North Platte, Neb. –&nbsp;North Platte cruised to an 81-69 win against Hastings College JV behind 42 first half points at home on Monday night.

Trey Summers had a season high 25 points to lead all scorers. The sophomore transfer guard also totaled five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the win.

Justus Michael chipped in 16 points and six rebounds, while Alex Harper and Sedrick Nari rounded out the North Platte players in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

“It was good to see Trey Summers find his rhythm after struggling the last few games,” said head coach Jacob Brandl. “We still have a lot of work to do as we jump back into Region IX play on Friday.”

The Broncos raced out to an early 8-3 lead until a jumper from Summers sparked a North Platte 6-0 run. A short spurt helped the Knights take control until a Will Grable&nbsp;three pointer halted the rally. Knights continued to trade baskets with the Broncos over the closing minutes, as they stretched their lead into double digits at the halftime break, 42-28.

Summers&nbsp;opened the second half with five straight points to extend the lead to 47-28. The Broncos managed to keep pace down the stretch, but it was not enough to pull off the upset.

North Platte (9-6) returns to Region IX play against Trinidad State College on Friday. Tip is set for 8 p.m. in Trinidad, Colo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733925360816.jpeg" alt="NPCC Basketball" />
 <figcaption>NPCC Basketball</figcaption>
 </figure>NPCC Athletics&nbsp;North Platte, Neb. –&nbsp;North Platte cruised to an 81-69 win against Hastings College JV behind 42 first half points at home on Monday night.Trey Summers had a season high 25 points to lead all scorers. The sophomore transfer guard also totaled five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the win.Justus Michael chipped in 16 points and six rebounds, while Alex Harper and Sedrick Nari rounded out the North Platte players in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.“It was good to see Trey Summers find his rhythm after struggling the last few games,” said head coach Jacob Brandl. “We still have a lot of work to do as we jump back into Region IX play on Friday.”The Broncos raced out to an early 8-3 lead until a jumper from Summers sparked a North Platte 6-0 run. A short spurt helped the Knights take control until a Will Grable&nbsp;three pointer halted the rally. Knights continued to trade baskets with the Broncos over the closing minutes, as they stretched their lead into double digits at the halftime break, 42-28.Summers&nbsp;opened the second half with five straight points to extend the lead to 47-28. The Broncos managed to keep pace down the stretch, but it was not enough to pull off the upset.North Platte (9-6) returns to Region IX play against Trinidad State College on Friday. Tip is set for 8 p.m. in Trinidad, Colo.

Knights dominate Broncos at home

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001difK5Tp3k9qPhVoPBNq6SOzHeNIkEFKCvEHqh7oUDDLjfV1LwIMpuRUjPTyG-gypJSlLzYEfxZa6tQhg7Q1R_y_Qbf7EEuvUsRbZHendJcWCqfIexssFEYtNSZvMR72DiCP0H1OZKVt2PxVH55dCteB2WSG2ZHjgtKfA1tmkKGW_fH55gMaSyBGE503v0wWh&amp;c=-V9Ovm98TIL5Vou197VkuYNNyoMsB5d4yRYWfyjCk-vsDc2cbuhpCw==&amp;ch=ZRYRS1S9hokF8F5hCo3_pjoN7T9vI-K1DYQpHiLegxfTWPWR3PnvEw==">Omaha Supernovas</a>, Nebraska's professional volleyball team and first pro volleyball champions, used team grit and superb performances from its pins to complete a 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 sweep over the Grand Rapids Rise (0-2) Sunday night at Van Andel Arena in a Rise record crowd of 8,706.

The trio of&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson, Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;and&nbsp;Reagan Cooper&nbsp;spearheaded an improved Omaha (2-0) offense from opening night that hit .253, compared to a .187 hitting percentage on Friday against Atlanta. Valentín-Anderson — Puerto Rico's starting setter in the 2016 Rio Olympics — dished out 42 assists, 11 digs, four kills and an ace in an all-around performance despite worse passing from two nights ago.

She also recovered from a hard face-to-face collision with Nuneviller in the second set. Both her and the Oregon product shook it off as Nuneviller went on to finish with 15 kills on a .353 hitting percentage with 19 digs. Cooper recovered from a rough opening night to end with a match-high 16 kills (.273) and 12 digs with an ace.

Kayla Caffey&nbsp;led all Omaha middle blockers with seven kills on a .235 clip with five digs.&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord&nbsp;was limited offensively with three kills, but came up with a pair of blocks to move her season total to nine in two matches.&nbsp;Kelsie Payne&nbsp;tallied seven kills on the night while&nbsp;Ally Batenhorst&nbsp;killed three balls on five swings in the place of Nuneviller in the second set.&nbsp;Libero Camila Gómez&nbsp;recorded 12 digs and three assists.

2024 Greek League MVP Sherridan Atkinson led the Rise with 12 kills on a .344 clip with eight digs and one block. Erika Pritchard came off the bench for 12 kills on a .417 hitting percentage with 11 digs in two sets.

Full stats can be found<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001difK5Tp3k9qPhVoPBNq6SOzHeNIkEFKCvEHqh7oUDDLjfV1LwIMpueoeT5B5oburk7OfrsdEKA5NryWzup9PSdbzHHUfyZepY0SfotOkucD25CuAcuVRTfuD0a5FvUv8AOuj5p9ro24_heuAX2h2l5b6rsO4UQqbGklhig_vhhOVjRzZayoD9I194TbHZBwOoaoCwRHMvSS6qU7a6XpYs8yT6E7pAkcA&amp;c=-V9Ovm98TIL5Vou197VkuYNNyoMsB5d4yRYWfyjCk-vsDc2cbuhpCw==&amp;ch=ZRYRS1S9hokF8F5hCo3_pjoN7T9vI-K1DYQpHiLegxfTWPWR3PnvEw==">&nbsp;here.</a>

Set 1:&nbsp;The Rise took an early 3-2 lead, but a Cooper kill and ace resulted in a 3-0 run for a 5-3 lead. That advantage grew to 8-5 with a trio of kills from Nuneviller, Payne and Caffey. Grand Rapids kept within arm's reach with a few errors from Omaha and an Atkinson termination. After being tied at 12, a 3-0 run from the Supernovas off a pair of Nuneviller kills kept the momentum rolling. An extended rally ending in a Cooper kill snowballed into a 4-1 run for Omaha to take a commanding 21-15 lead. Cooper succeeded on her second swing of a rally to give Omaha set point before a net violation ended the opening set with a 25-21 Supernovas victory. Cooper teed off for seven kills on a .353 hitting percentage while Nuneviller and Caffey tallied four of their own.

Set 2:&nbsp;The second set began like the first with tight back-and-forth action, but Omaha gained the early advantage with a 4-0 run jump started by two Rise hitting errors and kills from Batenhorst — who came in for an injured Nuneviller after the collison with Valentín-Anderson — and Cooper. The Supernovas were startled from the hard impact with its two core players as Grand Rapids middle blocker Ali Bastianelli came off the bench to serve a 6-0 run to give the Rise an 11-9 lead. Cooper followed up with two kills and an ace from Valentín-Anderson to regain the edge. Neither team would gain a lead larger than two points for the rest of the set, and Grand Rapids took the upper hand with a kill from Carli Snyder to give the Rise a 23-22 lead. Then Nuneviller went into overdrive, terminating on her next three swings for a trio of points to give Omaha a 25-23 win and a 2-0 match lead.

Set 3:&nbsp;Trailing 4-2 early, the Supernovas rallied off a 4-0 run from two Nuneviller kills, a Valentín-Anderson tally and a Payne ace to take a 6-4 lead. Cooper extended her match-leading kill total with two more to put the score at 9-6 Omaha. Pritchard found an offensive groove off the bench for the Rise with two kills and a block from rookie setter Camryn Turner and Alyssa Jensen for Grand Rapids to take a 15-14 advantage. Tied at 21 in the redzone, the Supernovas once again elevated its play in crunch time as Caffey and Cooper executed on swings to give Omaha match point. A Cooper attack set up a tough out-of-system set for Jensen — a middle blocker — who's effort resulted in a four-hit violation, giving Omaha a 25-22 set win and a second consecutive sweep of the Rise.

After finishing a perfect opening weekend, the Supernovas continue its two-match road swing with a visit to the Vegas Thrill on Friday, January 17 with first serve set for 9 p.m. CST. The match will be streamed live on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001difK5Tp3k9qPhVoPBNq6SOzHeNIkEFKCvEHqh7oUDDLjfV1LwIMpuU7YbPfm4SiX28BIWNFdwEeDE8dWg3bASawtE_cQbkgtbIHXqSFBa7_ZqOdKSZNMs42lVvO62RIVjU3y9fUbQJwCc9HaWozLzWM6ZAOdPnoWm1B09k3avNo=&amp;c=-V9Ovm98TIL5Vou197VkuYNNyoMsB5d4yRYWfyjCk-vsDc2cbuhpCw==&amp;ch=ZRYRS1S9hokF8F5hCo3_pjoN7T9vI-K1DYQpHiLegxfTWPWR3PnvEw==">PVF's YouTube Channel.</a>

Omaha returns home two days later to face the San Diego Mojo on Sunday, January 19 at 3 p.m. CST with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001difK5Tp3k9qPhVoPBNq6SOzHeNIkEFKCvEHqh7oUDDLjfV1LwIMpueoeT5B5obur--QXXHpkKH0seIemsaxLU6zgSfOw8nbq4eVWTDv7EH0-ysFTeDNP-qnHxKujzle4RIHCvrtoyMudpBxsRgUeiY6VrlBiXX63FByi17DMqE4=&amp;c=-V9Ovm98TIL5Vou197VkuYNNyoMsB5d4yRYWfyjCk-vsDc2cbuhpCw==&amp;ch=ZRYRS1S9hokF8F5hCo3_pjoN7T9vI-K1DYQpHiLegxfTWPWR3PnvEw==">Nebraska Public Media&nbsp;</a>providing television coverage.

Every match this season can be heard on the&nbsp;Supernovas Radio Network, led by its flagship station&nbsp;KCRO 660 AM&nbsp;as part of Walnut Media. The SRN can be heard in five states with the support of its affiliates in&nbsp;KXCB Bluffs Country 106.5 FM, Boomer Radio 106.7 FM, ESPN Tri Cities, KNCY in Nebraska City, KGMT in Fairbury&nbsp;and&nbsp;KSID-AM in Sidney.

ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Omaha Supernovas are the premier home of professional volleyball, boasting the No. 1 Pro Volleyball average attendance in the world. The Supernovas 2025 season will begin in January. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneur Danny White, Co-Founder of&nbsp;City+Ventures, an&nbsp;investment&nbsp;and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with&nbsp;cutting-edgeproduction and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736778604911.jpeg" alt=" (Courtesy of Omaha Supernovas and Nick Bowlby)" />
 <figcaption> (Courtesy of Omaha Supernovas and Nick Bowlby)</figcaption>
 </figure>Omaha SupernovasGRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001difK5Tp3k9qPhVoPBNq6SOzHeNIkEFKCvEHqh7oUDDLjfV1LwIMpuRUjPTyG-gypJSlLzYEfxZa6tQhg7Q1R_y_Qbf7EEuvUsRbZHendJcWCqfIexssFEYtNSZvMR72DiCP0H1OZKVt2PxVH55dCteB2WSG2ZHjgtKfA1tmkKGW_fH55gMaSyBGE503v0wWh&amp;c=-V9Ovm98TIL5Vou197VkuYNNyoMsB5d4yRYWfyjCk-vsDc2cbuhpCw==&amp;ch=ZRYRS1S9hokF8F5hCo3_pjoN7T9vI-K1DYQpHiLegxfTWPWR3PnvEw==">Omaha Supernovas</a>, Nebraska's professional volleyball team and first pro volleyball champions, used team grit and superb performances from its pins to complete a 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 sweep over the Grand Rapids Rise (0-2) Sunday night at Van Andel Arena in a Rise record crowd of 8,706.The trio of&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson, Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;and&nbsp;Reagan Cooper&nbsp;spearheaded an improved Omaha (2-0) offense from opening night that hit .253, compared to a .187 hitting percentage on Friday against Atlanta. Valentín-Anderson — Puerto Rico's starting setter in the 2016 Rio Olympics — dished out 42 assists, 11 digs, four kills and an ace in an all-around performance despite worse passing from two nights ago.She also recovered from a hard face-to-face collision with Nuneviller in the second set. Both her and the Oregon product shook it off as Nuneviller went on to finish with 15 kills on a .353 hitting percentage with 19 digs. Cooper recovered from a rough opening night to end with a match-high 16 kills (.273) and 12 digs with an ace.Kayla Caffey&nbsp;led all Omaha middle blockers with seven kills on a .235 clip with five digs.&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord&nbsp;was limited offensively with three kills, but came up with a pair of blocks to move her season total to nine in two matches.&nbsp;Kelsie Payne&nbsp;tallied seven kills on the night while&nbsp;Ally Batenhorst&nbsp;killed three balls on five swings in the place of Nuneviller in the second set.&nbsp;Libero Camila Gómez&nbsp;recorded 12 digs and three assists.2024 Greek League MVP Sherridan Atkinson led the Rise with 12 kills on a .344 clip with eight digs and one block. Erika Pritchard came off the bench for 12 kills on a .417 hitting percentage with 11 digs in two sets.Full stats can be found<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001difK5Tp3k9qPhVoPBNq6SOzHeNIkEFKCvEHqh7oUDDLjfV1LwIMpueoeT5B5oburk7OfrsdEKA5NryWzup9PSdbzHHUfyZepY0SfotOkucD25CuAcuVRTfuD0a5FvUv8AOuj5p9ro24_heuAX2h2l5b6rsO4UQqbGklhig_vhhOVjRzZayoD9I194TbHZBwOoaoCwRHMvSS6qU7a6XpYs8yT6E7pAkcA&amp;c=-V9Ovm98TIL5Vou197VkuYNNyoMsB5d4yRYWfyjCk-vsDc2cbuhpCw==&amp;ch=ZRYRS1S9hokF8F5hCo3_pjoN7T9vI-K1DYQpHiLegxfTWPWR3PnvEw==">&nbsp;here.</a>Key Notes<ul>
 <li>The Supernovas move to 5-1 all-time against the Rise which is its second-highest win percentage against any team in the PVF (.833). The only one higher being Orlando in which Omaha is unbeaten against (4-0).</li><li>Dating back to last season's PVF championship, it's the second-straight win for Omaha over Grand Rapids.</li><li>Valentín-Anderson has found major success against the Rise. In three career matches versus Grand Rapids, the Puerto Rican has averaged 12.63 assists and 4.0 digs per set along with eight kills and one ace in eight sets.</li><li>Since last season's championship match, Nuneviller has posted at least 12 kills and 15 digs in three-straight matches.</li>
 </ul>Set 1:&nbsp;The Rise took an early 3-2 lead, but a Cooper kill and ace resulted in a 3-0 run for a 5-3 lead. That advantage grew to 8-5 with a trio of kills from Nuneviller, Payne and Caffey. Grand Rapids kept within arm's reach with a few errors from Omaha and an Atkinson termination. After being tied at 12, a 3-0 run from the Supernovas off a pair of Nuneviller kills kept the momentum rolling. An extended rally ending in a Cooper kill snowballed into a 4-1 run for Omaha to take a commanding 21-15 lead. Cooper succeeded on her second swing of a rally to give Omaha set point before a net violation ended the opening set with a 25-21 Supernovas victory. Cooper teed off for seven kills on a .353 hitting percentage while Nuneviller and Caffey tallied four of their own.Set 2:&nbsp;The second set began like the first with tight back-and-forth action, but Omaha gained the early advantage with a 4-0 run jump started by two Rise hitting errors and kills from Batenhorst — who came in for an injured Nuneviller after the collison with Valentín-Anderson — and Cooper. The Supernovas were startled from the hard impact with its two core players as Grand Rapids middle blocker Ali Bastianelli came off the bench to serve a 6-0 run to give the Rise an 11-9 lead. Cooper followed up with two kills and an ace from Valentín-Anderson to regain the edge. Neither team would gain a lead larger than two points for the rest of the set, and Grand Rapids took the upper hand with a kill from Carli Snyder to give the Rise a 23-22 lead. Then Nuneviller went into overdrive, terminating on her next three swings for a trio of points to give Omaha a 25-23 win and a 2-0 match lead.Set 3:&nbsp;Trailing 4-2 early, the Supernovas rallied off a 4-0 run from two Nuneviller kills, a Valentín-Anderson tally and a Payne ace to take a 6-4 lead. Cooper extended her match-leading kill total with two more to put the score at 9-6 Omaha. Pritchard found an offensive groove off the bench for the Rise with two kills and a block from rookie setter Camryn Turner and Alyssa Jensen for Grand Rapids to take a 15-14 advantage. Tied at 21 in the redzone, the Supernovas once again elevated its play in crunch time as Caffey and Cooper executed on swings to give Omaha match point. A Cooper attack set up a tough out-of-system set for Jensen — a middle blocker — who's effort resulted in a four-hit violation, giving Omaha a 25-22 set win and a second consecutive sweep of the Rise.After finishing a perfect opening weekend, the Supernovas continue its two-match road swing with a visit to the Vegas Thrill on Friday, January 17 with first serve set for 9 p.m. CST. The match will be streamed live on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001difK5Tp3k9qPhVoPBNq6SOzHeNIkEFKCvEHqh7oUDDLjfV1LwIMpuU7YbPfm4SiX28BIWNFdwEeDE8dWg3bASawtE_cQbkgtbIHXqSFBa7_ZqOdKSZNMs42lVvO62RIVjU3y9fUbQJwCc9HaWozLzWM6ZAOdPnoWm1B09k3avNo=&amp;c=-V9Ovm98TIL5Vou197VkuYNNyoMsB5d4yRYWfyjCk-vsDc2cbuhpCw==&amp;ch=ZRYRS1S9hokF8F5hCo3_pjoN7T9vI-K1DYQpHiLegxfTWPWR3PnvEw==">PVF's YouTube Channel.</a>Omaha returns home two days later to face the San Diego Mojo on Sunday, January 19 at 3 p.m. CST with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001difK5Tp3k9qPhVoPBNq6SOzHeNIkEFKCvEHqh7oUDDLjfV1LwIMpueoeT5B5obur--QXXHpkKH0seIemsaxLU6zgSfOw8nbq4eVWTDv7EH0-ysFTeDNP-qnHxKujzle4RIHCvrtoyMudpBxsRgUeiY6VrlBiXX63FByi17DMqE4=&amp;c=-V9Ovm98TIL5Vou197VkuYNNyoMsB5d4yRYWfyjCk-vsDc2cbuhpCw==&amp;ch=ZRYRS1S9hokF8F5hCo3_pjoN7T9vI-K1DYQpHiLegxfTWPWR3PnvEw==">Nebraska Public Media&nbsp;</a>providing television coverage.Every match this season can be heard on the&nbsp;Supernovas Radio Network, led by its flagship station&nbsp;KCRO 660 AM&nbsp;as part of Walnut Media. The SRN can be heard in five states with the support of its affiliates in&nbsp;KXCB Bluffs Country 106.5 FM, Boomer Radio 106.7 FM, ESPN Tri Cities, KNCY in Nebraska City, KGMT in Fairbury&nbsp;and&nbsp;KSID-AM in Sidney.ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas are the premier home of professional volleyball, boasting the No. 1 Pro Volleyball average attendance in the world. The Supernovas 2025 season will begin in January. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneur Danny White, Co-Founder of&nbsp;City+Ventures, an&nbsp;investment&nbsp;and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with&nbsp;cutting-edgeproduction and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.

Supernovas Grind Out Sweep of Rise to Cap Perfect Opening Weekend

Area Girls Basketball Scores from Friday, Jan 10

Hitchcock County 58 @ Wauneta-Palisade 43

North Platte St. Patrick's 38 @ Perkins County 64

Area Boys Basketball Scores from Friday, Jan 10

North Platte St. Patrick's 56 @ Perkins County 51

Wauneta-Palisade 23 vs Hitchcock County 65

Area Girls Basketball Scores from Friday, Jan 10Brady 29 @ Mullen 60Bridgeport 45 vs Chase County 30Cody-Kilgore vs Creek ValleyCozad 39 @ Ogallala 71Gothenburg 62 @ McCook 31Hershey 58 @ Maxwell 30Hitchcock County 58 @ Wauneta-Palisade 43Maywood-Hayes Center 67 @ Paxton 41Medicine Valley 30 vs Arapahoe 71North Platte St. Patrick's 38 @ Perkins County 64Sidney 39 @ Broken Bow 38South Platte 35 @ Fleming, CO 49Sutherland 19 @ Sandhills/Thedford 51Wallace 45 @ Arthur County 39Area Boys Basketball Scores from Friday, Jan 10Brady 25 @ Mullen 51Bridgeport 44 vs Chase County 42Broken Bow 73 vs Sandhills Valley 35Cody-Kilgore 61 vs Creek Valley 41Ogallala 65 vs. Cozad 63<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=315&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsandhillspost%2Fvideos%2F1054010363195887%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="430" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Maywood-Hayes Center 53 @ Paxton 50Medicine Valley 64 vs Arapahoe 37North Platte St. Patrick's 56 @ Perkins County 51South Platte 56 @ Fleming, CO 54Sutherland 25 @ Sandhills/Thedford 42Wallace 52 @ Arthur County 30Wauneta-Palisade 23 vs Hitchcock County 65

Area High School Basketball Scores from Friday, Jan 10

OMAHA, Neb. -&nbsp;The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas, Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first pro volleyball champions, began its 2025 title defense with a victory over the Atlanta Vibe in a five-set thriller (22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 15-13) Friday at the&nbsp;CHI Health Center&nbsp;in downtown Omaha.&nbsp;

The Supernovas reset its own&nbsp;U.S. Pro Volleyball record Friday night,&nbsp;witnessing&nbsp;13,486 fans&nbsp;pack into CHI, surpassing their previous attendance record of 12,090 set last season. In less than two years of existence, the Supernovas franchise owns the top-eight U.S. Pro Volleyball attendance records with six of those having at least 11,000.&nbsp;

The Supernovas’ victory was fueled by 2024 PVF All-League First Team pick&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;who led the charge as Player of the Game. The third-year pro delivered an impressive 22 kills and 17 digs showcasing her dominance on both offense and defense. Middle blocker and former Husker&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord&nbsp;also made Supernovas history, breaking the franchise’s single-match blocking record with seven stuffs. Hord added 10 kills and recorded a .555 hitting percentage on the night.

Libero&nbsp;Camila Gómez,&nbsp;who signed with the Supernovas over the offseason from Grand Rapids, added another franchise record in her Omaha debut, tallying a single-match record 31 digs. Puerto Rico Olympian&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;dished out 48 assists and 17 digs with three kills to start out her second season in a Supernovas uniform.&nbsp;Reagan Cooper&nbsp;(8),&nbsp;Kelsie Payne&nbsp;(6) and&nbsp;Ally Batenhorst&nbsp;(6) all added offensively in a night where Omaha hit .187 as a team, but limited the Vibe to .155 hitting percentage.&nbsp;

Former Nebraska first team All-American&nbsp;Merritt Beason&nbsp;led Atlanta with 17 kills and a .347 hitting percentage in her professional debut. Middle blocker and Stanford product McKenna Vicini posted 11 kills on a .435 hitting percentage. Pia Timmer reached 11 kills while reigning PVF MVP Leah Edmond equaled that total with 11 of her own.&nbsp;

Set 1:&nbsp;The match began with Beason making an immediate impact for the Vibe, securing three of the team’s first five points with two kills and a block to give Atlanta a 5-3 advantage. The opening set was filled with errors from both teams, but the set remained competitive with the Vibe keeping an arm’s reach out front. Shelly Fanning mustered a kill, and a Payne error gave Atlanta a four-point edge at 18-14. A reversal on a block touch swung the momentum and killed a Supernovas comeback as Fanning closed the door for a 25-22 set win. Cooper led Omaha with four kills while Beason had four on her own.&nbsp;

Set 2:&nbsp;The Supernovas came out strong in the second set, jumping to an early 5-2 lead. Beason followed up with a key kill, tying the score at 8-8. Valentín-Anderson quickly responded with a setter dump and an ace to regain the lead for the Supernovas. The Vibe kept the pressure but Nuneviller’s back-to-back kills shifted control to a 16-13 Omaha lead. Hord’s sixth kill of the night followed by a Timmer hitting error extended the lead to 21-16. Back-to-back blocks from Aiko Jones and rookie Khori Lewis cut the Supernovas lead to 21-19, but a block from Hord and back-to-back stuffs from Payne led Omaha to close out the set with a 25-19 victory.

Set 3:&nbsp;The set started off tight with a 6-6 tie as points were traded back and forth. Tied at 10, Atlanta mounted a rally with a pair of blocks from Vicini and two kills by Edmond to give the Vibe a 15-11 advantage. Trailing 18-13, A string of four-straight points and three consecutive blocks helped the Supernovas close the gap at 18-17. Another Nuneviller kill tied the set at 20, but a 5-1 Atlanta run – highlighted by two Vicini blocks – gave the Vibe a 2-1 set advantage with a 25-22 game win.&nbsp;

Set 4:&nbsp;The Supernovas made a key adjustment in the fourth set, bringing in Batenhorst for Cooper, to fuel a 7-1 lead to start the set. Batenhorst secured her second kill of the match to help the Supernovas extend its advantage to 11-6. The momentum continued as Omaha extended the score to 15-9 off a Payne kill and block, forcing the Vibe to call a timeout. For the remainder of the set Batenhorst and Nuneviller took charge offensively, leading the Supernovas with four kills each. The Supernovas closed out the set 25-22 to force a decisive fifth set.&nbsp;

Set 5:&nbsp;The Vibe took control early in the fifth set, jumping out to a 4-2 lead. Nuneviller quickly responded with two kills to tie the score. Batenhorst helped jumpstart a run with a kill that pushed the Supernovas ahead 8-5. Beason kept the Vibe in the game with back-to-back tallies, which narrowed the gap to 11-9, but Nuneviller answered with two more kills to extend Omaha’s lead to 13-11. The match ended with another decisive kill from Nuneviller, who recorded six kills on seven swings in the set to seal a 1-0 start to the season for the Supernovas.

The Supernovas hit the road for the first time in 2025 on Sunday, January 12, to take on the Grand Rapids Rise. The match is set for a 5:00 PM CST first serve at Van Andel Arena.

Sunday’s match will be the first-ever Pro Volleyball Federation showdown on&nbsp;FS1&nbsp;with Paul Sunderland and Holly McPeak on the call.&nbsp;

Every match this season can be heard on the&nbsp;Supernovas Radio Network, led by its flagship station KCRO 660 AM as part of Walnut Media. The SRN can be heard in five states with the support of its affiliates in KXCB Bluffs Country 106.5 FM, Boomer Radio 106.7 FM, ESPN Tri Cities, KNCY in Nebraska City, KGMT in Fairbury and KSID-AM in Sidney.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with&nbsp;cutting-edgeproduction and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736603570783.jpeg" alt="OMAvsATL 1/10/25 (Courtesy)" />
 <figcaption>OMAvsATL 1/10/25 (Courtesy)</figcaption>
 </figure>Omaha SupernovasOMAHA, Neb. -&nbsp;The&nbsp;Omaha Supernovas, Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first pro volleyball champions, began its 2025 title defense with a victory over the Atlanta Vibe in a five-set thriller (22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 15-13) Friday at the&nbsp;CHI Health Center&nbsp;in downtown Omaha.&nbsp;The Supernovas reset its own&nbsp;U.S. Pro Volleyball record Friday night,&nbsp;witnessing&nbsp;13,486 fans&nbsp;pack into CHI, surpassing their previous attendance record of 12,090 set last season. In less than two years of existence, the Supernovas franchise owns the top-eight U.S. Pro Volleyball attendance records with six of those having at least 11,000.&nbsp;The Supernovas’ victory was fueled by 2024 PVF All-League First Team pick&nbsp;Brooke Nuneviller&nbsp;who led the charge as Player of the Game. The third-year pro delivered an impressive 22 kills and 17 digs showcasing her dominance on both offense and defense. Middle blocker and former Husker&nbsp;Kaitlyn Hord&nbsp;also made Supernovas history, breaking the franchise’s single-match blocking record with seven stuffs. Hord added 10 kills and recorded a .555 hitting percentage on the night.Libero&nbsp;Camila Gómez,&nbsp;who signed with the Supernovas over the offseason from Grand Rapids, added another franchise record in her Omaha debut, tallying a single-match record 31 digs. Puerto Rico Olympian&nbsp;Natalia Valentín-Anderson&nbsp;dished out 48 assists and 17 digs with three kills to start out her second season in a Supernovas uniform.&nbsp;Reagan Cooper&nbsp;(8),&nbsp;Kelsie Payne&nbsp;(6) and&nbsp;Ally Batenhorst&nbsp;(6) all added offensively in a night where Omaha hit .187 as a team, but limited the Vibe to .155 hitting percentage.&nbsp;Former Nebraska first team All-American&nbsp;Merritt Beason&nbsp;led Atlanta with 17 kills and a .347 hitting percentage in her professional debut. Middle blocker and Stanford product McKenna Vicini posted 11 kills on a .435 hitting percentage. Pia Timmer reached 11 kills while reigning PVF MVP Leah Edmond equaled that total with 11 of her own.&nbsp;Set 1:&nbsp;The match began with Beason making an immediate impact for the Vibe, securing three of the team’s first five points with two kills and a block to give Atlanta a 5-3 advantage. The opening set was filled with errors from both teams, but the set remained competitive with the Vibe keeping an arm’s reach out front. Shelly Fanning mustered a kill, and a Payne error gave Atlanta a four-point edge at 18-14. A reversal on a block touch swung the momentum and killed a Supernovas comeback as Fanning closed the door for a 25-22 set win. Cooper led Omaha with four kills while Beason had four on her own.&nbsp;Set 2:&nbsp;The Supernovas came out strong in the second set, jumping to an early 5-2 lead. Beason followed up with a key kill, tying the score at 8-8. Valentín-Anderson quickly responded with a setter dump and an ace to regain the lead for the Supernovas. The Vibe kept the pressure but Nuneviller’s back-to-back kills shifted control to a 16-13 Omaha lead. Hord’s sixth kill of the night followed by a Timmer hitting error extended the lead to 21-16. Back-to-back blocks from Aiko Jones and rookie Khori Lewis cut the Supernovas lead to 21-19, but a block from Hord and back-to-back stuffs from Payne led Omaha to close out the set with a 25-19 victory.Set 3:&nbsp;The set started off tight with a 6-6 tie as points were traded back and forth. Tied at 10, Atlanta mounted a rally with a pair of blocks from Vicini and two kills by Edmond to give the Vibe a 15-11 advantage. Trailing 18-13, A string of four-straight points and three consecutive blocks helped the Supernovas close the gap at 18-17. Another Nuneviller kill tied the set at 20, but a 5-1 Atlanta run – highlighted by two Vicini blocks – gave the Vibe a 2-1 set advantage with a 25-22 game win.&nbsp;Set 4:&nbsp;The Supernovas made a key adjustment in the fourth set, bringing in Batenhorst for Cooper, to fuel a 7-1 lead to start the set. Batenhorst secured her second kill of the match to help the Supernovas extend its advantage to 11-6. The momentum continued as Omaha extended the score to 15-9 off a Payne kill and block, forcing the Vibe to call a timeout. For the remainder of the set Batenhorst and Nuneviller took charge offensively, leading the Supernovas with four kills each. The Supernovas closed out the set 25-22 to force a decisive fifth set.&nbsp;Set 5:&nbsp;The Vibe took control early in the fifth set, jumping out to a 4-2 lead. Nuneviller quickly responded with two kills to tie the score. Batenhorst helped jumpstart a run with a kill that pushed the Supernovas ahead 8-5. Beason kept the Vibe in the game with back-to-back tallies, which narrowed the gap to 11-9, but Nuneviller answered with two more kills to extend Omaha’s lead to 13-11. The match ended with another decisive kill from Nuneviller, who recorded six kills on seven swings in the set to seal a 1-0 start to the season for the Supernovas.The Supernovas hit the road for the first time in 2025 on Sunday, January 12, to take on the Grand Rapids Rise. The match is set for a 5:00 PM CST first serve at Van Andel Arena.Sunday’s match will be the first-ever Pro Volleyball Federation showdown on&nbsp;FS1&nbsp;with Paul Sunderland and Holly McPeak on the call.&nbsp;Every match this season can be heard on the&nbsp;Supernovas Radio Network, led by its flagship station KCRO 660 AM as part of Walnut Media. The SRN can be heard in five states with the support of its affiliates in KXCB Bluffs Country 106.5 FM, Boomer Radio 106.7 FM, ESPN Tri Cities, KNCY in Nebraska City, KGMT in Fairbury and KSID-AM in Sidney.&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas are the premier home of professional volleyball, boasting the No. 1 Pro Volleyball average attendance in the world. The Supernovas 2025 season will begin in January. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneur Danny White, Co-Founder of&nbsp;City+Ventures, an&nbsp;investment&nbsp;and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with&nbsp;cutting-edgeproduction and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.&nbsp;

Supernovas Triumph Over Vibe in Five-Set Epic, Shattering U.S. Pro Volleyball Attendance Record

Trinidad, Colo. - Nariah Golden notched all her points in the second half, as the Knights erased a seven-point halftime deficit for a 63-59 win against Trinidad State on Friday night.

Nariah Golden’s 12 points came on 3-of-11 shooting from the field. Kateria Gooden added 12 points, while Nevaeh Golden rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.

“We battled through some adversity, but we found a way to win,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “Now we must get prepared for a very good Lamar team tomorrow.”

Gooden opened the scoring, but the lead changed hands three more times throughout the opening ten minutes. The Trojans took a two-point lead on a free throw from Rachel Stewart, but three straight points from Nevaeh Golden tied the game up at 11-11 at the quarter break.

Neither team wanted to back down while exchanging blows in the second quarter. Trailing 23-21, Nevaeh Golden connected on two free throws to knot the game up, before a 7-0 run gave the Trojans a 30-23 lead at halftime.

Trinidad stretched their lead into double digits to begin the third quarter. North Platte did not back down and used a 14-5 run to even the game on a three by Madison Cheleen. Dezirae Gonzales put the Knights back out front by connecting on the front end of two free throws, before Candela Roy knotted the game up again.

Trinidad State managed to stretch their lead to six on a bucket by Violeta Rojas with 7:50 remaining in the fourth quarter. North Platte countered with a 14-4 run over the next 3:50 to regain control for the final time. Trojans managed to cut the deficit to 61-59, but a pair of free throws from Nariah Golden sealed the win for North Platte.

Knights (10-8) return to the hardwood on Saturday against Lamar Community College. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. inside the Wellness Center in Lamar, Colo.

NPCCTrinidad, Colo. - Nariah Golden notched all her points in the second half, as the Knights erased a seven-point halftime deficit for a 63-59 win against Trinidad State on Friday night.Nariah Golden’s 12 points came on 3-of-11 shooting from the field. Kateria Gooden added 12 points, while Nevaeh Golden rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.“We battled through some adversity, but we found a way to win,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “Now we must get prepared for a very good Lamar team tomorrow.”Gooden opened the scoring, but the lead changed hands three more times throughout the opening ten minutes. The Trojans took a two-point lead on a free throw from Rachel Stewart, but three straight points from Nevaeh Golden tied the game up at 11-11 at the quarter break.Neither team wanted to back down while exchanging blows in the second quarter. Trailing 23-21, Nevaeh Golden connected on two free throws to knot the game up, before a 7-0 run gave the Trojans a 30-23 lead at halftime.Trinidad stretched their lead into double digits to begin the third quarter. North Platte did not back down and used a 14-5 run to even the game on a three by Madison Cheleen. Dezirae Gonzales put the Knights back out front by connecting on the front end of two free throws, before Candela Roy knotted the game up again.Trinidad State managed to stretch their lead to six on a bucket by Violeta Rojas with 7:50 remaining in the fourth quarter. North Platte countered with a 14-4 run over the next 3:50 to regain control for the final time. Trojans managed to cut the deficit to 61-59, but a pair of free throws from Nariah Golden sealed the win for North Platte.Knights (10-8) return to the hardwood on Saturday against Lamar Community College. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. inside the Wellness Center in Lamar, Colo.

Knights knock down Trojans on the road

OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001piBUMXdO9Zr1VJlPLCmvrTsNQhaNGFMv6CcVbaanwBsdxqLaiwZRIC3c_5c7g6IBl2mjfTBez9ghDUGojnz9H8H-1RLZ5j6dj3Et4xOE-v64lFixoUjwYBk9vCHWo0y-Mn0NBDghiZAeq08lgP_ehlAKZ3Yevqn7&amp;c=aeMvlk3hvvYIL3vrfuVMTSFr1WFVtKzSUUA2oQrTmxFh0XpBZvCS3w==&amp;ch=jUdgSIchkxEJrhu3YwpT__HI4IqX2lqskVP7PUuFLI2CtVO2M5XZeA==">Omaha Supernovas</a>, Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first Pro Volleyball Champions, continue to show the growing interest and passion of pro volleyball, resetting the&nbsp;U.S. Pro Volleyball Attendance Record&nbsp;with&nbsp;13,486&nbsp;cheering on the Supernovas for the 2025 season opener at the&nbsp;CHI Health Center&nbsp;against the Atlanta Vibe.

Omaha broke its own attendance record from a season ago when 12,090 packed into CHI on March 16, 2024, to see the Supernovas beat the Orlando Valkyries 3-1. The franchise&nbsp;has now hosted the top eight most attended Pro Volleyball matches in U.S. history&nbsp;with nine of the top ten taking place in Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In less than two seasons of existence, the Supernovas have hosted six crowds of 11,000 or more and eight with more than 10,000&nbsp;in attendance.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During its championship run in the&nbsp;inaugural&nbsp;2024&nbsp;PVF season, Omaha and the Supernovas became the league's shining&nbsp;star, hosting 134,969 fans across the 14 matches held at the CHI Health Center.&nbsp;That includes a whopping 9,656 average mark for the 12 Supernovas’ home matches,&nbsp;which was No. 1 in the world&nbsp;in&nbsp;pro volleyball&nbsp;average&nbsp;attendance. Plus, there&nbsp;were&nbsp;19,094&nbsp;spectators who attended the PVF Semifinals and Championship&nbsp;in May.&nbsp;

"The unwavering support and enthusiasm of Omaha fans continue to set the gold standard in professional volleyball,"&nbsp;Supernovas Owner Danny White said. "Resetting the U.S. Pro Volleyball record is another testament to the incredible energy of&nbsp;NovasNation&nbsp;and their unmatched passion for the sport.&nbsp;It's&nbsp;not just about the numbers —&nbsp;it's&nbsp;about the community&nbsp;we've&nbsp;built together and the milestones we will continue to achieve. As we look ahead, we remain committed to raising the bar and delivering a major league volleyball experience that inspires the next generation athletes and fans."&nbsp;

"NovasNation&nbsp;has shown the world that professional volleyball has a bright future,"&nbsp;Supernovas Partner Kirk Thompson shared. "Breaking another U.S. Pro Volleyball record underscores the growing hunger for this sport and the impact it's making on a major-league level.&nbsp;We're proud to be at the forefront of this growth, showing what's possible when passion meets opportunity, and we're excited to keep elevating the game for our fans and the sport as a whole."&nbsp;

“The entire Metro area, Nebraska and our region has embraced the Supernovas with open arms since our first match one year ago.”&nbsp;Supernovas Team President Diane Mendenhall.&nbsp;“This achievement highlights the passion, dedication and growth of&nbsp;NovasNation&nbsp;since the Championship Match last May. It's a reminder of the limitless potential of our sport and our responsibility to keep pushing what's possible by delivering a major-league experience in a world class arena that inspires even more people to join this movement."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736603409194.jpeg" alt="Supernovas vs Atlanta Vibe (Courtesy)" />
 <figcaption>Supernovas vs Atlanta Vibe (Courtesy)</figcaption>
 </figure>Omaha SupernovasOMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://db9xbvgbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001piBUMXdO9Zr1VJlPLCmvrTsNQhaNGFMv6CcVbaanwBsdxqLaiwZRIC3c_5c7g6IBl2mjfTBez9ghDUGojnz9H8H-1RLZ5j6dj3Et4xOE-v64lFixoUjwYBk9vCHWo0y-Mn0NBDghiZAeq08lgP_ehlAKZ3Yevqn7&amp;c=aeMvlk3hvvYIL3vrfuVMTSFr1WFVtKzSUUA2oQrTmxFh0XpBZvCS3w==&amp;ch=jUdgSIchkxEJrhu3YwpT__HI4IqX2lqskVP7PUuFLI2CtVO2M5XZeA==">Omaha Supernovas</a>, Nebraska’s professional volleyball team and first Pro Volleyball Champions, continue to show the growing interest and passion of pro volleyball, resetting the&nbsp;U.S. Pro Volleyball Attendance Record&nbsp;with&nbsp;13,486&nbsp;cheering on the Supernovas for the 2025 season opener at the&nbsp;CHI Health Center&nbsp;against the Atlanta Vibe.Omaha broke its own attendance record from a season ago when 12,090 packed into CHI on March 16, 2024, to see the Supernovas beat the Orlando Valkyries 3-1. The franchise&nbsp;has now hosted the top eight most attended Pro Volleyball matches in U.S. history&nbsp;with nine of the top ten taking place in Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;In less than two seasons of existence, the Supernovas have hosted six crowds of 11,000 or more and eight with more than 10,000&nbsp;in attendance.&nbsp;&nbsp;During its championship run in the&nbsp;inaugural&nbsp;2024&nbsp;PVF season, Omaha and the Supernovas became the league's shining&nbsp;star, hosting 134,969 fans across the 14 matches held at the CHI Health Center.&nbsp;That includes a whopping 9,656 average mark for the 12 Supernovas’ home matches,&nbsp;which was No. 1 in the world&nbsp;in&nbsp;pro volleyball&nbsp;average&nbsp;attendance. Plus, there&nbsp;were&nbsp;19,094&nbsp;spectators who attended the PVF Semifinals and Championship&nbsp;in May.&nbsp;"The unwavering support and enthusiasm of Omaha fans continue to set the gold standard in professional volleyball,"&nbsp;Supernovas Owner Danny White said. "Resetting the U.S. Pro Volleyball record is another testament to the incredible energy of&nbsp;NovasNation&nbsp;and their unmatched passion for the sport.&nbsp;It's&nbsp;not just about the numbers —&nbsp;it's&nbsp;about the community&nbsp;we've&nbsp;built together and the milestones we will continue to achieve. As we look ahead, we remain committed to raising the bar and delivering a major league volleyball experience that inspires the next generation athletes and fans."&nbsp;"NovasNation&nbsp;has shown the world that professional volleyball has a bright future,"&nbsp;Supernovas Partner Kirk Thompson shared. "Breaking another U.S. Pro Volleyball record underscores the growing hunger for this sport and the impact it's making on a major-league level.&nbsp;We're proud to be at the forefront of this growth, showing what's possible when passion meets opportunity, and we're excited to keep elevating the game for our fans and the sport as a whole."&nbsp;“The entire Metro area, Nebraska and our region has embraced the Supernovas with open arms since our first match one year ago.”&nbsp;Supernovas Team President Diane Mendenhall.&nbsp;“This achievement highlights the passion, dedication and growth of&nbsp;NovasNation&nbsp;since the Championship Match last May. It's a reminder of the limitless potential of our sport and our responsibility to keep pushing what's possible by delivering a major-league experience in a world class arena that inspires even more people to join this movement."&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>13,486 | Omaha Supernovas vs. Atlanta Vibe | CHI Health Center | January 10, 2025</li><li>12,090 | Omaha Supernovas vs. Orland Valkyries | CHI Health Center | March 16, 2024</li><li>11,918 | Omaha Supernovas vs. Orlando Valkyries | CHI Health Center | February 18, 2024</li><li>11,624 | Omaha Supernovas vs. Atlanta Vibe | CHI Health Center | January 24, 2024</li><li>11,403 | Omaha Supernovas vs. San Diego Mojo | CHI Health Center | February 3, 2024</li><li>11,303 | Omaha Supernovas vs. San Diego Mojo | CHI Health Center | April 20, 2024</li><li>10,678 | Omaha Supernovas vs. Grand Rapids Rise (PVF Title) | CHI Health Center | May 18, 2024</li><li>10,315 | Omaha Supernovas vs. Vegas Thrill | CHI Health Center | March 30, 2024</li><li>10,213 | U.S. WNT vs. Dominican Republic | Pinnacle Bank Arena | January 9, 2016</li><li>9,165 | Omaha Supernovas at Columbus Fury | Nationwide Arena | February 21, 2024</li>
 </ol>Every match this season can be heard on the&nbsp;Supernovas Radio Network, led by its flagship station KCRO 660 AM as part of Walnut Media. The SRN can be heard in five states with the support of its affiliates in KXCB Bluffs Country 106.5 FM, Boomer Radio 106.7 FM, ESPN Tri Cities, KNCY in Nebraska City, KGMT in Fairbury and KSID-AM in Sidney.&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Omaha Supernovas are the premier home of professional volleyball, boasting the No. 1 Pro Volleyball average attendance in the world. The Supernovas 2025 season will begin in January. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneur Danny White, Co-Founder of&nbsp;City+Ventures, an&nbsp;investment&nbsp;and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with&nbsp;cutting-edgeproduction and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.&nbsp;

Supernovas Make History Again with New U.S. Pro Volleyball Attendance Record

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

The Nebraska women’s basketball team shoots for its first true road win of the season when the Huskers collide with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sunday in Piscataway, N.J.Tip-off between Nebraska (12-4, 3-2 Big Ten) and Rutgers (8-8, 0-5 Big Ten) at Jersey Mike's Arena is set for 1 p.m. (CT).A live video stream will be available to B1G+ subscribers with Dom Savino and Dominique Patrick on the call.Nebraska fans can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com. Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will be on the radio call with pregame beginning at 12:30 p.m. (CT).Nebraska extended the Big Ten's longest active home winning streak to 14 games with an 85-80 victory over AP No. 20 Michigan State on Wednesday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. Alexis Markowski erupted for a career-high 28 points while adding eight rebounds to power the Huskers to their first win over a ranked foe this season.The performance by the All-America candidate against the Spartans followed her sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds in a 72-61 win over Penn State last Sunday. Markowski, a 6-3 center from Lincoln, continues to lead Nebraska in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg). She heads into Sunday's game with a school-record 46 career double-doubles. She has pushed her career totals to 1,594 points and 1,084 rebounds. The Naismith, Wooden and Lisa Leslie Award candidate is one of just four Huskers in history to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds - joining only first-team All-Americans Karen Jennings (1993), Kelsey Griffin (2010) and Jordan Hooper (2014). All three of those Huskers have their jerseys retired and are in Nebraska’s Athletic Hall of Fame.Big Ten Freshman of the Year candidate Britt Prince added 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in the win over No. 20 Michigan State. Prince ranks second among the Huskers in scoring (12.3 ppg) while leading the team in assists (3.1 apg) and steals (1.7 spg). She also has added 4.1 rebounds per game. The two-time Nebraska High School Player of the Year has put up double figures in 11 of her 15 games. She is shooting 46.2 percent from the field, including 40 percent from three-point range and 90.9 percent at the free throw line.Fellow freshman Amiah Hargrove, sophomore Jessica Petrie and graduate forward Kendall Coley have split starting duties at power forward in place of 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Natalie Potts, who was lost to a season-ending knee injury against North Alabama (Nov. 19). Potts was Nebraska's leading scorer (17.5 ppg) and rebounder (8.0 rpg) through four games. She underwent surgery on Dec. 4 and is expected to regain the season of eligibility.Allison Weidner, who missed 55 consecutive games the past two seasons while recovering from back-to-back ACL tears in both knees, produced her best game of the year by matching her season highs with 11 points and six assists off the bench in the win over No. 20 Michigan State.Nebraska Cornhuskers&nbsp;at Rutgers Scarlet KnightsSaturday, January 12, 2025, 1 p.m. (CT)Jersey Mike's Arena - Piscataway, New JerseyLive Video:&nbsp;B1G+&nbsp;(Dom Savino, Dominique Patrick)Live Radio:&nbsp;Huskers Radio Network (12:30 p.m.)Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers AppLive Stats:&nbsp;Huskers.com (statbroadcast - public)

Nebraska Cornhuskers&nbsp;(12-4, 3-2 Big Ten)12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - So. - F - 4.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Sr. - C/F - 14.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - So. - G - 6.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg14 - Callin Hake - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 7.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg23 - Britt Prince - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 12.3 ppg, 4.1 rpgOff the Bench5 - Alberte Rimdal - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 6.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg44 - Petra Bozan - 6-3 - Fr. - F/C - 5.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg33 - Amiah Hargrove - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Sr. - G - 3.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg3 - Allison Weidner - 5-10 - RJr. - G - 3.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Gr. - F/G - 2.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg22 - Natalie Potts [Out] - 6-2 - So. - F - 14.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg4 - Kennadi Williams - 5-4 - Fr. - G - RedshirtHead Coach:&nbsp;Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Ninth Season at Nebraska (149-115);&nbsp;18th Season Overall (342-224)

Rutgers Scarlet Knights&nbsp;(8-8, 0-5 Big Ten)14 - JoJo Lacey - 6-1 - Gr. - F - 8.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg54 - Chyna Cornwell - 6-3 - Gr. - C - 7.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg1 - Destiny Adams - 6-3 - Sr. - G/F - 18.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg2 - Lisa Thompson - 5-9 - So. - G - 4.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg11 - Awa Sidibe - 5-11 - Gr. - G - 5.4 ppg, 3.4 rpgOff the Bench32 - Kiyomi McMiller - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 19.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg3 - Mya Petticord - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 6.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg22 - Zachara Perkins - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 4.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg5 - Deja Young - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg44 - Janae Walker - 6-3 - So. - F - 0.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg33 - Kennedy Brandt - 5-10 - So. - G - 0.6 ppg, 0.3 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Coquese Washington (Notre Dame, 1993)Third Season at Rutgers (28-52);&nbsp;15th Season Overall (237-221)Scouting The Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• Coquese Washington brings her most talented Rutgers team into Sunday's game against Nebraska. The third-year Scarlet Knights coach is 2-0 against Nebraska but just 5-34 against the rest of the Big Ten since taking the reins of the Rutgers program.• Freshman Kiyomi McMiller has been an explosive scorer for the Scarlet Knights this season, averaging 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and a team-best 3.1 assists per game. However, McMiller did not play in last Sunday's 92-42 home loss to No. 4 USC or in Wednesday night's 76-50 loss at Minnesota.• Graduate Destiny Adams has been extremely productive. The 6-3 forward is averaging 18.2 points and a team-best 10.2 rebounds while leading the Scarlet Knights with 17 blocked shots and 35 steals on the year. She has been even better in league play, averaging 21.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.4 steals. She had 11 points and six rebounds last season against the Huskers.• JoJo Lacey has added more production inside. The 6-1 graduate forward from Boston College has contributed 8.1 points and 5.4 rebounds as the only Scarlet Knight to start all 16 games.• Newcomer Zachara Perkins, a 6-3 freshman forward, has pitched in 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds while making 11 starts on the season. She sat out Wednesday's loss at Minnesota alongside fellow freshman Kiyomi McMiller.• Sophomore guard Lisa Thompson (4.7 ppg) has been a part-time starter in the RU backcourt, while veteran Awa Sidibe (5.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg) made her first starts of the season in McMiller's absence in losses to USC and Minnesota. Sidibe has only appeared in five games this season, but had eight points, three rebounds, three assists, three blocks and four steals at Minnesota. Two years ago in a 57-45 Rutgers win over NU, Sidibe had seven points, five rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes as a starter.• Another veteran with a history of success inside against Nebraska, 6-3 graduate center Chyna Cornwell has been one of the top Scarlet Knights off the bench with 7.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game but made her sixth start of the year at Minnesota on Wednesday. Cornwell has hit a team-best 57 percent of her field goals. She had seven points and eight rebounds in last year's Rutgers win in Lincoln, after getting eight points and 12 rebounds in a 57-45 win over the Huskers at the RAC (Jan. 7, 2023).• Junior Mya Petticord (6.2 ppg), sophomores Janae Walker and Kennedy Brandt and junior Deja Young round out the likely contributors in the Rutgers lineup. Petticord had five points off the bench in last season's Scarlet Knight victory in Lincoln.• As a team, Rutgers is averaging 69.8 points per game, while allowing 69.6 points per contest. RU has been nearly even on the glass and the turnover department (15.3 pg). The Scarlet Knights are shooting 41.1 percent from the field, but just 28.6 percent from three-point range. Rutgers is also hitting just 63.7 percent of its free throws.• Rutgers has faced one of the Big Ten's toughest opening schedules beginning with a 66-64 loss at Wisconsin (Dec. 8), before facing three consecutive top 10 opponents in Ohio State (L, 77-63), at Maryland (L, 78-61) and USC (L, 92-42). Most recently, the Scarlet Knights fell at 16-1 Minnesota, whose only loss came at Nebraska (Dec. 8).Nebraska vs. Rutgers Series History

• Rutgers leads the all-time series with Nebraska 8-5, including three consecutive wins at Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway. The last time the Huskers traveled to New Jersey, the Scarlet Knights produced a 57-45 victory (Jan. 7, 2023). Rutgers also notched a 78-62 win over the Huskers at the RAC (Feb. 7, 2021) and a 69-65 victory (Jan. 12, 2020).• The Huskers have not won in Piscataway since defeating the No. 25 Scarlet Knights, 52-42, on Jan. 21, 2018. It marks the only win for the Big Red in New Jersey since the two teams met for the first time as Big Ten foes on Feb. 5, 2015 - a 46-43 victory for the No. 21 Scarlet Knights over the No. 19 Huskers in one of the lowest-scoring games in Nebraska history.• Nebraska owns a 4-2 series edge at Pinnacle Bank Arena against Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights escaped from Lincoln with a 71-70 win (Feb. 3, 2024). It marked the first conference win of the season for the Scarlet Knights, snapping an 11-game overall losing streak to league foes. Rutgers finished last season with a 2-16 Big Ten mark in an 8-24 overall record. It was the only true road win of the season for Rutgers.• In the only neutral site game between the teams, Rutgers defeated NU, 66-63, at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis (March 3, 2016).• Seven of the 13 games in the history of the series have been decided by two possessions or less. The largest margin of victory in the 13 games in the series is 16 points (78-62 Rutgers win, Feb. 7, 2021, Piscataway).Markowski In NU's 1,500-Point/1,000-Rebound Club

• Alexis Markowski has increased her career totals to 1,594 points and 1,084 rebounds. She is just the fourth Nebraska player to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds.• The quality of that short list is undeniable. Karen Jennings (2,405 points/1,000 rebounds, 1990-93) won the 1993 Wade Trophy, was a first-team All-American and the 1993 Big Eight Player of the Year.• Kelsey Griffin (2,033 points/1,019 rebounds, 2006-10) won the 2010 Senior CLASS Award, was a first-round WNBA Draft pick, a first-team All-American and the 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year.• Jordan Hooper (2,357 points/1,110 rebounds, 2011-14) was a first-team All-American, the 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year and the first pick of the second round in the 2014 WNBA Draft.

Markowski Joins Elite Rebounders in NU History• Nebraska All-America candidate Alexis Markowski joined one of the most elite groups in Husker history by pulling down her 1,000th career rebound in the fourth quarter at Creighton (Nov. 22).• The 6-3 center from Lincoln became just the sixth Husker women’s basketball player and just the eighth Nebraska men’s or women’s player to reach the 1,000 milestone on the boards.• Markowski finished the game with 1,001 career boards to push past 1993 Wade Trophy winner Karen Jennings into the No. 5 spot on the Husker women’s basketball career chart.• Markowski has pushed her career rebound total to 1,084, passing first-team All-American Kelsey Griffin at No. 4 on Nebraska’s career rebound list. Markowski enters the Rutgers game 36 rebounds behind first-team All-American and 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year Jordan Hooper (1,110) at No. 3 on the Nebraska all-time rebound list. Hooper grabbed her rebounds in 4,030 career minutes (11.0 rp40), while Markowski’s boards have come in just 3,008 minutes (14.4 rp40).Prince Battling for Big Ten All-Freshman Honors

• Britt Prince is off to one of the best starts by a freshman in the Big Ten Conference in 2024-25. The 5-11 point guard from Omaha ranks second among the Huskers with 12.3 points, while adding 4.1 rebounds and team bests with 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals.• The two-time Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year has scored in double figures 11 times, including a career-high 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting in Nebraska’s record-setting 113-70 win over South Dakota (Nov. 16). She added four assists and two steals in front of a sellout crowd at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.• She added her second 20-point effort with 20 points and six rebounds in a career-high 37 minutes in the loss at Creighton (Nov. 22).• Prince produced a game-high 19 points to go with five rebounds in a low-scoring win over Tarleton State (Dec. 11). She hit a career-high three threes against the Texans while also going a career-best 6-for-6 at the free throw line.• Prince contributed 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 26), before notching her fifth straight double-digit performance with a game-high 14 points in a win over Lindenwood (Dec. 3). She also had 13 points and a career-high six assists against North Alabama (Nov. 19) during the five-game stretch. Prince added a career-high two blocks against the Lions.• Prince notched her 11th double-figure scoring performance with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in NU's win over No. Michigan State (Jan. 8). It was her third straight double-digit effort, joining 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and a career-high four steals in a win over Penn State (Jan. 5) and 10 points, a career-high-tying eight rebounds and four assists at No. 4 USC (Jan. 1).• She became the first Husker freshman point guard to reach 100 points in her first eight games, when she put up seven points and seven boards in a win over Minnesota (Dec. 8). The only other Husker point guard to score 100 points in 10 or fewer games is Nicole Kubik (10 games, 1996-97).• One of Nebraska’s most efficient players, Prince is shooting 46.2 percent from the field, including 40 percent (20-50) from three-point range, and 90.9 percent (30-33) at the free throw line.• Prince, who won four consecutive Nebraska Class B state high school championships at PBA while playing for her mother, Ann Prince at Elkhorn North (2021-22-23-24), was the No. 16 recruit in the country according to Prospects Nation and No. 28 according to ESPN.• An honorable-mention high school All-American last year by the Naismith award and MaxPreps, Prince produced one of the best senior seasons in Nebraska high school history in 2023-24. She averaged 27.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.9 steals. She led the state in both scoring and assists as a senior on her way to finishing with a Class B record 2,491 points, surpassing Husker All-American Jordan Hooper’s previous mark of 2,078.• Prince also matched Hooper for No. 2 in state tournament history with 271 career points.• In addition to being a four-time Super-State selection in basketball, Prince was a six-time gold medalist and two-time silver medalist at the Nebraska State Track &amp; Field Championships.• She was the 2024 Nebraska Girls Athlete of the Year across all sports.• Prince missed Nebraska’s win over Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 9) with a lower leg injury, but returned for six points, four assists and three steals as a starter in a win over Southern (Nov. 12).Husker Freshmen Featuring Efficiency• Britt Prince is the leader of a talented freshman trio for Nebraska. While Prince has earned headlines by starting at point guard and putting up some of the best numbers in history by a Big Red rookie, fellow freshmen Amiah Hargrove and Petra Bozan have been dynamic inside.• Hargrove erupted for a career-high 13-point effort in a career-high 21 minutes in the win over Tarleton State (Dec. 11). Hargrove hit 5-of-6 shots from the floor, including a three-pointer, while adding three rebounds and a steal. Most recently, she led Nebraska with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting at No. 1 UCLA (Dec. 29). It was Hargrove’s fourth double-digit scoring effort, including a 10-point performance that included a career-high eight rebounds in a Big Ten-opening win over previously unbeaten Minnesota (Dec. 8). The 6-1 forward from Christopher, Ill., added 10 points and seven rebounds in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 26). She made back-to-back starts against Chattanooga (Dec. 15) and No. 17 Georgia Tech (Dec. 21). Hargrove also played a major role in NU's win over No. 20 Michigan State (Jan. 8) with seven points and six rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench.• Bozan, a 6-5 center from Croatia, also owns three-double digit scoring efforts early this season, including 12 in an opening-day win over Omaha and 11 against Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 9). She went a combined 9-for-11 from the field, including 4-for-4 from three-point range in those two games. Bozan added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting in a win over Lindenwood (Dec. 3), before getting nine points and five rebounds in her Big Ten debut against Minnesota (Dec. 8). She added seven points at UCLA (Dec. 29), as the Husker freshmen provided three of NU's top four scorers against the top-ranked Bruins. Bozan pitched in eight points and six rebounds in just 11 minutes to help the Huskers push past Penn State (Jan. 5).• On the season, Bozan has produced per 40 minute averages of 18.1 points and 11.5 rebounds while hitting 48.6 percent of her shots from the field, including 33.3 percent (5-15) of her threes.Weidner Earns Bachelor's Degree Dec. 21

• Allison Weidner returned to the court as a starter in Nebraska’s season-opening victory over Omaha (Nov. 4) in front of the Pinnacle Bank Arena crowd after missing 55 consecutive regular-season games over the past two seasons because of leg injuries.• Weidner made her triumphant and hard-fought return with 11 points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist in 24 minutes of Nebraska’s 88-48 win over the Mavericks.• She was even better in Nebraska's win over No. 20 Michigan State on Wednesday night, matching her season highs with 11 points and six assists off the bench to help the Huskers to an 85-80 victory.• The 5-10 redshirt junior guard from Humphrey, Neb., averaged 10.2 points and 6.2 rebounds through 13 games as a starter for the Huskers as a sophomore in 2022-23, before suffering a left leg injury early in the fourth quarter of Nebraska’s triple-overtime victory over Kansas (Dec. 21).• Weidner had started 21 consecutive games before missing the first game of her career in the loss to No. 14 Michigan (Dec. 28). She underwent successful surgery on her left leg on Jan. 10, 2023.• She was on track to return for the Huskers ahead of the 2023-24 season before suffering a right leg injury in practice on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023. She underwent successful surgery on Oct. 25.• In 61 career games with 25 starts, Weidner has averaged 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists.• Weidner earned her bachelor's degree as a child, youth and family studies major at Nebraska on Saturday, Dec. 21.Husker Roster Filled with State Players of the Year

• The 2024-25 Nebraska women’s basketball roster features four state players of the year in basketball, who won their respective awards from their home states from 2021 to 2024.• The quartet of Alexis Markowski (Nebraska, 2021), Natalie Potts (Missouri, 2021, 2023), Logan Nissley (North Dakota, 2021, 2022, 2023) and Britt Prince (Nebraska, 2023, 2024) combined for eight total state basketball player-of-the-year honors, while adding a pair of state volleyball player-of-the-year awards (Nissley, North Dakota, 2021, 2022).&nbsp;• In addition, Allison Weidner was the Nebraska Girls Athlete of the Year across all sports in 2021, while Britt Prince added a Nebraska Girls Athlete of the Year award over all sports in 2024.• Prince (2,491), Weidner (2,282) and Markowski (1,485) combined for 6,258 points during their Nebraska High School careers.&nbsp;• While freshman Amiah Hargrove was not the overall Illinois state player of the year, she was the Illinois Class 1A Player of the Year in 2023 and was named the Southern Illinois Player of the Year three times (2022, 2023, 2024).• Hargrove (2,774), Potts (2,108) and Nissley (1,664) combined for 6,546 points in their high school careers, while Hargrove and Potts each added more than 1,000 career rebounds.Hake Heads Huskers as SAAC President• Callin Hake has proven herself a leader on and off the court in her three seasons at Nebraska, and the junior from Victoria, Minn., was elected President of the Nebraska Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for 2024-25.• She has earned 13 starts to open 2024-25 for the Huskers and is averaging career bests of 7.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals, while scoring in double figures six times. Hake was NU's leading scorer with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists in last Sunday's win over Penn State.• Hake produced a career-high 17 points to go with five rebounds, two assists and two steals in a win over North Alabama (Nov. 19). She followed with 16 points on a career-high five three-pointers to go with four rebounds, four assists and two steals in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 26).• She put up 11 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting in a Big Ten win over Minnesota (Dec. 8), after a strong 12-point, six-rebound effort that included three assists and a career-high four steals in a win over Lindenwood (Dec. 3).• Hake had 10 points, five rebounds and three assists in a win over Chattanooga (Dec. 15).• The 5-8 guard averaged 6.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists while competing in all 35 games with five starts to help the Huskers advance to the Big Ten Championship Game and the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.• Hake was also the Nebraska women’s basketball Lifter of the Year in 2023.• Hake was an Academic All-Big Ten selection while double-majoring in management and marketing at Nebraska. She was also a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District VII choice in 2024.• She also earned a prestigious Nebraska Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award in 2024 and was a two-time Tom Osborne Citizenship Team member. • Nebraska has put at least five players in double figures in four of the first 16 games. In three other games, NU has put four players in double figures with the fifth-highest scorer adding nine points.Big Red Spread Scoring• Nebraska has put at least five players in double figures in four of the first 16 games. In three other games, NU has put four players in double figures with the fifth-highest scorer adding nine points.• Perhaps the most amazing part of the double-figure scoring performances for the Big Red through 16 games, is that all four games have featured a different group of scorers that have ultimately included all 12 players on the active roster at the start of the season.• In the opener with Omaha (Nov. 4), six Huskers produced double-digit points, including Alexis Markowski-14, Natalie Potts-14, Petra Bozan-12, Logan Nissley-12, Allison Weidner-11 and Britt Prince-10.• In a win over South Dakota in Sioux Falls (Nov. 16), five Huskers finished in double figures, including Britt Prince-23, Natalie Potts-22, Alexis Markowski-14, Kendall Moriarty-13 and Kendall Coley-12.• In a victory over North Alabama (Nov. 19), five Huskers scored in double figures, including Callin Hake-17, Jessica Petrie-14, Britt Prince-13, Alberte Rimdal-13 and Alexis Markowski-10.• Nebraska put five players in double figures in its second straight home game in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 22), including Callin Hake-16, Alberte Rimdal-15, Britt Prince-13, Alexis Markowski-10 and Amiah Hargrove-10.• The only Huskers to score in double figures in each of the four games with at least five players in double figures were Alexis Markowski and Britt Prince.

Huskers hunt Big Ten Road win at Rutgers Sunday

South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 29, Sandhills/Thedford 61

South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 47 vs Sandhills/Thedford 32

<h2>Girl’s Basketball&nbsp;</h2>Leyton 75 vs Paxton 45North Platte 14,&nbsp; Lincoln Pius X 61South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 29, Sandhills/Thedford 61Southern Valley 57 @ Bertrand 24<h2>Boy’s Basketball</h2>Leyton 35 vs Paxton 64Lincoln Pius X 72 vs North Platte 35South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 47 vs Sandhills/Thedford 32Southern Valley 33 @ Bertrand 60

Area NSAA Basketball scores from January 9th

Story by NU Athletic Communications

The Nebraska men's basketball team begins a two-game road swing on Tuesday night, as the Huskers travel to Iowa City for a matchup with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Tipoff from Carver-Hawkey Arena is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed on Peacock and carried on the Huskers Radio Network as well as on Huskers.com and the Huskers app.

Nebraska (12-2, 2-1 B1G) comes off a 66-58 win over No. 15 UCLA on Jan. 4. Brice Williams led four Huskers with 16 points and seven boards, while NU used a 17-6 second-half run to build a 13-point lead. The Huskers withstood UCLA's rally by going 21-of-25 from the foul line in the second half. NU held UCLA to 58 points - its second-lowest total of the season - on just 39 percent shooting.&nbsp;

Nebraska’s defense has played a major role in the Huskers’ six-game win streak, as NU has held its last five opponents to an average of 56.2 points per game on 35 percent shooting while out-rebounding teams by +6.0 rebounds per game. Nebraska enters Tuesday's game in the top three in the Big Ten in both scoring defense (64.6 ppg) and opponent field goal percentage (.381).

The Huskers' 12-2 record matches NU's best start since the 1990-91 season and is only the eighth time since World War II that NU has started with a 12-2 record or better in the first 14 games. Only the 1990-91 team had a better record after 14 games, as that squad won 16 of its first 17 games en route to a school-record 26 wins.

Iowa (10-4, 1-2 B1G) will pose a stern test for Nebraska's defense. The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in scoring offense at 84.9 ppg following last Friday's 116-85 loss at Wisconsin. Drew Thelwell's 25 points paced five Hawkeyes in double figures but Wisconsin shot 65 percent from the field, including 21-of-31 from 3-point range, to pick up its first Big Ten win.

Worth Noting• Nebraska's 12-2 mark is only the 10th time since the end of World War I in 1918 that Nebraska has opened a season with at least 12 wins in the first 14 contests. The 12-2 start matches the best start for the Huskers since going 13-1 in the 1990-91 season.

• Nebraska looks to improve to 5-2 away from Pinnacle Bank Arena on Tuesday at Iowa. The Huskers are 1-1 on the road, including a win at Creighton, and 3-1 at neutral sites.&nbsp;

• With road wins at No. 14 Creighton and Hawai'i, Nebraska won multiple non-conference road games for the first time since the 2011-12 season and just the second time in the last 25 years. Nebraska’s two non-conference road wins account for half of the Big Ten's true road wins in non-conference play, as Oregon (1) and Penn State (1) collected the other ones.&nbsp;

• Following Saturday's win over UCLA, Nebraska is 2-0 against ranked teams, as NU defeated then-No. 14 Creighton on Nov. 22. NU is 4-2 in its last six games against ranked teams dating back to the win over No. 1 Purdue on Jan. 9, 2024.

• Nebraska is No. 33 in the NET on Jan. 6 and enters this week as one of 11 Big Ten teams in the top 50 of the NET. The Big Ten currently has 16 teams in the top-25 while 17 of the 18 conference teams are in the top-100 of the NET.

• Nebraska's strength has been on the defensive end, where it ranks 10th nationally in KenPom's defensive efficiency as of Jan. 6. NU has held three of its last five opponents (Murray State, Hawai'i and Southern) to season-low point totals while UCLA's 58 points were the Bruins' second-lowest total of the year. Entering this week's action, six of the top 20 teams in defensive efficiency are in the Big Ten.&nbsp;

• The Huskers tied a school record for consecutive home wins with the win over UCLA. Nebraska has now won 20 straight home games, matching a school record which had been set twice previously. Nebraska's next home game is against Rutgers on Jan. 16.&nbsp;

• The Dec. 30 win over Southern wrapped up a successful non-conference slate. NU went 10-1 in non-conference action, only the seventh time since WWII that NU finished its non-con slate with one loss (also 10-1, 2023-24; 10-1, 2018-19; 10-1, 2003-04; 12-1, 1991-92; 15-1, 1990-91; 11-1, 1977-78).

• Nebraska's 2024 Diamond Head Classic title marked the program's first MTE event title since the 2000 San Juan Shootout. With the win, Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg became the first coach to win multiple Diamond Head Classic titles, as he coached Iowa State to the 2013 championship.

• With its 12-2 start in 2024-25, Nebraska is 41-16 over the last 56 games dating back to the start of February 2023. NU's .719 winning percentage trails only Purdue among Big Ten programs in that stretch. &nbsp;NU would still be second if you included the four new Big Ten schools (Oregon, UCLA, Washington and USC) during that same stretch. NU went just 33-80 from the start of the 2019-20 season until Feb. 1, 2023.

• Over the last 18 games dating back to last season, Brice Williams is averaging 19.1 points per game on .493 shooting and has nine 20-point efforts in that span. He has been in double figures in 17 of 18 games in that stretch. He averaged just 12.5 ppg over his first 30 games at Nebraska.&nbsp;

• Brice Williams earned MVP honors at the Diamond Head Classic, as he averaged 22.0 points per game on 56 percent shooting, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Williams averaged 19.3 ppg on 57 percent shooting in seven December games following his 11-point, seven-rebound effort against Southern.&nbsp;

• Juwan Gary is playing some of the best basketball of his career over the last three weeks. The senior is averaging 12.8 ppg on 47 percent shooting during Nebraska’s six-game win streak. Gary also has played a major role in holding opponents to 35 percent shooting in that stretch.&nbsp;

• Senior guard Ahron Ulis will face his former team for the first time since transferring to Nebraska following the 2022-23 season. Ulis spent three seasons at Iowa, starting 27 games on Iowa's 2023 NCAA Tournament team. Ulis returned to action on Saturday after missing four games because of a sprained ankle.&nbsp;

• NU has relied on its depth during the early going, with six players averaging at least 7.5 points per game over the first 14 games. Eight different players have posted double-figure efforts, while three players (Brice Williams, Connor Essegian and Juwan Gary) have recorded 20-point games. In addition to the eight who have reached double figures at least once, two others have scored at least eight points at least once in a game this season. Williams is the only Husker in the top 40 of the Big Ten in scoring as of Jan 6.

• With a pair of 30-point games since Dec. 13, Williams is just the sixth Husker in the Big Ten era to have multiple 30-point games. &nbsp;He had 30 points in the win over Indiana on Dec. 13 and tied his career high with 32 points against Hawai’i on Dec. 23. In addition, he is tied for the Big Ten lead in 30-point games this season with two, joining Rutgers' Dylan Harper, Ohio State's Bruce Thornton and Wisconsin's John Tonje and John Blackwell.

• Nebraska has been prolific at getting to the foul line for most of the season. Nebraska ranks among the Big Ten leaders in free throws made and attempted per game and free throw percentage. NU ranks in the top 25 nationally in free throws made and free throw percentage following Saturday's game when Nebraska went 25-of-29 from the charity stripe. &nbsp;Nebraska's 77.3 percent shooting from the foul line through the first 14 contests is above last year's percentage (76.0).&nbsp;

• Nebraska comes into Tuesday's game averaging 76.9 points per game. &nbsp;NU has scored 70+ points in nine of 14 games, including five games with at least 80 points. Last season, NU averaged 77.7 points per game for 34 games, its highest offensive total since the 1995-96 season.&nbsp;

• Nebraska is averaging 8.1 steals per game to rank sixth in the Big Ten as of Jan. 6. Four Huskers average at least one steal per game led by Sam Hoiberg's 1.5 spg. &nbsp;Of the 47 players averaging at least one steal per game as of January 6, Hoiberg is the only one playing less than 20 minutes per contest.&nbsp;

• The Huskers are 37-3 over the last two seasons when out-rebounding opponents. NU had won 27 straight games when out-rebounding opponents before the streak was snapped against Saint Mary's on Nov. 17. NU has been out-rebounded only once in 14 games this season.

• Nebraska comes off one of its most successful seasons in program history. The Huskers went 23-11 in 2023-24 and tied for third in the Big Ten standings before reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013-14. The Huskers’ 23 wins were the most since setting a school-record with 26 wins in 1990-91, while NU’s 12 conference wins also ranked second in school history.

• Nebraska has increased its win total in each of the past three years, marking the first time NU has done that since the mid-1960s (1963-64 to 1965-66). If Nebraska can improve its win total this year, it would mark the first time since a four-year stretch from 1945-46 to 1948-49 that the Huskers improved their win total in four consecutive seasons.

• Over the past two seasons (2022-23 and 2023-24), NU has won 21 conference games, the highest two-year total since the 1965-66 and 1966-67 teams won 22 conference tilts. The last two seasons under Fred Hoiberg mark just the fourth time in school history that Nebraska has won 20 or more conference games in a two-year span.

Numbers to Know6 - Nebraska became just the sixth team in 14 games to score more than 65 points against UCLA this season. The Bruins entered Saturday's game eighth nationally in scoring defense at 58.7 ppg.&nbsp;

30 - Fred Hoiberg has 30 wins over ranked opponents, including 11 career wins against top-10 teams,&nbsp;in his collegiate coaching career following Nebraska's 66-58 win over UCLA.

26.0 - Nebraska has gotten great production from its bench in the early going, averaging 26.0 points per game over the first 14 games. Nebraska has gotten 15 double-figure efforts from its bench this season (Morgan-8, Essegian-6, Ulis-1). The Huskers led the Big Ten in bench production last season, averaging 21.4 points per game.

70 - Over the last two-plus seasons, Nebraska has been exceptional when holding opponents to 70 points or less. The Huskers are 41-4 (.911) when holding opponents to 70 points, including 36 straight wins since a 65-62 overtime loss to No. 4 Purdue on Dec. 10, 2022.

3902 - Career points scored between Brice and his father, Henry, who played at Charlotte from 1988 to 1992. Henry, who was Charlotte's all-time leading scorer, totaled 2,383 points in his career while Brice went over the 1,500-point mark for his career on Dec. 30 against Southern.

Last time OutBehind four Huskers in double figures, the Nebraska men’s basketball team won its sixth straight game with a 66-58 win over No. 15 UCLA on Jan. 4. The Huskers took control with a 17-6 surge after UCLA pulled to within 36-34 with 13:35 left. NU held the Bruins to two field goals over a stretch of nearly five minutes and built a 53-40 lead on Juwan Gary’s third 3-pointer of the afternoon.&nbsp;

UCLA made a run of its own and got within 61-58 after a layup by Dylan Andrews with 24.3 seconds left, but Sam Hoiberg was fouled and made both free throws to push it back to a five-point game. On UCLA’s next possession, Andrews drove in for a layup, but it was blocked by Gary and Hoiberg got the rebound before getting it to Williams, who hit both free throws to put the game out of reach.

Nebraska went 25-of-29 from the foul line, including 21-of-25 in the second half to offset 33 percent shooting.&nbsp;

Brice Williams scored a game-high 16 points for Nebraska while Andrew Morgan had 12 off the bench, including five straight after UCLA took a 32-31 lead early in the second half. &nbsp;Rollie Worster added 11 points and four rebounds while Gary added 10 points for Nebraska, which knocked off its second ranked team of the season.&nbsp;

The Huskers, who tied a school record with their 20th consecutive home win, held UCLA to 58 points, the Bruins second-lowest total of the season and just 38.6 percent shooting. NU also forced 15 Bruin turnovers which led to 17 Husker points.&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe Nebraska men's basketball team begins a two-game road swing on Tuesday night, as the Huskers travel to Iowa City for a matchup with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Tipoff from Carver-Hawkey Arena is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed on Peacock and carried on the Huskers Radio Network as well as on Huskers.com and the Huskers app.Nebraska (12-2, 2-1 B1G) comes off a 66-58 win over No. 15 UCLA on Jan. 4. Brice Williams led four Huskers with 16 points and seven boards, while NU used a 17-6 second-half run to build a 13-point lead. The Huskers withstood UCLA's rally by going 21-of-25 from the foul line in the second half. NU held UCLA to 58 points - its second-lowest total of the season - on just 39 percent shooting.&nbsp;Nebraska’s defense has played a major role in the Huskers’ six-game win streak, as NU has held its last five opponents to an average of 56.2 points per game on 35 percent shooting while out-rebounding teams by +6.0 rebounds per game. Nebraska enters Tuesday's game in the top three in the Big Ten in both scoring defense (64.6 ppg) and opponent field goal percentage (.381).The Huskers' 12-2 record matches NU's best start since the 1990-91 season and is only the eighth time since World War II that NU has started with a 12-2 record or better in the first 14 games. Only the 1990-91 team had a better record after 14 games, as that squad won 16 of its first 17 games en route to a school-record 26 wins.Iowa (10-4, 1-2 B1G) will pose a stern test for Nebraska's defense. The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten in scoring offense at 84.9 ppg following last Friday's 116-85 loss at Wisconsin. Drew Thelwell's 25 points paced five Hawkeyes in double figures but Wisconsin shot 65 percent from the field, including 21-of-31 from 3-point range, to pick up its first Big Ten win.Worth Noting• Nebraska's 12-2 mark is only the 10th time since the end of World War I in 1918 that Nebraska has opened a season with at least 12 wins in the first 14 contests. The 12-2 start matches the best start for the Huskers since going 13-1 in the 1990-91 season.• Nebraska looks to improve to 5-2 away from Pinnacle Bank Arena on Tuesday at Iowa. The Huskers are 1-1 on the road, including a win at Creighton, and 3-1 at neutral sites.&nbsp;• With road wins at No. 14 Creighton and Hawai'i, Nebraska won multiple non-conference road games for the first time since the 2011-12 season and just the second time in the last 25 years. Nebraska’s two non-conference road wins account for half of the Big Ten's true road wins in non-conference play, as Oregon (1) and Penn State (1) collected the other ones.&nbsp;• Following Saturday's win over UCLA, Nebraska is 2-0 against ranked teams, as NU defeated then-No. 14 Creighton on Nov. 22. NU is 4-2 in its last six games against ranked teams dating back to the win over No. 1 Purdue on Jan. 9, 2024.• Nebraska is No. 33 in the NET on Jan. 6 and enters this week as one of 11 Big Ten teams in the top 50 of the NET. The Big Ten currently has 16 teams in the top-25 while 17 of the 18 conference teams are in the top-100 of the NET.• Nebraska's strength has been on the defensive end, where it ranks 10th nationally in KenPom's defensive efficiency as of Jan. 6. NU has held three of its last five opponents (Murray State, Hawai'i and Southern) to season-low point totals while UCLA's 58 points were the Bruins' second-lowest total of the year. Entering this week's action, six of the top 20 teams in defensive efficiency are in the Big Ten.&nbsp;• The Huskers tied a school record for consecutive home wins with the win over UCLA. Nebraska has now won 20 straight home games, matching a school record which had been set twice previously. Nebraska's next home game is against Rutgers on Jan. 16.&nbsp;• The Dec. 30 win over Southern wrapped up a successful non-conference slate. NU went 10-1 in non-conference action, only the seventh time since WWII that NU finished its non-con slate with one loss (also 10-1, 2023-24; 10-1, 2018-19; 10-1, 2003-04; 12-1, 1991-92; 15-1, 1990-91; 11-1, 1977-78).• Nebraska's 2024 Diamond Head Classic title marked the program's first MTE event title since the 2000 San Juan Shootout. With the win, Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg became the first coach to win multiple Diamond Head Classic titles, as he coached Iowa State to the 2013 championship.• With its 12-2 start in 2024-25, Nebraska is 41-16 over the last 56 games dating back to the start of February 2023. NU's .719 winning percentage trails only Purdue among Big Ten programs in that stretch. &nbsp;NU would still be second if you included the four new Big Ten schools (Oregon, UCLA, Washington and USC) during that same stretch. NU went just 33-80 from the start of the 2019-20 season until Feb. 1, 2023.• Over the last 18 games dating back to last season, Brice Williams is averaging 19.1 points per game on .493 shooting and has nine 20-point efforts in that span. He has been in double figures in 17 of 18 games in that stretch. He averaged just 12.5 ppg over his first 30 games at Nebraska.&nbsp;• Brice Williams earned MVP honors at the Diamond Head Classic, as he averaged 22.0 points per game on 56 percent shooting, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Williams averaged 19.3 ppg on 57 percent shooting in seven December games following his 11-point, seven-rebound effort against Southern.&nbsp;• Juwan Gary is playing some of the best basketball of his career over the last three weeks. The senior is averaging 12.8 ppg on 47 percent shooting during Nebraska’s six-game win streak. Gary also has played a major role in holding opponents to 35 percent shooting in that stretch.&nbsp;• Senior guard Ahron Ulis will face his former team for the first time since transferring to Nebraska following the 2022-23 season. Ulis spent three seasons at Iowa, starting 27 games on Iowa's 2023 NCAA Tournament team. Ulis returned to action on Saturday after missing four games because of a sprained ankle.&nbsp;• NU has relied on its depth during the early going, with six players averaging at least 7.5 points per game over the first 14 games. Eight different players have posted double-figure efforts, while three players (Brice Williams, Connor Essegian and Juwan Gary) have recorded 20-point games. In addition to the eight who have reached double figures at least once, two others have scored at least eight points at least once in a game this season. Williams is the only Husker in the top 40 of the Big Ten in scoring as of Jan 6.• With a pair of 30-point games since Dec. 13, Williams is just the sixth Husker in the Big Ten era to have multiple 30-point games. &nbsp;He had 30 points in the win over Indiana on Dec. 13 and tied his career high with 32 points against Hawai’i on Dec. 23. In addition, he is tied for the Big Ten lead in 30-point games this season with two, joining Rutgers' Dylan Harper, Ohio State's Bruce Thornton and Wisconsin's John Tonje and John Blackwell.• Nebraska has been prolific at getting to the foul line for most of the season. Nebraska ranks among the Big Ten leaders in free throws made and attempted per game and free throw percentage. NU ranks in the top 25 nationally in free throws made and free throw percentage following Saturday's game when Nebraska went 25-of-29 from the charity stripe. &nbsp;Nebraska's 77.3 percent shooting from the foul line through the first 14 contests is above last year's percentage (76.0).&nbsp;• Nebraska comes into Tuesday's game averaging 76.9 points per game. &nbsp;NU has scored 70+ points in nine of 14 games, including five games with at least 80 points. Last season, NU averaged 77.7 points per game for 34 games, its highest offensive total since the 1995-96 season.&nbsp;• Nebraska is averaging 8.1 steals per game to rank sixth in the Big Ten as of Jan. 6. Four Huskers average at least one steal per game led by Sam Hoiberg's 1.5 spg. &nbsp;Of the 47 players averaging at least one steal per game as of January 6, Hoiberg is the only one playing less than 20 minutes per contest.&nbsp;• The Huskers are 37-3 over the last two seasons when out-rebounding opponents. NU had won 27 straight games when out-rebounding opponents before the streak was snapped against Saint Mary's on Nov. 17. NU has been out-rebounded only once in 14 games this season.• Nebraska comes off one of its most successful seasons in program history. The Huskers went 23-11 in 2023-24 and tied for third in the Big Ten standings before reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013-14. The Huskers’ 23 wins were the most since setting a school-record with 26 wins in 1990-91, while NU’s 12 conference wins also ranked second in school history.• Nebraska has increased its win total in each of the past three years, marking the first time NU has done that since the mid-1960s (1963-64 to 1965-66). If Nebraska can improve its win total this year, it would mark the first time since a four-year stretch from 1945-46 to 1948-49 that the Huskers improved their win total in four consecutive seasons.• Over the past two seasons (2022-23 and 2023-24), NU has won 21 conference games, the highest two-year total since the 1965-66 and 1966-67 teams won 22 conference tilts. The last two seasons under Fred Hoiberg mark just the fourth time in school history that Nebraska has won 20 or more conference games in a two-year span.Numbers to Know6 - Nebraska became just the sixth team in 14 games to score more than 65 points against UCLA this season. The Bruins entered Saturday's game eighth nationally in scoring defense at 58.7 ppg.&nbsp;30 - Fred Hoiberg has 30 wins over ranked opponents, including 11 career wins against top-10 teams,&nbsp;in his collegiate coaching career following Nebraska's 66-58 win over UCLA.26.0 - Nebraska has gotten great production from its bench in the early going, averaging 26.0 points per game over the first 14 games. Nebraska has gotten 15 double-figure efforts from its bench this season (Morgan-8, Essegian-6, Ulis-1). The Huskers led the Big Ten in bench production last season, averaging 21.4 points per game.70 - Over the last two-plus seasons, Nebraska has been exceptional when holding opponents to 70 points or less. The Huskers are 41-4 (.911) when holding opponents to 70 points, including 36 straight wins since a 65-62 overtime loss to No. 4 Purdue on Dec. 10, 2022.3902 - Career points scored between Brice and his father, Henry, who played at Charlotte from 1988 to 1992. Henry, who was Charlotte's all-time leading scorer, totaled 2,383 points in his career while Brice went over the 1,500-point mark for his career on Dec. 30 against Southern.Last time OutBehind four Huskers in double figures, the Nebraska men’s basketball team won its sixth straight game with a 66-58 win over No. 15 UCLA on Jan. 4. The Huskers took control with a 17-6 surge after UCLA pulled to within 36-34 with 13:35 left. NU held the Bruins to two field goals over a stretch of nearly five minutes and built a 53-40 lead on Juwan Gary’s third 3-pointer of the afternoon.&nbsp;UCLA made a run of its own and got within 61-58 after a layup by Dylan Andrews with 24.3 seconds left, but Sam Hoiberg was fouled and made both free throws to push it back to a five-point game. On UCLA’s next possession, Andrews drove in for a layup, but it was blocked by Gary and Hoiberg got the rebound before getting it to Williams, who hit both free throws to put the game out of reach.Nebraska went 25-of-29 from the foul line, including 21-of-25 in the second half to offset 33 percent shooting.&nbsp;Brice Williams scored a game-high 16 points for Nebraska while Andrew Morgan had 12 off the bench, including five straight after UCLA took a 32-31 lead early in the second half. &nbsp;Rollie Worster added 11 points and four rebounds while Gary added 10 points for Nebraska, which knocked off its second ranked team of the season.&nbsp;The Huskers, who tied a school record with their 20th consecutive home win, held UCLA to 58 points, the Bruins second-lowest total of the season and just 38.6 percent shooting. NU also forced 15 Bruin turnovers which led to 17 Husker points.&nbsp;

Huskers travel to Iowa City Tuesday Evening

Lexi Rodriguez from the University of Nebraska, Olivia Babcock from the University of Pittsburgh, Brooklyn DeLeye from the University of Kentucky and Sarah Franklin of the University of Wisconsin are the four finalists for the Class of 2025 Honda Sport Award for Volleyball as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) on Jan. 6.

The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 49 years, recognizing the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and symbolizing “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.” The recipient of the sport award will become a finalist for the prestigious Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the 2025 Honda Cup, which will be presented during the live broadcast of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Presented by Honda on CBS Sports Network in June.

The volleyball finalists were selected by a panel of experts and coaches from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). The Honda Sport award winner for volleyball will be announced after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.  

Rodriguez finished her Husker career in December as a four-time AVCA All-American, a four-time All-Big Ten selection, and a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. She was an AVCA National Player of the Year finalist in 2024 and became the first-ever libero to be named AVCA Region Player of the Year. Rodriguez is Nebraska's all-time career leader in digs with 1,897. She is also a two-time Academic All-American seeking to add a third honor on January 14 when Academic All-America teams are announced. 

The CWSA, now in its 49th year, celebrates the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since its partnership began in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of award winners and nominees, supporting the growth and success of women’s athletics programs.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsLexi Rodriguez from the University of Nebraska, Olivia Babcock from the University of Pittsburgh, Brooklyn DeLeye from the University of Kentucky and Sarah Franklin of the University of Wisconsin are the four finalists for the Class of 2025 Honda Sport Award for Volleyball as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) on Jan. 6.The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 49 years, recognizing the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and symbolizing “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.” The recipient of the sport award will become a finalist for the prestigious Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the 2025 Honda Cup, which will be presented during the live broadcast of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Presented by Honda on CBS Sports Network in June.The volleyball finalists were selected by a panel of experts and coaches from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). The Honda Sport award winner for volleyball will be announced after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote. Rodriguez finished her Husker career in December as a four-time AVCA All-American, a four-time All-Big Ten selection, and a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. She was an AVCA National Player of the Year finalist in 2024 and became the first-ever libero to be named AVCA Region Player of the Year. Rodriguez is Nebraska's all-time career leader in digs with 1,897. She is also a two-time Academic All-American seeking to add a third honor on January 14 when Academic All-America teams are announced. The CWSA, now in its 49th year, celebrates the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their excellence in athletics, leadership, academics, and community service. Since its partnership began in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of award winners and nominees, supporting the growth and success of women’s athletics programs.

Rodriguez named Finalist for Honda Sport Award for Volleyball

Story by NPCC Athletic Communications

Sterling, Colo – A career night from Nariah Golden helps North Platte take down Northeastern Junior College on the road, 70-65.

Nariah Golden posted a career high 27 points to accompany her one steal. Nevaeh Golden added 14 points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field, while Zaily Mazarin chipped in 11 points and grabbed four rebounds.

“I am proud of the team and their fight tonight,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “Our effort defensively in the fourth quarter after the media timeout won us the game.”

The Knights had a strong start in the first quarter, but the Plainswomen’s Bella Peterson&nbsp;answered from long range to trigger a 12-0 run. The Knights offense came to life in the closing stages to cut the deficit to three at the end of the first quarter, 19-16.

A back-and-forth battle took place during the second quarter, as the lead changed hands four times. Northeastern capitalized in the final three minutes with a 6-3 spurt to take a 32-29 lead into the halftime break.

A 13-2 run allowed the Plainswomen to extend their lead to nine by the end of the third quarter. Nariah Golden opened the fourth by connecting from long range to ignite a 14-0 run, which helped North Platte regain the lead. The Knights continued to fight off the Plainswomen down the stretch to close out the win.

North Platte (9-8) returns to road action on Friday against Trinidad State College. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside the Scott Gym in Trinidad, Colo.

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationsSterling, Colo – A career night from Nariah Golden helps North Platte take down Northeastern Junior College on the road, 70-65.Nariah Golden posted a career high 27 points to accompany her one steal. Nevaeh Golden added 14 points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field, while Zaily Mazarin chipped in 11 points and grabbed four rebounds.“I am proud of the team and their fight tonight,” said head coach Jeff Thurman. “Our effort defensively in the fourth quarter after the media timeout won us the game.”The Knights had a strong start in the first quarter, but the Plainswomen’s Bella Peterson&nbsp;answered from long range to trigger a 12-0 run. The Knights offense came to life in the closing stages to cut the deficit to three at the end of the first quarter, 19-16.A back-and-forth battle took place during the second quarter, as the lead changed hands four times. Northeastern capitalized in the final three minutes with a 6-3 spurt to take a 32-29 lead into the halftime break.A 13-2 run allowed the Plainswomen to extend their lead to nine by the end of the third quarter. Nariah Golden opened the fourth by connecting from long range to ignite a 14-0 run, which helped North Platte regain the lead. The Knights continued to fight off the Plainswomen down the stretch to close out the win.North Platte (9-8) returns to road action on Friday against Trinidad State College. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside the Scott Gym in Trinidad, Colo.

Big fourth quarter helps North Platte take down Northeastern

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The basketball games between Nebraska Kearney and Fort Hays State scheduled for Jan. 7 in Kansas have been postponed.

The long-time rivals will now meet Feb. 26 (Wed.) in Gross Memorial Coliseum with tip times set for 5:30 p.m. (women) and 7:30 p.m. (men). Three days later (March 1) on the final day of regular season play, the teams meet again in the Health &amp; Sports Center.

The UNK women are currently 10-3 (3-1 MIAA) with the men 4-8 (2-2 MIAA). Both teams are at Emporia State on Saturday night for their only games of the week.

UNK AthleticsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;The basketball games between Nebraska Kearney and Fort Hays State scheduled for Jan. 7 in Kansas have been postponed.The long-time rivals will now meet Feb. 26 (Wed.) in Gross Memorial Coliseum with tip times set for 5:30 p.m. (women) and 7:30 p.m. (men). Three days later (March 1) on the final day of regular season play, the teams meet again in the Health &amp; Sports Center.The UNK women are currently 10-3 (3-1 MIAA) with the men 4-8 (2-2 MIAA). Both teams are at Emporia State on Saturday night for their only games of the week.

UNK Basketball: Lopers & Tigers Tilt PPD Until Late February

Several High School Basketball games set for Saturday, January 4 have been moved up because of winter weather that is projected to move through the area Saturday afternoon and evening. Here are games we're aware of that have changed their start times.

North Platte High Girls vs. Bennington moved to 11am CST, JV game canceled. Listen to game on FM 98.1 or Watch Here on POST.&nbsp;

Ogallala Girls vs. Grand Island Northwest will start at Noon MST Saturday, with JV beginning at 10:10am MST. You can listen to the game on <a href="https://flatrock1007.com/">Flatrock 100.7</a> or <a href="https://sandhillspost.dev/posts/baece1bf-3173-45f5-9827-4f2bd56227d9">Watch HERE</a>.

Paxton vs. Cambridge will start at Noon MST with girls game and boys to follow. JV games will start at 11am MST.

Several High School Basketball games set for Saturday, January 4 have been moved up because of winter weather that is projected to move through the area Saturday afternoon and evening. Here are games we're aware of that have changed their start times.North Platte High Girls vs. Bennington moved to 11am CST, JV game canceled. Listen to game on FM 98.1 or Watch Here on POST.&nbsp;Ogallala Girls vs. Grand Island Northwest will start at Noon MST Saturday, with JV beginning at 10:10am MST. You can listen to the game on <a href="https://flatrock1007.com/">Flatrock 100.7</a> or <a href="https://sandhillspost.dev/posts/baece1bf-3173-45f5-9827-4f2bd56227d9">Watch HERE</a>.Paxton vs. Cambridge will start at Noon MST with girls game and boys to follow. JV games will start at 11am MST.

Saturday basketball games pushed up due to incoming storm (Check Here)

<h2>Girl’s</h2>Broken Bow 64 @ Hershey 62Mitchell 26 @ South Platte 30North Platte 33 @ Kearney 46Overton 33 @ Sandhills/Thedford 30Wallace 31 @ Perkins County 68<h2>Boy’s</h2>Broken Bow 53 @ Hershey 49Cozad 62 @ Wilber-Clatonia 49Kearney 81 vs North Platte 38Mitchell 47 @ Perkins County 68Overton 56 @ Sandhills/Thedford 44South Platte 36 @ Wallace 45

Area NSAA Basketball Scores from January 2nd

Story by NU Athletic Communication

<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/connor-essegian">Connor Essegian</a>&nbsp;had a game-high 20 points to lead three Huskers in double figures, while Nebraska put together a dominant defensive effort in a 77-43 win over Southern Monday evening.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Essegian matched his career high with six 3-pointers en route to his third 20-point night of the season and grabbed seven boards, as Nebraska improved to 11-2 on the season with its fifth straight win.&nbsp;

<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/brice-williams">Brice Williams</a>&nbsp;had 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/andrew-morgan">Andrew Morgan</a>&nbsp;had 10 points off the bench, as Nebraska extended its home win streak to 19 games. Six Huskers had at least eight points, as Nebraska had 22 assists on its 26 field goals, including six assists by&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/rollie-worster">Rollie Worster</a>&nbsp;and a career-high by&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/sam-hoiberg">Sam Hoiberg</a>.&nbsp; The Huskers also matched a season high with 13 3-pointers.&nbsp;

Nebraska’s defense was the story, as the Huskers held Southern to just 25.4 percent shooting, including 3-of-24 from 3-point range. It was the lowest percentage allowed by Nebraska since Nov. 6, 2018. Nebraska held eight of its 12 opponents to under 40 percent shooting.&nbsp;

Nebraska got out quickly, racing out to a 12-2 lead in the first 5:09 to force Southern to take an early timeout. Williams keyed the run with seven early points before a jumper from&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/berke-buyuktuncel">Berke Büyüktuncel</a>&nbsp;and a 3-pointer from&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/juwan-gary">Juwan Gary</a>&nbsp;gave NU an early 10-point cushion.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Huskers, who held Southern to 5-of-27 shooting in the first half, used a 11-0 run keyed by a pair of&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/connor-essegian">Connor Essegian</a>&nbsp;3-pointers to build a 22-point lead at 30-8 with 5:07 remaining in the half. NU eventually pushed the lead to 26 on a Büyüktuncel triple as Nebraska hit 5-of-11 from the arc in the opening 20 minutes.

Nebraska eventually stretched the lead to 30 at 53-23 after an 8-0 with 12:59 left. Southern eventually made a run, cutting a 31-poont deficit to 62-40 after a 9-0 spurt capped by a 3-pointer from Jayce Depron with just under six minutes remaining. The Jaguars (5-8) would get no closer as Worster’s layup stated a game-closing 12-2 spurt, including eight points from&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/gavin-griffiths">Gavin Griffiths</a>, for the final margin.&nbsp;

Depron finished with 13 points and was the only Southern player in double figures.&nbsp;

The Huskers are in action on Saturday afternoon, as the Huskers host No. 15 UCLA. Tipoff is set 1 p.m. (CT) and the game will be broadcast on FOX and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network.&nbsp;Tickets are available by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://huskers.com/Tickets">Huskers.com/Tickets</a>.&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic Communication<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/connor-essegian">Connor Essegian</a>&nbsp;had a game-high 20 points to lead three Huskers in double figures, while Nebraska put together a dominant defensive effort in a 77-43 win over Southern Monday evening.&nbsp;&nbsp;Essegian matched his career high with six 3-pointers en route to his third 20-point night of the season and grabbed seven boards, as Nebraska improved to 11-2 on the season with its fifth straight win.&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/brice-williams">Brice Williams</a>&nbsp;had 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/andrew-morgan">Andrew Morgan</a>&nbsp;had 10 points off the bench, as Nebraska extended its home win streak to 19 games. Six Huskers had at least eight points, as Nebraska had 22 assists on its 26 field goals, including six assists by&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/rollie-worster">Rollie Worster</a>&nbsp;and a career-high by&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/sam-hoiberg">Sam Hoiberg</a>.&nbsp; The Huskers also matched a season high with 13 3-pointers.&nbsp;Nebraska’s defense was the story, as the Huskers held Southern to just 25.4 percent shooting, including 3-of-24 from 3-point range. It was the lowest percentage allowed by Nebraska since Nov. 6, 2018. Nebraska held eight of its 12 opponents to under 40 percent shooting.&nbsp;Nebraska got out quickly, racing out to a 12-2 lead in the first 5:09 to force Southern to take an early timeout. Williams keyed the run with seven early points before a jumper from&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/berke-buyuktuncel">Berke Büyüktuncel</a>&nbsp;and a 3-pointer from&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/juwan-gary">Juwan Gary</a>&nbsp;gave NU an early 10-point cushion.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Huskers, who held Southern to 5-of-27 shooting in the first half, used a 11-0 run keyed by a pair of&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/connor-essegian">Connor Essegian</a>&nbsp;3-pointers to build a 22-point lead at 30-8 with 5:07 remaining in the half. NU eventually pushed the lead to 26 on a Büyüktuncel triple as Nebraska hit 5-of-11 from the arc in the opening 20 minutes.Nebraska eventually stretched the lead to 30 at 53-23 after an 8-0 with 12:59 left. Southern eventually made a run, cutting a 31-poont deficit to 62-40 after a 9-0 spurt capped by a 3-pointer from Jayce Depron with just under six minutes remaining. The Jaguars (5-8) would get no closer as Worster’s layup stated a game-closing 12-2 spurt, including eight points from&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/player/gavin-griffiths">Gavin Griffiths</a>, for the final margin.&nbsp;Depron finished with 13 points and was the only Southern player in double figures.&nbsp;The Huskers are in action on Saturday afternoon, as the Huskers host No. 15 UCLA. Tipoff is set 1 p.m. (CT) and the game will be broadcast on FOX and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network.&nbsp;Tickets are available by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://huskers.com/Tickets">Huskers.com/Tickets</a>.&nbsp;

Huskers wrap up non-con with 77-43 win

*-Nebraska improves to 11-2 on the season for the second straight season. It matches NU’s best record since opening the 1991-92 season with a 12-1 mark after 13 games.*-Nebraska finishes its non-conference slate with a 10-1 mark, marking &nbsp;the sixth time since WW2 that Nebraska has finished non-conference action with one loss (2023-24; 2018-19, 2003-04, 1991-92, 1977-78).*-With the win, Nebraska has now won 19 straight at home dating back to December of 2023. The Huskers are one shy of the program record of 20 set two previous times.&nbsp;*-With tonight’s win, NU is 19-1 at home in non-conference action over the last three seasons.*-Nebraska had an 11-0 run in the first half, the 11th&nbsp;double-figure run of the season.*-Connor Essegian (20) and Andrew Morgan (11) both finished in double figures off the bench. NU now has 14 double-figure efforts from the bench this season.&nbsp;*-Essegian led all scorers with 20 points, his third 20-point game of the season and fifth of his career. It marks the 10th&nbsp;time in Fred Hoiberg’s six seasons that NU has had a player come off the bench and finish with at least 20 points.*-Essegian matched his career high with six 3-pointers (also vs. South Dakota and North Florida). He has hit five-or-more 3-pointers four times this season.*-Nebraska finished with 22 assists, its second-highest total of the year. In addition to Rollie Worster, who had six assists without a turnover, Sam Hoiberg added a career-high five assists.*-Brice Williams has reached double figures in 12 of NU’s 13 games, finishing with 11 points. He went over the 1,500-point mark for his career. Williams also matched his season high with seven boards.*-Nebraska tied a season high with 13 3-pointers, the third time this season NU hit 10-or-more 3-pointers in a game.

*-Nebraska’s defense posted season lows in field goal percentage (25.4%), 3-point percentage (12.5%), 3-pointers made (3) and free throw percentage (37.5%).*-The 43 points allowed and 25.4 percent field goal percentage by Southern were the lowest since Mississippi Valley State had 37 points and 19.1 percent shooting on Nov. 6, 2018.

*-Berke Büyüktuncel&nbsp;tied his career high nine rebounds, the fourth time this season he has grabbed nine or more rebounds.

“That’s the biggest thing we talked about the last couple days, was getting off to a good start. This team – Southern – has shown that they’ll hang in games if you allow them to get off to good starts. They did that against Texas A&amp;M, they were up 14 at half and had Ole Miss all the way to the end. This team is very capable. It was important for us to get off to a really good start, and that’s what we did defensively. I’m not really thrilled with how the offense was in the second half. I thought we got stalled, I thought we got stagnant and held the ball too much, after a really good couple days of moving that thing around and playing point five basketball. Tonight, in the second half, we just didn’t have it. The group I’m really proud of is that group that ended the game. I’m going to give Gavin (Griffiths) a lot of credit for keeping himself ready. He had a good week of practice, and that’s what this thing is all about, is taking advantage of your minutes and going out there and playing to the best of your ability. I thought he did that on both ends, not only offensively, but I thought he had a good couple defensive possessions out there as well. That’s what leads to more time. Another guy, probably nobody even realizes it, but we put Jeffrey Grace and Cale Jacobsen in the game against Oregon State with nine seconds left. Cale flew across the court to contest a shot. Jeff Grace had maybe our best block of the night. He dove on the floor. People don’t see those kinds of things, behind the scenes, what those guys do for the culture. There’s never any emotional outburst, there’s never any adversity with those guys. They just come in and work every day. It’s nice to see them go out there and get recognized by their teammates for making those kinds of plays. Those are huge. At the end of the year, when you’re looking at your resume – I’m proud of that group for going out there and playing the right way. Sometimes, in a blowout, you get out there and just try to jack up shots, but that group finished the game. With Jeff, Henry (Burt), Gavin, most specifically, those guys were plus nine, plus seven in under three minutes. Gavin played four. I wanted to give those guys a shoutout because of what they mean for our program.”

“Our defense has to be our constant. We’re not a real pretty team, so our defense has to be our calling card. Every time we step on the floor, that has to be what gets us going. We had a little bit of a rhythm, we shot the ball, I think we made 13 threes, but if we go out there and guard like we have been, then we’re going to have a chance to win most nights that we step on the floor. We can’t back off that, we’re not a finesse team. Last year I thought we were, with Keisei (Tominaga) with his shots, CJ (Wilcher), other guys that could get it going from the perimeter. This team has a chance to be a gritty, dirty, grimy team, similar to what it was a couple years ago with (Emmanuel) Bandoumel and (Juwan) Gary when they were healthy. I’ve liked how we’ve gone out and competed on that end, we’ve got to get better on the glass. They got 17 but they missed a lot of shots. I think it’s about 30%, that’s the number we want to keep them under on their offensive rebound percentage. Clean that up, clean the turnovers up, and hopefully we’ll have a chance to have a good season.”

On the challenge of a non-conference game&nbsp;

“This is always a dangerous game. It’s the last bye game for these teams. After this they get to go home. This is a grind for teams like this. I’ve had a lot of close games and situations like this. A game, Mississippi Valley State, shoot eight years ago, they hit a three at the buzzer, we beat them by one. I mean these games cause a lot of anxiety for a coach, but our guys came out with a lot of energy. I give them credit after coming back from the west, and that’s not easy to do. I remember the hardest game to play in my NBA player career was when I was coming back from the west coast. Our guys came out, took care of business, and were exactly where we should be right now. You lose one non-conference game, very similar to last year, we’re 1-1 in league. We won a home game and lost a road game. It’s very important here that we have good preparation. Guys can’t go out and go crazy for new years, have fun after the season. We’ve got two days of prep, Wednesday Thursday, to get ready for an early game on Saturday. We’ve got to put this one behind us, and get ready for an incredibly skilled, talented, tough UCLA team.”&nbsp;

Nebraska Junior Guard Connor Essegian&nbsp;

“Honestly, it just comes to me. We did a really good job passing the ball. There were a couple of turnovers too. I had three, that needs to change. It’s just kind of playing the flow, we knew they were going to be in a lot of different types of zones, and that does help as a shooter. But when you have guys like Rollie (Worster) that do a good job at finding guys like me, it works together.”&nbsp;

On the importance of building Gavin Griffiths’ confidence after scoring drought

“It’s huge for all of us. We’re the type of team that loves to see our teammates succeed. For him to come in and still be ready after that drought, to be able to come in and play like he does and knock down two threes – to have that energy, it’s hard to do in situations like that so I’m really proud of him, we’re all pretty proud of him and happy for him.”

On what lies ahead for conference play

“It’s going to be a gauntlet, it always is every year. That’s just what the Big Ten is, and we’ve got a really good team coming in here to start things off in this back end of it. You just have to be able to take care of your body, making sure you’re doing the little things every day to make sure that you feel good. If you don’t, it’s going to hurt and you’re going to pay for it. We do a pretty good job of that, so I think longevity is a big part in this.”

On growing from the first non-conference games

“I think that we have gotten a lot better, and still need to improve. I think it’s good to be successful in these games and it’s better to learn from a win, as Coach (Hoiberg) always says. But I think for us, building on what we’ve done and looking back, we’re a much better team, especially defensively, and we just need to keep improving.”

On playing as point guard“I think we just need to get into certain sets. Obviously, they try to slow the game down a little bit on us and cause havoc. But I think for me, just pulling it out, getting us set in our positions and then also running, I knew we could out-transition on this team. And I think versus zone, getting out in transition, offensive rebounding was key to beat a zone. I think we did that pretty well.&nbsp;

On how the Hawaii experience helped the team come together ahead of conference play&nbsp;

“Any game or tournament like that is big, especially in the pre-season. See where your team is at and have the chance to win a championship. You don’t have a lot of those opportunities. I think for us, we just wanted to go down there and handle business, it was a business trip. I think getting back from a long trip like that, and obviously, the time change and all of that, taking care of your body was key, and making sure that everyone was locked in for this game and going forward. I think we are doing a good job of that.”

On playing in a power 5 environment

“I thought they fought, this is not the first power five environment we’ve been in. We’re a little bit short handed tonight, missing two of our three leading scores so we knew it was going to be tough. But Nebraska’s got a really good team, so I’m not surprised by the outcome.”

“He’s just a freshman, and not many freshmen get an opportunity to play, but if he keeps shooting the ball and keeps learning and keeps getting better at defense. He probably gave up as many threes as he made, but if he keeps learning, he’ll get another opportunity.”

On expectations for conference play

“I expect to compete for a championship, but we’ve got to get healthy. Without our starting point guard, and leading scorer off the bench, it’s difficult. So if we get healthy I like our chances.”

Story by NU Athletic Communications*-Nebraska improves to 11-2 on the season for the second straight season. It matches NU’s best record since opening the 1991-92 season with a 12-1 mark after 13 games.*-Nebraska finishes its non-conference slate with a 10-1 mark, marking &nbsp;the sixth time since WW2 that Nebraska has finished non-conference action with one loss (2023-24; 2018-19, 2003-04, 1991-92, 1977-78).*-With the win, Nebraska has now won 19 straight at home dating back to December of 2023. The Huskers are one shy of the program record of 20 set two previous times.&nbsp;*-With tonight’s win, NU is 19-1 at home in non-conference action over the last three seasons.*-Nebraska had an 11-0 run in the first half, the 11th&nbsp;double-figure run of the season.*-Connor Essegian (20) and Andrew Morgan (11) both finished in double figures off the bench. NU now has 14 double-figure efforts from the bench this season.&nbsp;*-Essegian led all scorers with 20 points, his third 20-point game of the season and fifth of his career. It marks the 10th&nbsp;time in Fred Hoiberg’s six seasons that NU has had a player come off the bench and finish with at least 20 points.*-Essegian matched his career high with six 3-pointers (also vs. South Dakota and North Florida). He has hit five-or-more 3-pointers four times this season.*-Nebraska finished with 22 assists, its second-highest total of the year. In addition to Rollie Worster, who had six assists without a turnover, Sam Hoiberg added a career-high five assists.*-Brice Williams has reached double figures in 12 of NU’s 13 games, finishing with 11 points. He went over the 1,500-point mark for his career. Williams also matched his season high with seven boards.*-Nebraska tied a season high with 13 3-pointers, the third time this season NU hit 10-or-more 3-pointers in a game.*-Nebraska’s defense posted season lows in field goal percentage (25.4%), 3-point percentage (12.5%), 3-pointers made (3) and free throw percentage (37.5%).*-The 43 points allowed and 25.4 percent field goal percentage by Southern were the lowest since Mississippi Valley State had 37 points and 19.1 percent shooting on Nov. 6, 2018.*-Berke Büyüktuncel&nbsp;tied his career high nine rebounds, the fourth time this season he has grabbed nine or more rebounds.Nebraska Head Coach Fred HoibergOn setting the tone defensively“That’s the biggest thing we talked about the last couple days, was getting off to a good start. This team – Southern – has shown that they’ll hang in games if you allow them to get off to good starts. They did that against Texas A&amp;M, they were up 14 at half and had Ole Miss all the way to the end. This team is very capable. It was important for us to get off to a really good start, and that’s what we did defensively. I’m not really thrilled with how the offense was in the second half. I thought we got stalled, I thought we got stagnant and held the ball too much, after a really good couple days of moving that thing around and playing point five basketball. Tonight, in the second half, we just didn’t have it. The group I’m really proud of is that group that ended the game. I’m going to give Gavin (Griffiths) a lot of credit for keeping himself ready. He had a good week of practice, and that’s what this thing is all about, is taking advantage of your minutes and going out there and playing to the best of your ability. I thought he did that on both ends, not only offensively, but I thought he had a good couple defensive possessions out there as well. That’s what leads to more time. Another guy, probably nobody even realizes it, but we put Jeffrey Grace and Cale Jacobsen in the game against Oregon State with nine seconds left. Cale flew across the court to contest a shot. Jeff Grace had maybe our best block of the night. He dove on the floor. People don’t see those kinds of things, behind the scenes, what those guys do for the culture. There’s never any emotional outburst, there’s never any adversity with those guys. They just come in and work every day. It’s nice to see them go out there and get recognized by their teammates for making those kinds of plays. Those are huge. At the end of the year, when you’re looking at your resume – I’m proud of that group for going out there and playing the right way. Sometimes, in a blowout, you get out there and just try to jack up shots, but that group finished the game. With Jeff, Henry (Burt), Gavin, most specifically, those guys were plus nine, plus seven in under three minutes. Gavin played four. I wanted to give those guys a shoutout because of what they mean for our program.”On perimeter defense&nbsp;“Our defense has to be our constant. We’re not a real pretty team, so our defense has to be our calling card. Every time we step on the floor, that has to be what gets us going. We had a little bit of a rhythm, we shot the ball, I think we made 13 threes, but if we go out there and guard like we have been, then we’re going to have a chance to win most nights that we step on the floor. We can’t back off that, we’re not a finesse team. Last year I thought we were, with Keisei (Tominaga) with his shots, CJ (Wilcher), other guys that could get it going from the perimeter. This team has a chance to be a gritty, dirty, grimy team, similar to what it was a couple years ago with (Emmanuel) Bandoumel and (Juwan) Gary when they were healthy. I’ve liked how we’ve gone out and competed on that end, we’ve got to get better on the glass. They got 17 but they missed a lot of shots. I think it’s about 30%, that’s the number we want to keep them under on their offensive rebound percentage. Clean that up, clean the turnovers up, and hopefully we’ll have a chance to have a good season.”On the challenge of a non-conference game&nbsp;“This is always a dangerous game. It’s the last bye game for these teams. After this they get to go home. This is a grind for teams like this. I’ve had a lot of close games and situations like this. A game, Mississippi Valley State, shoot eight years ago, they hit a three at the buzzer, we beat them by one. I mean these games cause a lot of anxiety for a coach, but our guys came out with a lot of energy. I give them credit after coming back from the west, and that’s not easy to do. I remember the hardest game to play in my NBA player career was when I was coming back from the west coast. Our guys came out, took care of business, and were exactly where we should be right now. You lose one non-conference game, very similar to last year, we’re 1-1 in league. We won a home game and lost a road game. It’s very important here that we have good preparation. Guys can’t go out and go crazy for new years, have fun after the season. We’ve got two days of prep, Wednesday Thursday, to get ready for an early game on Saturday. We’ve got to put this one behind us, and get ready for an incredibly skilled, talented, tough UCLA team.”&nbsp;Nebraska Junior Guard Connor Essegian&nbsp;On his good games“Honestly, it just comes to me. We did a really good job passing the ball. There were a couple of turnovers too. I had three, that needs to change. It’s just kind of playing the flow, we knew they were going to be in a lot of different types of zones, and that does help as a shooter. But when you have guys like Rollie (Worster) that do a good job at finding guys like me, it works together.”&nbsp;On the importance of building Gavin Griffiths’ confidence after scoring drought“It’s huge for all of us. We’re the type of team that loves to see our teammates succeed. For him to come in and still be ready after that drought, to be able to come in and play like he does and knock down two threes – to have that energy, it’s hard to do in situations like that so I’m really proud of him, we’re all pretty proud of him and happy for him.”On what lies ahead for conference play“It’s going to be a gauntlet, it always is every year. That’s just what the Big Ten is, and we’ve got a really good team coming in here to start things off in this back end of it. You just have to be able to take care of your body, making sure you’re doing the little things every day to make sure that you feel good. If you don’t, it’s going to hurt and you’re going to pay for it. We do a pretty good job of that, so I think longevity is a big part in this.”Senior Guard Rollie WorsterOn growing from the first non-conference games“I think that we have gotten a lot better, and still need to improve. I think it’s good to be successful in these games and it’s better to learn from a win, as Coach (Hoiberg) always says. But I think for us, building on what we’ve done and looking back, we’re a much better team, especially defensively, and we just need to keep improving.”On playing as point guard“I think we just need to get into certain sets. Obviously, they try to slow the game down a little bit on us and cause havoc. But I think for me, just pulling it out, getting us set in our positions and then also running, I knew we could out-transition on this team. And I think versus zone, getting out in transition, offensive rebounding was key to beat a zone. I think we did that pretty well.&nbsp;On how the Hawaii experience helped the team come together ahead of conference play&nbsp;“Any game or tournament like that is big, especially in the pre-season. See where your team is at and have the chance to win a championship. You don’t have a lot of those opportunities. I think for us, we just wanted to go down there and handle business, it was a business trip. I think getting back from a long trip like that, and obviously, the time change and all of that, taking care of your body was key, and making sure that everyone was locked in for this game and going forward. I think we are doing a good job of that.”Southern Head Coach Kevin JohnsonOn playing in a power 5 environment“I thought they fought, this is not the first power five environment we’ve been in. We’re a little bit short handed tonight, missing two of our three leading scores so we knew it was going to be tough. But Nebraska’s got a really good team, so I’m not surprised by the outcome.”On Freshman Jayce Depron“He’s just a freshman, and not many freshmen get an opportunity to play, but if he keeps shooting the ball and keeps learning and keeps getting better at defense. He probably gave up as many threes as he made, but if he keeps learning, he’ll get another opportunity.”On expectations for conference play“I expect to compete for a championship, but we’ve got to get healthy. Without our starting point guard, and leading scorer off the bench, it’s difficult. So if we get healthy I like our chances.”

Nebraska Men's postgame notes

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Four Nebraska Kearney head coaches recently signed contract extensions that will have them leading the Lopers for the next four years.

Head football coach&nbsp;Ryan Held&nbsp;(second season), head wrestling coach&nbsp;Dalton Jensen&nbsp;(ninth season), head soccer coach&nbsp;Rob Breton&nbsp;(third season), and head volleyball coach&nbsp;Rick Squiers&nbsp;(26th season) are now each signed through December, 31, 2028.&nbsp;

"At moments like this, you realize who you can count on and who is committed to UNK, our alums, and our student-athletes. I would put our entire coaching staff up against any coaching staff in the nation. These four reflect the values we have become accustomed to at UNK, such as hard work, doing the right thing, and always working towards developing and bringing out the best in their players," said UNK Atheltic Director Dr. Marc. Bauer. "These new multi-year contract extensions represent a long-term commitment, stability, and investment needed to continue these programs' upward trajectory, which directly impacts our fan base, community, and the University."&nbsp; &nbsp;

Held has led the Loper football program the past two falls, picking up wins over longtime rival Chadron State and national power Northwest Missouri State this past season. He has coached 15 All-MIAA players and increased the program's recruiting presence in Lincoln and Omaha metro areas. Finally, the team received the 2023 UNK Athletic Men's Service Award (1,220 hours).

"I'm very thankful to Chancellor Bicak and Dr. Marc Bauer for my contract extension. It means a lot to my family and my coaches," said Held. &nbsp;"We're excited about where we are at but are looking forward to continuing to build the program the right way helping our players graduate and become their best versions on and off the field."

Jensen leads one of college wrestling's premier programs as the Lopers are an annual Division II national title contender. UNK won the 2022 National Championship, was runner-up in 2021, third in 2024, and currently ranked fifth. Jensen has coached 43 All-Americans, including four national champs and seven national runners-up.&nbsp;

="I'm grateful for Marc and the University for trusting my staff and I to continue to lead this historic program. Kearney is a special place that has phenomenal support for our student-athletes to help them achieve success both on and off the mat," said Jensen. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735227117153.jpeg" alt="Coach Rick Squiers (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Coach Rick Squiers (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>UNK Athletics&nbsp;Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;Four Nebraska Kearney head coaches recently signed contract extensions that will have them leading the Lopers for the next four years.Head football coach&nbsp;Ryan Held&nbsp;(second season), head wrestling coach&nbsp;Dalton Jensen&nbsp;(ninth season), head soccer coach&nbsp;Rob Breton&nbsp;(third season), and head volleyball coach&nbsp;Rick Squiers&nbsp;(26th season) are now each signed through December, 31, 2028.&nbsp;"At moments like this, you realize who you can count on and who is committed to UNK, our alums, and our student-athletes. I would put our entire coaching staff up against any coaching staff in the nation. These four reflect the values we have become accustomed to at UNK, such as hard work, doing the right thing, and always working towards developing and bringing out the best in their players," said UNK Atheltic Director Dr. Marc. Bauer. "These new multi-year contract extensions represent a long-term commitment, stability, and investment needed to continue these programs' upward trajectory, which directly impacts our fan base, community, and the University."&nbsp; &nbsp;Held has led the Loper football program the past two falls, picking up wins over longtime rival Chadron State and national power Northwest Missouri State this past season. He has coached 15 All-MIAA players and increased the program's recruiting presence in Lincoln and Omaha metro areas. Finally, the team received the 2023 UNK Athletic Men's Service Award (1,220 hours).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735227150458.jpeg" alt="Coach Ryan Held (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Coach Ryan Held (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>"I'm very thankful to Chancellor Bicak and Dr. Marc Bauer for my contract extension. It means a lot to my family and my coaches," said Held. &nbsp;"We're excited about where we are at but are looking forward to continuing to build the program the right way helping our players graduate and become their best versions on and off the field."Jensen leads one of college wrestling's premier programs as the Lopers are an annual Division II national title contender. UNK won the 2022 National Championship, was runner-up in 2021, third in 2024, and currently ranked fifth. Jensen has coached 43 All-Americans, including four national champs and seven national runners-up.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735227184514.jpeg" alt="Coach Dalton Jensen (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Coach Dalton Jensen (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>="I'm grateful for Marc and the University for trusting my staff and I to continue to lead this historic program. Kearney is a special place that has phenomenal support for our student-athletes to help them achieve success both on and off the mat," said Jensen. &nbsp;On the pitch, Breton has helped rebuild Loper soccer over the past three falls, culminating with eight wins and a MIAA Tournament berth this fall. The team has its second-ever All-Region selection, and third-ever winning campaign, and it has set numerous game and season records during his brief tenure.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735227203917.jpeg" alt="Coach Rob Breton (UNK Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Coach Rob Breton (UNK Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>"I am very excited to be staying with the Lopers for three more seasons.&nbsp;Kearney has become a home to me, and I am very grateful for my opportunity to be here," said Breton. "Thank you, Dr. Bauer, for trusting me with this program and these ladies, as well as the community of Kearney for all the support.&nbsp;We have achieved a lot during my time here, and I am looking forward to all we are going to achieve as we continue to work together!"Finally, Squiers has amassed a 788-111 record (.877-win pct.) since taking over the reins of Loper volleyball in 1999. The program has made 25 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, twice been Nationals Runner Up, and won 17 regular season league titles, to name a few of UNK's achievements in the past quarter century.&nbsp;"Thank you to Dr. Bauer, Jon Watts, and Dr. Bicek for their continued support and commitment to Loper volleyball. &nbsp;It remains my honor to serve as head coach. This is truly a special place," said Squiers.&nbsp;The 2024 NCAA Division II Moratorium – no practice or games – runs from Dec. 23-29 with UNK beginning spring semester classes on Jan. 21.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;