead to 24-11 and cap a 21-2 outburst over a span of 6:18.

Purdue then ran off eight straight points after back-to-back threes by Smith to cut the margin to 24-19, before Haiby's second three of the game reignited the Huskers. Shelley added back-to-back layups to cap a 7-0 NU run to extend the margin back to 12 points.

The Huskers went to the half with a 35-23 lead capped by a Weidner layup as time expired. Bourne and Haiby each added six first-half points for NU, while Shelley contributed four points, four rebounds and an assist. 

Nebraska hit 13-of-27 (.481) shots from the field in the first half, including 5-of-8 three-pointers, while hitting all four of its free throw attempts. The Huskers held Purdue to just 27 percent (10-37) first-half shooting, including 3-of-15 three-pointers, and the Boilermakers missed both of their first-half free throw attempts. Both teams grabbed 21 first-half rebounds, while Purdue won the turnover battle, 9-7.

The Huskers continue their four-game Big Ten home stand on Tuesday when they play host to Rutgers. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Scarlet Knights at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com. Live statewide television coverage will be provided by Nebraska Public Media with a live video stream available to subscribers of B1G+. Free live audio coverage on Huskers.com will be provided by the Huskers Radio Network. 

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsLincoln - Alexis Markowski scored 20 of her game-high 23 points in the second half to help Nebraska build a 22-point lead on its way to an 81-66 women's basketball win on Sunday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena.Fellow freshman Allison Weidner scored all of her career-high 14 points in the first half to help the Huskers take a 35-23 halftime lead that Purdue was unable to cut to single digits the rest of the way. Nebraska improved to 15-4 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten with its second straight victory, while Purdue slipped to 13-8 overall and 4-6 in the conference.Nebraska's victory marked its 100th women's basketball win inside Pinnacle Bank Arena since opening the building with a victory over UCLA on Nov. 8, 2013. The Huskers improved to 11-1 at home in 2021-22.Isabelle Bourne added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Sam Haiby put four Huskers in double figures with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists. Jaz Shelley also put together an impressive all-around effort with eight points and team highs of seven rebounds, six assists, three blocked shots and three steals.After going just 1-for-6 from the field in the first half with the lone make coming on a three-pointer, Markowski hit 7-of-8 shots in the second half including two more threes. The four-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week from Lincoln finished the day 8-of-14 from the floor, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. In her six games as a starter, Markowski is a remarkable 12-for-15 from three-point land. She added a team-high seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block for the Big Red against the Boilermakers.While Markowski carried Nebraska in the second half it was her fellow Nebraskan Weidner who carried NU to a first-half lead. Weidner scored 12 points in a seven-minute stretch to end the first quarter and start the second, combining with Bourne on an 18-2 NU outburst to take control of the game. The 5-10 guard from Humphrey, Neb., went 5-for-5 from the field in the first half, including a three-pointer, while adding a trio of free throws. She added five rebounds, an assist and a steal in the game.Overall, Nebraska hit 50 percent (29-58) of its shots from the field, including a scorching 11-for-20 three-pointers (.550) against a Purdue team that entered the game as the Big Ten's best three-point field goal percentage defense. The Huskers also hit 12-of-16 free throws (.750) and won the rebounding battle, 41-38.The Huskers held Purdue to just 36.2 percent (25-69) shooting, including 10-of-31 threes (.323), while the Boilers hit just 6-of-13 free throws. Purdue did win the turnover battle, 18-13. Jayla Smith led the Boilermakers with a career-high 16 points off the bench, including 4-for-4 three-point shooting. Brooke Moore added 12 points off the bench, including a pair of early third-quarter three-pointers, while Cassidy Hardin pitched in 11 points on a trio of second-half threes.Purdue shot to a 9-3 lead early, but Nebraska responded with a 16-2 surge to close the first quarter. Markowski started the surge with a three-pointer, before Bourne and Weidner combined for NU's next 13 points off the bench to close the quarter with a 19-11 Nebraska lead.Bourne buried a three to tie the game at 9-9 with 2:30 left in the period before Weidner scored the next seven points in 1:12 for the Big Red. Bourne then capped the quarter with a traditional three-point play with five seconds left.Weidner kept the momentum building for NU to start the second quarter with five straight points to push the lead to 24-11 and cap a 21-2 outburst over a span of 6:18.Purdue then ran off eight straight points after back-to-back threes by Smith to cut the margin to 24-19, before Haiby's second three of the game reignited the Huskers. Shelley added back-to-back layups to cap a 7-0 NU run to extend the margin back to 12 points.The Huskers went to the half with a 35-23 lead capped by a Weidner layup as time expired. Bourne and Haiby each added six first-half points for NU, while Shelley contributed four points, four rebounds and an assist. Nebraska hit 13-of-27 (.481) shots from the field in the first half, including 5-of-8 three-pointers, while hitting all four of its free throw attempts. The Huskers held Purdue to just 27 percent (10-37) first-half shooting, including 3-of-15 three-pointers, and the Boilermakers missed both of their first-half free throw attempts. Both teams grabbed 21 first-half rebounds, while Purdue won the turnover battle, 9-7.The Huskers continue their four-game Big Ten home stand on Tuesday when they play host to Rutgers. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Scarlet Knights at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com. Live statewide television coverage will be provided by Nebraska Public Media with a live video stream available to subscribers of B1G+. Free live audio coverage on Huskers.com will be provided by the Huskers Radio Network.

Huskers Shoot Past Purdue

Bridgeport 64, Hershey 58 Cody-Kilgore 47, Brady 40 Garden County 62, Creek Valley 36 Sutherland 46, Kimball 35

Cambridge 39, Wallace 16 Chase County 50, Hershey 28 Maywood-Hayes Center 49, Alma 34 North Platte 62, Alliance 32 North Platte St. Patrick's 56, Kimball 17 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 54, Anselmo-Merna 44

Bertrand 50, Medicine Valley 35 Brady 52, Arthur County 38 Bridgeport 57, Hershey 30 Dundy County Stratton 70, Hitchcock County 40 Garden County 58, Creek Valley 29 Kimball 46, Sutherland 34 Maywood-Hayes Center 50, Wallace 40 Ogallala 73, McCook 71 Paxton 40, Maxwell 28

Dundy County Stratton 42, Bertrand 30 Hershey 59, Chase County 46 Medicine Valley 49, Hitchcock County 47 North Platte 68, Alliance 38 North Platte St. Patrick's 60, Kimball 12 Ogallala 62, Minden 44

1st - Sutherland 	241.5 2nd - Chase County 	152.0 3rd - Sedgewick Co. Fleming 	120.0 4th - Southern Valley 	110.0 5th - Hitchcock County 	105.0 6th - Southwest 	67.0 7th - Garden County 	65.0 8th - Brady 	62.0 9th - North Platte JV 	51.0 10th - Wauneta-Palisade 	36.0 11th - Sandhills Valley 	31.0 12th - Elm Creek 	28.0 13th - Dundy County Stratton 	7.0 14th - Medicine Valley 	4.0 14th - Paxton 	4.0

1st Place - North Platte 2nd Place - Wray 3rd Place - Amherst 4th Place - Ogallala 5th Place - Gothenburg 6th Place - Yuma 6th Place - Alliance 8th Place - McCook

1st - Pleasanton 	137.0 2nd -&nbsp; Arapahoe 	107.0 3rd -&nbsp; Oberlin 	90.0 4th -&nbsp; Southern Valley 	86.0 5th -&nbsp; Cambridge 	85.0 6th -&nbsp; SEM 	81.0 7th -&nbsp; Alma 	74.0 7th -&nbsp; Garden County 	74.0 9th -&nbsp; Hitchcock County 	71.5 10th -&nbsp; North Platte St. Patrick`s 	49.0 11th -&nbsp; Elm Creek 	36.0 12th -&nbsp; Cozad 	32.5 13th -&nbsp; Norton Community 	27.5 14th -&nbsp; Hi-Line 	19.0 15th -&nbsp; St. Mary`s 	11.0

Girls basketballFriday (01/28/2022)Bridgeport 64, Hershey 58 Cody-Kilgore 47, Brady 40 Garden County 62, Creek Valley 36 Sutherland 46, Kimball 35Saturday (01/29/2022)Cambridge 39, Wallace 16 Chase County 50, Hershey 28 Maywood-Hayes Center 49, Alma 34 North Platte 62, Alliance 32 North Platte St. Patrick's 56, Kimball 17 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 54, Anselmo-Merna 44Boys BasketballFriday (01/28/2022)Bertrand 50, Medicine Valley 35 Brady 52, Arthur County 38 Bridgeport 57, Hershey 30 Dundy County Stratton 70, Hitchcock County 40 Garden County 58, Creek Valley 29 Kimball 46, Sutherland 34 Maywood-Hayes Center 50, Wallace 40 Ogallala 73, McCook 71 Paxton 40, Maxwell 28Saturday (01/29/2022)Dundy County Stratton 42, Bertrand 30 Hershey 59, Chase County 46 Medicine Valley 49, Hitchcock County 47 North Platte 68, Alliance 38 North Platte St. Patrick's 60, Kimball 12 Ogallala 62, Minden 44WrestlingMedicine Valley invite: 1st - Sutherland 	241.5 2nd - Chase County 	152.0 3rd - Sedgewick Co. Fleming 	120.0 4th - Southern Valley 	110.0 5th - Hitchcock County 	105.0 6th - Southwest 	67.0 7th - Garden County 	65.0 8th - Brady 	62.0 9th - North Platte JV 	51.0 10th - Wauneta-Palisade 	36.0 11th - Sandhills Valley 	31.0 12th - Elm Creek 	28.0 13th - Dundy County Stratton 	7.0 14th - Medicine Valley 	4.0 14th - Paxton 	4.0McCook dual tournament1st Place - North Platte 2nd Place - Wray 3rd Place - Amherst 4th Place - Ogallala 5th Place - Gothenburg 6th Place - Yuma 6th Place - Alliance 8th Place - McCookArapahoe Warriors invite: 1st - Pleasanton 	137.0 2nd -&nbsp; Arapahoe 	107.0 3rd -&nbsp; Oberlin 	90.0 4th -&nbsp; Southern Valley 	86.0 5th -&nbsp; Cambridge 	85.0 6th -&nbsp; SEM 	81.0 7th -&nbsp; Alma 	74.0 7th -&nbsp; Garden County 	74.0 9th -&nbsp; Hitchcock County 	71.5 10th -&nbsp; North Platte St. Patrick`s 	49.0 11th -&nbsp; Elm Creek 	36.0 12th -&nbsp; Cozad 	32.5 13th -&nbsp; Norton Community 	27.5 14th -&nbsp; Hi-Line 	19.0 15th -&nbsp; St. Mary`s 	11.0

Area Sports: Basketball and Wrestling results from 1/27-28

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has made a change to its cartoon mascot Herbie Husker to eliminate confusion about the meaning of a hand gesture some people connect with white supremacy. 

In the original depiction, Herbie’s left hand made the OK sign with the index finger and thumb forming a closed circle. 

In recent years some hate groups have come to use the gesture as a sign for white power. Herbie’s hand now makes the well-known “We’re No. 1” sign with his index finger raised. 

The university says the concern was brought to its attention by an apparel provider and others.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/5/1559312290420.gif" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has made a change to its cartoon mascot Herbie Husker to eliminate confusion about the meaning of a hand gesture some people connect with white supremacy. In the original depiction, Herbie’s left hand made the OK sign with the index finger and thumb forming a closed circle. In recent years some hate groups have come to use the gesture as a sign for white power. Herbie’s hand now makes the well-known “We’re No. 1” sign with his index finger raised. The university says the concern was brought to its attention by an apparel provider and others.

Herbie Husker gesture revised to avoid tie to white supremacy

1.29.2022 NPHS Basketball at Alliance - LIVESTREAM

RPAC -- WaPo 51, Paxton 31 RPAC -- Arapahoe 49, Medicine Valley 38 RPAC -- Hitchcock County 40, Dundy County Stratton 30 RPAC Semis-- Maywood-Hayes Center 40, Wallace 16 &nbsp;SWC -- McCook 53, Ogallala 45 (OT) North Platte 63, Kearney 46 Sedgwick County, CO 64, Perkins County 34 MNAC -- South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 48, Mullen 38 South Platte 53, Garden County 29

Garden County 78, South Platte 55 Kearney 79, North Platte 64 Perkins County 60, Sedgwick County, CO 16

Medicine Valley beats DCS 30-0 Wauneta-Palisade beats DCS 30-16 Wauneta-Palisade ties Medicine Valley 24-24 Ogallala loses to Broken Bow 61-9

GirlsRPAC -- WaPo 51, Paxton 31 RPAC -- Arapahoe 49, Medicine Valley 38 RPAC -- Hitchcock County 40, Dundy County Stratton 30 RPAC Semis-- Maywood-Hayes Center 40, Wallace 16 &nbsp;SWC -- McCook 53, Ogallala 45 (OT) North Platte 63, Kearney 46 Sedgwick County, CO 64, Perkins County 34 MNAC -- South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 48, Mullen 38 South Platte 53, Garden County 29BoysGarden County 78, South Platte 55 Kearney 79, North Platte 64 Perkins County 60, Sedgwick County, CO 16WrestlingMedicine Valley beats DCS 30-0 Wauneta-Palisade beats DCS 30-16 Wauneta-Palisade ties Medicine Valley 24-24 Ogallala loses to Broken Bow 61-9

Area Sports: Basketball and Wrestling results from 1/27

Story by NU Athletic Communications Photo by Jordan Opp - Nebraska Communications

Lincoln, Neb. – Nebraska fought back from a double-digit second-half deficit, but No. 11 Wisconsin held on to earn a 73-65 win over the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Thursday.

The Huskers (6-14, 0-9 Big Ten) trailed by as many as 18 in the second half, but rallied to get within 63-55 with 3:17 remaining. Wisconsin put the game away by going 6-of-6 from the line in the last three minutes.

Freshman Bryce McGowens finished with 23 points and four rebounds in the loss, while Lat Mayen and Alonzo Verge Jr. added 11 points apiece. For Mayen, it was a season-high while he also added five boards.

Brad Davison had 21 points and was 5-of-8 from deep to lead four Wisconsin (16-3, 7-2 Big Ten) players in double-figures. Chucky Hepburn had 13 points and three boards while Johnny Davis also added 13 points – all in the second half - and nine rebounds.

Nebraska was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field to begin the first half and eventually pushed the lead to 16-11 with 13:20 left in the half. Wisconsin, which went 9-of-14 from 3-point range in the first half, hit four straight 3-pointers as part of a 15-5 run to build a 26-21 lead. Nebraska  fought back and pulled within 29-26 after a Trey McGowens' free throw, but Wisconsin would use 9-2 run to push the lead to double figures and take a 39-31 lead into the locker room.

The Huskers scored the first points of the second half, but Wisconsin used an 8-0 scoring run to stretch its lead to 47-33 with 17:34 remaining. The Huskers' scoring drought continued as they were 1-11 in the first seven minutes of the half, and the Badgers extended their lead to 18 before the Huskers regrouped.

The McGowens brothers keyed an 11-0 run, scoring all 11 points as the Huskers pulled to 57-50 with 6:23 left. Nebraska stayed within striking distance and was within 59-50 with a chance to get within six, but missed two shots and two turnovers allowed UW to push the lead to 13 with 3:45 left.

The Huskers would have one more run, as a three-pointer from Mayen and a Kobe Webster jumper made it 63-55, but NU would not get closer.

Nebraska stays home to take on Rutgers this Saturday, Jan. 29. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. and will be televised on the Big Ten Network, with radio coverage provided by the Huskers Radio Network. It is the annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Game.

Story by NU Athletic Communications Photo by Jordan Opp - Nebraska CommunicationsLincoln, Neb. – Nebraska fought back from a double-digit second-half deficit, but No. 11 Wisconsin held on to earn a 73-65 win over the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Thursday.The Huskers (6-14, 0-9 Big Ten) trailed by as many as 18 in the second half, but rallied to get within 63-55 with 3:17 remaining. Wisconsin put the game away by going 6-of-6 from the line in the last three minutes.Freshman Bryce McGowens finished with 23 points and four rebounds in the loss, while Lat Mayen and Alonzo Verge Jr. added 11 points apiece. For Mayen, it was a season-high while he also added five boards.Brad Davison had 21 points and was 5-of-8 from deep to lead four Wisconsin (16-3, 7-2 Big Ten) players in double-figures. Chucky Hepburn had 13 points and three boards while Johnny Davis also added 13 points – all in the second half - and nine rebounds.Nebraska was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field to begin the first half and eventually pushed the lead to 16-11 with 13:20 left in the half. Wisconsin, which went 9-of-14 from 3-point range in the first half, hit four straight 3-pointers as part of a 15-5 run to build a 26-21 lead. Nebraska fought back and pulled within 29-26 after a Trey McGowens' free throw, but Wisconsin would use 9-2 run to push the lead to double figures and take a 39-31 lead into the locker room.The Huskers scored the first points of the second half, but Wisconsin used an 8-0 scoring run to stretch its lead to 47-33 with 17:34 remaining. The Huskers' scoring drought continued as they were 1-11 in the first seven minutes of the half, and the Badgers extended their lead to 18 before the Huskers regrouped.The McGowens brothers keyed an 11-0 run, scoring all 11 points as the Huskers pulled to 57-50 with 6:23 left. Nebraska stayed within striking distance and was within 59-50 with a chance to get within six, but missed two shots and two turnovers allowed UW to push the lead to 13 with 3:45 left.The Huskers would have one more run, as a three-pointer from Mayen and a Kobe Webster jumper made it 63-55, but NU would not get closer.Nebraska stays home to take on Rutgers this Saturday, Jan. 29. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. and will be televised on the Big Ten Network, with radio coverage provided by the Huskers Radio Network. It is the annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Game.

No. 11 Badgers Hold off Late Second-Half Push by Huskers

Story by NU Athletic Communications Photo by Joscelyn Hynes - Nebraska Communications

Lincoln - Alexis Markowski continued her strong play with a team-high 15 points to go along with eight rebounds to lead a balanced Nebraska attack in a 77-44 women's basketball win over Wisconsin on Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Nebraska improved to 14-4 overall and 3-4 in the Big Ten, while Wisconsin slipped to 5-14 and 2-7 in the conference.

Markowski, a 6-3 freshman from Lincoln, produced double figures in points for the sixth consecutive game while making her fifth straight start. Markowski finished the night 6-of-12 from the field, including Nebraska's first seven points of the night beginning with a three-pointer to open the contest.

Sam Haiby returned from injury to add 11 points and four assists, while Jaz Shelley nearly added a double-double with nine rebounds and nine assists to go with five points.  A total of 11 different Huskers scored at least three points in the game.

Nebraska's 33-point margin matched its largest in history in a Big Ten Conference game, joining a 33-point win over Michigan (84-51) on Jan. 29, 2014. The Husker bench outscored the Badger reserves 30-3 in the contest, as NU's reserves combined to play 83 minutes in the contest.

As a team, Nebraska hit 47.8 percent (33-69) of its shots from the field, including 32 percent (8-25) from three-point range. The Huskers also hit 3-of-6 free throws. The Big Red out-rebounded the Badgers 43-35 and won the turnover battle, 18-9. NU held UW to just 32.1 percent (18-56) shooting, including just 3-of-22 (.136) from three-point range. The Badgers did hit 5-of-7 free throws. Sydney Hilliard led Wisconsin with a game-high 16 points, while Julie Pospisilova added 12 points.

Despite a 10-day layoff from competition and substantial missed practice time, Nebraska shot to a strong start, putting together a 14-0 run midway through the first period to take a 19-10 lead after the first 10 minutes. Markowski led NU with eight first-quarter points while Haiby added five and freshman Kendall Moriarty pitched in four big points off the bench. Moriarty finished the game with six points on 3-of-3 shooting to go along with two rebounds, an assist and a steal.

The Huskers continued to push ahead in the second quarter, outscoring the Badgers 12-2 in the first four minutes to take their biggest lead of the half at 31-12. Ashley Scoggin led the Big Red with a pair of long three-pointers during the opening surge, while Haiby and Markowski each added four points in the period.

Nebraska took a 37-21 lead to the locker room at the half thanks to 48.5 percent (16-33) shooting, including 4-of-13 threes (.308). The Huskers held Wisconsin to just 10-of-32 shooting (.313), including 0-for-11 from three-point range. NU won the first-half battle of the boards, 22-18, and held a 7-5 edge in turnovers. Hilliard led the Badgers with 12 points of 6-of-6 shooting, but the other eight Badgers who saw action combined for just nine points in the half.

The Huskers extended the margin to 57-35 at the end of three periods after building the lead to 24 points midway through the quarter. Bella Cravens led NU with five points in the period, while Annika Stewart added four inside. Scoggin and Ruby Porter also knocked down three-pointers in the period. Cravens finished with seven points and seven rebounds in her return to the starting lineup for the first time since suffering an ankle injury at Michigan State on Dec. 30. Scoggin closed with nine points in the game on 3-of-6 three-point shooting.

Nebraska extended the margin to 33 points with 50 seconds left with a pair of buckets by Allison Weidner around a three-pointer by walk-on Whitney Brown. Weidner finished with six points and two steals while Brown added five points in eight minutes.

The Huskers continue their four-game Big Ten Conference home stand on Sunday when they take on Purdue. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Boilermakers at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 2 p.m. with live statewide television coverage provided by Nebraska Public Media with live video for B1G+ subscribers. Live audio will be available on Huskers.com from the Huskers Radio Network.

Story by NU Athletic Communications Photo by Joscelyn Hynes - Nebraska CommunicationsLincoln - Alexis Markowski continued her strong play with a team-high 15 points to go along with eight rebounds to lead a balanced Nebraska attack in a 77-44 women's basketball win over Wisconsin on Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.Nebraska improved to 14-4 overall and 3-4 in the Big Ten, while Wisconsin slipped to 5-14 and 2-7 in the conference.Markowski, a 6-3 freshman from Lincoln, produced double figures in points for the sixth consecutive game while making her fifth straight start. Markowski finished the night 6-of-12 from the field, including Nebraska's first seven points of the night beginning with a three-pointer to open the contest.Sam Haiby returned from injury to add 11 points and four assists, while Jaz Shelley nearly added a double-double with nine rebounds and nine assists to go with five points. A total of 11 different Huskers scored at least three points in the game.Nebraska's 33-point margin matched its largest in history in a Big Ten Conference game, joining a 33-point win over Michigan (84-51) on Jan. 29, 2014. The Husker bench outscored the Badger reserves 30-3 in the contest, as NU's reserves combined to play 83 minutes in the contest.As a team, Nebraska hit 47.8 percent (33-69) of its shots from the field, including 32 percent (8-25) from three-point range. The Huskers also hit 3-of-6 free throws. The Big Red out-rebounded the Badgers 43-35 and won the turnover battle, 18-9. NU held UW to just 32.1 percent (18-56) shooting, including just 3-of-22 (.136) from three-point range. The Badgers did hit 5-of-7 free throws. Sydney Hilliard led Wisconsin with a game-high 16 points, while Julie Pospisilova added 12 points.Despite a 10-day layoff from competition and substantial missed practice time, Nebraska shot to a strong start, putting together a 14-0 run midway through the first period to take a 19-10 lead after the first 10 minutes. Markowski led NU with eight first-quarter points while Haiby added five and freshman Kendall Moriarty pitched in four big points off the bench. Moriarty finished the game with six points on 3-of-3 shooting to go along with two rebounds, an assist and a steal.The Huskers continued to push ahead in the second quarter, outscoring the Badgers 12-2 in the first four minutes to take their biggest lead of the half at 31-12. Ashley Scoggin led the Big Red with a pair of long three-pointers during the opening surge, while Haiby and Markowski each added four points in the period.Nebraska took a 37-21 lead to the locker room at the half thanks to 48.5 percent (16-33) shooting, including 4-of-13 threes (.308). The Huskers held Wisconsin to just 10-of-32 shooting (.313), including 0-for-11 from three-point range. NU won the first-half battle of the boards, 22-18, and held a 7-5 edge in turnovers. Hilliard led the Badgers with 12 points of 6-of-6 shooting, but the other eight Badgers who saw action combined for just nine points in the half.The Huskers extended the margin to 57-35 at the end of three periods after building the lead to 24 points midway through the quarter. Bella Cravens led NU with five points in the period, while Annika Stewart added four inside. Scoggin and Ruby Porter also knocked down three-pointers in the period. Cravens finished with seven points and seven rebounds in her return to the starting lineup for the first time since suffering an ankle injury at Michigan State on Dec. 30. Scoggin closed with nine points in the game on 3-of-6 three-point shooting.Nebraska extended the margin to 33 points with 50 seconds left with a pair of buckets by Allison Weidner around a three-pointer by walk-on Whitney Brown. Weidner finished with six points and two steals while Brown added five points in eight minutes.The Huskers continue their four-game Big Ten Conference home stand on Sunday when they take on Purdue. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Boilermakers at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 2 p.m. with live statewide television coverage provided by Nebraska Public Media with live video for B1G+ subscribers. Live audio will be available on Huskers.com from the Huskers Radio Network.

Huskers Power Past Badgers

1.27.2022 NPHS Basketball home vs Kearney - LIVESTREAM

By Arnie Stapleton - Associated Press

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press Thursday morning the Denver Broncos are finalizing a deal to hire Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as their new head coach.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was still in the works and the team hasn’t made an announcement.

Hackett’s hiring will bring immediate speculation about the Broncos trying to lure star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to Denver, perhaps along with his star receiver Davante Adams, who is set to hit free agency in March.

Rodgers, who turned 38 last month in the midst of what’s expected to be his fourth MVP season, is contemplating his future, including retirement, after the Packers’ early exit from the playoffs last weekend when the top-seed was upset at home 13-10 by the San Francisco 49ers.

Hackett, 42, emerged as the front-runner on his own merits, however, which includes his stellar work with Blake Bortles as Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator from 2016-18 before he went to Green Bay and helped Matt LaFleur win a record 39 games in his first three seasons as head coach.

Hackett, who is the the son of former college and NFL coach Paul Hackett, inherits a young, talented roster in Denver, where he flew in for a second interview on Monday. He was the only finalist to get a second in-person interview in Denver.

General manager George Paton interviewed 10 candidates to replace Vic Fangio, whom he fired after a disappointing 7-10 season, Denver’s sixth consecutive without a playoff berth.

After crisscrossing the country with a team of evaluators, Paton narrowed that list to three finalists: Hackett, Cowboys defensive coordinator and former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell.

Hackett would be the first Broncos head coach with offensive roots since Gary Kubiak, who stepped down after the 2016 season, one year after leading the Broncos to their third Super Bowl title. Vance Joseph went 11-21 in two seasons and Fangio was 19-30 in three years.

Despite a last-place finish in the competitive AFC West, the Broncos are seen as a rising team with the right head coach and a quarterback who can capitalize on a talented young offense that features receivers Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick and K.J. Hamler, tight ends Noah Fant and Albert Okwuegbunam and bulldozing running back Javonte Williams.

Some of those playmakers would undoubtedly get packaged in any deal for a veteran quarterback if the Broncos decide not to grab a quarterback in the draft, where the choices aren’t as enticing as usual.

Fangio’s unremarkable tenure was dotted by poor quarterback play, uncreative offenses that struggled to score 20 points a game under Pat Shurmur and sloppy special teams play under Tom McMahon, all of which negated a stout defense that was Fangio’s calling card.

The Broncos have had 10 starting quarterbacks and no playoff appearances since Peyton Manning’s retirement six years ago, and they are in the market for an upgrade at QB from oft-injured Teddy Bridgewater (7-7), who’s set to become a free agent in March, and Drew Lock (0-3) this offseason.

They’re also on the lookout for a new owner. Joe Ellis, the team’s outgoing president and CEO, said once a new head coach was in place he’d release details about the franchise’s future in what’s expected to be the most expensive team sale in U.S. sports history.

The Broncos are valued at nearly $4 billion and if sold for that much, it would surpass the record $3.35 billion that Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai paid for the Brooklyn Nets and the Barclays Center in 2019.

John Elway, who is in the final months as the team’s president of football operations, and Manning, who’s lived in Denver since his retirement, are expected to get involved in the bidding as minority partners of billionaires competing to win the NFL’s approval to acquire the iconic franchise.

The Broncos won two Super Bowl titles in the late 1990s with Elway under center and again in 2016 with Elway in the front office and Manning at quarterback in the final game of his Hall of Fame career.

The only holdover from their last championship parade is kicker Brandon McManus. Paton traded Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller to the Rams for a pair of second-day draft picks last fall and Miller has shined in his return to the postseason. The Rams host the 49ers Sunday in the NFC championship.

The second- and third-round draft choices the Broncos received in return for Miller give Paton 11 draft picks in April, including five of the top 100, which he could either use to beef up his roster or package to acquire a quarterback such as Rodgers or the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson.

Also interviewed for the Broncos head coaching vacancy were offensive coordinators Kellen Moore of the Cowboys, Brian Callahan of the Bengals and Eric Bieniemy of the Chiefs and defensive coordinators Aaron Glenn of the Lions and Jonathan Gannon of the Eagles, along with Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and Packers QBs coach Luke Getsy.

Getsy might draw interest from Hackett as his offensive coordinator in Denver.

By Arnie Stapleton - Associated PressENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press Thursday morning the Denver Broncos are finalizing a deal to hire Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as their new head coach.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was still in the works and the team hasn’t made an announcement.Hackett’s hiring will bring immediate speculation about the Broncos trying to lure star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to Denver, perhaps along with his star receiver Davante Adams, who is set to hit free agency in March.Rodgers, who turned 38 last month in the midst of what’s expected to be his fourth MVP season, is contemplating his future, including retirement, after the Packers’ early exit from the playoffs last weekend when the top-seed was upset at home 13-10 by the San Francisco 49ers.Hackett, 42, emerged as the front-runner on his own merits, however, which includes his stellar work with Blake Bortles as Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator from 2016-18 before he went to Green Bay and helped Matt LaFleur win a record 39 games in his first three seasons as head coach.Hackett, who is the the son of former college and NFL coach Paul Hackett, inherits a young, talented roster in Denver, where he flew in for a second interview on Monday. He was the only finalist to get a second in-person interview in Denver.General manager George Paton interviewed 10 candidates to replace Vic Fangio, whom he fired after a disappointing 7-10 season, Denver’s sixth consecutive without a playoff berth.After crisscrossing the country with a team of evaluators, Paton narrowed that list to three finalists: Hackett, Cowboys defensive coordinator and former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell.Hackett would be the first Broncos head coach with offensive roots since Gary Kubiak, who stepped down after the 2016 season, one year after leading the Broncos to their third Super Bowl title. Vance Joseph went 11-21 in two seasons and Fangio was 19-30 in three years.Despite a last-place finish in the competitive AFC West, the Broncos are seen as a rising team with the right head coach and a quarterback who can capitalize on a talented young offense that features receivers Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick and K.J. Hamler, tight ends Noah Fant and Albert Okwuegbunam and bulldozing running back Javonte Williams.Some of those playmakers would undoubtedly get packaged in any deal for a veteran quarterback if the Broncos decide not to grab a quarterback in the draft, where the choices aren’t as enticing as usual.Fangio’s unremarkable tenure was dotted by poor quarterback play, uncreative offenses that struggled to score 20 points a game under Pat Shurmur and sloppy special teams play under Tom McMahon, all of which negated a stout defense that was Fangio’s calling card.The Broncos have had 10 starting quarterbacks and no playoff appearances since Peyton Manning’s retirement six years ago, and they are in the market for an upgrade at QB from oft-injured Teddy Bridgewater (7-7), who’s set to become a free agent in March, and Drew Lock (0-3) this offseason.They’re also on the lookout for a new owner. Joe Ellis, the team’s outgoing president and CEO, said once a new head coach was in place he’d release details about the franchise’s future in what’s expected to be the most expensive team sale in U.S. sports history.The Broncos are valued at nearly $4 billion and if sold for that much, it would surpass the record $3.35 billion that Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai paid for the Brooklyn Nets and the Barclays Center in 2019.John Elway, who is in the final months as the team’s president of football operations, and Manning, who’s lived in Denver since his retirement, are expected to get involved in the bidding as minority partners of billionaires competing to win the NFL’s approval to acquire the iconic franchise.The Broncos won two Super Bowl titles in the late 1990s with Elway under center and again in 2016 with Elway in the front office and Manning at quarterback in the final game of his Hall of Fame career.The only holdover from their last championship parade is kicker Brandon McManus. Paton traded Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller to the Rams for a pair of second-day draft picks last fall and Miller has shined in his return to the postseason. The Rams host the 49ers Sunday in the NFC championship.The second- and third-round draft choices the Broncos received in return for Miller give Paton 11 draft picks in April, including five of the top 100, which he could either use to beef up his roster or package to acquire a quarterback such as Rodgers or the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson.Also interviewed for the Broncos head coaching vacancy were offensive coordinators Kellen Moore of the Cowboys, Brian Callahan of the Bengals and Eric Bieniemy of the Chiefs and defensive coordinators Aaron Glenn of the Lions and Jonathan Gannon of the Eagles, along with Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and Packers QBs coach Luke Getsy.Getsy might draw interest from Hackett as his offensive coordinator in Denver.

AP Source: Broncos hiring Packers OC Hackett as head coach

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Area Sports: RPAC Boys basketball bracket updated Jan 26

McCook, Neb. – A balanced offensive attack helped North Platte emerge victorious at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center on Tuesday night against McCook Community College, 85-68.

German Plotnikov led all scorers with 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting, while Timur Krupalija totaled 15 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season.

Knights trailed by as many as six early in the opening half, before an 8-2 burst tied the game up. The margin remained tight over the next three minutes until the Knights took their first lead of the game on a two-handed dunk by Krupalija. McCook stormed back and retook the lead on their next possession and stretched the deficit to five with 11:02 remaining.

A 9-0 run, capped off by a Krupalija layup gave the Knights the momentum. The North Platte offense stretched their lead to eight on a transition layup by Trevon Dennis, but McCook cut into the deficit over the closing minutes of the first half. The momentum didn't sway despite the lead being trimmed down to two, as the Knights closed the half on a 4-0 run to take a six-point lead into the halftime break, 42-36.

Knights never relinquished their lead in the second half, as the lead grew to seventeen on a layup by Dennis with 12:53 remaining in the half. McCook managed to trim the deficit down to eleven inside six minutes to play, but the Knights continued to roll in the closing minutes to seal the road win.

North Platte had one of their best shooting performances of the year shooting 55 percent from the floor, including 6-of-20 (.300) from the perimeter.

Nolan Sughroue (13), Dennis (12), and Nico Felici (11) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Knights on the night.

Knights return home on Tuesday, Feb. 1 with a NJCAA DI Region IX matchup against the Plainsmen of Northeastern Junior College. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Photo and Story by Daniel StinmanMcCook, Neb. – A balanced offensive attack helped North Platte emerge victorious at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center on Tuesday night against McCook Community College, 85-68.German Plotnikov led all scorers with 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting, while Timur Krupalija totaled 15 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season.Knights trailed by as many as six early in the opening half, before an 8-2 burst tied the game up. The margin remained tight over the next three minutes until the Knights took their first lead of the game on a two-handed dunk by Krupalija. McCook stormed back and retook the lead on their next possession and stretched the deficit to five with 11:02 remaining.A 9-0 run, capped off by a Krupalija layup gave the Knights the momentum. The North Platte offense stretched their lead to eight on a transition layup by Trevon Dennis, but McCook cut into the deficit over the closing minutes of the first half. The momentum didn't sway despite the lead being trimmed down to two, as the Knights closed the half on a 4-0 run to take a six-point lead into the halftime break, 42-36.Knights never relinquished their lead in the second half, as the lead grew to seventeen on a layup by Dennis with 12:53 remaining in the half. McCook managed to trim the deficit down to eleven inside six minutes to play, but the Knights continued to roll in the closing minutes to seal the road win.North Platte had one of their best shooting performances of the year shooting 55 percent from the floor, including 6-of-20 (.300) from the perimeter.Nolan Sughroue (13), Dennis (12), and Nico Felici (11) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Knights on the night.Knights return home on Tuesday, Feb. 1 with a NJCAA DI Region IX matchup against the Plainsmen of Northeastern Junior College. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Knights shoot past McCook to seal rivalry win

McCook, Neb. – The North Platte Community College women's basketball team led McCook Community College by six in the early moments of the fourth quarter, but a late rally secured the 76-66 win for McCook on Tuesday night at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.

"We played hard and competed well tonight," said head coach Jeff Thurman.

McCook got off to a hot start, jumping out to a 6-3 lead as the Knights lone field goal in the opening minutes, came on their third offensive possession. North Platte responded over the next 2:30 to even the score and take their first lead of the game on a layup by Janay Brauer.

McCook recaptured the momentum and stretched their lead to seven with 2:11 remaining in the opening quarter, as a missed layup turned into a second chance opportunity. North Platte tightened up on defense limiting McCook to only one more field goal down the stretch to cut the deficit to one by the end of the quarter on a layup by Kayla Pope, 18-19.

Offenses picked up as the lead traded hands nine times in the second quarter. Trailing by one at the midway point of the quarter, Fumnanya Ijeh unleashed a deep three to give the Knights a two-point advantage. McCook answered on their next offensive possession, as neither team mounted the momentum down the stretch to secure a lead before the halftime break, 38-38.

Knights established the momentum in the third quarter, as a 9-3 burst propelled North Platte to their largest lead of the game, 47-41. McCook erased the deficit inside the final two minutes, before Diamond Moore-Heath rattled in a free throw line jumper to give the Knights a two-point advantage after three quarters of play, 52-50.

Knights extended their lead to six in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, before McCook unleashed a 9-0 run to swing the momentum in their favor. McCook broke the game open in the closing minutes stretching their lead to twelve, before a layup by Pope in the closing seconds narrowed the final margin to ten.

For the game, North Platte connected on 45 percent (27-60) of its shots from the field, including 6-of-16 (.375) from the perimeter, while going 6-for-11 (.545) at the free throw line.

Pope led all scorers with 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting, while her teammates Brauer and Ijeh closed the game with 15 points and 13 points, respectively.

The loss dropped North Platte to 14-7 overall on the season, while McCook improves to 13-8 on the year.

North Platte returns to the hardwood against No. 17 North Central Missouri College on Saturday, Jan. 29. Tip is set for 3 p.m. in Trenton, Mo.

Photo and Story by Daniel StinmanMcCook, Neb. – The North Platte Community College women's basketball team led McCook Community College by six in the early moments of the fourth quarter, but a late rally secured the 76-66 win for McCook on Tuesday night at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center."We played hard and competed well tonight," said head coach Jeff Thurman.McCook got off to a hot start, jumping out to a 6-3 lead as the Knights lone field goal in the opening minutes, came on their third offensive possession. North Platte responded over the next 2:30 to even the score and take their first lead of the game on a layup by Janay Brauer.McCook recaptured the momentum and stretched their lead to seven with 2:11 remaining in the opening quarter, as a missed layup turned into a second chance opportunity. North Platte tightened up on defense limiting McCook to only one more field goal down the stretch to cut the deficit to one by the end of the quarter on a layup by Kayla Pope, 18-19.Offenses picked up as the lead traded hands nine times in the second quarter. Trailing by one at the midway point of the quarter, Fumnanya Ijeh unleashed a deep three to give the Knights a two-point advantage. McCook answered on their next offensive possession, as neither team mounted the momentum down the stretch to secure a lead before the halftime break, 38-38.Knights established the momentum in the third quarter, as a 9-3 burst propelled North Platte to their largest lead of the game, 47-41. McCook erased the deficit inside the final two minutes, before Diamond Moore-Heath rattled in a free throw line jumper to give the Knights a two-point advantage after three quarters of play, 52-50.Knights extended their lead to six in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, before McCook unleashed a 9-0 run to swing the momentum in their favor. McCook broke the game open in the closing minutes stretching their lead to twelve, before a layup by Pope in the closing seconds narrowed the final margin to ten.For the game, North Platte connected on 45 percent (27-60) of its shots from the field, including 6-of-16 (.375) from the perimeter, while going 6-for-11 (.545) at the free throw line.Pope led all scorers with 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting, while her teammates Brauer and Ijeh closed the game with 15 points and 13 points, respectively.The loss dropped North Platte to 14-7 overall on the season, while McCook improves to 13-8 on the year.North Platte returns to the hardwood against No. 17 North Central Missouri College on Saturday, Jan. 29. Tip is set for 3 p.m. in Trenton, Mo.

Late rally leads McCook over Knights

&nbsp; By JAKE SEINER - Associated Press

David Ortiz gazed at his phone, his pursed lips revealing nerves rarely seen from one of the game’s great clutch hitters.

Pedro Martinez’s hand rested on Ortiz’s shoulder, and Martinez grinned when the good news came through. The former teammates embraced, and Martinez welcomed Ortiz into a rare space in baseball history.

Big Papi is bound for Cooperstown — and on the first ballot, too.

Ortiz was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first try Tuesday, while steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were denied entry in their final year under consideration by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Ortiz, a 10-time All-Star over 20 seasons mostly with the Boston Red Sox, was named on 77.9% of ballots, clearing the 75% threshold needed for enshrinement. He’s the 58th player inducted in his first time up for consideration.

“Man, it’s a wonderful honor to be able to get in on my first rodeo,” Ortiz said.

Big Papi was among baseball’s most recognizable faces through the 2000s and 2010s. His enormous grin endeared him to fans, but the Dominican’s hulking frame menaced pitchers, especially in the late innings. Three of his 23 career game-ending hits came during Boston’s drought-breaking 2004 postseason, when the Red Sox thwarted the rival Yankees and then won their first World Series title in 86 years.

He’s the fourth Hall of Famer born in the Dominican Republic, joining Juan Marichal, Martinez and Vladimir Guerrero.

“I can imagine how New England has to feel about one of its babies getting into the Hall of Fame today,” Ortiz said. “I’m not even going to tell you about the Dominican Republic.”

The left-handed hitter was signed by Seattle as a teenager and traded to Minnesota as a minor leaguer. He made his major league debut with the Twins in 1997 but hardly looked like a future Hall of Famer there. He was released in 2002, signed by Boston and slugged 31 homers the next season.

Ortiz said he joined the Red Sox to learn what made stars like Martinez, Manny Ramirez and Nomar Garciaparra great. Martinez helped pave the way, encouraging first-year general manager Theo Epstein to sign the 6-foot-3 slugger.

“Once I figured it out, it was going to be a wrap,” Ortiz said. “That team was surrounded by so many superstars, and I went in there like a sponge ready to learn.”

Martinez became a mentor for his countryman. Now, they share the honor of being first-ballot inductees.

“I feel so proud to have been your teammate, to have been your brother, to have been someone there for you when you needed me,” Martinez said. “I’m so glad I have you in my life.

“Well deserved,” he added. “Welcome to Cooperstown.”

Ortiz batted .286 with 541 home runs with Boston and Minnesota while making 88% of his plate appearances as a designated hitter, the most by anyone in the Hall. He passes Edgar Martinez, who was a DH for 71.7% of his plate appearances.

&nbsp; By JAKE SEINER - Associated Press David Ortiz gazed at his phone, his pursed lips revealing nerves rarely seen from one of the game’s great clutch hitters.Pedro Martinez’s hand rested on Ortiz’s shoulder, and Martinez grinned when the good news came through. The former teammates embraced, and Martinez welcomed Ortiz into a rare space in baseball history.Big Papi is bound for Cooperstown — and on the first ballot, too.Ortiz was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first try Tuesday, while steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were denied entry in their final year under consideration by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.Ortiz, a 10-time All-Star over 20 seasons mostly with the Boston Red Sox, was named on 77.9% of ballots, clearing the 75% threshold needed for enshrinement. He’s the 58th player inducted in his first time up for consideration.“Man, it’s a wonderful honor to be able to get in on my first rodeo,” Ortiz said.Big Papi was among baseball’s most recognizable faces through the 2000s and 2010s. His enormous grin endeared him to fans, but the Dominican’s hulking frame menaced pitchers, especially in the late innings. Three of his 23 career game-ending hits came during Boston’s drought-breaking 2004 postseason, when the Red Sox thwarted the rival Yankees and then won their first World Series title in 86 years.He’s the fourth Hall of Famer born in the Dominican Republic, joining Juan Marichal, Martinez and Vladimir Guerrero.“I can imagine how New England has to feel about one of its babies getting into the Hall of Fame today,” Ortiz said. “I’m not even going to tell you about the Dominican Republic.”The left-handed hitter was signed by Seattle as a teenager and traded to Minnesota as a minor leaguer. He made his major league debut with the Twins in 1997 but hardly looked like a future Hall of Famer there. He was released in 2002, signed by Boston and slugged 31 homers the next season.Ortiz said he joined the Red Sox to learn what made stars like Martinez, Manny Ramirez and Nomar Garciaparra great. Martinez helped pave the way, encouraging first-year general manager Theo Epstein to sign the 6-foot-3 slugger.“Once I figured it out, it was going to be a wrap,” Ortiz said. “That team was surrounded by so many superstars, and I went in there like a sponge ready to learn.”Martinez became a mentor for his countryman. Now, they share the honor of being first-ballot inductees.“I feel so proud to have been your teammate, to have been your brother, to have been someone there for you when you needed me,” Martinez said. “I’m so glad I have you in my life.“Well deserved,” he added. “Welcome to Cooperstown.”Ortiz batted .286 with 541 home runs with Boston and Minnesota while making 88% of his plate appearances as a designated hitter, the most by anyone in the Hall. He passes Edgar Martinez, who was a DH for 71.7% of his plate appearances.Ortiz also has performance-enhancing drug baggage, but enough voters looked past a reported positive test that came during survey testing in 2003 that was supposed to be anonymous. Ortiz has denied using steroids, and Commissioner Rob Manfred said in 2016 “I think it would be wrong” to exclude him from the Hall of Fame based on that lone test.“I never failed a test, so what does that tell you?” Ortiz said.Ortiz will be enshrined in Cooperstown, New York, on July 24 along with era committee selections Buck O’Neil, Minnie Miñoso, Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat and Bud Fowler.Bonds, Clemens, Curt Schilling and Sammy Sosa were all rejected in their 10th and final year on the BBWAA ballot. Bonds is MLB’s career home run leader and Clemens won a record seven Cy Young Awards, but voters denied them the game’s highest honor over allegations they used PEDs. Bonds got 66% of the vote, and Clemens was at 65.2%.“My family and I put the HOF in the rear view mirror ten years ago,” Clemens said on Twitter. “Hopefully everyone can now close this book and keep their eyes forward focusing on what is really important in life.”Schilling’s support dropped off sharply after he finished 16 votes shy in 2021. Many voters chose not to back the right-hander due to hateful remarks he has made in retirement toward Muslims, transgender people, journalists and others.Schilling asked the Hall to remove him from this year’s voting, but he remained an option. He was named on 58.6% of ballots, down from 71.1% last year.“I say it every year and especially this year, focus on who did get in,” Schilling tweeted. ”@davidortiz deserved a 1st ballot induction! Congratulations my friend you earned it! #bigpapiHoF”Bonds, Clemens, Schilling and Sosa are done on the BBWAA ballot, but they will be considered again next year by the Today’s Game era committee. The 16-person committee of Hall members, executives and veteran media members will convene in December to consider players who played between 1988-2016 and are no longer eligible for BBWAA selection.“Not having them join me is hard for me to believe,” Ortiz said of Bonds and Clemens. “Those guys did it all.”Among other first-timers on the ballot, Alex Rodriguez and Jimmy Rollins got the most support.Rodriguez won three MVPs and hit 696 homers, fourth most of all time, but also has PED use clouding his case. He was banned by Major League Baseball for the entire 2014 season after violating the league’s drug policy. Voters named him on 34.3% of ballots.Rollins, a four-time Gold Glove winner with Philadelphia, appeared on 9.4% of ballots and was the only other first-timer to earn the 5% necessary to remain under consideration. Joe Nathan, Tim Lincecum and Ryan Howard were among 10 one-and-done players.The only others to earn more than 50% support were third baseman Scott Rolen (63.2%, up from 52.9%), first baseman Todd Helton (52%, up from 44.9%) and reliever Billy Wagner (51%, up from 46.4%). Outfielder Andruw Jones also made gains, rising to 41.1% from 33.9%.Next year’s ballot will introduce a new wrinkle of controversy when Carlos Beltrán joins the list. The nine-time All-Star was implicated by MLB in the Houston Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal before the 2020 season and was let go as manager of the New York Mets.Beltrán is likely to be joined on the ballot by John Lackey, Jered Weaver, Jacoby Ellsbury and Francisco Rodriguez.