Girls Bracket:&nbsp;<figure>
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 <figcaption>'21-22 RPAC GB BB Tourney Brackets-1.png</figcaption>
 </figure>Boys Bracket:&nbsp;<figure>
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 <figcaption>'21-22 RPAC GB BB Tourney Brackets-2.png</figcaption>
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2021-22 RPAC Tournament Brackets

Cambridge 35, Sutherland 28 Gothenburg 44, Chase County 36 Hershey 43, Valentine 32 Maywood-Hayes Center 54, Arthur County 23 North Platte 55, Lexington 32 North Platte St. Patrick's 51, Overton 45 Sidney 44, Ogallala 39 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 1, Maxwell 0 Wallace 49, Paxton 40 Wauneta-Palisade 61, Perkins County 53

Cambridge 57, Maxwell 19 Hershey 34, Holdrege 30 Ogallala 46, Valentine 38 Sidney 61, North Platte 56 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 59, Brady 23 Wauneta-Palisade 71, Garden County 38

Cambridge 58, Sutherland 20 Gothenburg 53, Chase County 34 Hershey 46, Valentine 38 Maywood-Hayes Center 71, Arthur County 27 North Platte 58, Lexington 34 North Platte St. Patrick's 77, Overton 21 Perkins County 59, Wauneta-Palisade 37 Sidney 61, Ogallala 55 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 50, Maxwell 39 Wallace 45, Paxton 44

Brady 52, South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 49 Cambridge 53, Maxwell 37 Holdrege 38, Hershey 30 North Platte 62, Sidney 46 Ogallala 73, Valentine 29

GirlsFriday (1/14/2022)Cambridge 35, Sutherland 28 Gothenburg 44, Chase County 36 Hershey 43, Valentine 32 Maywood-Hayes Center 54, Arthur County 23 North Platte 55, Lexington 32 North Platte St. Patrick's 51, Overton 45 Sidney 44, Ogallala 39 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 1, Maxwell 0 Wallace 49, Paxton 40 Wauneta-Palisade 61, Perkins County 53Saturday (01/15/2022)Cambridge 57, Maxwell 19 Hershey 34, Holdrege 30 Ogallala 46, Valentine 38 Sidney 61, North Platte 56 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 59, Brady 23 Wauneta-Palisade 71, Garden County 38BoysFriday (01/14/2022)Cambridge 58, Sutherland 20 Gothenburg 53, Chase County 34 Hershey 46, Valentine 38 Maywood-Hayes Center 71, Arthur County 27 North Platte 58, Lexington 34 North Platte St. Patrick's 77, Overton 21 Perkins County 59, Wauneta-Palisade 37 Sidney 61, Ogallala 55 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 50, Maxwell 39 Wallace 45, Paxton 44Saturday (01/15/2022)Brady 52, South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 49 Cambridge 53, Maxwell 37 Holdrege 38, Hershey 30 North Platte 62, Sidney 46 Ogallala 73, Valentine 29

Area Sports: Basketball results from 1/14-15

1.15.21 NPHS Basketball at Sidney - LIVESTREAM

1.14.21 NPHS vs Lexington - LIVESTREAM 

Bloomington, Ind. - The Nebraska women's basketball team trailed by 17 midway through the third quarter at No. 6 Indiana before cutting the lead to 68-65 with 24 seconds left, but the Hoosiers sank four free throws down the stretch to secure a 72-65 win over the Huskers on Thursday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

The loss dropped Nebraska to 13-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, while Indiana improved to 13-2 and 5-0 in the conference with its 14th consecutive Big Ten regular-season win and eighth consecutive win over this season.

With Nebraska trailing 63-54 with four minutes left, USBWA National Freshman of the Week Alexis Markowski scored nine straight points for the Huskers, trimming the IU margin to 68-63. Then fellow freshman Allison Weidner hit a pair of free throws with 24.3 seconds left to cut the margin to one possession for the only time in the second half.

Markowski, a 6-3 forward from Lincoln, led Nebraska with 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while Weidner (Humphrey, Neb.) added seven points and five rebounds for the Big Red. Jaz Shelley added 15 points, a game-high nine rebounds and a team-best three assists to go with two steals, while Sam Haiby pitched in 10 points. Haiby scored Nebraska's first basket of the fourth quarter to start a 6-0 Husker run after NU trailed 57-43 entering the final period.

However, Haiby exited the game early in the fourth with an apparent arm injury, but the Huskers continued to chip away without the All-Big Ten guard on the floor. 

The Hoosiers were also limited, as All-Big Ten forward Mackenzie Holmes missed her first game of the season with a leg injury, before starting forward Aleksa Gulbe fouled out of the game with four minutes left, leaving IU with both of its starting post players on the bench. The Huskers also were missing starting forward/center Bella Cravens for the third straight game because of a lower leg injury.

National Player of the Year candidate Grace Berger led Indiana with 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block, while Gulbe finished with 17 points, five rebounds and four steals. Nicole Cardano-Hillary scored all 13 of her points in the first half to help the Hoosiers to a 44-31 halftime lead, while Ali Patberg put four Hoosiers in double figures with 10 points, including the final two points at the line with four seconds left to close out the win.

The biggest shots of the second half though came from Indiana's Chloe Moore-McNeil, who hit a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers and knocked down a pair of pressure free throws with 23.4 seconds left with IU clinging to the 68-65 lead. Moore-McNeil's fourth-quarter field goals were two of just three in the period by the Hoosiers, who also just got one made field goal in the final six-plus minutes of the third quarter. Moore-McNeil finished with all eight of Indiana's points off the bench on the night, as just six Hoosiers saw action in the contest.

For the game, Nebraska hit 40 percent (24-60) of its shots from the field, including 6-of-20 (.300 three-pointers, while going 11-for-18 (.611) at the free throw line. The Huskers outworked the Hoosiers on the glass, 41-35, and won the the battle for second-chance points, 16-2.

Indiana answered with 42.4 percent (25-59) shooting, including 6-of-18 (.333) three-pointers, while hitting 64 percent (16-25) of its free throws. But Nebraska held Indiana to just 7-of-26 (.269) in the second half. The Hoosiers won the turnover battle 19-13, and outscored NU 12-8 in points off turnovers in the game.

The Huskers got off to a solid start in the first four-plus minutes, scoring six of their first 10 points on second-chance opportunities to take a 10-7 lead. But the Hoosiers responded by forcing turnovers on four straight Nebraska possessions to spark an 8-0 run and take a 15-10 lead.

Nebraska was able to cut the IU margin to 17-15 on an Annika Stewart three-pointer with 1:49 left in the quarter, but Cardano-Hillary closed out the period for the Hoosiers with five straight points to give Indiana a 22-16 lead at the end of the first. Stewart finished the night with six points on a pair of threes.

The Huskers cut the margin back to four at 31-27 with five minutes left in the second after an Ashley Scoggin three-pointer, before the Hoosiers came out of the media timeout on a 9-0 run that included five straight points by Patberg to give the Hoosiers their biggest lead at 40-27. Scoggin also finished the night with six points on two threes.

Nebraska got back-to-back buckets from Markowski and Shelley to briefly cut the IU lead back to single digits at 40-31, before the Hoosiers scored the final four points of the half to send Indiana to the locker room with a 44-31 halftime lead.

Shelley led Nebraska with 10 first-half points, while Markowski added six, but the Huskers hit just 39.4 percent (13-33) of their shots including just 3-of-12 threes. Indiana countered with 54.5 percent (18-33), including 3-of-8 three-pointers. The Huskers matched the Hoosiers on the glass with 19 rebounds, but Indiana won the first-half turnover battle 10-6, and outscored the Huskers 11-2 in points off turnovers.

Cardano-Hillary led Indiana with 13 first-half points, while Berger and Gulbe each contributed 12 in the half. Patberg added seven points, as the Hoosiers' experienced quartet accounted for all 44 of Indiana's first-half points.

Nebraska is scheduled to return to Big Ten road action on Sunday when the Big Red travel to Iowa on Sunday. Tip-off between the Huskers and Hawkeyes is set for 5 p.m. (CT) with live television coverage by the Big Ten Network. Free live audio will be provided by the Huskers Radio Network on Huskers.com.

By NU Athletic CommunicationsBloomington, Ind. - The Nebraska women's basketball team trailed by 17 midway through the third quarter at No. 6 Indiana before cutting the lead to 68-65 with 24 seconds left, but the Hoosiers sank four free throws down the stretch to secure a 72-65 win over the Huskers on Thursday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.The loss dropped Nebraska to 13-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, while Indiana improved to 13-2 and 5-0 in the conference with its 14th consecutive Big Ten regular-season win and eighth consecutive win over this season.With Nebraska trailing 63-54 with four minutes left, USBWA National Freshman of the Week Alexis Markowski scored nine straight points for the Huskers, trimming the IU margin to 68-63. Then fellow freshman Allison Weidner hit a pair of free throws with 24.3 seconds left to cut the margin to one possession for the only time in the second half.Markowski, a 6-3 forward from Lincoln, led Nebraska with 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while Weidner (Humphrey, Neb.) added seven points and five rebounds for the Big Red. Jaz Shelley added 15 points, a game-high nine rebounds and a team-best three assists to go with two steals, while Sam Haiby pitched in 10 points. Haiby scored Nebraska's first basket of the fourth quarter to start a 6-0 Husker run after NU trailed 57-43 entering the final period.However, Haiby exited the game early in the fourth with an apparent arm injury, but the Huskers continued to chip away without the All-Big Ten guard on the floor. The Hoosiers were also limited, as All-Big Ten forward Mackenzie Holmes missed her first game of the season with a leg injury, before starting forward Aleksa Gulbe fouled out of the game with four minutes left, leaving IU with both of its starting post players on the bench. The Huskers also were missing starting forward/center Bella Cravens for the third straight game because of a lower leg injury.National Player of the Year candidate Grace Berger led Indiana with 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block, while Gulbe finished with 17 points, five rebounds and four steals. Nicole Cardano-Hillary scored all 13 of her points in the first half to help the Hoosiers to a 44-31 halftime lead, while Ali Patberg put four Hoosiers in double figures with 10 points, including the final two points at the line with four seconds left to close out the win.The biggest shots of the second half though came from Indiana's Chloe Moore-McNeil, who hit a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers and knocked down a pair of pressure free throws with 23.4 seconds left with IU clinging to the 68-65 lead. Moore-McNeil's fourth-quarter field goals were two of just three in the period by the Hoosiers, who also just got one made field goal in the final six-plus minutes of the third quarter. Moore-McNeil finished with all eight of Indiana's points off the bench on the night, as just six Hoosiers saw action in the contest.For the game, Nebraska hit 40 percent (24-60) of its shots from the field, including 6-of-20 (.300 three-pointers, while going 11-for-18 (.611) at the free throw line. The Huskers outworked the Hoosiers on the glass, 41-35, and won the the battle for second-chance points, 16-2.Indiana answered with 42.4 percent (25-59) shooting, including 6-of-18 (.333) three-pointers, while hitting 64 percent (16-25) of its free throws. But Nebraska held Indiana to just 7-of-26 (.269) in the second half. The Hoosiers won the turnover battle 19-13, and outscored NU 12-8 in points off turnovers in the game.The Huskers got off to a solid start in the first four-plus minutes, scoring six of their first 10 points on second-chance opportunities to take a 10-7 lead. But the Hoosiers responded by forcing turnovers on four straight Nebraska possessions to spark an 8-0 run and take a 15-10 lead.Nebraska was able to cut the IU margin to 17-15 on an Annika Stewart three-pointer with 1:49 left in the quarter, but Cardano-Hillary closed out the period for the Hoosiers with five straight points to give Indiana a 22-16 lead at the end of the first. Stewart finished the night with six points on a pair of threes.The Huskers cut the margin back to four at 31-27 with five minutes left in the second after an Ashley Scoggin three-pointer, before the Hoosiers came out of the media timeout on a 9-0 run that included five straight points by Patberg to give the Hoosiers their biggest lead at 40-27. Scoggin also finished the night with six points on two threes.Nebraska got back-to-back buckets from Markowski and Shelley to briefly cut the IU lead back to single digits at 40-31, before the Hoosiers scored the final four points of the half to send Indiana to the locker room with a 44-31 halftime lead.Shelley led Nebraska with 10 first-half points, while Markowski added six, but the Huskers hit just 39.4 percent (13-33) of their shots including just 3-of-12 threes. Indiana countered with 54.5 percent (18-33), including 3-of-8 three-pointers. The Huskers matched the Hoosiers on the glass with 19 rebounds, but Indiana won the first-half turnover battle 10-6, and outscored the Huskers 11-2 in points off turnovers.Cardano-Hillary led Indiana with 13 first-half points, while Berger and Gulbe each contributed 12 in the half. Patberg added seven points, as the Hoosiers' experienced quartet accounted for all 44 of Indiana's first-half points.Nebraska is scheduled to return to Big Ten road action on Sunday when the Big Red travel to Iowa on Sunday. Tip-off between the Huskers and Hawkeyes is set for 5 p.m. (CT) with live television coverage by the Big Ten Network. Free live audio will be provided by the Huskers Radio Network on Huskers.com.

Husker Rally Falls Short at Indiana

North Platte, Neb. – North Platte Community College men’s basketball announces the following updates to their upcoming schedule.

Knights vs. Hastings College JV, 1:00 p.m. – McDonald-Belton Gymnasium

Knights at Southeast Community College, 6:00 p.m. – Beatrice, Neb.

The Knights are scheduled to start the second half of their season against Lamar Community College on Friday, Jan. 14. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

For the latest on North Platte Community College athletics, follow the Knights via social media or visit npccknights.com.

North Platte, Neb. – North Platte Community College men’s basketball announces the following updates to their upcoming schedule.Saturday, January 15Knights vs. Hastings College JV, 1:00 p.m. – McDonald-Belton GymnasiumWednesday, January 19Knights at Southeast Community College, 6:00 p.m. – Beatrice, Neb.The Knights are scheduled to start the second half of their season against Lamar Community College on Friday, Jan. 14. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.For the latest on North Platte Community College athletics, follow the Knights via social media or visit npccknights.com.

NPCC Men’s basketball announces schedule updates

The Big Ten Conference Administrators Council, which includes the Directors of Athletics and Senior Women Administrators from all 14 member institutions, has approved the 2022 Big Ten football schedule. The nine conference opponents on Nebraska's 2022 schedule were unchanged, however the dates of several 2022 league contests have changed. In addition, the Big Ten has switched the sites of Nebraska's games with Wisconsin and Purdue, with the Badgers visiting Lincoln and Nebraska traveling to West Lafayette, Ind. Nebraska opens the 2022 season against Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland, with the Week Zero matchup set for Saturday, Aug. 27. The Huskers' non-conference schedule is unchanged with September home games against North Dakota (Sept. 3), Georgia Southern (Sept. 10) and Oklahoma (Sept. 17). The Huskers will now have a bye on Sept. 24, before resuming Big Ten play on Oct. 1 with its Homecoming contest against Indiana. Nebraska embarks on a two-game October road trip with matchups at Rutgers (Oct. 8) and at Purdue (Oct. 15), before a second off week on Oct. 22. Nebraska closes the season with five straight weeks of Big Ten play, beginning with home games against Illinois (Oct. 29) and Minnesota (Nov. 5), followed by a visit to defending Big Ten champion Michigan on Nov. 12. For the second straight year, Nebraska finishes with Big Ten West foes Wisconsin and Iowa. The Badgers will visit Memorial Stadium on Nov. 19, before the Huskers close the regular season with their traditional Black Friday matchup at Iowa. &nbsp; Fans interested in becoming Nebraska season ticket holders should visit Huskers.com/tickets and join the 2022 Season Ticket Request List. 2022 Nebraska Football Schedule Aug. 27—vs. Northwestern (Dublin, Ireland) Sept. 3—North Dakota Sept. 10—Georgia Southern Sept. 17—Oklahoma Sept. 24—BYE Oct. 1—Indiana (HC) Oct. 8—at Rutgers Oct. 15—at Purdue Oct. 22—BYE Oct. 29—Illinois Nov. 5—Minnesota Nov. 12—at Michigan Nov. 19—Wisconsin Nov. 25 (Fri.)—at Iowa&nbsp;&nbsp;

By NU Athletic CommunicationsThe Big Ten Conference Administrators Council, which includes the Directors of Athletics and Senior Women Administrators from all 14 member institutions, has approved the 2022 Big Ten football schedule. The nine conference opponents on Nebraska's 2022 schedule were unchanged, however the dates of several 2022 league contests have changed. In addition, the Big Ten has switched the sites of Nebraska's games with Wisconsin and Purdue, with the Badgers visiting Lincoln and Nebraska traveling to West Lafayette, Ind. Nebraska opens the 2022 season against Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland, with the Week Zero matchup set for Saturday, Aug. 27. The Huskers' non-conference schedule is unchanged with September home games against North Dakota (Sept. 3), Georgia Southern (Sept. 10) and Oklahoma (Sept. 17). The Huskers will now have a bye on Sept. 24, before resuming Big Ten play on Oct. 1 with its Homecoming contest against Indiana. Nebraska embarks on a two-game October road trip with matchups at Rutgers (Oct. 8) and at Purdue (Oct. 15), before a second off week on Oct. 22. Nebraska closes the season with five straight weeks of Big Ten play, beginning with home games against Illinois (Oct. 29) and Minnesota (Nov. 5), followed by a visit to defending Big Ten champion Michigan on Nov. 12. For the second straight year, Nebraska finishes with Big Ten West foes Wisconsin and Iowa. The Badgers will visit Memorial Stadium on Nov. 19, before the Huskers close the regular season with their traditional Black Friday matchup at Iowa. &nbsp; Fans interested in becoming Nebraska season ticket holders should visit Huskers.com/tickets and join the 2022 Season Ticket Request List. 2022 Nebraska Football Schedule Aug. 27—vs. Northwestern (Dublin, Ireland) Sept. 3—North Dakota Sept. 10—Georgia Southern Sept. 17—Oklahoma Sept. 24—BYE Oct. 1—Indiana (HC) Oct. 8—at Rutgers Oct. 15—at Purdue Oct. 22—BYE Oct. 29—Illinois Nov. 5—Minnesota Nov. 12—at Michigan Nov. 19—Wisconsin Nov. 25 (Fri.)—at Iowa&nbsp;&nbsp;

Big Ten Announces Revised 2022 Conference Schedule

<h2>Girls Bracket:&nbsp;</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642076137766.jpeg" alt="2022 SPVA Girls.jpg" />
 <figcaption>2022 SPVA Girls.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Boys Bracket:&nbsp;</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642076159649.jpeg" alt="2022 SPVA Boys.jpg" />
 <figcaption>2022 SPVA Boys.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>

SPVA Basketball Brackets 2021-22

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball and the players’ association are scheduled to meet Thursday, ending a 42-day break in negotiations that began when management started a lockout, the sport’s first work stoppage since 1995.

With the scheduled start of spring training five weeks away, management was planning to make a new proposal to players, several people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.

The sides last met Dec. 1 in Irving, Texas, a brief session that broke off hours before the collective bargaining agreement expired. Since then, negotiations have been limited to peripheral issues. The meeting Thursday is scheduled to be conducted by video conference.

MLB payrolls dropped 4% in 2021 compared to the league’s last full season in 2019, and the $4.05 billion total was the lowest in a fully completed year since 2015.

Players have asked for liberalized eligibility for free agency and salary arbitration, raising the luxury tax threshold from $210 million to $245 million, changes to spark increased competition among clubs and measures to address what the union claims is service time manipulation.

Management has offered to increase the tax threshold to $214 million, to extend the designated hitter to the National League and to eliminate draft pick compensation for losing players in free agency, a provision that has existed in various forms since 1976.

Both sides would increase the minimum salary, players from $570,500 to $775,000 this season and management to a series of tiers: $600,000 for players with less than a year of big league service, $650,000 for at least one but less than two and $700,000 for at least two.

Negotiators also have discussed an NBA-style draft lottery, but management would limit it to the top three teams and the union would expand it to the top eight. Players would reward small-market teams with additional draft picks for success, such as making the playoffs or finishing with a winning record.

Retired pitcher David Cone, a member of the union’s executive subcommittee during the 1994-95 strike, views the issues as less contentious than during the previous stoppage, when players fought off management’s proposal for a salary cap.

“I think there is the framework for a deal. Back in the mid-90s there was two completely different frameworks,” Cone, now an analyst for the Yankees’ YES Network and ESPN, said. “They are within the same framework: Where does the luxury tax fall? Can the players address control issues and competitive teams instead of tanking? Or service time manipulation certainly is an issue. So control issues on the player side, but the framework I believe is there for a deal. At some point I believe it’s going to happen.”

Baseball’s ninth work stoppage began Dec. 2, its ninth since 1972 but first since the 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95.

Spring training is scheduled to start Feb. 16 in Florida and Arizona, and opening day is set for March 31.

With the need for at least three weeks of spring training and time for players to arrive and go through COVID protocols, an agreement by about March 5 is needed for an on-time start to the season.

By Ronald Blum - Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball and the players’ association are scheduled to meet Thursday, ending a 42-day break in negotiations that began when management started a lockout, the sport’s first work stoppage since 1995.With the scheduled start of spring training five weeks away, management was planning to make a new proposal to players, several people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.The sides last met Dec. 1 in Irving, Texas, a brief session that broke off hours before the collective bargaining agreement expired. Since then, negotiations have been limited to peripheral issues. The meeting Thursday is scheduled to be conducted by video conference.MLB payrolls dropped 4% in 2021 compared to the league’s last full season in 2019, and the $4.05 billion total was the lowest in a fully completed year since 2015.Players have asked for liberalized eligibility for free agency and salary arbitration, raising the luxury tax threshold from $210 million to $245 million, changes to spark increased competition among clubs and measures to address what the union claims is service time manipulation.Management has offered to increase the tax threshold to $214 million, to extend the designated hitter to the National League and to eliminate draft pick compensation for losing players in free agency, a provision that has existed in various forms since 1976.Both sides would increase the minimum salary, players from $570,500 to $775,000 this season and management to a series of tiers: $600,000 for players with less than a year of big league service, $650,000 for at least one but less than two and $700,000 for at least two.Negotiators also have discussed an NBA-style draft lottery, but management would limit it to the top three teams and the union would expand it to the top eight. Players would reward small-market teams with additional draft picks for success, such as making the playoffs or finishing with a winning record.Retired pitcher David Cone, a member of the union’s executive subcommittee during the 1994-95 strike, views the issues as less contentious than during the previous stoppage, when players fought off management’s proposal for a salary cap.“I think there is the framework for a deal. Back in the mid-90s there was two completely different frameworks,” Cone, now an analyst for the Yankees’ YES Network and ESPN, said. “They are within the same framework: Where does the luxury tax fall? Can the players address control issues and competitive teams instead of tanking? Or service time manipulation certainly is an issue. So control issues on the player side, but the framework I believe is there for a deal. At some point I believe it’s going to happen.”Baseball’s ninth work stoppage began Dec. 2, its ninth since 1972 but first since the 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95.Spring training is scheduled to start Feb. 16 in Florida and Arizona, and opening day is set for March 31.With the need for at least three weeks of spring training and time for players to arrive and go through COVID protocols, an agreement by about March 5 is needed for an on-time start to the season.

AP source: MLB labor talks to resume after 42-day break

By Daniel Stinman -&nbsp;Director of Marketing and Public Information

Sterling, Colo. – North Platte Community College women's basketball opened another six-game road trip with the Plainswomen of Northeastern Junior College on Tuesday night. North Platte rallied in the second quarter and held off the Plainswomen to earn their first road win against Northeastern since the 2013-14 season.

"This was a great team win," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "We battled for all forty minutes and our tough defense helped us earn this road victory."

Knights attempted to set the tone early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the opening minutes of action, before an 8-0 run by the Plainswomen shifted the momentum in favor of Northeastern. Jada Ballard halted the run by following her shot and getting her offensive putback to fall to cut the deficit to four, 4-8.

The Northeastern lead grew to seven on a quick three in transition, before Diamond Moore-Heath answered with a contested layup in the paint. The Plainswomen extended their lead back to seven under two minutes to play, but Janay Brauer ignited the Knights offense with a three to trim the deficit down to four by the end of the first quarter, 9-13.

North Platte used the momentum to open the second quarter on a 7-0 run, as a short-range jumper by Moore-Heath pushed the Knights ahead inside eight minutes to play in the second quarter.  Northeastern tied the game up at 15, before the Knights surged ahead outscoring the Plainswomen 12-4 for the remainder of the quarter to take an eight-point lead into the break, 27-19.

Out of the halftime break, the Knights lead stretched to ten as Moore-Heath came loose in the paint for an uncontested layup. The Plainswomen quietly cut into the deficit over the next 4:40 to pull back within three, 33-30. A short burst on the offensive end by the Knights extended the lead back to eight on a three by Brauer, but the Plainswomen responded down the stretch to narrow the deficit back to one possession by the end of the third quarter, 38-36.

Knights responded to open the fourth quarter as an extra pass found Brauer open on the right wing for a three. A bucket by the Plainswomen drew Northeastern back within three, but a second chance opportunity by Moore-Heath quickly pushed the North Platte lead back to five, 43-38.

North Platte tightened up defensively as their lead grew to nine on a layup by Avery Johnson inside six minutes to play. Brauer extended the lead back to double-digits over a minute later after receiving the pass from Moore-Heath and connecting on a deep three, 56-44. North Platte never relinquished their momentum over the final four minutes and closed out the Plainswomen down the stretch to earn the 70-51 road win. 

As a team, the Knights shot 32.9 percent (27-82) from the field, and 6-of-24 from the perimeter on the night. North Platte collected 27 offensive rebounds, which turned into 16 second chance points.

Brauer paced the Knights with 19 points on 6-of-21 shooting from the floor. Moore-Heath earned her eighth double-double of the season tallying 16 points and 13 rebounds in thirty minutes of action. Ballard closed out her first double-double of her career compiling 14 points and 11 rebounds against the Plainswomen.

North Platte (12-5) will travel back to Colorado on Tuesday, Jan. 18 for a rematch against Air Force Prep. Tip is set for 5 p.m. in Colorado Springs, Colo. Knights won the opening meeting back on Nov. 13 at the Cobblestone Hotel Inn &amp; Suites Classic in McCook, 72-65.

By Daniel Stinman -&nbsp;Director of Marketing and Public InformationSterling, Colo. – North Platte Community College women's basketball opened another six-game road trip with the Plainswomen of Northeastern Junior College on Tuesday night. North Platte rallied in the second quarter and held off the Plainswomen to earn their first road win against Northeastern since the 2013-14 season."This was a great team win," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "We battled for all forty minutes and our tough defense helped us earn this road victory."Knights attempted to set the tone early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the opening minutes of action, before an 8-0 run by the Plainswomen shifted the momentum in favor of Northeastern. Jada Ballard halted the run by following her shot and getting her offensive putback to fall to cut the deficit to four, 4-8.The Northeastern lead grew to seven on a quick three in transition, before Diamond Moore-Heath answered with a contested layup in the paint. The Plainswomen extended their lead back to seven under two minutes to play, but Janay Brauer ignited the Knights offense with a three to trim the deficit down to four by the end of the first quarter, 9-13.North Platte used the momentum to open the second quarter on a 7-0 run, as a short-range jumper by Moore-Heath pushed the Knights ahead inside eight minutes to play in the second quarter. Northeastern tied the game up at 15, before the Knights surged ahead outscoring the Plainswomen 12-4 for the remainder of the quarter to take an eight-point lead into the break, 27-19.Out of the halftime break, the Knights lead stretched to ten as Moore-Heath came loose in the paint for an uncontested layup. The Plainswomen quietly cut into the deficit over the next 4:40 to pull back within three, 33-30. A short burst on the offensive end by the Knights extended the lead back to eight on a three by Brauer, but the Plainswomen responded down the stretch to narrow the deficit back to one possession by the end of the third quarter, 38-36.Knights responded to open the fourth quarter as an extra pass found Brauer open on the right wing for a three. A bucket by the Plainswomen drew Northeastern back within three, but a second chance opportunity by Moore-Heath quickly pushed the North Platte lead back to five, 43-38.North Platte tightened up defensively as their lead grew to nine on a layup by Avery Johnson inside six minutes to play. Brauer extended the lead back to double-digits over a minute later after receiving the pass from Moore-Heath and connecting on a deep three, 56-44. North Platte never relinquished their momentum over the final four minutes and closed out the Plainswomen down the stretch to earn the 70-51 road win. As a team, the Knights shot 32.9 percent (27-82) from the field, and 6-of-24 from the perimeter on the night. North Platte collected 27 offensive rebounds, which turned into 16 second chance points.Brauer paced the Knights with 19 points on 6-of-21 shooting from the floor. Moore-Heath earned her eighth double-double of the season tallying 16 points and 13 rebounds in thirty minutes of action. Ballard closed out her first double-double of her career compiling 14 points and 11 rebounds against the Plainswomen.North Platte (12-5) will travel back to Colorado on Tuesday, Jan. 18 for a rematch against Air Force Prep. Tip is set for 5 p.m. in Colorado Springs, Colo. Knights won the opening meeting back on Nov. 13 at the Cobblestone Hotel Inn &amp; Suites Classic in McCook, 72-65.

Strong defense helps Knights prevail over Northeastern Junior College

Nebraska stood toe-to-toe with No. 25 Illinois, but the Fighting Illini used a 12-2 run in the final four minutes to stave off the Huskers, 81-71 at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Tuesday night.

In a tightly contest battle, neither team led by more than five until the final stretch after Nebraska pulled even at 65-all on a pair of Bryce McGowens' free throws with 3:57 left. Coleman Hawkins' offensive putback started a decisive 7-0 run, as the Illini took a 72-65 lead on a 3-pointer from Da'Monte Williams with 2:20 left. NU pulled to within five at 72-67 on a pair of Alonzo Verge Jr. free throws, but Illinois ran off five straight, including a 3-pointer from Trent Frazier, who led all scorers with 29 points.

Frazier's 29 led three Illini (12-5, 5-0) in double figures, while Kofi Cockburn (16) and Jacob Grandison (12) also finished in double figures as Illinois won for the 10th time in the last 11 contests. 

McGowens paced three Huskers (6-11, 0-6) with 19 points and six rebounds. Alonzo Verge Jr. and Derrick Walker each added 14 points. Walker added seven rebounds while Verge tallied nine assists.  The Huskers shot 45.8 percent from the field (25-59) and was 6-for-12 from the three-point range (50 percent) to fall to 6-11 on the season. 

Nebraska started the first half off strong going on a 13-2 run in the first four minutes. Four threes, including a pair from Keisei Tominaga and one each from Lat Mayen and McGowens, put the Huskers up 16-4. Illinois cut the lead to 19-17 after a 7-0 run, and continued to stay hot throughout the middle of the first half. The Illini took a 23-21 lead with 8:53 to go in the first. A three-pointer by Plummer put Illinois up 28-21, their largest lead of the half. 

Trailing 31-23, the Huskers closed the half on an 11-0 spurt, holding the Illini without a field goal for nearly five minutes and took a 34-31 lead on a pair of free throws from Verge with 0.2 seconds left.

Nebraska stretched the lead to 36-31 on a Walker putback, but Illinois answered pulling to within 40-38 after a Frazier basket before taking a 43-42 lead on a Granderson basket with 14:49 left. Neither team could seize momentum as the largest lead until the under four TO was four points. Nebraska trailed 65-61 with 4:27 left, but a basket from Walker and two McGowens free throws tied it up with 3:57 left.

The Huskers will continue conference play on Friday, Jan. 14 as they travel to No. 7 Purdue. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be aired on FS1 and the Huskers Radio Network. 

By NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska stood toe-to-toe with No. 25 Illinois, but the Fighting Illini used a 12-2 run in the final four minutes to stave off the Huskers, 81-71 at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Tuesday night.In a tightly contest battle, neither team led by more than five until the final stretch after Nebraska pulled even at 65-all on a pair of Bryce McGowens' free throws with 3:57 left. Coleman Hawkins' offensive putback started a decisive 7-0 run, as the Illini took a 72-65 lead on a 3-pointer from Da'Monte Williams with 2:20 left. NU pulled to within five at 72-67 on a pair of Alonzo Verge Jr. free throws, but Illinois ran off five straight, including a 3-pointer from Trent Frazier, who led all scorers with 29 points.Frazier's 29 led three Illini (12-5, 5-0) in double figures, while Kofi Cockburn (16) and Jacob Grandison (12) also finished in double figures as Illinois won for the 10th time in the last 11 contests. McGowens paced three Huskers (6-11, 0-6) with 19 points and six rebounds. Alonzo Verge Jr. and Derrick Walker each added 14 points. Walker added seven rebounds while Verge tallied nine assists. The Huskers shot 45.8 percent from the field (25-59) and was 6-for-12 from the three-point range (50 percent) to fall to 6-11 on the season. Nebraska started the first half off strong going on a 13-2 run in the first four minutes. Four threes, including a pair from Keisei Tominaga and one each from Lat Mayen and McGowens, put the Huskers up 16-4. Illinois cut the lead to 19-17 after a 7-0 run, and continued to stay hot throughout the middle of the first half. The Illini took a 23-21 lead with 8:53 to go in the first. A three-pointer by Plummer put Illinois up 28-21, their largest lead of the half. Trailing 31-23, the Huskers closed the half on an 11-0 spurt, holding the Illini without a field goal for nearly five minutes and took a 34-31 lead on a pair of free throws from Verge with 0.2 seconds left.Nebraska stretched the lead to 36-31 on a Walker putback, but Illinois answered pulling to within 40-38 after a Frazier basket before taking a 43-42 lead on a Granderson basket with 14:49 left. Neither team could seize momentum as the largest lead until the under four TO was four points. Nebraska trailed 65-61 with 4:27 left, but a basket from Walker and two McGowens free throws tied it up with 3:57 left.The Huskers will continue conference play on Friday, Jan. 14 as they travel to No. 7 Purdue. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be aired on FS1 and the Huskers Radio Network.

No. 25 Illinois Rallies for Win over Huskers

Post Podcast: Talking with JM Kelly; Head Coach of NP Plainsmen

Garden County 50, Minatare 20 Hershey 51, Sutherland 30 Hitchcock County 53, Dundy County Stratton 37 Maywood-Hayes Center 50, Maxwell 14 North Platte St. Patrick's 48, Mullen 23 Overton 55, Brady 4 Sandhills Valley 42, Medicine Valley 32 Southern Valley 36, Chase County 30

Chase County 45, Southern Valley 28 Dundy County Stratton 50, Hitchcock County 42 Garden County 65, Minatare 36 Hershey 41, Sutherland 28 Maywood-Hayes Center 43, Maxwell 35 Medicine Valley 60, Sandhills Valley 31 North Platte St. Patrick's 56, Mullen 44 Overton 70, Brady 30 Scottsbluff 76, Ogallala 51

GirlsGarden County 50, Minatare 20 Hershey 51, Sutherland 30 Hitchcock County 53, Dundy County Stratton 37 Maywood-Hayes Center 50, Maxwell 14 North Platte St. Patrick's 48, Mullen 23 Overton 55, Brady 4 Sandhills Valley 42, Medicine Valley 32 Southern Valley 36, Chase County 30BoysChase County 45, Southern Valley 28 Dundy County Stratton 50, Hitchcock County 42 Garden County 65, Minatare 36 Hershey 41, Sutherland 28 Maywood-Hayes Center 43, Maxwell 35 Medicine Valley 60, Sandhills Valley 31 North Platte St. Patrick's 56, Mullen 44 Overton 70, Brady 30 Scottsbluff 76, Ogallala 51

Area sports: Basketball results from 1/11

North Platte, Ne - The North Platte Community College Men's Basketball game in Sterling, Colorado against Northern Junior College has been postponed. No make-up date has been set yet.

The Knights Women's Basketball team is still playing this evening. Pregame coverage on FM 98.1 and AM 1410 begins around 6:15pm CT with Kyle Laboria.

North Platte, Ne - The North Platte Community College Men's Basketball game in Sterling, Colorado against Northern Junior College has been postponed. No make-up date has been set yet.The Knights Women's Basketball team is still playing this evening. Pregame coverage on FM 98.1 and AM 1410 begins around 6:15pm CT with Kyle Laboria.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_ecNZKuJJfI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Knights Men's Game at NJC Tonight Postponed

Women tip-off - 6:30 pmMen tip off - 8:30 pm<figure>
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01.11.2022 NPCC Knights Basketball @ NJC - LIVESTREAM

Nebraska All-American and Outland Trophy winner Zach Wiegert is one of 21 individuals who will make up the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class.&nbsp; The 18 players and three coaches were announced on Monday by the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame. The 2022 Hall of Fame class includes nine winners of major college awards, 10 unanimous first-team All-Americans and four members of national championship teams. Wiegert is the only member of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame class who was a member of four conference championship teams. A Fremont, Neb., native, Wiegert is among the group of players selected from the national ballot that included 78 All-Americans. Wiegert becomes the 20th Nebraska player to earn induction into the College Hall of Fame. Nebraska is one of 12 programs nationally with 20 or more players in the College Football Hall of Fame. Wiegert is the seventh Nebraska offensive linemen to join the College Football Hall of Fame, including four coached by Tom Osborne and offensive line coach Milt Tenopir. Overall, Nebraska has 26 members of the Hall, including six coaches. Wiegert is the eighth Husker inducted in the past 16 classes, most recently Eric Crouch, who was part of the 2020 class. Other recent inductees include Aaron Taylor (2018),&nbsp;Trev Alberts&nbsp;(2015), Tommie Frazier (2013), Will Shields (2011), Grant Wistrom (2009) and Mike Rozier (2006). The 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted at the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6, 2022. The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Wiegert was a 1994 unanimous first-team All-American and is one of eight Huskers to win the Outland Trophy. Wiegert helped lead the Huskers to 1994 National Championship after NU played in the 1993 title game. The Huskers averaged 340 rushing yards per game in 1994, and Wiegert led Nebraska with 113 pancake blocks. The leader of the famed 'Nebraska Pipeline' Wiegert earned one first-place vote for the Heisman, finishing tied for ninth with 27 points. In addition to winning the Outland, he was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, a consensus All-American, the UPI Lineman of the Year and the Touchdown Club of Columbus Offensive Lineman of the Year. His No. 72 jersey was retired before the 1995 season. Following his college career, Wiegert was a second-round NFL draft pick by the St. Louis Rams. He went on to play for 12 seasons with the Rams, Jaguars and Texans and made 137 starts in 145 career games played. Wiegert currently resides in Omaha and works in the commercial real estate business. Comments on Zach Wiegert's College Football Hall of Fame Selection Tom Osborne, Nebraska Head Coach, 1973-1997, 1998 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee "Zach Wiegert was a great player at Nebraska during the 1990s.&nbsp; Zach was very intelligent and was also very aggressive and athletic.&nbsp; He stood out as an exceptional offensive lineman among many who played on our offensive lines during that period.&nbsp; I am pleased that he has received Hall of Fame recognition as he is certainly most deserving of this honor." Trev Alberts, Director of Athletics, NU Teammate of Wiegert and 2015 College FB HOF Inductee "It is a fitting honor for Zach Wiegert to be selected to the College Football Hall of Fame. He was a key part of some great football teams at Nebraska and one of the driving forces behind Coach Osborne's first national championship. Zach was one of the most talented teammates I had during my time at Nebraska or in the National Football League. I know that going against him in practice at Nebraska made me a better player, and that type of daily competition is what made our teams successful. It is great to see Zach receive his well-deserved recognition, and to be the 20th&nbsp;Cornhusker football player enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame." Tommie Frazier, Nebraska Teammate of Wiegert, 2013 College FB HOF Inductee "Zach was one of the most competitive and toughest linemen I have seen. He would never back down from any challenge. I am pleased to see him join the fraternity of Nebraska players in the College Football Hall of Fame."&nbsp;&nbsp;

By NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska All-American and Outland Trophy winner Zach Wiegert is one of 21 individuals who will make up the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class.&nbsp; The 18 players and three coaches were announced on Monday by the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame. The 2022 Hall of Fame class includes nine winners of major college awards, 10 unanimous first-team All-Americans and four members of national championship teams. Wiegert is the only member of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame class who was a member of four conference championship teams. A Fremont, Neb., native, Wiegert is among the group of players selected from the national ballot that included 78 All-Americans. Wiegert becomes the 20th Nebraska player to earn induction into the College Hall of Fame. Nebraska is one of 12 programs nationally with 20 or more players in the College Football Hall of Fame. Wiegert is the seventh Nebraska offensive linemen to join the College Football Hall of Fame, including four coached by Tom Osborne and offensive line coach Milt Tenopir. Overall, Nebraska has 26 members of the Hall, including six coaches. Wiegert is the eighth Husker inducted in the past 16 classes, most recently Eric Crouch, who was part of the 2020 class. Other recent inductees include Aaron Taylor (2018),&nbsp;Trev Alberts&nbsp;(2015), Tommie Frazier (2013), Will Shields (2011), Grant Wistrom (2009) and Mike Rozier (2006). The 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted at the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6, 2022. The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Wiegert was a 1994 unanimous first-team All-American and is one of eight Huskers to win the Outland Trophy. Wiegert helped lead the Huskers to 1994 National Championship after NU played in the 1993 title game. The Huskers averaged 340 rushing yards per game in 1994, and Wiegert led Nebraska with 113 pancake blocks. The leader of the famed 'Nebraska Pipeline' Wiegert earned one first-place vote for the Heisman, finishing tied for ninth with 27 points. In addition to winning the Outland, he was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, a consensus All-American, the UPI Lineman of the Year and the Touchdown Club of Columbus Offensive Lineman of the Year. His No. 72 jersey was retired before the 1995 season. Following his college career, Wiegert was a second-round NFL draft pick by the St. Louis Rams. He went on to play for 12 seasons with the Rams, Jaguars and Texans and made 137 starts in 145 career games played. Wiegert currently resides in Omaha and works in the commercial real estate business. Comments on Zach Wiegert's College Football Hall of Fame Selection Tom Osborne, Nebraska Head Coach, 1973-1997, 1998 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee "Zach Wiegert was a great player at Nebraska during the 1990s.&nbsp; Zach was very intelligent and was also very aggressive and athletic.&nbsp; He stood out as an exceptional offensive lineman among many who played on our offensive lines during that period.&nbsp; I am pleased that he has received Hall of Fame recognition as he is certainly most deserving of this honor." Trev Alberts, Director of Athletics, NU Teammate of Wiegert and 2015 College FB HOF Inductee "It is a fitting honor for Zach Wiegert to be selected to the College Football Hall of Fame. He was a key part of some great football teams at Nebraska and one of the driving forces behind Coach Osborne's first national championship. Zach was one of the most talented teammates I had during my time at Nebraska or in the National Football League. I know that going against him in practice at Nebraska made me a better player, and that type of daily competition is what made our teams successful. It is great to see Zach receive his well-deserved recognition, and to be the 20th&nbsp;Cornhusker football player enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame." Tommie Frazier, Nebraska Teammate of Wiegert, 2013 College FB HOF Inductee "Zach was one of the most competitive and toughest linemen I have seen. He would never back down from any challenge. I am pleased to see him join the fraternity of Nebraska players in the College Football Hall of Fame."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wiegert Selected for College Football Hall of Fame

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Bill Busch has been promoted from defensive analyst to special teams coordinator at Nebraska, coach Scott Frost announced Monday.

Frost also said assistant Mike Dawson will have additional duties. Dawson will now coach the interior linemen as well as the edge rushers following defensive line coach Tony Tuioti’s departure for Oregon.

Busch’s charge is to upgrade one of the worst special teams units in the country this past season.

Busch was LSU’s safeties coach from 2018-20 before returning to Lincoln last February for a third stint with the Cornhuskers. Busch was safeties coach and special teams coordinator under Bill Callahan from 2004-07 and a graduate assistant under Tom Osborne from 1990-93.

“I worked my entire professional career to get the opportunity to coach football at the University of Nebraska,” the Pender, Nebraska, native said. “Now, I have been blessed to do that twice — how cool is that?”

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Bill Busch has been promoted from defensive analyst to special teams coordinator at Nebraska, coach Scott Frost announced Monday.Frost also said assistant Mike Dawson will have additional duties. Dawson will now coach the interior linemen as well as the edge rushers following defensive line coach Tony Tuioti’s departure for Oregon.Busch’s charge is to upgrade one of the worst special teams units in the country this past season.Busch was LSU’s safeties coach from 2018-20 before returning to Lincoln last February for a third stint with the Cornhuskers. Busch was safeties coach and special teams coordinator under Bill Callahan from 2004-07 and a graduate assistant under Tom Osborne from 1990-93.“I worked my entire professional career to get the opportunity to coach football at the University of Nebraska,” the Pender, Nebraska, native said. “Now, I have been blessed to do that twice — how cool is that?”

Nebraska promotes Bill Busch to special teams coordinator

By Arnie Stapleton - Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos are looking for a new head coach to lead them out of a six-year playoff drought and a half decade of losing seasons that marks the most protracted plunge by a Super Bowl champion in NFL history.

The Broncos fired Vic Fangio after he went 19-30 over three years, including 7-10 this season despite having one of the easiest schedules and the highest-paid defense in the league.

Had Fangio’s dogged determination, unpretentious personality and first-rate professionalism led to better results on the field, he wouldn’t have been let go Sunday morning by team president/CEO Joe Ellis and first-year general manager George Paton.

Paton sounded more like a man hiring Fangio than firing him when he declared, “He’s the best coach I’ve ever been around. And I don’t take that lightly. His attention to detail, his toughness, his work ethic and his football mind is unparalleled.”

“He put his heart and soul into this job,” Ellis concurred. “I’ve never seen a coach work harder. At the end of the day, we’re judged on one thing, and that’s winning.”

Fangio .387 winning percentage includes a 6-11 mark at home over the past two seasons, the worst two-year stretch in Denver since the team went 4-10 in 1967-68. His teams were just 5-13 against the AFC West.

The Broncos are the first team in league history to follow a Super Bowl championship with six straight non-playoff seasons, half of which came under Fangio’s watch.

Fangio, 63, burnished his reputation as a defensive master during his first head coaching gig in Denver, yet his teams struggled mightily on offense under obdurate coordinator Pat Shurmur and on special teams under Tom McMahon.

Fangio isn’t expected to be out of work long. He will be a strong candidate for a defensive coordinator job in the new round of coaching changes this month.

The Broncos’ head coach opening is the third in the NFL. The Jaguars (Urban Meyer) and Raiders (Jon Gruden) fired their head coaches amid scandal during the season.

Ellis, who will step down later this year, said Paton will have “full authority to select the next head coach.”

Paton said, however, he would consult both Ellis and John Elway, the outgoing president of football operations whose contract expires in 2022.

Paton said he would put out feelers to potential candidates on Monday and that he had no prerequisites regarding offensive or defensive roots or whether they have head coaching experience.

“Obviously, we want the best football coach,” he said. “Not worried about what side of the ball, not worried about a play caller. We want leadership. That’s our No. 1 priority.

“We need someone to take over the whole operation,” Paton said. “We’re not just focused on one side of the ball even though we need to upgrade” an offense that averaged just 19.49 points per game in the six seasons since averaging 30 points a game during the Peyton Manning era.

The new head coach will be the Broncos’ fifth in nine years, something Ellis said pointed to organizational failings rather than any coaching deficiencies.

“A lot of us here are responsible and we share in that accountability over what has happened here over the last several years,” Ellis said. “It’s not just the coaching. There are a lot of fingerprints on this throughout our entire operation. And they include my fingerprints.”

Both Ellis and Paton insisted the uncertain ownership issue facing the franchise won’t deter the Broncos from hiring the best coaching candidate.

There is expected to be an ownership transfer of the $3.5 billion franchise later this year once a court case regarding right of first refusal is cleared, ending a long simmering family feud that boiled over following Hall of Fame owner Pat Bowlen’s death in 2019.

Fangio released a statement in which he thanked the organization and fans and praised Paton as one of the NFL’s top GMs: “Broncos fans, you have a great one in George.”

Fangio said he appreciated the team’s “fight and character you showed each and every week” and suggested the franchise has a solid foundation and is on the cusp of winning again.

Paton agreed but said there’s plenty of work left to do, including finding a premier passer. And he decided to add a head coaching search to his long to-do list in 2022, someone who can keep Denver’s defense top notch while adding excitement to a dull offense and discipline to a notoriously sloppy special teams.

Fangio’s creative schemes helped the Broncos thwart some of the best young quarterbacks even with depleted defenses. The long list of QBs who have had some of the toughest days of their careers against Fangio’s teams include Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes and, just last month, Joe Burrow.

The Broncos averaged better than 10,000 no-shows over their final six home games, including nearly 15,000 Saturday when they lost 28-24 to Kansas City.

Losing has “become systemic here,” Ellis lamented. “And that’s got to change.”

Asked Saturday about his poor record against division opponents, Fangio said, “Well those other three teams have top-shelf quarterbacks, which is obvious to everybody.”

Equally clear is the Broncos’ inability to find their own elite QB, churning as they have through 10 starting quarterbacks since Manning’s retirement after Denver’s win in Super Bowl 50.

That includes Teddy Bridgewater, who went 7-7 before missing the final three games with a concussion, and Drew Lock, who went 0-3.

Thanks to his trade of Von Miller to the Rams, Paton has 11 draft picks, including five in the top 100, to either restock his roster or use as chips to acquire a veteran via a trade. He’ll also have more than $50 million in cap space to sign free agents.

Job No. 1 was going to be finding the right quarterback, but now that’s superseded by landing the right head coach.

“You can’t keep recycling coaches and expect to sustain a winning culture,” Paton said. “But we’re going to get it right. And we’re going to get it right with this search, I can guarantee you that.”

By Arnie Stapleton - Associated PressDENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos are looking for a new head coach to lead them out of a six-year playoff drought and a half decade of losing seasons that marks the most protracted plunge by a Super Bowl champion in NFL history.The Broncos fired Vic Fangio after he went 19-30 over three years, including 7-10 this season despite having one of the easiest schedules and the highest-paid defense in the league.Had Fangio’s dogged determination, unpretentious personality and first-rate professionalism led to better results on the field, he wouldn’t have been let go Sunday morning by team president/CEO Joe Ellis and first-year general manager George Paton.Paton sounded more like a man hiring Fangio than firing him when he declared, “He’s the best coach I’ve ever been around. And I don’t take that lightly. His attention to detail, his toughness, his work ethic and his football mind is unparalleled.”“He put his heart and soul into this job,” Ellis concurred. “I’ve never seen a coach work harder. At the end of the day, we’re judged on one thing, and that’s winning.”Fangio .387 winning percentage includes a 6-11 mark at home over the past two seasons, the worst two-year stretch in Denver since the team went 4-10 in 1967-68. His teams were just 5-13 against the AFC West.The Broncos are the first team in league history to follow a Super Bowl championship with six straight non-playoff seasons, half of which came under Fangio’s watch.Fangio, 63, burnished his reputation as a defensive master during his first head coaching gig in Denver, yet his teams struggled mightily on offense under obdurate coordinator Pat Shurmur and on special teams under Tom McMahon.Fangio isn’t expected to be out of work long. He will be a strong candidate for a defensive coordinator job in the new round of coaching changes this month.The Broncos’ head coach opening is the third in the NFL. The Jaguars (Urban Meyer) and Raiders (Jon Gruden) fired their head coaches amid scandal during the season.Ellis, who will step down later this year, said Paton will have “full authority to select the next head coach.”Paton said, however, he would consult both Ellis and John Elway, the outgoing president of football operations whose contract expires in 2022.Paton said he would put out feelers to potential candidates on Monday and that he had no prerequisites regarding offensive or defensive roots or whether they have head coaching experience.“Obviously, we want the best football coach,” he said. “Not worried about what side of the ball, not worried about a play caller. We want leadership. That’s our No. 1 priority.“We need someone to take over the whole operation,” Paton said. “We’re not just focused on one side of the ball even though we need to upgrade” an offense that averaged just 19.49 points per game in the six seasons since averaging 30 points a game during the Peyton Manning era.The new head coach will be the Broncos’ fifth in nine years, something Ellis said pointed to organizational failings rather than any coaching deficiencies.“A lot of us here are responsible and we share in that accountability over what has happened here over the last several years,” Ellis said. “It’s not just the coaching. There are a lot of fingerprints on this throughout our entire operation. And they include my fingerprints.”Both Ellis and Paton insisted the uncertain ownership issue facing the franchise won’t deter the Broncos from hiring the best coaching candidate.There is expected to be an ownership transfer of the $3.5 billion franchise later this year once a court case regarding right of first refusal is cleared, ending a long simmering family feud that boiled over following Hall of Fame owner Pat Bowlen’s death in 2019.Fangio released a statement in which he thanked the organization and fans and praised Paton as one of the NFL’s top GMs: “Broncos fans, you have a great one in George.”Fangio said he appreciated the team’s “fight and character you showed each and every week” and suggested the franchise has a solid foundation and is on the cusp of winning again.Paton agreed but said there’s plenty of work left to do, including finding a premier passer. And he decided to add a head coaching search to his long to-do list in 2022, someone who can keep Denver’s defense top notch while adding excitement to a dull offense and discipline to a notoriously sloppy special teams.Fangio’s creative schemes helped the Broncos thwart some of the best young quarterbacks even with depleted defenses. The long list of QBs who have had some of the toughest days of their careers against Fangio’s teams include Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes and, just last month, Joe Burrow.The Broncos averaged better than 10,000 no-shows over their final six home games, including nearly 15,000 Saturday when they lost 28-24 to Kansas City.Losing has “become systemic here,” Ellis lamented. “And that’s got to change.”Asked Saturday about his poor record against division opponents, Fangio said, “Well those other three teams have top-shelf quarterbacks, which is obvious to everybody.”Equally clear is the Broncos’ inability to find their own elite QB, churning as they have through 10 starting quarterbacks since Manning’s retirement after Denver’s win in Super Bowl 50.That includes Teddy Bridgewater, who went 7-7 before missing the final three games with a concussion, and Drew Lock, who went 0-3.Thanks to his trade of Von Miller to the Rams, Paton has 11 draft picks, including five in the top 100, to either restock his roster or use as chips to acquire a veteran via a trade. He’ll also have more than $50 million in cap space to sign free agents.Job No. 1 was going to be finding the right quarterback, but now that’s superseded by landing the right head coach.“You can’t keep recycling coaches and expect to sustain a winning culture,” Paton said. “But we’re going to get it right. And we’re going to get it right with this search, I can guarantee you that.”

Denver Broncos fire coach Vic Fangio after 3 losing seasons

Nicklin Hames announced on Sunday that she will return for a fifth season with the Nebraska volleyball team in 2022. Hames is taking advantage of an extra season of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the pandemic.

Hames has been the Huskers' starting setter for the past four seasons – leading Nebraska to two National Championship matches – but she will take on a different role for the Huskers next season. After exhausting her eligibility in 2022, Hames intends to stay with Nebraska and begin her coaching career as a graduate assistant for the 2023 season.

Hames has earned All-America recognition in each of her first four seasons at Nebraska. She was a second-team All-American as a junior and earned honorable-mention accolades as a freshman, sophomore and senior. She was also a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2021 NCAA Austin Regional, which Nebraska won to advance to the NCAA Semifinals for the fifth time in the past seven seasons.

Hames totaled 4,636 assists in her four seasons as the starting setter, the most by a Husker in the rally-scoring era and the second-highest total overall in program history. In addition to running the Nebraska offense, Hames has been one of the Huskers' top floor defenders and servers the past four seasons. She has recorded 1,362 digs and 114 service aces, the most of any Husker on the 2022 roster.

In addition to her new on-court role next season, Hames will continue to provide leadership for a Husker team with high hopes in 2022 following an NCAA runner-up finish in 2021. Hames served as a team captain for Nebraska each of the past three seasons.

By NU Athletic CommunicationsNicklin Hames announced on Sunday that she will return for a fifth season with the Nebraska volleyball team in 2022. Hames is taking advantage of an extra season of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the pandemic.Hames has been the Huskers' starting setter for the past four seasons – leading Nebraska to two National Championship matches – but she will take on a different role for the Huskers next season. After exhausting her eligibility in 2022, Hames intends to stay with Nebraska and begin her coaching career as a graduate assistant for the 2023 season.Hames has earned All-America recognition in each of her first four seasons at Nebraska. She was a second-team All-American as a junior and earned honorable-mention accolades as a freshman, sophomore and senior. She was also a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2021 NCAA Austin Regional, which Nebraska won to advance to the NCAA Semifinals for the fifth time in the past seven seasons.Hames totaled 4,636 assists in her four seasons as the starting setter, the most by a Husker in the rally-scoring era and the second-highest total overall in program history. In addition to running the Nebraska offense, Hames has been one of the Huskers' top floor defenders and servers the past four seasons. She has recorded 1,362 digs and 114 service aces, the most of any Husker on the 2022 roster.In addition to her new on-court role next season, Hames will continue to provide leadership for a Husker team with high hopes in 2022 following an NCAA runner-up finish in 2021. Hames served as a team captain for Nebraska each of the past three seasons.

Hames Announces Her Return to Nebraska

Arapahoe 54, Medicine Valley 44 Arthur County 57, Wallace 49 Hershey 65, Maxwell 27 Maywood-Hayes Center 52, Paxton 28 Mullen 54, Brady 26 North Platte St. Patrick's 64, Perkins County 35 Ogallala 46, Cozad 40 Sandhills/Thedford 61, Sutherland 42 Wauneta-Palisade 67, Hitchcock County 28

Arthur County 59, Brady 30 Chase County 60, Kimball 19 Cozad 43, North Platte St. Patrick's 36 Kearney Catholic 51, North Platte 46 Maywood-Hayes Center 33, Blue Hill 30 Overton 43, Maxwell 32 Perkins County 50, Sutherland 44 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 53, Bertrand 29 Wallace 37, Mullen 28 Wauneta-Palisade 57, Southwest 51

Hershey 53, Maxwell 37 Medicine Valley 58, Arapahoe 34 Mullen 47, Brady 36 North Platte St. Patrick's 68, Perkins County 45 Ogallala 63, Cozad 49 Paxton 48, Maywood-Hayes Center 45 Sandhills/Thedford 60, Sutherland 12 Wallace 77, Arthur County 38

Arthur County 72, Brady 50 Chase County 75, Kimball 25 Dundy County Stratton 66, Wray, CO 52 Kearney Catholic 49, North Platte 33 Maxwell 51, Overton 46 Mullen 46, Wallace 28 North Platte St. Patrick's 63, Cozad 41 Perkins County 66, Sutherland 21 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 53, Bertrand 48 Southwest 45, Wauneta-Palisade 33

GirlsFriday (01/07/2022)Arapahoe 54, Medicine Valley 44 Arthur County 57, Wallace 49 Hershey 65, Maxwell 27 Maywood-Hayes Center 52, Paxton 28 Mullen 54, Brady 26 North Platte St. Patrick's 64, Perkins County 35 Ogallala 46, Cozad 40 Sandhills/Thedford 61, Sutherland 42 Wauneta-Palisade 67, Hitchcock County 28Saturday (01/08/2022)Arthur County 59, Brady 30 Chase County 60, Kimball 19 Cozad 43, North Platte St. Patrick's 36 Kearney Catholic 51, North Platte 46 Maywood-Hayes Center 33, Blue Hill 30 Overton 43, Maxwell 32 Perkins County 50, Sutherland 44 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 53, Bertrand 29 Wallace 37, Mullen 28 Wauneta-Palisade 57, Southwest 51Boys Friday (01/07/2022)Hershey 53, Maxwell 37 Medicine Valley 58, Arapahoe 34 Mullen 47, Brady 36 North Platte St. Patrick's 68, Perkins County 45 Ogallala 63, Cozad 49 Paxton 48, Maywood-Hayes Center 45 Sandhills/Thedford 60, Sutherland 12 Wallace 77, Arthur County 38Saturday (01/08/2022)Arthur County 72, Brady 50 Chase County 75, Kimball 25 Dundy County Stratton 66, Wray, CO 52 Kearney Catholic 49, North Platte 33 Maxwell 51, Overton 46 Mullen 46, Wallace 28 North Platte St. Patrick's 63, Cozad 41 Perkins County 66, Sutherland 21 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 53, Bertrand 48 Southwest 45, Wauneta-Palisade 33

Area Sports: Basketball scores from 01/07-08

A dream come true for some Nebraska football fans, a QB from Texas (and a 4 star recruit at that) has decided to trek north and make a home for himself in Lincoln.&nbsp;

Casey Thompson spent three years with Texas. The first two years he sat behind the starting QB&nbsp;Sam Ehlinger while learning the system and getting ready to prove himself.&nbsp;

Thompson did that in a big way this year throwing for 2,113 yards on 165/261 attempts (63.2% completion rate). He threw for 24 TD's to only 9 INT. He also ran the ball for 4 TD's this past season.&nbsp;

Most impressive is how he managed to win the starting job at Texas away from Hudson Card mid-season. Thompson would finish the season as the starter and Texas would finish the year going 5-7.&nbsp;

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">“Always got an ace up my sleeve for whatever was dealt.” 🃏 Bet on yourself. Nebraska, let’s get it. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhyNot?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhyNot</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GBR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GBR</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ko0FHqhue2">pic.twitter.com/Ko0FHqhue2</a>&mdash; Casey Thompson (@LilThurm) <a href="https://twitter.com/LilThurm/status/1479564325970919428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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</div>A dream come true for some Nebraska football fans, a QB from Texas (and a 4 star recruit at that) has decided to trek north and make a home for himself in Lincoln.&nbsp;Casey Thompson spent three years with Texas. The first two years he sat behind the starting QB&nbsp;Sam Ehlinger while learning the system and getting ready to prove himself.&nbsp;Thompson did that in a big way this year throwing for 2,113 yards on 165/261 attempts (63.2% completion rate). He threw for 24 TD's to only 9 INT. He also ran the ball for 4 TD's this past season.&nbsp;Most impressive is how he managed to win the starting job at Texas away from Hudson Card mid-season. Thompson would finish the season as the starter and Texas would finish the year going 5-7.&nbsp;

Nebraska gets its man at QB

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2022 Flatrock Classic youth baseball

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Four Huskers scored in double figures Wednesday night at Michigan State, and Nebraska tied its season high with 12 steals, but NU struggled with its shot in the second half in a 79-67 road loss to the 10th-ranked Spartans. Nebraska trailed by just four at halftime and it was still a two-possession game with seven minutes remaining before Michigan State pulled away with a 12-2 run. The Huskers hung in until the end despite shooting just 41 percent from the field in the second half. NU shot 45.0 percent in the game, but Michigan State knocked down 51.8 percent of its shots. The Spartans improved to 11-2 with the win and remained unbeaten in Big Ten play by moving to 4-0. Nebraska fell to 6-9 overall and 0-4 in conference action. Derrick Walker&nbsp;tied his career high with 16 points and was 8-of-9 from the field.&nbsp;Bryce McGowens&nbsp;finished with 13 points, while&nbsp;Kobe Webster&nbsp;(13) and&nbsp;C.J. Wilcher&nbsp;(10) combined for 23 points off the bench.&nbsp;Alonzo Verge Jr.&nbsp;added five points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Nebraska's defense forced Michigan State into 19 turnovers. Eight different Huskers had at least one steal to contribute to Nebraska's season-high-tying 12 takeaways. The Huskers outscored the Spartans in the paint (34-28), points off turnovers (20-16) and fast-break points (19-14) and bench points were even at 27 apiece, but Michigan State's strong shooting was the difference. When they did miss, the Spartans pulled down 11 offensive rebounds, outscoring Nebraska 16-7 in second-chance points. Max Christie led the Spartans with a career-high 21 points, going 7-of-9 from the field including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Three other Spartans joined Christie in double figures. The Huskers started hot, hitting their first seven shots – from four different players – to lead 17-12 five minutes into the game. Nebraska then missed its next five shots and Michigan State took advantage with an 8-0 run to grab a three-point lead. Nebraska regained the lead on a basket from&nbsp;Eduardo Andre, and the Huskers led 24-22 with nine minutes left in the half following a Webster 3-pointer. The Spartans then came back to build a five-point advantage after Nebraska missed five of its next six shots. But the Huskers answered with a 6-0 run in just over a minute to lead 32-31 with 2:59 remaining in the half. Nebraska would make just one basket the rest of the half, as Michigan State was able to take a 38-34 lead into the locker room. The Husker defense recorded eight steals and forced a dozen Michigan State turnovers in the first half. But when they were able to get shots, the Spartans shot 55 percent from the field, going 17-of-31 from the field, while Nebraska was 15-of-31 (48.4 percent). The Huskers outscored the Spartans by two in the paint but Michigan State had a 10-2 advantage in second-chance points. Walker led Nebraska with 10 first-half points on 5-of-6 shooting. McGowens added nine points, while Verge and Webster had five points apiece in the opening 20 minutes. Walker scored on the opening possession of the second half and a&nbsp;Lat Mayen&nbsp;3-pointer two minutes later trimmed the Michigan State lead to 41-39. The Spartans then hit back-to-back 3-pointers just 28 seconds apart to take a 47-39 lead four minutes into the second half, the first time either team had led by more than five points. Following a Nebraska timeout, Wilcher drained a 3-pointer but Nebraska made just one basket over the next five minutes as Michigan State stretched its lead to 10. The Spartans still led by double digits with nine minutes left before five straight Husker points cut the lead to 60-54 with 6:54 remaining. But Michigan State answered back, holding the Huskers scoreless for more than four minutes during a 12-2 run that put them on top 72-56 with two minutes left. Nebraska then scored five points in 16 and cut the lead to 10 twice in the final minute, but that was as close as the Huskers would get. Nebraska remains on the road for its next game, as the Huskers travel to New Jersey to take on Rutgers Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network, with radio coverage provided by the Huskers Radio Network. Postgame Notes

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Four Huskers scored in double figures Wednesday night at Michigan State, and Nebraska tied its season high with 12 steals, but NU struggled with its shot in the second half in a 79-67 road loss to the 10th-ranked Spartans. Nebraska trailed by just four at halftime and it was still a two-possession game with seven minutes remaining before Michigan State pulled away with a 12-2 run. The Huskers hung in until the end despite shooting just 41 percent from the field in the second half. NU shot 45.0 percent in the game, but Michigan State knocked down 51.8 percent of its shots. The Spartans improved to 11-2 with the win and remained unbeaten in Big Ten play by moving to 4-0. Nebraska fell to 6-9 overall and 0-4 in conference action. Derrick Walker&nbsp;tied his career high with 16 points and was 8-of-9 from the field.&nbsp;Bryce McGowens&nbsp;finished with 13 points, while&nbsp;Kobe Webster&nbsp;(13) and&nbsp;C.J. Wilcher&nbsp;(10) combined for 23 points off the bench.&nbsp;Alonzo Verge Jr.&nbsp;added five points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Nebraska's defense forced Michigan State into 19 turnovers. Eight different Huskers had at least one steal to contribute to Nebraska's season-high-tying 12 takeaways. The Huskers outscored the Spartans in the paint (34-28), points off turnovers (20-16) and fast-break points (19-14) and bench points were even at 27 apiece, but Michigan State's strong shooting was the difference. When they did miss, the Spartans pulled down 11 offensive rebounds, outscoring Nebraska 16-7 in second-chance points. Max Christie led the Spartans with a career-high 21 points, going 7-of-9 from the field including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Three other Spartans joined Christie in double figures. The Huskers started hot, hitting their first seven shots – from four different players – to lead 17-12 five minutes into the game. Nebraska then missed its next five shots and Michigan State took advantage with an 8-0 run to grab a three-point lead. Nebraska regained the lead on a basket from&nbsp;Eduardo Andre, and the Huskers led 24-22 with nine minutes left in the half following a Webster 3-pointer. The Spartans then came back to build a five-point advantage after Nebraska missed five of its next six shots. But the Huskers answered with a 6-0 run in just over a minute to lead 32-31 with 2:59 remaining in the half. Nebraska would make just one basket the rest of the half, as Michigan State was able to take a 38-34 lead into the locker room. The Husker defense recorded eight steals and forced a dozen Michigan State turnovers in the first half. But when they were able to get shots, the Spartans shot 55 percent from the field, going 17-of-31 from the field, while Nebraska was 15-of-31 (48.4 percent). The Huskers outscored the Spartans by two in the paint but Michigan State had a 10-2 advantage in second-chance points. Walker led Nebraska with 10 first-half points on 5-of-6 shooting. McGowens added nine points, while Verge and Webster had five points apiece in the opening 20 minutes. Walker scored on the opening possession of the second half and a&nbsp;Lat Mayen&nbsp;3-pointer two minutes later trimmed the Michigan State lead to 41-39. The Spartans then hit back-to-back 3-pointers just 28 seconds apart to take a 47-39 lead four minutes into the second half, the first time either team had led by more than five points. Following a Nebraska timeout, Wilcher drained a 3-pointer but Nebraska made just one basket over the next five minutes as Michigan State stretched its lead to 10. The Spartans still led by double digits with nine minutes left before five straight Husker points cut the lead to 60-54 with 6:54 remaining. But Michigan State answered back, holding the Huskers scoreless for more than four minutes during a 12-2 run that put them on top 72-56 with two minutes left. Nebraska then scored five points in 16 and cut the lead to 10 twice in the final minute, but that was as close as the Huskers would get. Nebraska remains on the road for its next game, as the Huskers travel to New Jersey to take on Rutgers Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network, with radio coverage provided by the Huskers Radio Network. Postgame Notes<ul>
 <li>Derrick Walker&nbsp;tied a career high with 16 points tonight, as he also had 16 against Tennessee State on Nov. 23 Walker went 8-of-9 from the field and is now shooting 77.5 percent&nbsp;(62-of-80) on the season. Walker's eight field goals were a career high, topping his previous best of seven against both Southern and Tennessee State earlier this season</li><li>Nebraska tied its season high with 12 steals, reaching&nbsp;double figures in steals for the fifth time this season. Nebraska entered Wednesday's contest leading the Big Ten with 8.1 steals per game.</li><li>Bryce McGowens&nbsp;reached double figures in scoring for the fifth straight game and 11th time this season, finishing&nbsp;with 13 points.</li><li>Kobe Webster&nbsp;(13) and&nbsp;C.J. Wilcher&nbsp;(10) both scored in double figures, as Nebraska now has gotten 12 double-figure efforts from its bench this season.</li><li>Nebraska falls to 0-3 against ranked teams this season. </li>
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Huskers Come Up Short at No. 10 Michigan State

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">The NPCC men’s basketball game against Central CC scheduled for Friday, Jan. 7, has been postponed. Teams are looking into options for rescheduling the game at a later date. For the latest on NPCC athletics, follow the Knights via social media or visit <a href="https://t.co/95C2V2juLO">https://t.co/95C2V2juLO</a>. <a href="https://t.co/4g8h5fpycY">pic.twitter.com/4g8h5fpycY</a>&mdash; NPCC Athletics (@NPCCKnights) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPCCKnights/status/1478934626253307911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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NPCC Knights Men wait a little longer to start 2022

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

Overland Park, Kan. – North Platte Community College women’s basketball looked to keep their winning streak alive against No. 1 Johnson County Community College on Wednesday afternoon. The Knights matched the Cavaliers intensity to start the game, but some strong defense in the third quarter helped Johnson County remain perfect on the season, 69-44.

“Give all the credit to Johnson County,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “They took us out of what we wanted to do offensively, but I am proud of how we fought against a very talented team.”

In the opening quarter, the Knights jumped out to a 4-0 lead as Kayla Pope and Diamond Moore-Heath went four-of-four at the free throw line. Johnson County quickly responded with a 12-0 run as their lead stretched to eight with 2:44 remaining in the first quarter, 12-4.

North Platte halted the Cavaliers momentum on their next offensive possession as Moore-Heath capitalized on an offensive putback opportunity. Johnson County stretch their lead to thirteen inside the final thirty seconds, before a step back three by Pope cut the deficit to ten at the end of the first quarter, 19-9.

In the opening seconds of the second quarter, Pope shook her defender and connected on a step back jumper to pull the Knights back within eight, 19-11. Johnson County extended their lead back to double digits inside seven minutes to play, before Jordyn Moon banked in an off-balance jumper. The bucket ignited a 7-2 run as the Knights pulled back within four, 28-24.

Cavaliers responded with a 6-0 run to push their lead back to ten inside the final two minutes of the second quarter. Janay Brauer answered with a three from the right wing to swing the momentum, as a short 6-2 burst pulled the Knights back within six as they headed into the halftime break, 36-30.

Johnson County responded to open the third quarter utilizing a 12-2 run to extend their lead to sixteen. Pope temporarily halted the run by completing an old fashioned three-point play on the Knights next offensive possession. The Cavaliers limited the offensive chances for North Platte down the stretch and extended their lead to twenty-four by the end of the third quarter, 61-37.

The high-caliber Johnson County offense was limited to just eight points over the final ten minutes as the Knights defense tightened up. After the Cavaliers connected on two field goals in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, the Knights used a 7-2 run capped off by an Avery Johnson layup to trim the deficit to twenty-three, 67-44.

North Platte attempted to continue to cut into the deficit over the final five minutes, but the Cavaliers defense limited the offense opportunities for the Knights to remain unbeaten on the season.

Pope led all North Platte scorers with 13 points on 4-of-16 shooting. Moore-Heath rounded out the Knights double-digit scorers with 11 points, while leading the team with six rebounds.

Knights (10-5) will return home on Friday for Military Appreciation Night against Central Community College. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

Story and Photo by Daniel Stinman&nbsp;Director of Marketing and Public InformationOverland Park, Kan. – North Platte Community College women’s basketball looked to keep their winning streak alive against No. 1 Johnson County Community College on Wednesday afternoon. The Knights matched the Cavaliers intensity to start the game, but some strong defense in the third quarter helped Johnson County remain perfect on the season, 69-44.“Give all the credit to Johnson County,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “They took us out of what we wanted to do offensively, but I am proud of how we fought against a very talented team.”In the opening quarter, the Knights jumped out to a 4-0 lead as Kayla Pope and Diamond Moore-Heath went four-of-four at the free throw line. Johnson County quickly responded with a 12-0 run as their lead stretched to eight with 2:44 remaining in the first quarter, 12-4.North Platte halted the Cavaliers momentum on their next offensive possession as Moore-Heath capitalized on an offensive putback opportunity. Johnson County stretch their lead to thirteen inside the final thirty seconds, before a step back three by Pope cut the deficit to ten at the end of the first quarter, 19-9.In the opening seconds of the second quarter, Pope shook her defender and connected on a step back jumper to pull the Knights back within eight, 19-11. Johnson County extended their lead back to double digits inside seven minutes to play, before Jordyn Moon banked in an off-balance jumper. The bucket ignited a 7-2 run as the Knights pulled back within four, 28-24.Cavaliers responded with a 6-0 run to push their lead back to ten inside the final two minutes of the second quarter. Janay Brauer answered with a three from the right wing to swing the momentum, as a short 6-2 burst pulled the Knights back within six as they headed into the halftime break, 36-30.Johnson County responded to open the third quarter utilizing a 12-2 run to extend their lead to sixteen. Pope temporarily halted the run by completing an old fashioned three-point play on the Knights next offensive possession. The Cavaliers limited the offensive chances for North Platte down the stretch and extended their lead to twenty-four by the end of the third quarter, 61-37.The high-caliber Johnson County offense was limited to just eight points over the final ten minutes as the Knights defense tightened up. After the Cavaliers connected on two field goals in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, the Knights used a 7-2 run capped off by an Avery Johnson layup to trim the deficit to twenty-three, 67-44.North Platte attempted to continue to cut into the deficit over the final five minutes, but the Cavaliers defense limited the offense opportunities for the Knights to remain unbeaten on the season.Pope led all North Platte scorers with 13 points on 4-of-16 shooting. Moore-Heath rounded out the Knights double-digit scorers with 11 points, while leading the team with six rebounds.Knights (10-5) will return home on Friday for Military Appreciation Night against Central Community College. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.