Lincoln - Freshman Alexis Markowski erupted for a career-high 20 points in her first career start, while Jaz Shelley added her fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead Nebraska to an impressive 79-58 women's basketball win over No. 8 Michigan on Tuesday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The Huskers, who improved to 13-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, led from start to finish and won going away, taking their biggest lead of the night on Kendall Coley's three-pointer with 11 seconds left. 

The 21-point win over the Wolverines (12-2, 3-1 Big Ten) marked Nebraska's first win over a top-10 AP foe since defeating No. 9 Duke at Pinnacle Bank Arena in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in December of 2014. The Huskers defeated five AP top-25 teams a year ago, including three teams ranked No. 15 at game time.

The victory was Nebraska's 10th straight at home, as the Huskers improved to 9-0 in Lincoln this season, while snapping Michigan's five-game winning streak that included back-to-back victories over No. 5 Baylor and No. 25 Ohio State.

Markowski, a 6-3 forward/center from Lincoln, drew her first start in place of injured starter Bella Cravens who sat out with an ankle injury suffered in practice on Monday afternoon. The 2021 Nebraska High School Player of the Year, Markowski wasted little time in establishing herself against Michigan All-American Naz Hillmon, scoring the Huskers' first two points just one minute into the game. 

The Huskers jumped out to an 8-2 lead behind stifling team defense and strong rebounding, and extended the margin to eight points on a Markowski bucket with 1:04 left in the first quarter that made it 16-8. Shelley then closed the quarter with a three-pointer on Nebraska's first attempt of the night to send the Big Red to the second period with a 19-8 lead to cap a 7-0 run to close the quarter.

Nebraska extended the margin to 23-8 early in the second after a three-pointer by Annika Stewart with 8:45 left to cap an 11-0 run. Hillmon stopped the bleeding with a free throw with 8:37 left to snap a 4:49 scoring drought by the Wolverines, but Nebraska continued to control the game, leading by 15 points throughout most of the quarter before Michigan cut the margin to 34-21 at the half.

Michigan cut Nebraska's lead to nine points with back-to-back baskets to open the second half, before Markowski took over, scoring nine consecutive points for the Huskers including her three-pointer with 5:53 left in the period to put the the Big Red back up 43-29. Moments later, Sam Haiby, who finished with 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, sank a pair of free throws to give Nebraska its biggest lead at the time at 45-29.

Markowski finished with 13 points in the third quarter and the Huskers carried a 53-41 lead into the fourth quarter.

Hillmon, who managed 10 points and seven rebounds on the night, scored early in the fourth to cut NU's margin to 10, but Stewart answered with a three-pointer before Markowski banged in a tough layup, was fouled and hit the free throw to complete a three-point play to put the Big Red back up by 15 with less than seven minutes to play.

Michigan mustered one last rally to cut the margin to 63-52 with five minutes left, but a Shelley three-pointer and a traditional three-point play by Husker freshman Allison Weidner pushed the margin back to 15 at 69-54 with 3:19 left. 

An Ashley Scoggin three-pointer 30 seconds later extend the margin to 17 and ended any hopes of a Wolverine comeback. Scoggin finished with six points on a pair of threes.

Nebraska shot a strong 51.7 percent (30-58) from the field against the Wolverines, including 8-of-20 from three-point range. The Huskers also knocked down 11-of-16 free throws. NU's suffocating defense held Michigan to just 36.7 percent shooting (22-60), including just 1-of-12 from long range. The Wolverines attempted only six three-pointers through the first three quarters, starting the game 0-for-6. Michigan also went just 13-for-22 (.591) from the free throw line.

However, the biggest stat for Nebraska came in the rebounding department, as the Huskers out-rebounded the Big Ten's best rebounding team 42-34, and outscored Michigan 17-7 in second-chance points. Last season in a 64-62 loss in Ann Arbor, Nebraska was out-rebounded 59-32, including 30 offensive rebounds by Michigan. Hillmon finished that game with 35 points and 22 rebounds, including 13 offensive boards. On Tuesday night, Michigan managed 13 offensive rebounds as a team.

Isabelle Bourne added 11 points, four rebounds and three assists for Nebraska while drawing the primary responsibility of guarding Hillmon. Bourne, who went 5-for-7 from the field, helped hold Hillmon to 4-for-14 shooting and just two offensive rebounds. Hillmon also committed six turnovers.

Emily Kiser led Michigan with 13 points, while Maddie Nolan added 11 points, including Michigan's lone three-pointer of the night. Former Husker Leigha Brown added 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Wolverines, but went just 3-for-13 from the floor.

Michigan's Amy Dilk returned to the court for the Wolverines to play 16 minutes in her first action since the opening minute of the season when she suffered a knee injury against IUPUI. The two-time All-Big Ten guard managed three points.

Nebraska continues Big Ten home action on Sunday when the Huskers play host to No. 21 Iowa. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Hawkeyes is set for 1 p.m. with tickets available now at Huskers.com. Live television coverage will be provided by FS1, while free live audio will be provided by the Huskers Radio Network on Huskers.com.

By NU Athletic CommunicationsLincoln - Freshman Alexis Markowski erupted for a career-high 20 points in her first career start, while Jaz Shelley added her fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead Nebraska to an impressive 79-58 women's basketball win over No. 8 Michigan on Tuesday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.The Huskers, who improved to 13-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, led from start to finish and won going away, taking their biggest lead of the night on Kendall Coley's three-pointer with 11 seconds left. The 21-point win over the Wolverines (12-2, 3-1 Big Ten) marked Nebraska's first win over a top-10 AP foe since defeating No. 9 Duke at Pinnacle Bank Arena in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in December of 2014. The Huskers defeated five AP top-25 teams a year ago, including three teams ranked No. 15 at game time.The victory was Nebraska's 10th straight at home, as the Huskers improved to 9-0 in Lincoln this season, while snapping Michigan's five-game winning streak that included back-to-back victories over No. 5 Baylor and No. 25 Ohio State.Markowski, a 6-3 forward/center from Lincoln, drew her first start in place of injured starter Bella Cravens who sat out with an ankle injury suffered in practice on Monday afternoon. The 2021 Nebraska High School Player of the Year, Markowski wasted little time in establishing herself against Michigan All-American Naz Hillmon, scoring the Huskers' first two points just one minute into the game. The Huskers jumped out to an 8-2 lead behind stifling team defense and strong rebounding, and extended the margin to eight points on a Markowski bucket with 1:04 left in the first quarter that made it 16-8. Shelley then closed the quarter with a three-pointer on Nebraska's first attempt of the night to send the Big Red to the second period with a 19-8 lead to cap a 7-0 run to close the quarter.Nebraska extended the margin to 23-8 early in the second after a three-pointer by Annika Stewart with 8:45 left to cap an 11-0 run. Hillmon stopped the bleeding with a free throw with 8:37 left to snap a 4:49 scoring drought by the Wolverines, but Nebraska continued to control the game, leading by 15 points throughout most of the quarter before Michigan cut the margin to 34-21 at the half.Michigan cut Nebraska's lead to nine points with back-to-back baskets to open the second half, before Markowski took over, scoring nine consecutive points for the Huskers including her three-pointer with 5:53 left in the period to put the the Big Red back up 43-29. Moments later, Sam Haiby, who finished with 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, sank a pair of free throws to give Nebraska its biggest lead at the time at 45-29.Markowski finished with 13 points in the third quarter and the Huskers carried a 53-41 lead into the fourth quarter.Hillmon, who managed 10 points and seven rebounds on the night, scored early in the fourth to cut NU's margin to 10, but Stewart answered with a three-pointer before Markowski banged in a tough layup, was fouled and hit the free throw to complete a three-point play to put the Big Red back up by 15 with less than seven minutes to play.Michigan mustered one last rally to cut the margin to 63-52 with five minutes left, but a Shelley three-pointer and a traditional three-point play by Husker freshman Allison Weidner pushed the margin back to 15 at 69-54 with 3:19 left. An Ashley Scoggin three-pointer 30 seconds later extend the margin to 17 and ended any hopes of a Wolverine comeback. Scoggin finished with six points on a pair of threes.Nebraska shot a strong 51.7 percent (30-58) from the field against the Wolverines, including 8-of-20 from three-point range. The Huskers also knocked down 11-of-16 free throws. NU's suffocating defense held Michigan to just 36.7 percent shooting (22-60), including just 1-of-12 from long range. The Wolverines attempted only six three-pointers through the first three quarters, starting the game 0-for-6. Michigan also went just 13-for-22 (.591) from the free throw line.However, the biggest stat for Nebraska came in the rebounding department, as the Huskers out-rebounded the Big Ten's best rebounding team 42-34, and outscored Michigan 17-7 in second-chance points. Last season in a 64-62 loss in Ann Arbor, Nebraska was out-rebounded 59-32, including 30 offensive rebounds by Michigan. Hillmon finished that game with 35 points and 22 rebounds, including 13 offensive boards. On Tuesday night, Michigan managed 13 offensive rebounds as a team.Isabelle Bourne added 11 points, four rebounds and three assists for Nebraska while drawing the primary responsibility of guarding Hillmon. Bourne, who went 5-for-7 from the field, helped hold Hillmon to 4-for-14 shooting and just two offensive rebounds. Hillmon also committed six turnovers.Emily Kiser led Michigan with 13 points, while Maddie Nolan added 11 points, including Michigan's lone three-pointer of the night. Former Husker Leigha Brown added 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Wolverines, but went just 3-for-13 from the floor.Michigan's Amy Dilk returned to the court for the Wolverines to play 16 minutes in her first action since the opening minute of the season when she suffered a knee injury against IUPUI. The two-time All-Big Ten guard managed three points.Nebraska continues Big Ten home action on Sunday when the Huskers play host to No. 21 Iowa. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Hawkeyes is set for 1 p.m. with tickets available now at Huskers.com. Live television coverage will be provided by FS1, while free live audio will be provided by the Huskers Radio Network on Huskers.com.

Huskers Pound No. 8 Michigan, 79-58

For Knights fans the women will be on the road today against Johnson County CC.&nbsp;

You can find the game at the link below:&nbsp;

https://www.youtube.com/c/JCCCAthleticsTV/featured

For Knights fans the women will be on the road today against Johnson County CC.&nbsp;Tip off is 2pmYou can find the game at the link below:&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/c/JCCCAthleticsTV/featured

NPCC Womens basketball @ Johnson County CC - LIVESTREAM

Bridgeport 70, Ogallala 38 Chase County 60, Dundy County Stratton 20 Loomis 61, Brady 19 Maywood-Hayes Center 57, Hi-Line 28 Medicine Valley 47, Wallace 37| North Platte St. Patrick's 51, Anselmo-Merna 32 Perkins County 57, Potter-Dix 30 South Platte 54, Kimball 32 Southwest 43, Hitchcock County 23

Dundy County Stratton 59, Chase County 36 Hitchcock County 55, Southwest 16 Maywood-Hayes Center 64, Hi-Line 56 Medicine Valley 58, Wallace 37 North Platte St. Patrick's 69, Anselmo-Merna 37 Ogallala 60, Bridgeport 43 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 53, Hershey 47 South Platte 70, Kimball 34

GirlsBridgeport 70, Ogallala 38 Chase County 60, Dundy County Stratton 20 Loomis 61, Brady 19 Maywood-Hayes Center 57, Hi-Line 28 Medicine Valley 47, Wallace 37| North Platte St. Patrick's 51, Anselmo-Merna 32 Perkins County 57, Potter-Dix 30 South Platte 54, Kimball 32 Southwest 43, Hitchcock County 23BoysDundy County Stratton 59, Chase County 36 Hitchcock County 55, Southwest 16 Maywood-Hayes Center 64, Hi-Line 56 Medicine Valley 58, Wallace 37 North Platte St. Patrick's 69, Anselmo-Merna 37 Ogallala 60, Bridgeport 43 South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 53, Hershey 47 South Platte 70, Kimball 34

Area Sports: Basketball results from 1/4/22

Ogallala, Ne - A Girls Boys Doubleheader begins around 5:30pm Mountain time between Ogallala and Bridgeport. In the Girls game, the Number 2 rated Bridgeport girls bring their 8-0 record into the Prairie View gym. The Ogallala girls have struggled out of the gate with a 3-6 record.

The Boys game features 8-1 Ogallala, number 9 in Class C1 according to the Omaha World Herald and 4-4 Bridgeport.

The games begin at 5:30pm Mountain Time in Ogallala with play by play from Derek Beck. Listen online at <a href="http://www.z935country.com">www.z935country.com</a>&nbsp;

Ogallala, Ne - A Girls Boys Doubleheader begins around 5:30pm Mountain time between Ogallala and Bridgeport. In the Girls game, the Number 2 rated Bridgeport girls bring their 8-0 record into the Prairie View gym. The Ogallala girls have struggled out of the gate with a 3-6 record.The Boys game features 8-1 Ogallala, number 9 in Class C1 according to the Omaha World Herald and 4-4 Bridgeport.The games begin at 5:30pm Mountain Time in Ogallala with play by play from Derek Beck. Listen online at <a href="http://www.z935country.com">www.z935country.com</a>&nbsp;

Ogallala vs. Bridgeport Basketball Tonight on Z93.5

It's been a frustrating season this year for Head Coach Jeff Thurman as he tries to navigate a talented Knights Women's team back to the National Tournament for the 2nd year in a row. Frustrating because of the underlying problems that come with playing sports during a pandemic.&nbsp;

The Knights women were hit with another cancellation as the calendar year turned over to 2022:&nbsp;

This is the 2nd cancellation this year for the Knights women. The other game against York J/V was able to be made up.&nbsp;

The Knights Women are currently 10-4 on the year and have some statement wins on the season including beating #10 ranked Kansas City Community College before the holiday break. All season the Knights have been receiving votes to be nationally ranked but have yet to crack the list.&nbsp;

It's been a frustrating season this year for Head Coach Jeff Thurman as he tries to navigate a talented Knights Women's team back to the National Tournament for the 2nd year in a row. Frustrating because of the underlying problems that come with playing sports during a pandemic.&nbsp;The Knights women were hit with another cancellation as the calendar year turned over to 2022:&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">🏀 WBB Schedule Update 🏀 The Knights game against Metropolitan Community College scheduled for Tuesday, January 4 has been cancelled. The NPCC women’s basketball team will return to the hardwood on Wednesday against Johnson County CC in Overland Park, Kan. Tip is set for 2pm. <a href="https://t.co/eaTdzVnjes">pic.twitter.com/eaTdzVnjes</a>&mdash; NPCC Athletics (@NPCCKnights) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPCCKnights/status/1478227115837378565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>This is the 2nd cancellation this year for the Knights women. The other game against York J/V was able to be made up.&nbsp;The Knights Women are currently 10-4 on the year and have some statement wins on the season including beating #10 ranked Kansas City Community College before the holiday break. All season the Knights have been receiving votes to be nationally ranked but have yet to crack the list.&nbsp;

NPCC Womens Basketball has game cancelled to start new year

Nebraska fought back from an eight-point second-half deficit and had a chance to win in regulation, but No. 13 Ohio State took control in overtime to earn an 87-79 win over the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena Sunday evening.

Nebraska trailed 59-51 with just over 10 minutes remaining before mounting a comeback. The Huskers used a 15-3 spurt to take a 66-62 lead after five straight points from Derrick Walker, who finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the year.

The Huskers eventually led 72-67 with 36 seconds left after a Mayen dunk, but the Buckeyes came back. Jamari Wheeler's 3-pointer made it a two-point game. Mayen than missed a pair of free throws to give OSU a final chance in regulation. E.J. Liddell hit a pair of free throws with 8.9 seconds left to tie the game, and NU was unable to get the winning bucket in regulation as Webster missed a short jumper while Walker's offensive putback was blocked away in the buzzer.

The Buckeyes took control early in OT, as 3-pointers from Wheeler and Meechie Johnson Jr. pushed the Buckeye lead to 78-72 with 3:36 left.  NU cut the deficit to 78-75 on a Bryce McGowens' 3-pointer, but could not cut into the Buckeyes' lead.

Malaki Branham led Ohio State with a career-high 35 points including six 3-pointers, as he was one of three Buckeyes to score in double-figures. Wheeler added 16 points, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, while Liddell had 10 points.

Bryce McGowens, who led the team with 18 points, was one of three Huskers to finish in double-figures. Derrick Walker recorded 15 points, while C.J. Wilcher added 13 points off the banch, including 3-of-4 from three-point range.

Nebraska's defense forced six turnovers in the opening nine minutes of play, but Ohio State jumped out to an early 14-6 lead.  NU roared back, using an 10-0 spurt to build a 16-14 lead after a three-pointer from Wilcher with 9:05 left in the opening half.

Ohio State used a 5-0 run to retake the lead before Wilcher drained another three to tie the game at 19 with 7:42 to go in the half. The visitors applied the pressure again and grabbed an eight-point lead with 4:56 remaining.

The Huskers responded as they used a second 10-0 spurt to reclaim the advantage at 32-30 with under two minutes to go after a pair of McGowens' free throws, but the Buckeyes scored the next four points to take the 34-32 lead at the break.

NU tied the game at 44 with 14:15 left in the game after an Alonzo Verge Jr. second-chance layup, but the Buckeyes then used a 7-2 run to take a 51-46 lead. Nebraska kept it close before Ohio State stretched the lead back to eight with 10:38 to go, but the Huskers responded.

Nebraska rattled off eight consecutive points off treys from Kobe Webster and Keisei Tominaga and a layup from Eduardo Andre to tie the game at 59 with 8:32 to go. The Huskers trailed 62-61 before Walker scored five straight points as the Huskers took a 66-62 lead.

The Huskers will continue conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 5, as they travel to Michigan State. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and will the game will be aired on Big Ten Network and the Huskers Radio Network.

By NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska fought back from an eight-point second-half deficit and had a chance to win in regulation, but No. 13 Ohio State took control in overtime to earn an 87-79 win over the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena Sunday evening.Nebraska trailed 59-51 with just over 10 minutes remaining before mounting a comeback. The Huskers used a 15-3 spurt to take a 66-62 lead after five straight points from Derrick Walker, who finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the year.The Huskers eventually led 72-67 with 36 seconds left after a Mayen dunk, but the Buckeyes came back. Jamari Wheeler's 3-pointer made it a two-point game. Mayen than missed a pair of free throws to give OSU a final chance in regulation. E.J. Liddell hit a pair of free throws with 8.9 seconds left to tie the game, and NU was unable to get the winning bucket in regulation as Webster missed a short jumper while Walker's offensive putback was blocked away in the buzzer.The Buckeyes took control early in OT, as 3-pointers from Wheeler and Meechie Johnson Jr. pushed the Buckeye lead to 78-72 with 3:36 left. NU cut the deficit to 78-75 on a Bryce McGowens' 3-pointer, but could not cut into the Buckeyes' lead.Malaki Branham led Ohio State with a career-high 35 points including six 3-pointers, as he was one of three Buckeyes to score in double-figures. Wheeler added 16 points, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, while Liddell had 10 points.Bryce McGowens, who led the team with 18 points, was one of three Huskers to finish in double-figures. Derrick Walker recorded 15 points, while C.J. Wilcher added 13 points off the banch, including 3-of-4 from three-point range.Nebraska's defense forced six turnovers in the opening nine minutes of play, but Ohio State jumped out to an early 14-6 lead. NU roared back, using an 10-0 spurt to build a 16-14 lead after a three-pointer from Wilcher with 9:05 left in the opening half.Ohio State used a 5-0 run to retake the lead before Wilcher drained another three to tie the game at 19 with 7:42 to go in the half. The visitors applied the pressure again and grabbed an eight-point lead with 4:56 remaining.The Huskers responded as they used a second 10-0 spurt to reclaim the advantage at 32-30 with under two minutes to go after a pair of McGowens' free throws, but the Buckeyes scored the next four points to take the 34-32 lead at the break.NU tied the game at 44 with 14:15 left in the game after an Alonzo Verge Jr. second-chance layup, but the Buckeyes then used a 7-2 run to take a 51-46 lead. Nebraska kept it close before Ohio State stretched the lead back to eight with 10:38 to go, but the Huskers responded.Nebraska rattled off eight consecutive points off treys from Kobe Webster and Keisei Tominaga and a layup from Eduardo Andre to tie the game at 59 with 8:32 to go. The Huskers trailed 62-61 before Walker scored five straight points as the Huskers took a 66-62 lead.The Huskers will continue conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 5, as they travel to Michigan State. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and will the game will be aired on Big Ten Network and the Huskers Radio Network.

Huskers Fall to 13th-Ranked Buckeyes in Overtime

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union is urging the Nebraska School Activities Association to revise its bylaws and discipline a referee whom it said failed to accommodate the communication needs of a deaf high school wrestler, potentially costing him a state championship. 

The ACLU says it and the National Association of the Deaf issued a demand letter to the activities association. 

Gering High School senior Paul Ruff was competing in the Nebraska State Wrestling Championship. 

Ruff uses a cochlear implant but takes it out while wrestling. 

His advocates say he missed warnings during the championship match because the referee wouldn’t lower his mask, which meant Ruff couldn’t read his lips. He narrowly lost the match.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640798017907.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union is urging the Nebraska School Activities Association to revise its bylaws and discipline a referee whom it said failed to accommodate the communication needs of a deaf high school wrestler, potentially costing him a state championship. The ACLU says it and the National Association of the Deaf issued a demand letter to the activities association. Gering High School senior Paul Ruff was competing in the Nebraska State Wrestling Championship. Ruff uses a cochlear implant but takes it out while wrestling. His advocates say he missed warnings during the championship match because the referee wouldn’t lower his mask, which meant Ruff couldn’t read his lips. He narrowly lost the match.

ACLU: Ref failed to accommodate deaf wrestler in title match

Anselmo-Merna 53, Maywood-Hayes Center 50 Arapahoe 53, Wauneta-Palisade 47 Chase County 45, Torrington, WY 39 Hershey 59, Lawrence-Nelson 30 Hitchcock County 51, Brady 25 North Platte 59, Platteview 45 North Platte St. Patrick's 36, Blue Hill 28 Ogallala 48, Louisville 32

Anselmo-Merna 58, Maywood-Hayes Center 38 Chase County 45, Torrington, WY 42 Hershey 45, Lawrence-Nelson 29 Hitchcock County 73, Brady 23 Mullen 49, Dundy County Stratton 48 North Platte St. Patrick's 68, Blue Hill 32 Ogallala 46, Louisville 41 Platteview 69, North Platte 52 Wauneta-Palisade 35, Arapahoe 34

GirlsAnselmo-Merna 53, Maywood-Hayes Center 50 Arapahoe 53, Wauneta-Palisade 47 Chase County 45, Torrington, WY 39 Hershey 59, Lawrence-Nelson 30 Hitchcock County 51, Brady 25 North Platte 59, Platteview 45 North Platte St. Patrick's 36, Blue Hill 28 Ogallala 48, Louisville 32BoysAnselmo-Merna 58, Maywood-Hayes Center 38 Chase County 45, Torrington, WY 42 Hershey 45, Lawrence-Nelson 29 Hitchcock County 73, Brady 23 Mullen 49, Dundy County Stratton 48 North Platte St. Patrick's 68, Blue Hill 32 Ogallala 46, Louisville 41 Platteview 69, North Platte 52 Wauneta-Palisade 35, Arapahoe 34

Area Sports: Basketball results from 12/28

12.29.21 NPHS Holiday Tournament championship round - LIVESTREAM

John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.

The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.

Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.

But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.

Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.

“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”

He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.

“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.

Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”

When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.

“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.

For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.

“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”

“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”

Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.

Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.

Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.

With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.

“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”

“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”

And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.

Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.

Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.

The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.

In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”

Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.

The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.

Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.

“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”

Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.

By Josh Dubow - Associated PressJohn Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”The Raiders responded.“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.

John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster, dies at 85

Anselmo-Merna 65, Hitchcock County 48 Blue Hill 45, Wauneta-Palisade 32 Chase County 52, Gordon-Rushville 30 Maywood-Hayes Center 66, Brady 19 North Platte St. Patrick's 73, Arapahoe 41

Blue Hill 65, Wauneta-Palisade 35 Gordon-Rushville 65, Chase County 40 Maywood-Hayes Center 69, Brady 31 North Platte St. Patrick's 62, Arapahoe 23

GirlsAnselmo-Merna 65, Hitchcock County 48 Blue Hill 45, Wauneta-Palisade 32 Chase County 52, Gordon-Rushville 30 Maywood-Hayes Center 66, Brady 19 North Platte St. Patrick's 73, Arapahoe 41BoysBlue Hill 65, Wauneta-Palisade 35 Gordon-Rushville 65, Chase County 40 Maywood-Hayes Center 69, Brady 31 North Platte St. Patrick's 62, Arapahoe 23

Area Sports: basketball results from 12/27

The North Platte Plainsmen are the newest team in town. A wood bat collegiate baseball team that will call Bill Wood Field home. The team was announced just before Christmas and is hitting the ground running. We took an opportunity to chat with Owner/Operator Chuck Heeman about the team, what a wood bat collegiate league really is and more! Its a great conversation listen to the whole thing if you are a fan of North Platte baseball!&nbsp;

The North Platte Plainsmen are the newest team in town. A wood bat collegiate baseball team that will call Bill Wood Field home. The team was announced just before Christmas and is hitting the ground running. We took an opportunity to chat with Owner/Operator Chuck Heeman about the team, what a wood bat collegiate league really is and more! Its a great conversation listen to the whole thing if you are a fan of North Platte baseball!&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Talking with Chuck Heeman from the new baseball team!" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=khwpu-11656d5-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=1&fonts=Times%20New%20Roman&skin=3267a3&font-color=&btn-skin=ff6d00"></iframe></div>

Post Podcast: New baseball team in town, talking with Chuck Heeman owner operator

Girls vs Platteview Tip-off - 2pmBoys vs Platteview Tip-off - 4pm<figure>
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12.28.21 NPHS Holiday Tournament DAY ONE! NPHS vs Platteview - LIVESTREAM

Husker volleyball standout Lauren Stivrins took to Twitter to say goodby to Husker Nation.

<figure>
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 </figure>By Scott CarlsonHusker volleyball standout Lauren Stivrins took to Twitter to say goodby to Husker Nation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;This has been an epic journey, one of which people can only dream of, and it&#39;s all thanks to you.&quot; Before suiting up with <a href="https://twitter.com/Huskervball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Huskervball</a> one last time tonight, <a href="https://twitter.com/LaurenStivrins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaurenStivrins</a> writes a letter to the program that she&#39;s called home for the past six years.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCAAVB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NCAAVB</a> <a href="https://t.co/g1i6z6bbUo">pic.twitter.com/g1i6z6bbUo</a>&mdash; NCAA Women&#39;s Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NCAAVolleyball/status/1472304665014509569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

WATCH Volleyball standout Lauren Stivrins reads goodbye letter to Husker Nation

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Independence League Baseball announces new team in North Platte

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha stadium that hosts the College World Series each year is getting a new name. 

The Charles Schwab Corp. on Monday announced it has obtained naming rights to the baseball stadium through 2029. 

The stadium previously known as TD Ameritrade Park will be renamed Charles Schwab Field Omaha. 

The stadium had been known as TD Ameritrade Park since it opened a decade ago. Schwab acquired TD Ameritrade in 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/5/1559064094358-MensCWSlogo.jpg" alt="" />
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 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha stadium that hosts the College World Series each year is getting a new name. The Charles Schwab Corp. on Monday announced it has obtained naming rights to the baseball stadium through 2029. The stadium previously known as TD Ameritrade Park will be renamed Charles Schwab Field Omaha. The stadium had been known as TD Ameritrade Park since it opened a decade ago. Schwab acquired TD Ameritrade in 2020.

Omaha stadium that hosts College World Series to be renamed

News Release North Platte Community College

North Platte Community College will offer beginning pickleball classes starting in January.

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. That’s according to the USA Pickleball Association, whose data indicates pickleball has seen a 650 percent increase in participation over the last six years.

Figures from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association show interest is up 21.3 percent just since 2019. Approximately 4.2 million Americans now play the sport at least once a year.

Pickleball is a paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels. Played with a paddle and a perforated plastic ball, it is a fun and social sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. Pickleball is most often played as doubles.

The rules are simple, and the game is easy for beginners to learn. It can develop into a fast-paced, competitive contest for experienced players.

NPCC’s Business and Community Education department will offer four pickleball classes from 9-11 a.m. Jan. 18, Jan. 25, Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 at the North Platte Recreation Center. Sessions will also be available from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 19, Jan. 26, Feb. 2 and Feb. 9, at Adams Middle School.

All will be taught by instructor Barb Baldridge.

The registration fee is $29 for four classes.

Participants are asked to wear court shoes and take their own water bottles to the classes. Equipment for the game will be provided.

Registration can be done online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://bceregister.mpcc.edu/" target="_blank">bceregister.mpcc.edu</a>, by calling (308) 535-3687 or by emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:smeltzerj@mpcc.edu" target="_blank">smeltzerj@mpcc.edu</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640024852931.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>News Release North Platte Community CollegeNorth Platte Community College will offer beginning pickleball classes starting in January.Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. That’s according to the USA Pickleball Association, whose data indicates pickleball has seen a 650 percent increase in participation over the last six years.Figures from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association show interest is up 21.3 percent just since 2019. Approximately 4.2 million Americans now play the sport at least once a year.Pickleball is a paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels. Played with a paddle and a perforated plastic ball, it is a fun and social sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. Pickleball is most often played as doubles.The rules are simple, and the game is easy for beginners to learn. It can develop into a fast-paced, competitive contest for experienced players.NPCC’s Business and Community Education department will offer four pickleball classes from 9-11 a.m. Jan. 18, Jan. 25, Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 at the North Platte Recreation Center. Sessions will also be available from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 19, Jan. 26, Feb. 2 and Feb. 9, at Adams Middle School.All will be taught by instructor Barb Baldridge.The registration fee is $29 for four classes.Participants are asked to wear court shoes and take their own water bottles to the classes. Equipment for the game will be provided.Registration can be done online at:&nbsp;<a href="https://bceregister.mpcc.edu/" target="_blank">bceregister.mpcc.edu</a>, by calling (308) 535-3687 or by emailing&nbsp;<a href="mailto:smeltzerj@mpcc.edu" target="_blank">smeltzerj@mpcc.edu</a>.

North Platte Community College to offer pickleball classes

Nebraska fought back from a six-point halftime deficit, but Kansas State used an 12-2 second-half run to earn a 67-58 victory over the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Nebraska held Kansas State percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers, but the Wildcats were more opportunistic, turning 17 NU turnovers into 22 point and enjoying a 15-6 advantage in second-chance points. 

Nebraska shot just 33 percent from the field, including 5-of-28 from 3-point range to fall to 5-7 on the season.

Alonzo Verge Jr. had 21 points to lead two Huskers in double figures, while also adding five rebounds, five assists and four steals.  Bryce McGowens added 14 points in a losing effort 

Nijel Pack had 15 points, eight board and five assists, while Ismael Massoud had 10 points for Kansas State (7-3).

Nebraska jumped out to an early 10-5 lead in the first 4:11 off two straight 3-pointers from Keisei Tominaga. The Huskers kept the momentum and stretched the lead to 10 at 25-15 with under nine minutes to go in the half, but the visitors came back. Kansas State ran off 16 unanswered points and grabbed a 31-25 lead with just under a minute left. McGowens broke the Huskers' cold streak with a layup, but the Wildcats grabbed the buzzer beater by Markquis Nowell, and Nebraska trailed 33-27 at the break.  

NU roared back, using a 9-0 spurt to open the second half, as the Huskers took a 36-33 lead with 17:30 left following a 3-point play from Lat Mayen. 

Nebraska led 47-45 after a 3-point play from Verge with 10:13 left, but a Pack 3-pointer gave the visitors the lead before Bradford scored five straight points to give the visitors a 53-47 lead. Pack's basket with 6:15 left capped a 12-2 spurt and made it an eight-point lead for the visitors.

The Huskers made one last run, scoring five straight points to pull with 59-55 with 2:41 left, but KSU scored four straight, including a 3-pointer from Mark Smith, to make it 63-55. 

NU eventually made it 63-57 and had a good look but Tominaga missed a 3-pointer and Kansas State sealed the game with four straight free throws to push the lead back to 10.

The Huskers will close non-conference action on Wednesday, Dec. 22, against Kennesaw State. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and tickets are available by visiting Huskers.com/Tickets. The game will be carried on ESPNU and the Huskers Radio Network

By NU Athletic CommunicationsNebraska fought back from a six-point halftime deficit, but Kansas State used an 12-2 second-half run to earn a 67-58 victory over the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena.Nebraska held Kansas State percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers, but the Wildcats were more opportunistic, turning 17 NU turnovers into 22 point and enjoying a 15-6 advantage in second-chance points. Nebraska shot just 33 percent from the field, including 5-of-28 from 3-point range to fall to 5-7 on the season.Alonzo Verge Jr. had 21 points to lead two Huskers in double figures, while also adding five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Bryce McGowens added 14 points in a losing effort Nijel Pack had 15 points, eight board and five assists, while Ismael Massoud had 10 points for Kansas State (7-3).Nebraska jumped out to an early 10-5 lead in the first 4:11 off two straight 3-pointers from Keisei Tominaga. The Huskers kept the momentum and stretched the lead to 10 at 25-15 with under nine minutes to go in the half, but the visitors came back. Kansas State ran off 16 unanswered points and grabbed a 31-25 lead with just under a minute left. McGowens broke the Huskers' cold streak with a layup, but the Wildcats grabbed the buzzer beater by Markquis Nowell, and Nebraska trailed 33-27 at the break. NU roared back, using a 9-0 spurt to open the second half, as the Huskers took a 36-33 lead with 17:30 left following a 3-point play from Lat Mayen. Nebraska led 47-45 after a 3-point play from Verge with 10:13 left, but a Pack 3-pointer gave the visitors the lead before Bradford scored five straight points to give the visitors a 53-47 lead. Pack's basket with 6:15 left capped a 12-2 spurt and made it an eight-point lead for the visitors.The Huskers made one last run, scoring five straight points to pull with 59-55 with 2:41 left, but KSU scored four straight, including a 3-pointer from Mark Smith, to make it 63-55. NU eventually made it 63-57 and had a good look but Tominaga missed a 3-pointer and Kansas State sealed the game with four straight free throws to push the lead back to 10.The Huskers will close non-conference action on Wednesday, Dec. 22, against Kennesaw State. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and tickets are available by visiting Huskers.com/Tickets. The game will be carried on ESPNU and the Huskers Radio Network

Huskers Fall to K-State, 67-58

Lincoln - True freshman Alexis Markowski led five Huskers in double figures by recording her second straight double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds to power unbeaten Nebraska to an 89-68 women's basketball win over Drake on Sunday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena. 

With the victory, Nebraska improved to 11-0 with its seventh victory by 20 or more points to start the season. The Huskers also snapped Drake's six-game winning streak, as the Bulldogs slipped to 7-3 on the season.

Markowski, who was the 2021 Nebraska High School Player of the Year at Lincoln Pius X, got her 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 effort at the free throw line. The 6-3 forward/center also pulled down five rebounds at each end of the court in just over 16 minutes of action. She pitched in a steal in the best all-around effort of her young career.

Ashley Scoggin led Nebraska with a game-high 16 points, including four three-pointers, while Sam Haiby pitched in 15 points of her own to go with four three rebounds, a team-high four assists and one steal. Haiby knocked down a trio of three-pointers on the day.

True freshman Allison Weidner from Humphrey, Neb., played an outstanding game of her own with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in just over 18 minutes of work, while second-year forward Annika Stewart (Minneapolis, Minn.) rounded out the five Huskers in double figures with 10 points, five rebounds and an assist in 12 minutes off the bench. The 6-3 Stewart also buried a pair of threes, as Nebraska connected on 12-of-29 three-pointers (.414) on the day against the Bulldogs.

Drake, which entered the game among the top scoring teams in the nation, averaging more than 80 points per game, jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead with back-to-back three-pointers from Megan Meyer and Maggie Bair, before Haiby settled in and found early answers for the Huskers. Meyer led the Bulldogs with a game-high 16 points while Bair added 14 points for Drake on the day.

Haiby scored eight points in an important 11-0 Husker run midway through the first quarter that allowed Nebraska to take a 28-22 lead to the second period. But Drake started fast again, scoring seven straight points to open the period to regain a brief 29-28 lead, before Haiby connected on her third three-pointer of the first half to put NU back up 31-29. Meyer tied the score for Drake with a pair of free throws with 6:53 left in the half, before Markowski took over with seven straight points for the Big Red to rebuild a 38-33 lead.

Nebraska took a 45-39 lead to the locker room at halftime. The Bulldogs kept NU within striking distance at 50-44 until the young Nebraskans Weidner and Markowski combined on a 7-0 run to push the Husker lead to 57-44 with 5:14 left in the third period.

The Big Red took a 64-54 lead into the fourth, and Drake briefly trimmed the margin to six points before the Huskers closed the door for good on the Bulldogs. Scoggin got a pair of free throws before Markowski scored in the paint off an assist from Jaz Shelley to put NU back up 10. Shelley, who finished with seven points, then buried a three to put NU up 71-60. Scoggin continued the Big Red surge by burying back-to-back three-pointers, before Isabelle Bourne and Annika Stewart scored on back-to-back baskets in to the paint to cap a decisive 17-2 Nebraska eruption in just over four minutes to put the Huskers in front 81-60 with 3:48 left. NU outscored Drake 25-14 in the fourth, while knocking down 5-of-10 threes in the final period.

In a strong all-around game, Nebraska hit 44.9 percent (31-69) of its shots from the field and 15-of-19 free throws (.789). NU also won the rebounding battle against the Bulldogs, 36-34. The most significant advantage for Nebraska came on the defensive end, where the Huskers forced 27 turnovers by Drake and converted those mistakes into 44 points. The Husker bench also outscored Drake's deep and productive reserves, 42-15 on the day.

Drake still hit 49.1 percent (27-55) of its shots, including 6-of-14 three-pointers, but the Bulldogs entered the contest averaging nearly 10 made threes per game.

Nebraska returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena to play Wyoming on Wednesday, Dec. 22, to close non-conference play and its three-game home stand. Tip-off between the Huskers and the 2021 Mountain West Conference Champion Cowgirls is set for noon with tickets on sale now at Huskers.com.

By NU Athletic CommunicationsLincoln - True freshman Alexis Markowski led five Huskers in double figures by recording her second straight double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds to power unbeaten Nebraska to an 89-68 women's basketball win over Drake on Sunday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena. With the victory, Nebraska improved to 11-0 with its seventh victory by 20 or more points to start the season. The Huskers also snapped Drake's six-game winning streak, as the Bulldogs slipped to 7-3 on the season.Markowski, who was the 2021 Nebraska High School Player of the Year at Lincoln Pius X, got her 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 effort at the free throw line. The 6-3 forward/center also pulled down five rebounds at each end of the court in just over 16 minutes of action. She pitched in a steal in the best all-around effort of her young career.Ashley Scoggin led Nebraska with a game-high 16 points, including four three-pointers, while Sam Haiby pitched in 15 points of her own to go with four three rebounds, a team-high four assists and one steal. Haiby knocked down a trio of three-pointers on the day.True freshman Allison Weidner from Humphrey, Neb., played an outstanding game of her own with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in just over 18 minutes of work, while second-year forward Annika Stewart (Minneapolis, Minn.) rounded out the five Huskers in double figures with 10 points, five rebounds and an assist in 12 minutes off the bench. The 6-3 Stewart also buried a pair of threes, as Nebraska connected on 12-of-29 three-pointers (.414) on the day against the Bulldogs.Drake, which entered the game among the top scoring teams in the nation, averaging more than 80 points per game, jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead with back-to-back three-pointers from Megan Meyer and Maggie Bair, before Haiby settled in and found early answers for the Huskers. Meyer led the Bulldogs with a game-high 16 points while Bair added 14 points for Drake on the day.Haiby scored eight points in an important 11-0 Husker run midway through the first quarter that allowed Nebraska to take a 28-22 lead to the second period. But Drake started fast again, scoring seven straight points to open the period to regain a brief 29-28 lead, before Haiby connected on her third three-pointer of the first half to put NU back up 31-29. Meyer tied the score for Drake with a pair of free throws with 6:53 left in the half, before Markowski took over with seven straight points for the Big Red to rebuild a 38-33 lead.Nebraska took a 45-39 lead to the locker room at halftime. The Bulldogs kept NU within striking distance at 50-44 until the young Nebraskans Weidner and Markowski combined on a 7-0 run to push the Husker lead to 57-44 with 5:14 left in the third period.The Big Red took a 64-54 lead into the fourth, and Drake briefly trimmed the margin to six points before the Huskers closed the door for good on the Bulldogs. Scoggin got a pair of free throws before Markowski scored in the paint off an assist from Jaz Shelley to put NU back up 10. Shelley, who finished with seven points, then buried a three to put NU up 71-60. Scoggin continued the Big Red surge by burying back-to-back three-pointers, before Isabelle Bourne and Annika Stewart scored on back-to-back baskets in to the paint to cap a decisive 17-2 Nebraska eruption in just over four minutes to put the Huskers in front 81-60 with 3:48 left. NU outscored Drake 25-14 in the fourth, while knocking down 5-of-10 threes in the final period.In a strong all-around game, Nebraska hit 44.9 percent (31-69) of its shots from the field and 15-of-19 free throws (.789). NU also won the rebounding battle against the Bulldogs, 36-34. The most significant advantage for Nebraska came on the defensive end, where the Huskers forced 27 turnovers by Drake and converted those mistakes into 44 points. The Husker bench also outscored Drake's deep and productive reserves, 42-15 on the day.Drake still hit 49.1 percent (27-55) of its shots, including 6-of-14 three-pointers, but the Bulldogs entered the contest averaging nearly 10 made threes per game.Nebraska returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena to play Wyoming on Wednesday, Dec. 22, to close non-conference play and its three-game home stand. Tip-off between the Huskers and the 2021 Mountain West Conference Champion Cowgirls is set for noon with tickets on sale now at Huskers.com.

Balanced Big Red Blows By Bulldogs

NPHS had 8 athletes compete in the Lexington Powerlifting meet on Saturday, December 18th. The meet consisted of 200 lifters from various schools across the state. Athletes competed by weight class and completed the bench press, squat, and deadlift. Athletes are given three attempts to lift as much weight as they can in each lift. The best attempt at each lift is then added together to figure the athlete’s total pounds lifted. Athletes then earn individual medals and team points based off of their total pounds lifted.

“I was really pleased with our efforts and that our athletes competed well. Powerlifting is a fun sport and allows athletes an opportunity to work toward personal best attempts, while also competing against other athletes.” said head coach Todd Rice.

The Bulldogs will again compete on February 12th at Omaha Creighton Prep in the All Class RAW State Powerlifting Championship meet.

“I hope that we can add more athletes to our team and hopefully fill more weight classes for this event. It is exciting to see the continued gains that our athletes are making in our weight program at NPHS.”

NPHS had 8 athletes compete in the Lexington Powerlifting meet on Saturday, December 18th. The meet consisted of 200 lifters from various schools across the state. Athletes competed by weight class and completed the bench press, squat, and deadlift. Athletes are given three attempts to lift as much weight as they can in each lift. The best attempt at each lift is then added together to figure the athlete’s total pounds lifted. Athletes then earn individual medals and team points based off of their total pounds lifted.<div><style type="text/css">
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<table class="tg">
<thead>
 <tr>
 <th class="tg-amwm" colspan="7">Men’s division:</th>
 </tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Name:</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Wt Class</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Squat</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Bench</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Deadlift</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Total Lbs</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Place</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Jackson Thomas</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">148</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">175</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">120</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">225</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">520 LBS</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax"></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Brock Matuszczak</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">198</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">275</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">180</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">350</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">805 LBS</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">5th</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Aiden McCracken</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">198</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">355</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">260</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">405</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">1020 LBS</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">3rd</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Julian Rodriguez</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">242</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">225</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">155</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">300</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">680 LBS</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax"></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Matt Musselman</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">275</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">490</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">260</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">460</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">1210 LBS</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">1st</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Daniel Stethem</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">275</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">275</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">220</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">445</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">940 LBS</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">3rd</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-amwm" colspan="7">Ladies division:</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Heaven Hutchison</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">123</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">155</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">80</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">230</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">465 LBS</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax"></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="tg-0lax">Emily Winkler</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">148</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">130</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">240</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">255</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">635 LBS</td>
 <td class="tg-0lax">1st</td>
 </tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>“I was really pleased with our efforts and that our athletes competed well. Powerlifting is a fun sport and allows athletes an opportunity to work toward personal best attempts, while also competing against other athletes.” said head coach Todd Rice.The Bulldogs will again compete on February 12th at Omaha Creighton Prep in the All Class RAW State Powerlifting Championship meet.“I hope that we can add more athletes to our team and hopefully fill more weight classes for this event. It is exciting to see the continued gains that our athletes are making in our weight program at NPHS.”

NPHS Powerlifting from 12/18

Arthur County 52, Minatare 11 Atwood-Rawlins County, KS 41, Hitchcock County 29 Bayard 65, Garden County 35 Columbus 49, North Platte 44 Gering 62, Ogallala 41 Hershey 63, Kimball 24 Medicine Valley 35, South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 30 Paxton 44, Maxwell 25 Wauneta-Palisade 42, South Platte 40

Chase County 58, Wray, CO 48 Hershey 54, Ogallala 44 North Platte 45, Norfolk 33 Perkins County 48, Dundy County Stratton 29 Wauneta-Palisade 58, Sandhills Valley 49

Arthur County 76, Minatare 37 Garden County 54, Bayard 34 Hershey 72, Kimball 24 Medicine Valley 64, South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 45 North Platte 68, Columbus 56 Ogallala 78, Gering 59 Paxton 42, Maxwell 41 (OT) South Platte 43, Wauneta-Palisade 38

Dundy County Stratton 65, Perkins County 42 Norfolk 55, North Platte 47 Ogallala 78, Hershey 30 Sandhills Valley 69, Wauneta-Palisade 28 Wray, CO 62, Chase County 39

Girls basketballFriday (12/17/2021)Arthur County 52, Minatare 11 Atwood-Rawlins County, KS 41, Hitchcock County 29 Bayard 65, Garden County 35 Columbus 49, North Platte 44 Gering 62, Ogallala 41 Hershey 63, Kimball 24 Medicine Valley 35, South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 30 Paxton 44, Maxwell 25 Wauneta-Palisade 42, South Platte 40Saturday (12/18/2021)Chase County 58, Wray, CO 48 Hershey 54, Ogallala 44 North Platte 45, Norfolk 33 Perkins County 48, Dundy County Stratton 29 Wauneta-Palisade 58, Sandhills Valley 49 Boys BasketballArthur County 76, Minatare 37 Garden County 54, Bayard 34 Hershey 72, Kimball 24 Medicine Valley 64, South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 45 North Platte 68, Columbus 56 Ogallala 78, Gering 59 Paxton 42, Maxwell 41 (OT) South Platte 43, Wauneta-Palisade 38Saturday (12/18/2021)Dundy County Stratton 65, Perkins County 42 Norfolk 55, North Platte 47 Ogallala 78, Hershey 30 Sandhills Valley 69, Wauneta-Palisade 28 Wray, CO 62, Chase County 39

Area Sports: Basketball results from 12/17-18

NEW YORK (AP) —The NBA on Sunday postponed a total of five games involving nine teams in response to rising coronavirus numbers, raising the number of contests that have been pushed back this season to seven.

Called off were three Sunday games: Cleveland at Atlanta, Denver at Brooklyn and New Orleans at Philadelphia. Also shelved were Orlando's game at Toronto on Monday and Washington's game at Brooklyn on Tuesday.

The postponements came on the same day that Atlanta announced star guard Trae Young entered the league's health and safety protocols and the Los Angeles Lakers said coach Frank Vogel also was added to the list.

Leaguewide, through Sunday afternoon, there were at least 68 players who have either been ruled out to play — or in the case of the postponed games, would have been ruled out — because they are in the protocols. That number has soared in recent days, with the NBA just one of many sports leagues worldwide dealing with a rapidly worsening issue.

U.S. officials are expecting a wave of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated given the surge of holiday travelers and gatherings expected in the coming days. The NBA has said 97% of players are fully vaccinated and somewhere around 60% had received boosters as of last week. It was not clear how many of the current positive cases involve those who are ineligible for a booster shot or those who have chosen not to receive one.

Also not clear is how many of the NBA cases involve asymptomatic players. The NFL has revised its protocols so that only unvaccinated players and those experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19 will be tested. The NHL has five teams shut down through Christmas because of outbreaks, and numerous college games at all levels have been canceled in recent days.

“It is what it is. Just trying to stay safe as possible and that’s all you can do,” Lakers guard Russell Westbrook said of the NBA’s rising numbers. Westbrook was briefly in the protocols late last week, before returning at least three negative coronavirus tests and being cleared to return to play without missing a game.

The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been discussing a plan in which teams in desperate need of players would be able to sign reinforcements to 10-day contracts but without those deals impacting salary cap and luxury tax figures. That deal has not yet been finalized, though talks are continuing.

The Cavaliers had five players enter the protocols on Sunday, the team said. All five — center Jarrett Allen, forwards Lamar Stevens and Dylan Windler and guards Denzel Valentine and RJ Nembhard — tested positive for COVID-19, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not release that specific detail.

They joined Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley, who entered the protocols previously.

Vogel won't be on the bench when his Lakers play Sunday at Chicago. David Fizdale will coach in Vogel's place, the Lakers said. The Bulls are returning to the court after having two games postponed last week.

Chicago still doesn't have all of its players back yet, either. Among those listed as out Sunday and still in protocols is Olympic gold medalist Zach LaVine.

Through Saturday’s games, those were the only games the NBA had pushed back during this outbreak. But on Sunday, the league added significantly to the list of postponements, with teams simply not having enough players to compete.

Brooklyn alone has 10 players, plus some staff, in the protocols.

“It’s just crazy,” Nets forward Blake Griffin said.

Brooklyn's list of players in protocols includes Kevin Durant, James Harden and — even though he’s still not yet able to play — Kyrie Irving, who has sat out all season for not complying with New York City's vaccine mandate. The team reversed course Friday and said Irving would be welcomed back “for games and practices in which he is eligible to participate,” knowing he’d still miss two games at the Knicks and trips to Toronto and Golden State.

The Nets had eight available players for Saturday night's game against Orlando. The Magic had nine, including four players — Aleem Ford, Hassani Gravett, B.J. Johnson and Admiral Schofield — who were signed late last week to hardship contracts because of virus issues and injuries decimating Orlando's roster.

Here's how necessary they were: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley had all four on the court together in two separate stretches of Orlando's win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639341015562.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The NBA on Sunday postponed a total of five games involving nine teams in response to rising coronavirus numbers, raising the number of contests that have been pushed back this season to seven.Called off were three Sunday games: Cleveland at Atlanta, Denver at Brooklyn and New Orleans at Philadelphia. Also shelved were Orlando's game at Toronto on Monday and Washington's game at Brooklyn on Tuesday.The postponements came on the same day that Atlanta announced star guard Trae Young entered the league's health and safety protocols and the Los Angeles Lakers said coach Frank Vogel also was added to the list.Leaguewide, through Sunday afternoon, there were at least 68 players who have either been ruled out to play — or in the case of the postponed games, would have been ruled out — because they are in the protocols. That number has soared in recent days, with the NBA just one of many sports leagues worldwide dealing with a rapidly worsening issue.U.S. officials are expecting a wave of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated given the surge of holiday travelers and gatherings expected in the coming days. The NBA has said 97% of players are fully vaccinated and somewhere around 60% had received boosters as of last week. It was not clear how many of the current positive cases involve those who are ineligible for a booster shot or those who have chosen not to receive one.Also not clear is how many of the NBA cases involve asymptomatic players. The NFL has revised its protocols so that only unvaccinated players and those experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19 will be tested. The NHL has five teams shut down through Christmas because of outbreaks, and numerous college games at all levels have been canceled in recent days.“It is what it is. Just trying to stay safe as possible and that’s all you can do,” Lakers guard Russell Westbrook said of the NBA’s rising numbers. Westbrook was briefly in the protocols late last week, before returning at least three negative coronavirus tests and being cleared to return to play without missing a game.The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been discussing a plan in which teams in desperate need of players would be able to sign reinforcements to 10-day contracts but without those deals impacting salary cap and luxury tax figures. That deal has not yet been finalized, though talks are continuing.The Cavaliers had five players enter the protocols on Sunday, the team said. All five — center Jarrett Allen, forwards Lamar Stevens and Dylan Windler and guards Denzel Valentine and RJ Nembhard — tested positive for COVID-19, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not release that specific detail.They joined Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley, who entered the protocols previously.Vogel won't be on the bench when his Lakers play Sunday at Chicago. David Fizdale will coach in Vogel's place, the Lakers said. The Bulls are returning to the court after having two games postponed last week.Chicago still doesn't have all of its players back yet, either. Among those listed as out Sunday and still in protocols is Olympic gold medalist Zach LaVine.Through Saturday’s games, those were the only games the NBA had pushed back during this outbreak. But on Sunday, the league added significantly to the list of postponements, with teams simply not having enough players to compete.Brooklyn alone has 10 players, plus some staff, in the protocols.“It’s just crazy,” Nets forward Blake Griffin said.Brooklyn's list of players in protocols includes Kevin Durant, James Harden and — even though he’s still not yet able to play — Kyrie Irving, who has sat out all season for not complying with New York City's vaccine mandate. The team reversed course Friday and said Irving would be welcomed back “for games and practices in which he is eligible to participate,” knowing he’d still miss two games at the Knicks and trips to Toronto and Golden State.The Nets had eight available players for Saturday night's game against Orlando. The Magic had nine, including four players — Aleem Ford, Hassani Gravett, B.J. Johnson and Admiral Schofield — who were signed late last week to hardship contracts because of virus issues and injuries decimating Orlando's roster.Here's how necessary they were: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley had all four on the court together in two separate stretches of Orlando's win.———

NBA postpones more games as COVID rocks sports world

The No. 10 Nebraska volleyball team came up just short of its sixth national title on Saturday night, losing a five-set heartbreaker to No. 4 Wisconsin at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, in the longest Championship Match in NCAA history in front of the largest crowd in NCAA history (18,755).

The Huskers, who were the first to 20 points in three of the first four sets, won the first set 25-22, before Wisconsin took the next two sets 31-29 and 25-23. NU fought back to force a fifth set with a 25-23 come-from-behind victory in set four. Wisconsin scored the first seven points of the decisive fifth set - the first time the Badgers had led by more than four points all night - but Nebraska stormed back and fought off three match points before the Badgers (31-3) closed out a 15-12 victory to win their first NCAA title.

In the match, the Badgers won 116 points to Nebraska's 114. NU (26-8) finished as the NCAA Runner-up for the fifth time in school history to go along with the Huskers' five national titles.

Madi Kubik had a double-double for Nebraska, producing a match-high 19 kills and adding 14 digs to lead a season-high five Huskers with double-digit kills. Her 19 kills tied her season high while her 14 digs were one shy of her season high in that category. Kayla Caffey added 15 kills on 30 swings, while Lindsay Krause put down 12 kills, Ally Batenhorst added 11 and Lauren Stivrins had 10 kills in her final match. Nicklin Hames joined Kubik with a double-double as Hames dished out a season-high 56 assists and added 23 digs, one shy of her career high and her third 20-dig effort of the season.

Defensively, Keonilei Akana, Lexi Rodriguez and Kenzie Knuckles joined Kubik and Hames to give Nebraska five players with double-figure digs. Akana had a career-high 24 digs, while Rodriguez added 13 digs and Knuckles had 10 digs. Stivrins and Krause had five blocks each to lead Nebraska in that category, but it was the Badger block that made the difference in the match.

Nebraska finished with eight more kills than Wisconsin, but the Badgers blocked the Huskers 24 times, the most blocks ever by a Nebraska opponent in the rally-scoring era. The Huskers had 10 blocks and held Wisconsin to its second-lowest attack percentage of the season (.183), but Nebraska committed a season-high 39 attack errors and hit only .141 in the match. Nebraska out-dug Wisconsin 93-79. In the service game, Wisconsin had seven aces but committed 14 errors, while Nebraska had four aces and nine errors.

Anna Smrek led four Badgers in double-figure kills with 14, and she hit a match-high .429. Dana Rettke, the National Player of the Year, had 11 kills and 13 blocks for the Badgers, including a kill on match point. Lauren Barnes had a match-high 31 digs for Wisconsin.

NU jumped to a 5-1 lead with three kills and an Akana ace, but Wisconsin used a 6-1 run to go ahead by one. Locked at 9-9, two big kills from Caffey helped spot NU a 12-10 edge. Kubik swatted three straight kills before the media timeout, and a Krause swing completed the 7-1 spurt at 16-10. Kubik's fifth kill of the set made it 18-12 as the Badgers called for a break.

UW won four of the next five rallies before NU took its own timeout still up 19-16. With the Badgers threatening within two, a UW service error and a Caffey/Krause block on Julia Orzol pushed it to 22-18. NU hit set point on another Badger service error, but UW claimed the next three points with a pair of Smrek blocks to trim it to 24-22. Stivrins wasted no time with a kill out of the final timeout to give Nebraska the first-set win.

The No. 10 Nebraska volleyball team came up just short of its sixth national title on Saturday night, losing a five-set heartbreaker to No. 4 Wisconsin at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, in the longest Championship Match in NCAA history in front of the largest crowd in NCAA history (18,755).The Huskers, who were the first to 20 points in three of the first four sets, won the first set 25-22, before Wisconsin took the next two sets 31-29 and 25-23. NU fought back to force a fifth set with a 25-23 come-from-behind victory in set four. Wisconsin scored the first seven points of the decisive fifth set - the first time the Badgers had led by more than four points all night - but Nebraska stormed back and fought off three match points before the Badgers (31-3) closed out a 15-12 victory to win their first NCAA title.In the match, the Badgers won 116 points to Nebraska's 114. NU (26-8) finished as the NCAA Runner-up for the fifth time in school history to go along with the Huskers' five national titles.Madi Kubik had a double-double for Nebraska, producing a match-high 19 kills and adding 14 digs to lead a season-high five Huskers with double-digit kills. Her 19 kills tied her season high while her 14 digs were one shy of her season high in that category. Kayla Caffey added 15 kills on 30 swings, while Lindsay Krause put down 12 kills, Ally Batenhorst added 11 and Lauren Stivrins had 10 kills in her final match. Nicklin Hames joined Kubik with a double-double as Hames dished out a season-high 56 assists and added 23 digs, one shy of her career high and her third 20-dig effort of the season.Defensively, Keonilei Akana, Lexi Rodriguez and Kenzie Knuckles joined Kubik and Hames to give Nebraska five players with double-figure digs. Akana had a career-high 24 digs, while Rodriguez added 13 digs and Knuckles had 10 digs. Stivrins and Krause had five blocks each to lead Nebraska in that category, but it was the Badger block that made the difference in the match.Nebraska finished with eight more kills than Wisconsin, but the Badgers blocked the Huskers 24 times, the most blocks ever by a Nebraska opponent in the rally-scoring era. The Huskers had 10 blocks and held Wisconsin to its second-lowest attack percentage of the season (.183), but Nebraska committed a season-high 39 attack errors and hit only .141 in the match. Nebraska out-dug Wisconsin 93-79. In the service game, Wisconsin had seven aces but committed 14 errors, while Nebraska had four aces and nine errors.Anna Smrek led four Badgers in double-figure kills with 14, and she hit a match-high .429. Dana Rettke, the National Player of the Year, had 11 kills and 13 blocks for the Badgers, including a kill on match point. Lauren Barnes had a match-high 31 digs for Wisconsin.Set 1NU jumped to a 5-1 lead with three kills and an Akana ace, but Wisconsin used a 6-1 run to go ahead by one. Locked at 9-9, two big kills from Caffey helped spot NU a 12-10 edge. Kubik swatted three straight kills before the media timeout, and a Krause swing completed the 7-1 spurt at 16-10. Kubik's fifth kill of the set made it 18-12 as the Badgers called for a break.UW won four of the next five rallies before NU took its own timeout still up 19-16. With the Badgers threatening within two, a UW service error and a Caffey/Krause block on Julia Orzol pushed it to 22-18. NU hit set point on another Badger service error, but UW claimed the next three points with a pair of Smrek blocks to trim it to 24-22. Stivrins wasted no time with a kill out of the final timeout to give Nebraska the first-set win.NU had 10 kills with just one error on its first 22 swings, but finished the set hitting .174. Wisconsin came in at .171 and had a 5-1 blocking advantage.Kubik had five kills in the set and Caffey had three more on four swings, leading five Huskers with multiple kills. Akana had seven digs and an ace.Set 2Wisconsin grabbed the first point with its sixth block before NU went on a 5-0 tear with four straight kills between Caffey and Kubik, plus a Caffey/Krause stop. UW cut it to 7-5 before an errant serve and a Kubik kill from the back row boosted the lead to four. A Batenhorst kill and another Caffey/Krause block got it to 12-7 before a Badger timeout.A 4-0 UW run reduced the lead to 13-11, prompting an NU break. The two squads traded the next six rallies and UW got within one on an ace, but Hames and Stivrins teamed up to block Orzol at 17-15. Again with UW threatening within one, Caffey was nearly automatic, with two late kills helping it to 20-18. The Badgers regained the lead behind Grace Loberg and Rettke, who each had a kill and block to make it 21-20.It was Caffey again out of the Husker timeout, sniping a kill to tie it at 21-all. Krause and Stivrins blocked Orzol to stall it again at 22-22, and Kubik connected for a kill at 23-23. After a Badger attack error gave NU set point, UW called for a timeout. A Husker service error followed by another from UW prompted another timeout with NU up 25-24. But the Badgers then blocked Batenhorst to lock it again and took the lead on a Jade Demps kill.Caffey's seventh kill of the set -- and 10th of the night -- tied the set once more at 26-26. After Robinson got one of her own, it was Caffey again from the middle, followed by a Knuckles ace for a 28-27 Husker lead.Kubik registered another kill to put NU ahead 29-28, but Rettke tallied for a 29-29 lock. Two Badger blocks ended the set, bringing the match to 1-1.Caffey and Kubik each had 11 kills for Nebraska through the first two sets. UW hit .237 to NU's .143 and out-blocked the Huskers 8-4.Set 3Neither team could gain more than a two-point foothold before UW went up 12-9. The Huskers trailed 15-13 at the media timeout.Krause swatted a pair of kills at 17-15 and 18-16, but Smrek and Rettke terminated back-to-back to give the Badgers a 20-16 lead. Kills from Stivrins and Kubik preceded a UW attack error, which cut it to 21-19.At 23-20, the freshman duo of Batenhorst and Krause each blasted a kill to bring the Huskers within one. But Robinson took matters into her own hands for Wisconsin, with consecutive kills closing another deuce set at 25-23.Set 4NU broke up at 3-3 tie with a back-row kill courtesy of Knuckles. They got out a 5-5 lock when Batenhorst blocked Hilley, followed by a Caffey kill and a Hames ace to move ahead 8-5. The Badgers stalled it once more behind a kill, a block and an ace of their own. UW later used a Sydney Hilley kill and back-to-back blocks to go up 11-10 before an NU timeout. Krause tied it twice more on kills at 11-all and 12-all.The set tied five more times up to 17-17 -- the last time on another Caffey swing. UW had an attacking and a setting error, bringing a Badger timeout with NU up 19-17. THe Huskers continued their assault, stretching the run to 5-0 with back-to-back Stivrins blocks with Krause and Kubik for a 21-17 edge and UW's final timeout.A Kubik kill extended the Husker advantage to 23-19. After a Badger service error brought it to 24-20, UW staved off set point with two kills from Loberg and Orzol, which prompted an NU timeout. Akana came up with a clutch dig during an incredible rally, leading to a final kill from Batenhorst that sealed the set at 25-23 and sent the match to a decisive fifth set.Set 5Wisconsin dug the Huskers a 7-0 hole to start set five. Batenhorst registered NU's first point with a kill, and both sides turned error-prone from there.With NU down seven, the Badgers committed three straight errors and called for a timeout at 9-5. An attack error apiece brought the tally to 10-6 UW. Batenhorst then terminated to trim the Badger lead to three, and Stivrins did so again at 11-8. Wisconsin would stretch the lead back to five and earn its first match point at 14-9. But back-to-back kills from Krause and Kubik forced a Badger timeout with the lead trimmed to three. Wisconsin then thought it had won after a Kubik attack on the next rally was ruled long, but the Huskers challenged and a touch was ruled to give Kubik the kill. With the gap closed to 14-12, the Huskers played grea defense during a long rally, but Rettke ended the match with a kill.

Nebraska Post-Match Notes<ul>
 <li>Wisconsin defeated Nebraska in five sets to win the NCAA title after the Huskers defeated the Badgers in five sets in the 2000 National Championship match.</li><li>Nebraska finished as the NCAA Runner-Up for the fifth time in school history. The Huskers' five runner-up finishes are tied for second in NCAA history.</li><li>Announced attendance for the championship match was 18,755, the most-attended volleyball game in NCAA history. The Huskers have now been involved in the seven largest volleyball crowds in NCAA history and 10 of the top 11.</li><li>With the loss, Nebraska fell to 123-35 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskers rank second in NCAA history in postseason wins and winning percentage (.778).</li><li>Nebraska fell to 5-5 all-time in the National Championship match, including a 4-3 record under&nbsp;John Cook.</li><li>Cook dropped to 90-23 in his NCAA Tournament career.</li><li>Cook is 82-18 in the NCAA Tournament as Nebraska's head coach. His .820 postseason winning percentage at Nebraska is the top mark in NCAA history among any coach with at least 20 NCAA Tournament matches at one school.</li><li>NU was the first team to reach 20 points in three of the first four sets.</li><li>The total points scored in the match were 116-114 in favor of Wisconsin.</li><li>Two of the three sets Nebraska lost were by just two points (31-29 in the second; 25-23 in the third). On the season, six of the nine sets the Huskers lost to Wisconsin were by just two points.</li><li>The Huskers' loss in set two (31-29) marked their longest set of the season.</li><li>Wisconsin's 24 blocks were the most ever by a Husker opponent in the rally-scoring era and were the most by an opponent in&nbsp;John Cook's tenure as Nebraska's head coach. The previous record was 20 blocks by Minnesota in a four-set victory last spring.</li><li>Nebraska had 10 blocks. It was also the Huskers' second straight and third such effort of the NCAA Tournament.</li><li>NU held Wisconsin to a .183&nbsp;attack percentage, the Badgers' second-lowest mark of the season and the only time they were held under .258 in the NCAA Tournament.</li><li>Five Huskers had 10-or-more kills in the match and five Nebraska players had 10-or-more-digs.</li><li>Nebraska had four services aces against Wisconsin to finish with 37 aces in the NCAA Tournament. That total ranked fourth in the past 15 NCAA Tournaments dating back to 2007.</li><li>Kayla Caffey&nbsp;had a career-high 15 kills, eclipsing her previous career high of 14 kills against Purdue on Oct. 23 this season.</li><li>Madi Kubik&nbsp;had 19&nbsp;kills and 14&nbsp;digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Her 19 kills were a match high and tied her season high.</li><li>Keonilei Akana&nbsp;had a match-high 24 digs, a new career high for her, eclipsing her previous high of 17 against Ohio State last spring.</li><li>Nicklin Hames&nbsp;posted her 24th double-double of the season with a season-high&nbsp;56 assists and 23&nbsp;digs, one shy of her career high. Hames had 20-or-more digs for the third time in 2021.</li><li>Lauren Stivrins&nbsp;played in 24th career NCAA Tournament match against Wisconsin. Her 24 career postseason matches are the most in Nebraska history and tie for the most in NCAA history.</li><li>Stivrins also became Nebraska's all-time leader in NCAA Tournament sets played. Stivrins played in 86 sets in her postseason career, four more than Mikaela Foecke and Kenzie Maloney (82 from 2015-18).</li><li>Stivrins ended her career ranked fourth all-time at Nebraska in attack percentage (.378), fifth in blocks 563 and 13th&nbsp;all-time in kills (1,259). She also posted a .377&nbsp;attack percentage in her NCAA Tournament career, the second-highest mark by any player in program history with a minimum of 50 postseason kills.</li><li>Lexi Rodriguez&nbsp;had 13&nbsp;digs in the championship match. She had 524&nbsp;digs this season which ranked fifth&nbsp;in school history and were a Nebraska freshman record.</li><li>Akana had one&nbsp;service ace against Wisconsin. She had 10&nbsp;aces in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, which tied for the fourth-highest total in a single postseason in Nebraska history.</li><li>Akana finished the season with 42 aces, which ranked seventh in Nebraska history during the rally-scoring era.</li><li>Nebraska ended its season with 2,054&nbsp;digs, the second-highest total in school history. The Huskers averaged 16.98&nbsp;digs per set in 2021, an average that ranked fourth overall in program history, third in the rally-scoring era and first in the 25-point rally-scoring era.</li><li>The Huskers ended the season with 181&nbsp;service aces. That total ranked fifth in the rally-scoring era at Nebraska.</li>
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