The Nebraska women’s basketball team closes its three-game home stand by taking on UNC Wilmington Tuesday night in Lincoln.

Tip-off between the Huskers (6-2) and the Seahawks (2-5) at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com.&nbsp;

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, as Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch team up for their 23rd season together calling the action. Pregame starts at 6:30 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;

B1G+ subscribers can also follow the game on the live video stream produced by Big Ten Student U with Bobby Hessling and Justice Rhody on the call.

Nebraska hopes to continue building momentum by completing a sweep of its three-game home stand. The stand began with a 77-53 win over Florida Atlantic on Wednesday, before a resounding 80-72 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Big Red rallied from a 15-point third-quarter deficit by shooting 75.8 percent from the field, including 66.7 percent (8-12) from three-point range in the second half to put up 58 points after halftime.

Two-time Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award candidate Jaz Shelley led Nebraska with 22 points and eight assists. She became the 37th 1,000-point scorer in Husker history with her late shot clock, banked three-point hook shot from near the top of the key to help seal the win. She also moved into the top five on Nebraska’s career three-point list (175) and the top 10 on NU’s career assist list (395).

Two-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate Alexis Markowski (15 points, 10 rebounds) had her third consecutive double-double and fourth of the season in the win over Georgia Tech. Markowski, who is tied for fifth in Husker history with 25 career double-doubles, owns team-best averages of 17.1 points and 9.3 rebounds. She leads the Big Ten in rebounding and ranks seventh in scoring.

Two-time Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week Natalie Potts pitched in 13 points, four rebounds and two assists against the Yellow Jackets to continue her outstanding start. Potts is averaging 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds while hitting 79.5 percent (35-44) of her two-point field goal attempts and 80 percent (16-20) of her free throws. She leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.667).

Darian White, a four-year starter and three-time All-Big Sky performer at Montana State before transferring to Nebraska as a graduate student, gives Nebraska another potent weapon. The 5-6 point guard is averaging 9.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and a team-best 4.1 assists, which ranks eighth in the Big Ten.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2, 0-0 Big Ten)vs. UNC Wilmington Seahawks (2-5, 0-0 CAA)Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2023, 7 p.m. (CT)Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, NebraskaTickets:&nbsp;Huskers.com / 1-800-8-BIG-REDLive Video:&nbsp;B1G+ (subscription)Live Stats:&nbsp;Huskers.comLive Radio:&nbsp;Huskers Radio Network (6:30 p.m.)Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM),&nbsp;Huskers.com, Huskers App

Nebraska Cornhuskers&nbsp;(6-2, 0-0 Big Ten)22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 17.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 9.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 13.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 2.0 rpgOff the Bench21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 6.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 5.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 5.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Eighth Season at Nebraska (120-101);&nbsp;17th Season Overall (313-210)

UNCW Seahawks&nbsp;(2-5, 0-0 CAA)4 - Lexi Jackson - 6-4 - Sr. - C - 5.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg0 - Britany Range - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg1 - Mary Ferrito - 5-10 - So. - G - 1.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg2 - Taylor Henderson - 5-11 - RFr. - G - 12.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg22 - Evan Miller - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 13.1 ppg, 4.9 rpgOff the Bench21 - Kylah Silver - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 11.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg10 - McCall King - 5-10 - So. - G - 4.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg11 - Mingaile Urmuleviciute - 6-3 - So. - F - 2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg13 - Corrie McLaughlin - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 2.5 ppg, 0.7 rpg15 - Sammy Ackles - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg33 - Kylie Chavis - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 0.8 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Nicole Woods (Belmont-Abbey, 2006)First Season at UNCW (2-5);&nbsp;First Season Overall (2-5)

First-year head coach Nicole Woods leads UNC Wilmington to Nebraska with a 2-5 record after suffering an 85-58 loss at Iowa State on Sunday.

The loss to the Cyclones was the second game in a four-game road swing that began with a 66-58 overtime win at Winthrop last Wednesday. The Seahawks jumped to a 15-2 lead in the first five minutes, but scored just 36 points in the next 35 minutes as the two teams went to overtime tied at 51. UNCW then outscored Winthrop 15-7 in the extra period.

The Seahawks are led by senior Evan Miller, who is averaging a team-best 13.1 points to go with 4.9 rebounds after a 19-point effort at Iowa State. The 5-11 guard leads UNCW with 10 three-pointers on the year. Miller carried the Seahawks to victory at Winthrop (Nov. 29) with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-5 from long range. She scored 18 in regulation, including a three in the right corner with five seconds left to trim the UNCW deficit to 49-48 before sinking three straight free throws with less than one second left to send the game to OT tied at 51. She added eight points in overtime to account for the final margin.

Redshirt freshman Taylor Henderson has added 12.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.1 steals. The 5-11 guard is averaging six free throw attempts, but is hitting just 26.2 percent (28-107) of her shots from the field, including 4-of-25 three-pointers. Henderson had 11 points, eight rebounds, nine turnovers and five fouls in the win at Winthrop. She banked in a 30-footer from the left wing to cut the UNCW deficit to 47-45 with 12 seconds left. She had 12 points and five rebounds at ISU.

Britany Range (4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Mary Ferrito (1.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg), a Wisconsin transfer, round out a group of four starting guards for the Seahawks. Range has hit a team-best 34.8 percent (8-23) from three-point range, but Ferrito has hit just 4-of-24 shots overall from the field, including 0-of-10 threes. Ferrito is averaging a team-best 3.3 assists per game.

Freshman Kylah Silver gives UNCW a third double-figure scorer by averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds off the bench. The 5-7 guard averages more than five free throw attempts per game and is shooting 86.5 percent (32-37) at the line. She also ranks second on the team behind Henderson with 2.0 steals per game. Silver had 12 points in the loss at Iowa State.

Sophomore McCall King gives UNCW more backcourt depth with the 5-10 guard averaging 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Lexi Jackson, a 6-4 senior center, leads UNCW inside by averaging 5.1 points and team bests of 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.

Corrie McLaughlin, a 6-2 freshman forward, has added size and efficiency by going 7-for-7 from the field on the season. The Seahawks have more depth inside with 6-3 sophomore forwards Mingaile Urmuleviciute (2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg) and Sammy Ackles (1.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg).

As a team, UNCW is shooting just 33.4 percent from the field, including 23.3 percent from beyond the arc. The Seahawks have hit 73.8 percent of their free throws. UNCW has been outscored by an average of 64.3-57.7, and outrebounded 39.9-38.6 on the season. The Seahawks have also been strapped by a minus-1.7 team turnover margin.

Tuesday’s game marks the first meeting in history between Nebraska and UNC Wilmington in women’s basketball.

Nebraska’s last meeting against a team from North Carolina came in 2021-22, when the Huskers ran to an 84-60 victory over then-unbeaten Wake Forest in Winston-Salem (Dec. 1, 2021). Earlier in the 2021-22 season, the Huskers rolled to a 113-58 win over North Carolina Central at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Nov. 20).

The Huskers are 4-0 against teams from North Carolina under Coach Amy Williams, including an 83-79 win over Duke in Lincoln (Dec. 4, 2019) and a 55-47 victory over Coastal Carolina in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Nov. 24, 2017).

Nebraska owns an eight-game winning streak overall against teams from North Carolina dating back to a 75-62 loss by the No. 15 Huskers at No. 18 North Carolina (Dec. 4, 2013). NU’s winning streak started with a 60-54 win by the No. 12 Huskers over No. 9 Duke at PBA (Dec. 3, 2014) before&nbsp; an 83-57 win over High Point in Lincoln (Dec. 20, 2014). In 2015-16, NU added an 88-47 win over North Carolina Central at PBA (Nov. 21, 2015) before an 88-67 victory over NC State in Lincoln (Dec. 3, 2015).

The Huskers have never lost at home to a team from North Carolina, posting a perfect 9-0 record dating back to an 82-63 win over East Carolina at the Devaney Center on Dec. 30, 2000.&nbsp;

Husker Nuggets• Nebraska has never lost at home to a team from the state of North Carolina (9-0). Overall, the Huskers own an eight-game winning streak against North Carolina teams and are 4-0 against North Carolina schools under Coach Amy Williams.

• Natalie Potts earned her second Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Nov. 27). She won the inaugural weekly honor (Nov. 13). Potts leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.667) while ranking 23rd in the league in scoring (12.6 ppg).

• Alexis Markowski was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll three of the first four weeks of the 2023-24 season. She also earned a spot on the St. Pete Showcase All-Tournament Team after averaging 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds over two games in Florida.

• Markowski leads the Big Ten in rebounding (9.3 rpg) while ranking seventh in the league in scoring (17.1 ppg), 11th in field goal percentage (.515) and 18th in free throw percentage (.756).

• The Huskers had six players produce double figures in points against Northwestern State, marking the first time Nebraska accomplished that feat since a 90-61 season-opening win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 4, 2020.

• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 472 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 351 consecutive games.

• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 30 times in the last 80 games, including three times in 2023-24. The Huskers opened 2023-24 with 10 three-pointers in a win over Northwestern State (Nov. 6), before adding 10 threes in a win over Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29). NU hit 10 more threes in the win over Georgia Tech (Dec. 2). Nebraska knocked down a 2022-23 season-high 14 threes in a season-opening win over Omaha (Nov. 7, 2022).&nbsp;

• Through the first 20 seasons with the three-point shot in women’s basketball (1988-2007), Nebraska hit 10 threes in a game just six times (591 games).

• Darian White has scored in double figures 101 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 4, Nebraska) after getting a season-high 16 points against unbeaten TCU (Nov. 25).

•&nbsp; Jaz Shelley is five assists from 400 in her Nebraska career. She moved to No. 10 on the NU career assist list with 395 by notching eight assists in the win over Georgia Tech. She moved past All-American and two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge (392) on the list.&nbsp;&nbsp;

•&nbsp; Jaz Shelley is 13 assists away from 500 in her college career. Only five Huskers in history have totaled 500 collegiate assists (Lindsey Moore, Meggan Yedsena, Rachel Theriot, Jina Johansen, Nicole Kubik). Darian White is 18 assists away from 500 in her career.

• Jaz Shelley is eight three-pointers from catching WNBA star Yvonne Turner (2007-10) at No. 4 on the Nebraska career three-point list (183). Shelley owns 175 threes as a Husker.&nbsp;

• Alexis Markowski moved into the top five on Nebraska’s career double-doubles list (25) by notching her fourth double-double of the season in the win over Georgia Tech. She needs eight double-doubles to catch Emily Cady at No. 4 (33). The Husker record for career double-doubles is 40 by first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2006-10) and Jordan Hooper (2011-14).

• Maddie Krull is one assist away from 200 in her career.

• Annika Stewart is four points away from 500 in her career.

• Two-time All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) was the Big Ten’s top rebounder with 322 rebounds in 2022-23. She was the only Big Ten player to average a double-double (12.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg) during regular-season conference play.

• Alexis Markowski is 49 points from reaching 1,000 career points.

• Markowski is 39 rebounds away from 700 in her career and just 89 rebounds from 750, which would move her into a tie for No. 10 on the Nebraska career rebound list.

• Darian White is 208 points away from 2,000 in her college career.

The Nebraska women’s basketball team closes its three-game home stand by taking on UNC Wilmington Tuesday night in Lincoln.Tip-off between the Huskers (6-2) and the Seahawks (2-5) at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com.&nbsp;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, as Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch team up for their 23rd season together calling the action. Pregame starts at 6:30 p.m. (CT).&nbsp;B1G+ subscribers can also follow the game on the live video stream produced by Big Ten Student U with Bobby Hessling and Justice Rhody on the call.Nebraska hopes to continue building momentum by completing a sweep of its three-game home stand. The stand began with a 77-53 win over Florida Atlantic on Wednesday, before a resounding 80-72 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Big Red rallied from a 15-point third-quarter deficit by shooting 75.8 percent from the field, including 66.7 percent (8-12) from three-point range in the second half to put up 58 points after halftime.Two-time Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award candidate Jaz Shelley led Nebraska with 22 points and eight assists. She became the 37th 1,000-point scorer in Husker history with her late shot clock, banked three-point hook shot from near the top of the key to help seal the win. She also moved into the top five on Nebraska’s career three-point list (175) and the top 10 on NU’s career assist list (395).Two-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate Alexis Markowski (15 points, 10 rebounds) had her third consecutive double-double and fourth of the season in the win over Georgia Tech. Markowski, who is tied for fifth in Husker history with 25 career double-doubles, owns team-best averages of 17.1 points and 9.3 rebounds. She leads the Big Ten in rebounding and ranks seventh in scoring.Two-time Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week Natalie Potts pitched in 13 points, four rebounds and two assists against the Yellow Jackets to continue her outstanding start. Potts is averaging 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds while hitting 79.5 percent (35-44) of her two-point field goal attempts and 80 percent (16-20) of her free throws. She leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.667).Darian White, a four-year starter and three-time All-Big Sky performer at Montana State before transferring to Nebraska as a graduate student, gives Nebraska another potent weapon. The 5-6 point guard is averaging 9.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and a team-best 4.1 assists, which ranks eighth in the Big Ten.Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2, 0-0 Big Ten)vs. UNC Wilmington Seahawks (2-5, 0-0 CAA)Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2023, 7 p.m. (CT)Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, NebraskaTickets:&nbsp;Huskers.com / 1-800-8-BIG-REDLive Video:&nbsp;B1G+ (subscription)Live Stats:&nbsp;Huskers.comLive Radio:&nbsp;Huskers Radio Network (6:30 p.m.)Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM),&nbsp;Huskers.com, Huskers AppNebraska Cornhuskers&nbsp;(6-2, 0-0 Big Ten)22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 17.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 9.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 13.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 2.0 rpgOff the Bench21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 6.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 5.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 5.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Eighth Season at Nebraska (120-101);&nbsp;17th Season Overall (313-210)UNCW Seahawks&nbsp;(2-5, 0-0 CAA)4 - Lexi Jackson - 6-4 - Sr. - C - 5.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg0 - Britany Range - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg1 - Mary Ferrito - 5-10 - So. - G - 1.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg2 - Taylor Henderson - 5-11 - RFr. - G - 12.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg22 - Evan Miller - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 13.1 ppg, 4.9 rpgOff the Bench21 - Kylah Silver - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 11.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg10 - McCall King - 5-10 - So. - G - 4.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg11 - Mingaile Urmuleviciute - 6-3 - So. - F - 2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg13 - Corrie McLaughlin - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 2.5 ppg, 0.7 rpg15 - Sammy Ackles - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg33 - Kylie Chavis - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 0.8 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Nicole Woods (Belmont-Abbey, 2006)First Season at UNCW (2-5);&nbsp;First Season Overall (2-5)Scouting The UNCW SeahawksFirst-year head coach Nicole Woods leads UNC Wilmington to Nebraska with a 2-5 record after suffering an 85-58 loss at Iowa State on Sunday.The loss to the Cyclones was the second game in a four-game road swing that began with a 66-58 overtime win at Winthrop last Wednesday. The Seahawks jumped to a 15-2 lead in the first five minutes, but scored just 36 points in the next 35 minutes as the two teams went to overtime tied at 51. UNCW then outscored Winthrop 15-7 in the extra period.The Seahawks are led by senior Evan Miller, who is averaging a team-best 13.1 points to go with 4.9 rebounds after a 19-point effort at Iowa State. The 5-11 guard leads UNCW with 10 three-pointers on the year. Miller carried the Seahawks to victory at Winthrop (Nov. 29) with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-5 from long range. She scored 18 in regulation, including a three in the right corner with five seconds left to trim the UNCW deficit to 49-48 before sinking three straight free throws with less than one second left to send the game to OT tied at 51. She added eight points in overtime to account for the final margin.Redshirt freshman Taylor Henderson has added 12.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.1 steals. The 5-11 guard is averaging six free throw attempts, but is hitting just 26.2 percent (28-107) of her shots from the field, including 4-of-25 three-pointers. Henderson had 11 points, eight rebounds, nine turnovers and five fouls in the win at Winthrop. She banked in a 30-footer from the left wing to cut the UNCW deficit to 47-45 with 12 seconds left. She had 12 points and five rebounds at ISU.Britany Range (4.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Mary Ferrito (1.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg), a Wisconsin transfer, round out a group of four starting guards for the Seahawks. Range has hit a team-best 34.8 percent (8-23) from three-point range, but Ferrito has hit just 4-of-24 shots overall from the field, including 0-of-10 threes. Ferrito is averaging a team-best 3.3 assists per game.Freshman Kylah Silver gives UNCW a third double-figure scorer by averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds off the bench. The 5-7 guard averages more than five free throw attempts per game and is shooting 86.5 percent (32-37) at the line. She also ranks second on the team behind Henderson with 2.0 steals per game. Silver had 12 points in the loss at Iowa State.Sophomore McCall King gives UNCW more backcourt depth with the 5-10 guard averaging 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.Lexi Jackson, a 6-4 senior center, leads UNCW inside by averaging 5.1 points and team bests of 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.Corrie McLaughlin, a 6-2 freshman forward, has added size and efficiency by going 7-for-7 from the field on the season. The Seahawks have more depth inside with 6-3 sophomore forwards Mingaile Urmuleviciute (2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg) and Sammy Ackles (1.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg).As a team, UNCW is shooting just 33.4 percent from the field, including 23.3 percent from beyond the arc. The Seahawks have hit 73.8 percent of their free throws. UNCW has been outscored by an average of 64.3-57.7, and outrebounded 39.9-38.6 on the season. The Seahawks have also been strapped by a minus-1.7 team turnover margin.Nebraska vs. UNCW Series HistoryTuesday’s game marks the first meeting in history between Nebraska and UNC Wilmington in women’s basketball.Nebraska’s last meeting against a team from North Carolina came in 2021-22, when the Huskers ran to an 84-60 victory over then-unbeaten Wake Forest in Winston-Salem (Dec. 1, 2021). Earlier in the 2021-22 season, the Huskers rolled to a 113-58 win over North Carolina Central at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Nov. 20).The Huskers are 4-0 against teams from North Carolina under Coach Amy Williams, including an 83-79 win over Duke in Lincoln (Dec. 4, 2019) and a 55-47 victory over Coastal Carolina in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Nov. 24, 2017).Nebraska owns an eight-game winning streak overall against teams from North Carolina dating back to a 75-62 loss by the No. 15 Huskers at No. 18 North Carolina (Dec. 4, 2013). NU’s winning streak started with a 60-54 win by the No. 12 Huskers over No. 9 Duke at PBA (Dec. 3, 2014) before&nbsp; an 83-57 win over High Point in Lincoln (Dec. 20, 2014). In 2015-16, NU added an 88-47 win over North Carolina Central at PBA (Nov. 21, 2015) before an 88-67 victory over NC State in Lincoln (Dec. 3, 2015).The Huskers have never lost at home to a team from North Carolina, posting a perfect 9-0 record dating back to an 82-63 win over East Carolina at the Devaney Center on Dec. 30, 2000.&nbsp;Husker Nuggets• Nebraska has never lost at home to a team from the state of North Carolina (9-0). Overall, the Huskers own an eight-game winning streak against North Carolina teams and are 4-0 against North Carolina schools under Coach Amy Williams.• Natalie Potts earned her second Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Nov. 27). She won the inaugural weekly honor (Nov. 13). Potts leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.667) while ranking 23rd in the league in scoring (12.6 ppg).• Alexis Markowski was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll three of the first four weeks of the 2023-24 season. She also earned a spot on the St. Pete Showcase All-Tournament Team after averaging 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds over two games in Florida.• Markowski leads the Big Ten in rebounding (9.3 rpg) while ranking seventh in the league in scoring (17.1 ppg), 11th in field goal percentage (.515) and 18th in free throw percentage (.756).• The Huskers had six players produce double figures in points against Northwestern State, marking the first time Nebraska accomplished that feat since a 90-61 season-opening win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 4, 2020.• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 472 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 351 consecutive games.• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 30 times in the last 80 games, including three times in 2023-24. The Huskers opened 2023-24 with 10 three-pointers in a win over Northwestern State (Nov. 6), before adding 10 threes in a win over Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29). NU hit 10 more threes in the win over Georgia Tech (Dec. 2). Nebraska knocked down a 2022-23 season-high 14 threes in a season-opening win over Omaha (Nov. 7, 2022).&nbsp;• Through the first 20 seasons with the three-point shot in women’s basketball (1988-2007), Nebraska hit 10 threes in a game just six times (591 games).Husker Numbers to Watch• Darian White has scored in double figures 101 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 4, Nebraska) after getting a season-high 16 points against unbeaten TCU (Nov. 25).•&nbsp; Jaz Shelley is five assists from 400 in her Nebraska career. She moved to No. 10 on the NU career assist list with 395 by notching eight assists in the win over Georgia Tech. She moved past All-American and two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge (392) on the list.&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp; Jaz Shelley is 13 assists away from 500 in her college career. Only five Huskers in history have totaled 500 collegiate assists (Lindsey Moore, Meggan Yedsena, Rachel Theriot, Jina Johansen, Nicole Kubik). Darian White is 18 assists away from 500 in her career.• Jaz Shelley is eight three-pointers from catching WNBA star Yvonne Turner (2007-10) at No. 4 on the Nebraska career three-point list (183). Shelley owns 175 threes as a Husker.&nbsp;• Alexis Markowski moved into the top five on Nebraska’s career double-doubles list (25) by notching her fourth double-double of the season in the win over Georgia Tech. She needs eight double-doubles to catch Emily Cady at No. 4 (33). The Husker record for career double-doubles is 40 by first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2006-10) and Jordan Hooper (2011-14).• Maddie Krull is one assist away from 200 in her career.• Annika Stewart is four points away from 500 in her career.Nebraska Notables• Two-time All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) was the Big Ten’s top rebounder with 322 rebounds in 2022-23. She was the only Big Ten player to average a double-double (12.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg) during regular-season conference play.• Alexis Markowski is 49 points from reaching 1,000 career points.• Markowski is 39 rebounds away from 700 in her career and just 89 rebounds from 750, which would move her into a tie for No. 10 on the Nebraska career rebound list.• Darian White is 208 points away from 2,000 in her college career.

Huskers close home stand with Seahawks

The Nebraska men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season, as the Huskers travel to Minnesota Wednesday evening. Tipoff from Williams Arena in Minneapolis is set for shortly after 8 p.m. and the game will be televised on BTN and carried on the Husker Radio Network.

Wednesday's game is the first of two Big Ten games this week for the Huskers, as conference play started on Dec. 1 and goes throughout the week before resuming in January. &nbsp;Nebraska's other Big Ten matchup will be on Sunday when the Huskers take on Michigan State.

The Huskers (7-1) look to rebound following a loss to No. 15 Creighton on Sunday afternoon. Nebraska, whose 7-0 start was its best since the 1977-78 season, was held to a season-low 60 points after entering the game averaging over 80 points per game. The Huskers shot just 34 percent from the field, including 2-of-22 from 3-point range. NU led the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game coming into the contest.&nbsp;

One highlight for NU was senior guard Keisei Tominaga who led the Huskers with 20 points for his second 20-point game of the season. Tominaga, who missed the first two games of the season with an ankle injury suffered on Oct. 29, has rounded into form in recent games, averaging 16.8 ppg over his last five games while shooting 58 percent from the floor, including 44 percent from 3-point range.

Tominaga leads a balanced Husker attack which features four players averaging double figures, as Nebraska enters the week ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 78.9 points per game. Juwan Gary has been exceptional off the bench, averaging 14.4 points per game on 54 percent shooting, while newcomers Rienk Mast (14.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg) and Brice Williams (13.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg) round out NU's double-figure quartet.&nbsp;

Minnesota (5-3, 0-1) comes off an 84-74 loss at Ohio State on Sunday night. Dawson Garcia led all scorers with 36 points and 11 rebounds to pace three Golden Gophers in double figures. &nbsp;Garcia tops the Gophers in scoring (20.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg) while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.&nbsp;

About MinnesotaBen Johnson is in his third season at the helm of the Golden Gopher program. &nbsp;Johnson, who played at both Minnesota and Northwestern during his college career, won 13 games in his first season at Minnesota before his team battled through a bunch of injuries in 2022-23. Johnson has ties to NU, as he spent one season at Nebraska as an assistant coach under Tim Miles in 2012-13.

Minnesota has been solid at home with a 5-1 mark, with the only setback being a two-point loss to Missouri on Nov. 16. The Gophers feature one of the best big men in the conference in Dawson Garcia, who played at Marquette and North Carolina before returning to his home state. Garcia is averaging 20.5 ppg on 49 percent shooting while getting to the foul line nearly seven times per contest. He also paces the Golden Gophers with 8.3 rebounds per game. He is the only upperclassmen among the Gophers' top four scorers. Freshman Cam Christie is averaging 11.0 ppg while shooting 52 percent from 3-point range while sophomores Pherrel Payne (9.4 ppg) and Joshua Ola-Joseph (8.8 ppg) are both shooting over 60 percent from the field.&nbsp;

Series History: Nebraska and Minnesota will meet for the 85th time on Wednesday, which is the most between the Huskers and any other Big Ten member. It is NU’s longest-running series in the Big Ten, dating back to February of 1902. The Gophers lead the all-time series, 58-26, while the Huskers have won 11 of the past 16 meetings. Minnesota snapped NU's four-game win streak in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament. The home team has won 15 of the past 17 meetings on campus dating back to March of 2012, with NU posting wins in Minneapolis in 2019 and 2023. Prior to joining the Big Ten in 2011-12, NU and Minnesota met in non-conference action every year from 1995 until 2004 after not playing for 16 years.&nbsp;

Last Meeting:&nbsp;Keisei Tominaga's 23 points led four Huskers in double figures, and Nebraska cut a double-digit deficit to one but could not complete the comeback in a 78-75 loss to Minnesota in the opening round of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament

Tominaga hit 8-of-14 shots from the field en route to his ninth 20-point game, and the junior nearly sent the game to overtime as his halfcourt shot was just off the mark. Sam Griesel added 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Derrick Walker and Jamarques Lawrence chipped in 12 points apiece for the Huskers, who fell to 16-16 on the season.Dawson Garcia ked four Gophers in double figures with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Ta'lon Cooper (16), Jaden Henley (14) and Jamison Battle (13) all reached double figures, as Minnesota shot 52 percent from the floor and hit 10 3-pointers.

Last Time OutKeisei Tominaga had a game-high 20 points, but Nebraska was unable to overcome No. 15 Creighton’s 3-point shooting in an 89-60 loss on Dec. 3. Tominaga hit 8-of-16 shots from the floor but was the only NU player in double figures. The Huskers were held to 33.8 percent shooting, including just 2-of-22 from 3-point range in suffering their first loss of the season.

Baylor Scheierman led Creighton with 24 points, including 20 in the first half on six 3-pointers, as the Bluejays went 10-of-23 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.

Creighton led 20-14 before Tominaga and Juwan Gary led the Huskers on a 9-2 spurt, taking a 23-22 lead after a Tominaga jumper with 8:54 left in the half, as Tominaga had 16 of his 20 points in the opening 20 minutes. Creighton then took over the Bluejays used a 11-2 spurt to build a 33-25 lead with 6:56 left in the half after a pair of Baylor Scheierman 3-pointers. &nbsp;Nebraska was within nine with less than two minutes remaining in the half after a Gary basket, but the Bluejays closed the half on a 9-3 run, including four free throws from Steven Ashworth to take a 52-27 lead in the break.

Nebraska got within 54-39 after a Gary steal and dunk with just over 18 minutes remaining, but Creighton used a 9-2 spurt to push the lead to 62-41, and Nebraska was unable to whittle down the margin.

Numbers to Know8 - Nebraska committed just eight turnovers in the loss to Creighton and ranks third in the Big Ten with 9.6 turnovers per game. Over the last four games, that number dips to 6.3 per outing.

8.6 - Despite going 2-of-22 from the arc in the loss to Creighton, NU ranks second in the Big Ten with 8.6 3-pointers per game as of Dec. 4. &nbsp;NU has averaged more than 8.0 3-pointers/game twice in program history (2001-02 and 2020-21).

7 - Nebraska has had seven runs of at least 10-0 in the first eight games of the season, including a 20-0 run against Oregon State and 17-0 against Rider.

2- Nebraska matched a school record with two turnovers in the win over Duquesne on Nov. 22, matching a record originally set in 2013. As of Dec. 3, it ties for the lowest total by a power conference team in 2023-24.

3.14 - Nebraska posted a team GPA of 3.14 during the 2022-23 academic year. The Huskers were a finalist for the Herman Team GPA award for the first time in program history. In addition, NU matched a school record with six Academic All-Big Ten selections.

Finding BalanceNebraska relied on its depth and balance early in the season. While the Huskers have four players averaging double figures, three others are between 5.0 and 7.4 ppg after seven games.&nbsp;

Tominaga Returns to All-Big Ten FormNebraska's lineup has been boosted by the return of fifth-year senior Keisei Tominaga, who missed NU's first two games with an ankle injury. He leads the Huskers in scoring at 15.5 ppg and is shooting 51 percent from the field and almost 40 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;

Prior to Tominaga, the last player to have at least 15 points on a perfect shooting night was David Rivers at Michigan State on Jan. 13, 2013 (8-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-1 FT).&nbsp; According to Sports Reference, only three power conference players have totaled at least 15 points on a perfect shooting night this season as of Dec. 3.

Tominaga was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, becoming just the third Husker to receive the honor since Nebraska joined the conference in the 2011-12 season. &nbsp;Last season, he averaged 13.1 points per game on 53 percent shooting, including 40 percent from 3-point range, while appearing in all 32 contests. &nbsp;Tominaga led the Huskers in 3-pointers with 66 and was one of only six players nationally to average double figures and shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the foul line.&nbsp;

New Faces, New RolesNebraska made a big splash in the transfer portal, adding five players to the roster, and their impact is already being felt during the early portion of the season. The group of Josiah Allick (New Mexico), Jarron Coleman (Bradley), Rienk Mast (Bradley), Ahron Ulis (Iowa) and Brice Williams (Charlotte) combined for more than 4,300 points, 2,100 rebounds and 800 assists entering this year.&nbsp;

The Nebraska men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season, as the Huskers travel to Minnesota Wednesday evening. Tipoff from Williams Arena in Minneapolis is set for shortly after 8 p.m. and the game will be televised on BTN and carried on the Husker Radio Network.Wednesday's game is the first of two Big Ten games this week for the Huskers, as conference play started on Dec. 1 and goes throughout the week before resuming in January. &nbsp;Nebraska's other Big Ten matchup will be on Sunday when the Huskers take on Michigan State.The Huskers (7-1) look to rebound following a loss to No. 15 Creighton on Sunday afternoon. Nebraska, whose 7-0 start was its best since the 1977-78 season, was held to a season-low 60 points after entering the game averaging over 80 points per game. The Huskers shot just 34 percent from the field, including 2-of-22 from 3-point range. NU led the Big Ten in 3-pointers per game coming into the contest.&nbsp;One highlight for NU was senior guard Keisei Tominaga who led the Huskers with 20 points for his second 20-point game of the season. Tominaga, who missed the first two games of the season with an ankle injury suffered on Oct. 29, has rounded into form in recent games, averaging 16.8 ppg over his last five games while shooting 58 percent from the floor, including 44 percent from 3-point range.Tominaga leads a balanced Husker attack which features four players averaging double figures, as Nebraska enters the week ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 78.9 points per game. Juwan Gary has been exceptional off the bench, averaging 14.4 points per game on 54 percent shooting, while newcomers Rienk Mast (14.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg) and Brice Williams (13.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg) round out NU's double-figure quartet.&nbsp;Minnesota (5-3, 0-1) comes off an 84-74 loss at Ohio State on Sunday night. Dawson Garcia led all scorers with 36 points and 11 rebounds to pace three Golden Gophers in double figures. &nbsp;Garcia tops the Gophers in scoring (20.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg) while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.&nbsp;About MinnesotaBen Johnson is in his third season at the helm of the Golden Gopher program. &nbsp;Johnson, who played at both Minnesota and Northwestern during his college career, won 13 games in his first season at Minnesota before his team battled through a bunch of injuries in 2022-23. Johnson has ties to NU, as he spent one season at Nebraska as an assistant coach under Tim Miles in 2012-13.Minnesota has been solid at home with a 5-1 mark, with the only setback being a two-point loss to Missouri on Nov. 16. The Gophers feature one of the best big men in the conference in Dawson Garcia, who played at Marquette and North Carolina before returning to his home state. Garcia is averaging 20.5 ppg on 49 percent shooting while getting to the foul line nearly seven times per contest. He also paces the Golden Gophers with 8.3 rebounds per game. He is the only upperclassmen among the Gophers' top four scorers. Freshman Cam Christie is averaging 11.0 ppg while shooting 52 percent from 3-point range while sophomores Pherrel Payne (9.4 ppg) and Joshua Ola-Joseph (8.8 ppg) are both shooting over 60 percent from the field.&nbsp;Series History: Nebraska and Minnesota will meet for the 85th time on Wednesday, which is the most between the Huskers and any other Big Ten member. It is NU’s longest-running series in the Big Ten, dating back to February of 1902. The Gophers lead the all-time series, 58-26, while the Huskers have won 11 of the past 16 meetings. Minnesota snapped NU's four-game win streak in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament. The home team has won 15 of the past 17 meetings on campus dating back to March of 2012, with NU posting wins in Minneapolis in 2019 and 2023. Prior to joining the Big Ten in 2011-12, NU and Minnesota met in non-conference action every year from 1995 until 2004 after not playing for 16 years.&nbsp;Last Meeting:&nbsp;Keisei Tominaga's 23 points led four Huskers in double figures, and Nebraska cut a double-digit deficit to one but could not complete the comeback in a 78-75 loss to Minnesota in the opening round of the 2023 Big Ten TournamentTominaga hit 8-of-14 shots from the field en route to his ninth 20-point game, and the junior nearly sent the game to overtime as his halfcourt shot was just off the mark. Sam Griesel added 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Derrick Walker and Jamarques Lawrence chipped in 12 points apiece for the Huskers, who fell to 16-16 on the season.Dawson Garcia ked four Gophers in double figures with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Ta'lon Cooper (16), Jaden Henley (14) and Jamison Battle (13) all reached double figures, as Minnesota shot 52 percent from the floor and hit 10 3-pointers.Last Time OutKeisei Tominaga had a game-high 20 points, but Nebraska was unable to overcome No. 15 Creighton’s 3-point shooting in an 89-60 loss on Dec. 3. Tominaga hit 8-of-16 shots from the floor but was the only NU player in double figures. The Huskers were held to 33.8 percent shooting, including just 2-of-22 from 3-point range in suffering their first loss of the season.Baylor Scheierman led Creighton with 24 points, including 20 in the first half on six 3-pointers, as the Bluejays went 10-of-23 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.Creighton led 20-14 before Tominaga and Juwan Gary led the Huskers on a 9-2 spurt, taking a 23-22 lead after a Tominaga jumper with 8:54 left in the half, as Tominaga had 16 of his 20 points in the opening 20 minutes. Creighton then took over the Bluejays used a 11-2 spurt to build a 33-25 lead with 6:56 left in the half after a pair of Baylor Scheierman 3-pointers. &nbsp;Nebraska was within nine with less than two minutes remaining in the half after a Gary basket, but the Bluejays closed the half on a 9-3 run, including four free throws from Steven Ashworth to take a 52-27 lead in the break.Nebraska got within 54-39 after a Gary steal and dunk with just over 18 minutes remaining, but Creighton used a 9-2 spurt to push the lead to 62-41, and Nebraska was unable to whittle down the margin.Worth Noting<ul>
 <li>Nebraska opened the season with a 7-0 record before losing to No. 15 Creighton on Dec. 3. It marked just the fifth time in program history that Nebraska opened the season with seven straight wins.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska's 7-1 record is the Huskers' best record for the first eight games since the 2018-19 team also opened with a 7-1 mark. A win at Minnesota Wednesday would match NU's best record in the first nine games (also 2003-04, 1994-95, 1991-92; 1990-91 and 1984-85) since the 1977-78 team opened the year with 10 straight wins.&nbsp;</li><li>The Huskers will be looking for their third straight road win dating back to last season after closing the 2022-23 season with road wins at Rutgers and at Iowa. &nbsp;NU is 6-7 in its last 13 road games dating back to the end of the 2021-22 season. &nbsp;Wednesday's game marks the fifth&nbsp; straight year that Nebraska has opened Big Ten Conference play on the road.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska Head Coach Fred Hoiberg returns to Minneapolis, where he spent two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves (2003-05) before joining the Timberwolves front office for five seasons (2005-10). Hoiberg helped the Timberwolves to 58 wins and the Western Conference Finals in 2003-04 and led the NBA in 3-point shooting his final season with Minnesota.&nbsp;</li><li>The Huskers are 13-4 over the last 17 games dating back to Feb. 1, 2023. A big reason for that is NU's offense, as NU has averaged 77.6 ppg on 48 percent shooting in that stretch. Sunday's game marked only the third time in the last 17 games where NU was held to under 70 points. The Huskers had scored 80+ points in six of its first seven games this year.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska is 20-4 under Hoiberg when scoring at least 80 points including 15-1 over the last three seasons. The only loss was a 104-100 quadruple overtime game at North Carolina State on Dec. 1, 2021. NU has won its last 13 games when reaching the 80-point plateau.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska won its first seven games by 10 or more points. It was just the second time in over 100 years - the other was from Dec. 3-30, 1990 - that the Huskers won seven straight games by double figures.</li><li>Nebraska has been exceptional at the charity stripe in the last three games, going 57-of 65 (.877) at the foul line, including two of the best foul shooting performances in Hoiberg's five seasons at Nebraska. &nbsp;NU's 19-of-20 effort against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 26 was its best percentage (min. 20 att.) since going 20-of-21 (.952) against Minnesota on Nov. 26, 1995.</li><li>Nebraska has made an effort to get to the foul line, as the Huskers are third in the Big Ten in free throw attempts with 195. while opponents have gotten to the line just 108 times. NU leads the Big Ten and is tied for fourth nationally in fewest fouls per game (12.8)</li><li>Despite the loss to Creighton, Nebraska has been solid on the defensive end of the floor during the early season. &nbsp;The Huskers are among the Big Ten leaders in points per game (65.3, sixth), field goal percentage defense (.375, fourth). 3-point percentage defense (.279, fourth) and rebound margin (+6.1 fifth). &nbsp;The loss to Creighton marked just the second time NU has been out-rebounded this season.&nbsp;</li><li>Nebraska had multiple 20-point scorers against Duquesne on Nov. 22 (Keisei Tominaga-23; Juwan-Gary 20) for the eighth time in Fred Hoiberg's five seasons.</li><li>Nebraska's bench has provided a spark, averaging 25.0 points per game in the first eight contests. The Huskers' leading scorer has come from the bench three times (Hoiberg-Lindenwood; Wilcher-Rider; Gary-Stony Brook) and NU has had seven double-figure efforts from its bench in 2023-24. Juwan Gary's 20-point effort against Duquesne on Nov. 22 marked the seventh time under Fred Hoiberg that NU had a player score at least 20 points off the bench.</li>
 </ul>Numbers to Know8 - Nebraska committed just eight turnovers in the loss to Creighton and ranks third in the Big Ten with 9.6 turnovers per game. Over the last four games, that number dips to 6.3 per outing.8.6 - Despite going 2-of-22 from the arc in the loss to Creighton, NU ranks second in the Big Ten with 8.6 3-pointers per game as of Dec. 4. &nbsp;NU has averaged more than 8.0 3-pointers/game twice in program history (2001-02 and 2020-21).7 - Nebraska has had seven runs of at least 10-0 in the first eight games of the season, including a 20-0 run against Oregon State and 17-0 against Rider.2- Nebraska matched a school record with two turnovers in the win over Duquesne on Nov. 22, matching a record originally set in 2013. As of Dec. 3, it ties for the lowest total by a power conference team in 2023-24.3.14 - Nebraska posted a team GPA of 3.14 during the 2022-23 academic year. The Huskers were a finalist for the Herman Team GPA award for the first time in program history. In addition, NU matched a school record with six Academic All-Big Ten selections.Finding BalanceNebraska relied on its depth and balance early in the season. While the Huskers have four players averaging double figures, three others are between 5.0 and 7.4 ppg after seven games.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Nebraska has had nine different players reach double figures and have six different leading scorers through the first eight games. Only Rienk Mast (twice) and Keisei Tominaga (twice) have led NU in scoring more than once.</li><li>No Husker averages more than 28 minutes per game, while nine Huskers are averaging double figures in minutes. Despite the number of different lineups NU has been forced to use, the Huskers have had at least eight players play double-figure minutes in each of the first nine games.</li><li>NU has gotten at least one double-figure effort from its bench in each of the first seven contests. The Huskers have gotten almost 32 percent of their scoring from the bench over the first eight contests.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Tominaga Returns to All-Big Ten FormNebraska's lineup has been boosted by the return of fifth-year senior Keisei Tominaga, who missed NU's first two games with an ankle injury. He leads the Huskers in scoring at 15.5 ppg and is shooting 51 percent from the field and almost 40 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>• Over his last five games, Tominaga is averaging 16.8 points per game while shooting 58 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;</li><li>• He posted his 12th career 20-point game in Sunday's loss to No. 15 Creighton, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting. He now has 12 career 20-point games as a Husker.</li><li>• Tominaga has a season-high 23 points in NU's win over Duquesne on Nov. 18, including 9-of-10 from the foul line.&nbsp;</li><li>• He had a perfect shooting performance against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 26, as he went 5-of-5 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and 4-of-4 from the foul line. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Prior to Tominaga, the last player to have at least 15 points on a perfect shooting night was David Rivers at Michigan State on Jan. 13, 2013 (8-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-1 FT).&nbsp; According to Sports Reference, only three power conference players have totaled at least 15 points on a perfect shooting night this season as of Dec. 3.Tominaga was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team, becoming just the third Husker to receive the honor since Nebraska joined the conference in the 2011-12 season. &nbsp;Last season, he averaged 13.1 points per game on 53 percent shooting, including 40 percent from 3-point range, while appearing in all 32 contests. &nbsp;Tominaga led the Huskers in 3-pointers with 66 and was one of only six players nationally to average double figures and shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the foul line.&nbsp;New Faces, New RolesNebraska made a big splash in the transfer portal, adding five players to the roster, and their impact is already being felt during the early portion of the season. The group of Josiah Allick (New Mexico), Jarron Coleman (Bradley), Rienk Mast (Bradley), Ahron Ulis (Iowa) and Brice Williams (Charlotte) combined for more than 4,300 points, 2,100 rebounds and 800 assists entering this year.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Mast is averaging 14.0 points per game while leading the Huskers in rebounding (9.8 rpg) and ranking second in assists (2.6 apg). &nbsp;Mast currently ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding and 20th in scoring, as his 9.8 rebounds per game ranks 25th nationally. &nbsp;The 6-foot-10 forward has been in double figures in a team-high seven contests, highlighted by a 20-point, 16-rebound effort against Florida A&amp;M. He is also third in the Big Ten with three double-doubles this season and has 23 career double-doubles</li><li>Williams has started all eight contests and is 22nd in the Big Ten in scoring at 13.5 points per game, while chipping in 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. The 6-foot-7 guard has been in double figures six times this season, highlighted by a 25-point effort in the win against Oregon State on Nov. 17 and a 17-point, nine-rebound, four-assist effort against Stony Brook on Nov. 15. Williams is 91 points away from 1,000 points for his career.</li><li>Allick has been a force inside, averaging 7.3 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. He is 17th in the Big Ten in rebounds and is a big reason why the Huskers are among the Big Ten leaders in rebounding margin. Allick has three double-figure efforts this season, including 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists vs. Duquesne.</li><li>Coleman has come off the bench in all eight contests and is third on the team in assists at 2.5 per game while posting a 1.8-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Huskers open Big Ten play at Minnesota wednesday night

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman grew up 75 miles from Lincoln, in Aurora, so he has a deep understanding of the importance of Bluejays' annual game against Nebraska.

Scheierman scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half as the No. 15 Bluejays built a 15-point halftime lead on their way to an 89-60 win on Sunday.

“I started off my first four shots and then I kind of got hot a little bit,” Scheierman said. ”I don’t think we played our best in the second half, especially me missing a lot of open shots. But it means a lot, obviously, in this game to be from Nebraska and be able to have a decent performance. Credit to my teammates for finding me”

Scheierman became one of three players in the six major basketball conferences to make three 3s in a half this season, according to SportRadar.

The Bluejays' 29-point victory is tied for their largest winning margin over Nebraska in the 57-game series dating to 1923.

Creighton (7-1) trailed only twice, the last time with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. The Bluejays then held Nebraska (7-1) to 16 points the rest of the half while hitting six 3-pointers, three from Scheierman, and 7 of 8 free throws to go up 52-37 at the break.

Creighton, which avenged last season’s 63-53 home loss to the Cornhuskers, stretched the lead to 21 on Steven Ashworth’s layup four minutes into the second half. Nebraska got no closer than 19 points the rest of the way. Creighton’s largest lead was 31.

The Bluejays, coach Greg McDermott said, did everything they believed they needed coming into the game.

“Obviously we made some shots in the first half and that allowed us to create some separation,” McDermott said. “But our guys played together. We assisted on 17 baskets. Nebraska is a big assist team. They only had six assists. We really wanted to fight them on the boards and were able to rebound them."

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg concurred with McDermott’s analysis of the game, saying the Bluejays “executed their game plan to perfection.”

“Obviously a very difficult day for us,” Hoiberg said. “We were right there with them about nine minutes to go in the half. They went on a big run and set the tone for the rest of the game.

“We talked at halftime about coming out and throwing the first punch and getting back into the game. I thought we came down and took way too many quick shots. This was a game where you have to play disciplined for 40 minutes. We did the opposite of that.”

The Bluejays held Nebraska to 33% shooting, well below its 45% season mark. Nebraska’s 60 points were its fewest of the season. Creighton hit 46% of its shots and 14 of 40 (35%) on 3s.

Creighton has won 20 of its last 25 games against Nebraska and 10 of 12, the last nine of those wins by double digits. McDermott is now the winningest Bluejays coach against the Huskers with 12 victories.

Ashworth, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Trey Alexander each had 13 points for Creighton.

Keisei Tominaga had 20 points to lead Nebraska.

Creighton: The Bluejays’ win improved Creighton to 4-1 in Pinnacle Bank Arena, Nebraska’s home since 2013. No other nonconference team has more than one win in the arena.

Nebraska: The Huskers, who entered the game hitting 34.5% of their 3-point shots, went 1 for 10 in the first half 2 of 22 for the game. “When you do that against a team like this, obviously it’s going to get ugly,” Hoiberg said.

Nebraska: opens Big Ten play Wednesday at Minnesota.

Creighton: hosts Central Michigan Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701659302784.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman grew up 75 miles from Lincoln, in Aurora, so he has a deep understanding of the importance of Bluejays' annual game against Nebraska.Scheierman scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half as the No. 15 Bluejays built a 15-point halftime lead on their way to an 89-60 win on Sunday.“I started off my first four shots and then I kind of got hot a little bit,” Scheierman said. ”I don’t think we played our best in the second half, especially me missing a lot of open shots. But it means a lot, obviously, in this game to be from Nebraska and be able to have a decent performance. Credit to my teammates for finding me”Scheierman became one of three players in the six major basketball conferences to make three 3s in a half this season, according to SportRadar.The Bluejays' 29-point victory is tied for their largest winning margin over Nebraska in the 57-game series dating to 1923.Creighton (7-1) trailed only twice, the last time with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. The Bluejays then held Nebraska (7-1) to 16 points the rest of the half while hitting six 3-pointers, three from Scheierman, and 7 of 8 free throws to go up 52-37 at the break.Creighton, which avenged last season’s 63-53 home loss to the Cornhuskers, stretched the lead to 21 on Steven Ashworth’s layup four minutes into the second half. Nebraska got no closer than 19 points the rest of the way. Creighton’s largest lead was 31.The Bluejays, coach Greg McDermott said, did everything they believed they needed coming into the game.“Obviously we made some shots in the first half and that allowed us to create some separation,” McDermott said. “But our guys played together. We assisted on 17 baskets. Nebraska is a big assist team. They only had six assists. We really wanted to fight them on the boards and were able to rebound them."Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg concurred with McDermott’s analysis of the game, saying the Bluejays “executed their game plan to perfection.”“Obviously a very difficult day for us,” Hoiberg said. “We were right there with them about nine minutes to go in the half. They went on a big run and set the tone for the rest of the game.“We talked at halftime about coming out and throwing the first punch and getting back into the game. I thought we came down and took way too many quick shots. This was a game where you have to play disciplined for 40 minutes. We did the opposite of that.”The Bluejays held Nebraska to 33% shooting, well below its 45% season mark. Nebraska’s 60 points were its fewest of the season. Creighton hit 46% of its shots and 14 of 40 (35%) on 3s.Creighton has won 20 of its last 25 games against Nebraska and 10 of 12, the last nine of those wins by double digits. McDermott is now the winningest Bluejays coach against the Huskers with 12 victories.Ashworth, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Trey Alexander each had 13 points for Creighton.Keisei Tominaga had 20 points to lead Nebraska.BIG PICTURECreighton: The Bluejays’ win improved Creighton to 4-1 in Pinnacle Bank Arena, Nebraska’s home since 2013. No other nonconference team has more than one win in the arena.Nebraska: The Huskers, who entered the game hitting 34.5% of their 3-point shots, went 1 for 10 in the first half 2 of 22 for the game. “When you do that against a team like this, obviously it’s going to get ugly,” Hoiberg said.UP NEXTNebraska: opens Big Ten play Wednesday at Minnesota.Creighton: hosts Central Michigan Saturday.

#15 Creighton knocks off Huskers with largest rivalry win since 1923

HOUSTON (AP) — Nico Collins had the best game of his career, and the Texans' defense came up huge to help Houston hand Denver its first loss since mid-October.

Collins had a career-high 191 yards receiving and a fourth-quarter touchdown after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-texans-tank-dell-injured-696bbc3702b2efa5190776850b321040">fellow wideout Tank Dell left early</a>&nbsp;with a season-ending broken leg, and Jimmie Ward intercepted Russell Wilson in the end zone with 9 seconds left to seal the Texans' 22-17 victory over the Broncos on Sunday.

Ward leapt in front of intended receiver Lucas Krull to secure the fourth victory in five games for Houston (7-5) and snap a five-game winning streak for Denver (6-6). Ward credited the pass rush for allowing him to make the play.

“Sometimes when that pressure gets on you, you make bad decisions and that's what he did,” Ward said.

Wilson was intercepted a season-high three times, all of them after halftime. Derek Stingley Jr. had the first two picks for the Texans. The Broncos had forced 15 turnovers in their winning streak but did not have a takeaway Sunday.

“We win the turnover battle and we won the game and that was the difference,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.

Houston rookie C.J. Stroud threw for 274 yards to end a streak of four straight games with at least 300 yards passing. Another star rookie, Dell, will miss the rest of the season after breaking his left fibula in the first quarter, according to a person familiar with the injury. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not announce the severity of Dell’s injury.

Texans rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr., the third overall pick in the draft, had the best game of his young career. The former Alabama star had two sacks, four quarterback hits, deflected one of the balls that Stingley intercepted and deflected a punt.

“What a game by Will,” Ryans said. “That’s what we envisioned when we selected him.”

Wilson threw for 186 yards with a touchdown in Denver’s first loss since Oct. 12.

“I’ll give it to our guys, we continued to battle,” coach Sean Payton said. “We just put ourselves in a little bit too big of a hole today. ... We weren’t able to make enough plays.”

Wilson was asked about the final play and whether he should have tried to throw the ball away since it was third down.

“I saw Krull one-on-one, and tried to put it high for him. They made a play,” Wilson said. “We've got to score a touchdown, obviously, to win the game, and it didn’t go our way.”

Early in the fourth quarter, Wilson's 41-yard pass to Jerry Jeudy got Denver to the 1, and the QB ran for the touchdown on the next play to cut Houston's lead to 22-17.

The Broncos got a stop and were driving on the ensuing possession when Stingley hopped in front of a pass intended for Courtland Sutton to give Houston the ball back.

Stroud was shaken up on a run on the next drive and left the game for two plays while he was examined in the medical tent on the sideline. He returned and was sacked before the Texans punted.

Stroud said the officials thought he was “out of it” after the play and forced him to leave the game to get checked.

Sutton grabbed a 45-yard touchdown pass from Wilson that cut the lead to 16-10 with about five minutes remaining in the third. It was the 329th career TD pass for Wilson, who moved past Dan Marino for second-most in a player’s first 12 seasons.

Stroud was sacked and fumbled on third down on Houston’s next possession, but the Texans got the ball back. They punted, but Stingley intercepted Wilson on Denver’s first play on a ball that was deflected by Anderson.

The Texans cashed in on the miscue when Collins scored on a 3-yard reception on the second play of the fourth quarter. Houston led 22-10 after its 2-point try failed.

Collins had 927 yards receiving combined in his first two NFL seasons. He leads the Texans with 991 yards this year.

“I’m just proud to see his work pay off,” Stroud said. “Blessed to be able to be in a position to feed him like that and he’s definitely stepped up when we needed him to.”

The Texans forced a three-and-out on the first possession of the second half when Anderson sacked Wilson on first down and Jonathan Greenard took him down on third down. Houston pushed the lead to 16-3 on Matt Ammendola's 38-yard field goal.

The Texans led by three in the first quarter when they went for it on fourth-and-2. Houston was called for a false start on the play, but Alex Singleton hit Stroud late to draw an unnecessary roughness penalty and give the Texans a first down at the Broncos 3.

Two plays later, Pierce bulled in for the touchdown to make it 10-0. Dell was injured when he got rolled up at the end of Pierce’s run.

Broncos G Quinn Meinerz left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury.

Broncos: Visit the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.

Texans: Visit the New York Jets next Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701659204909.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HOUSTON (AP) — Nico Collins had the best game of his career, and the Texans' defense came up huge to help Houston hand Denver its first loss since mid-October.Collins had a career-high 191 yards receiving and a fourth-quarter touchdown after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-texans-tank-dell-injured-696bbc3702b2efa5190776850b321040">fellow wideout Tank Dell left early</a>&nbsp;with a season-ending broken leg, and Jimmie Ward intercepted Russell Wilson in the end zone with 9 seconds left to seal the Texans' 22-17 victory over the Broncos on Sunday.Ward leapt in front of intended receiver Lucas Krull to secure the fourth victory in five games for Houston (7-5) and snap a five-game winning streak for Denver (6-6). Ward credited the pass rush for allowing him to make the play.“Sometimes when that pressure gets on you, you make bad decisions and that's what he did,” Ward said.Wilson was intercepted a season-high three times, all of them after halftime. Derek Stingley Jr. had the first two picks for the Texans. The Broncos had forced 15 turnovers in their winning streak but did not have a takeaway Sunday.“We win the turnover battle and we won the game and that was the difference,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.Houston rookie C.J. Stroud threw for 274 yards to end a streak of four straight games with at least 300 yards passing. Another star rookie, Dell, will miss the rest of the season after breaking his left fibula in the first quarter, according to a person familiar with the injury. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not announce the severity of Dell’s injury.Texans rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr., the third overall pick in the draft, had the best game of his young career. The former Alabama star had two sacks, four quarterback hits, deflected one of the balls that Stingley intercepted and deflected a punt.“What a game by Will,” Ryans said. “That’s what we envisioned when we selected him.”Wilson threw for 186 yards with a touchdown in Denver’s first loss since Oct. 12.“I’ll give it to our guys, we continued to battle,” coach Sean Payton said. “We just put ourselves in a little bit too big of a hole today. ... We weren’t able to make enough plays.”Wilson was asked about the final play and whether he should have tried to throw the ball away since it was third down.“I saw Krull one-on-one, and tried to put it high for him. They made a play,” Wilson said. “We've got to score a touchdown, obviously, to win the game, and it didn’t go our way.”Early in the fourth quarter, Wilson's 41-yard pass to Jerry Jeudy got Denver to the 1, and the QB ran for the touchdown on the next play to cut Houston's lead to 22-17.The Broncos got a stop and were driving on the ensuing possession when Stingley hopped in front of a pass intended for Courtland Sutton to give Houston the ball back.Stroud was shaken up on a run on the next drive and left the game for two plays while he was examined in the medical tent on the sideline. He returned and was sacked before the Texans punted.Stroud said the officials thought he was “out of it” after the play and forced him to leave the game to get checked.Sutton grabbed a 45-yard touchdown pass from Wilson that cut the lead to 16-10 with about five minutes remaining in the third. It was the 329th career TD pass for Wilson, who moved past Dan Marino for second-most in a player’s first 12 seasons.Stroud was sacked and fumbled on third down on Houston’s next possession, but the Texans got the ball back. They punted, but Stingley intercepted Wilson on Denver’s first play on a ball that was deflected by Anderson.The Texans cashed in on the miscue when Collins scored on a 3-yard reception on the second play of the fourth quarter. Houston led 22-10 after its 2-point try failed.Collins had 927 yards receiving combined in his first two NFL seasons. He leads the Texans with 991 yards this year.“I’m just proud to see his work pay off,” Stroud said. “Blessed to be able to be in a position to feed him like that and he’s definitely stepped up when we needed him to.”The Texans forced a three-and-out on the first possession of the second half when Anderson sacked Wilson on first down and Jonathan Greenard took him down on third down. Houston pushed the lead to 16-3 on Matt Ammendola's 38-yard field goal.The Texans led by three in the first quarter when they went for it on fourth-and-2. Houston was called for a false start on the play, but Alex Singleton hit Stroud late to draw an unnecessary roughness penalty and give the Texans a first down at the Broncos 3.Two plays later, Pierce bulled in for the touchdown to make it 10-0. Dell was injured when he got rolled up at the end of Pierce’s run.INJURIESBroncos G Quinn Meinerz left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury.UP NEXTBroncos: Visit the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.Texans: Visit the New York Jets next Sunday.

Texans tame Broncos in playoff-like game with interception on final drive

By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information Director

LAS VEGAS, N.M. -- Juliana Aragon scored 23 points and two others scored in double-digits, pushing the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls past CSC Saturday night, 60-47 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

CSC falls to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in conference. The Cowgirls improve to 2-0 in conference play.

Highlands shot 38 percent compared to the Eagles 35.7 percent from the field.

Both teams were tied at 10 to finish the first period before the Cowgirls outscored the Eagles 17-8 in the second period. CSC chipped three points off of the deficit at the end of the third but were outscored by the Cowgirls 19-12 in the final period.

The Eagles finished five of 14 from behind the arc for 35.7 percent and were 2-6 from the charity stripe for 33 percent. All of CSC's free throw attempts occurred in the second half.

Highlands struggled from three, shooting 17.6 percent, but were 19 of 23 from the free throw line for 82.6 percent. Chadron State outrebounded the Cowgirls 35 to 32.

In the loss, the Eagles had a season low 13 turnovers in which the Cowgirls turned into 13 points. CSC scored eight points on seven Cowgirl turnovers.

Aragon had 23 points to lead both teams while being an efficient 11 of 13 from the charity stripe. Delani Harris added 16 and Vanessa Herrera had 12 for the Cowgirls. Only three other players scored.

Ashayla Powers, a junior from Longmont, Colorado led the Eagles with 12 points and five rebounds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701619407065.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information DirectorLAS VEGAS, N.M. -- Juliana Aragon scored 23 points and two others scored in double-digits, pushing the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls past CSC Saturday night, 60-47 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.CSC falls to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in conference. The Cowgirls improve to 2-0 in conference play.Highlands shot 38 percent compared to the Eagles 35.7 percent from the field.Both teams were tied at 10 to finish the first period before the Cowgirls outscored the Eagles 17-8 in the second period. CSC chipped three points off of the deficit at the end of the third but were outscored by the Cowgirls 19-12 in the final period.The Eagles finished five of 14 from behind the arc for 35.7 percent and were 2-6 from the charity stripe for 33 percent. All of CSC's free throw attempts occurred in the second half.Highlands struggled from three, shooting 17.6 percent, but were 19 of 23 from the free throw line for 82.6 percent. Chadron State outrebounded the Cowgirls 35 to 32.In the loss, the Eagles had a season low 13 turnovers in which the Cowgirls turned into 13 points. CSC scored eight points on seven Cowgirl turnovers.Aragon had 23 points to lead both teams while being an efficient 11 of 13 from the charity stripe. Delani Harris added 16 and Vanessa Herrera had 12 for the Cowgirls. Only three other players scored.Ashayla Powers, a junior from Longmont, Colorado led the Eagles with 12 points and five rebounds.

CSC begins RMAC women's season 0-2 in conference play

By: Con Marshall CSC Sports Information

Las Vegas, N.M. --  The Chadron State College men's basketball team went on a 21-7 run to build a 52-41 lead in the first eight minutes of the second half of its game against New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, N.M., Saturday night. However, the Cowboys outscored the Eagles 18-1 in the next six minutes and went on to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game 75-61.

During their early second half surge, the Eagles made seven of 10 field goal attempts, including a 3-pointer, and six of eight free throws.  However, they missed their next five shots from the field, had five turnovers and made only one of two free shots while Highlands caught fire and went ahead 59-53.

Even after Jarrett Taylor's 3-pointer broke CSC's six-minute field goal drought, Highlands tallied the next 10 points to go on top 69-56 to secure its victory.

Three players did most of the damage for the Cowboys. Kenard Richardson led with 20 points, 18 of them in the second half, while AC Curry scored 18 and Kyrie Thomas 15 for the game.  The trio combined to make eight of 18 three-point shots.  Other Cowboys were 0-9 from behind the arc.

Another force for the New Mexico team was 6-foot-11 Ezichi Kalu, who scored just two points in 28 minutes on the court, but grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots.

Chadron State was led by guard Bryce Latimer with 25 points on eight of 19 from the field, including a pair of treys to give the Eagles a quick 6-2 lead, and he was seven of nine from the free throw line.

CSC's only other double-figure scorer was Jalen Patterson with 12 points.

Overall, the Eagles shot just 37% from the field. Highlands hit 46%. Despite Kalu's 11 rebounds, CSC finished with 34 caroms and Highlands 30. 

The Eagles, who edged Colorado State-Pueblo 84-82 on Friday night when Latimer made a layup with three seconds remaining, are 3-4 for the season.  They will be at home for their next four games before Christmas.

They'll meet Western Colorado at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 9, Colorado Christian at 7:30 Tuesday, Dec. 12 and play Regis and Colorado-Colorado Springs on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17, respectively, both at 4 p.m.

Women's games against the same rivals will precede the men's contests by two hours each date.    

Chadron State—Bryce Latimer 25, Jalen Patterson 12, Josh Robinson 9, Martin Poznanovic 6, Jarrett Taylor 3, Dalton Peterson 3, Porter Anderson 3. Totals: 21-57 (6-17) 13-18 61 points, 34 rebounds, 14 turnovers.

N.M Highlands—Kenard Richardson 20, AC Curry 19, Kyrie Thomas 15, Messiah Turner 7, Rodney Mason 5, Nathan Hasberry 3, Ezichi Kalu 2, Aahmond Scarbrough 2, Eric Sonnenberg 2. Totals: 28-61 (8-27) 11-13 75 points, 30 rebounds, 14 turnovers.

Chadron State            31                 30           ---61

N.M. Highlands          34                 41           ---75

3-pointers: CSC—Latimer 2, Patterson 2, Taylor 1, Peterson 1. NMHU—Curry 3, Thomas 3, Richardson 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701619262533.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationLas Vegas, N.M. -- The Chadron State College men's basketball team went on a 21-7 run to build a 52-41 lead in the first eight minutes of the second half of its game against New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, N.M., Saturday night. However, the Cowboys outscored the Eagles 18-1 in the next six minutes and went on to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game 75-61.During their early second half surge, the Eagles made seven of 10 field goal attempts, including a 3-pointer, and six of eight free throws. However, they missed their next five shots from the field, had five turnovers and made only one of two free shots while Highlands caught fire and went ahead 59-53.Even after Jarrett Taylor's 3-pointer broke CSC's six-minute field goal drought, Highlands tallied the next 10 points to go on top 69-56 to secure its victory.Three players did most of the damage for the Cowboys. Kenard Richardson led with 20 points, 18 of them in the second half, while AC Curry scored 18 and Kyrie Thomas 15 for the game. The trio combined to make eight of 18 three-point shots. Other Cowboys were 0-9 from behind the arc.Another force for the New Mexico team was 6-foot-11 Ezichi Kalu, who scored just two points in 28 minutes on the court, but grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots.Chadron State was led by guard Bryce Latimer with 25 points on eight of 19 from the field, including a pair of treys to give the Eagles a quick 6-2 lead, and he was seven of nine from the free throw line.CSC's only other double-figure scorer was Jalen Patterson with 12 points.Overall, the Eagles shot just 37% from the field. Highlands hit 46%. Despite Kalu's 11 rebounds, CSC finished with 34 caroms and Highlands 30. The Eagles, who edged Colorado State-Pueblo 84-82 on Friday night when Latimer made a layup with three seconds remaining, are 3-4 for the season. They will be at home for their next four games before Christmas.They'll meet Western Colorado at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 9, Colorado Christian at 7:30 Tuesday, Dec. 12 and play Regis and Colorado-Colorado Springs on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17, respectively, both at 4 p.m.Women's games against the same rivals will precede the men's contests by two hours each date. Chadron State—Bryce Latimer 25, Jalen Patterson 12, Josh Robinson 9, Martin Poznanovic 6, Jarrett Taylor 3, Dalton Peterson 3, Porter Anderson 3. Totals: 21-57 (6-17) 13-18 61 points, 34 rebounds, 14 turnovers.N.M Highlands—Kenard Richardson 20, AC Curry 19, Kyrie Thomas 15, Messiah Turner 7, Rodney Mason 5, Nathan Hasberry 3, Ezichi Kalu 2, Aahmond Scarbrough 2, Eric Sonnenberg 2. Totals: 28-61 (8-27) 11-13 75 points, 30 rebounds, 14 turnovers.Chadron State 31 30 ---61N.M. Highlands 34 41 ---753-pointers: CSC—Latimer 2, Patterson 2, Taylor 1, Peterson 1. NMHU—Curry 3, Thomas 3, Richardson 2.

🏀MBB: Cowboys ride 18-1 run to win over Chadron State

PUEBLO, Colo. -- CSU-Pueblo outscored Chadron State 15-4 in the first quarter on its home court to propel the hosts to a 62-52 victory in the conference opener Friday for both teams in Pueblo, Colorado.

The loss drops the Eagles to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

Chadron State's lone lead of the game occurred with 6:59 to play in the first quarter. Awoti Akoi, a junior from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, made two free throws that gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead. A CSU-Pueblo basket gave them a 3-2 lead in which they never lost.

The Eagles outscored their opponents by three in the second quarter to trail by eight at half. A buzzer beater three at the end of the third period extended the hosts lead to seven and the Eagles never were able to lower their deficit to less than six in the final period.

The Pack shot 36.5 percent from the field in the victory compared to CSC's 31.3 percent. Both teams struggled from behind the arc, where the Eagles made four of their 16 attempts while CSU-Pueblo made seven of their 25.  Chadron State outrebounded its opponent 39 to 35 in the loss.

A total of 26 Eagle turnovers resulted in 23 points for the home team. CSU-Pueblo had 19 turnovers that Chadron State turned in to 18 points.

Liberty Line, a redshirt sophomore from Parker, Colorado, stayed true to her name, making 10 of her 11 attempts from the line for a team high 14 points. The Eagles finished 18 of 21 from the free throw line, good for 85.7 percent.

Kylie Krise, a Western Colorado transfer and native of Briggsdale, Colorado, chipped in ten points to join Line in double-digits.

Three Thunderwolves scored in double-digits, led by Alisha Little with 16 points. Autumn Watts and Landri Hudson added 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Ashayla Powers, a junior from Longmont, Colorado had a team high eight rebounds for CSC. Little also led the Thunderwolves in rebounds with 13 to finish with the double-double.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701529482954.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information DirectorPUEBLO, Colo. -- CSU-Pueblo outscored Chadron State 15-4 in the first quarter on its home court to propel the hosts to a 62-52 victory in the conference opener Friday for both teams in Pueblo, Colorado.The loss drops the Eagles to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play.Chadron State's lone lead of the game occurred with 6:59 to play in the first quarter. Awoti Akoi, a junior from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, made two free throws that gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead. A CSU-Pueblo basket gave them a 3-2 lead in which they never lost.The Eagles outscored their opponents by three in the second quarter to trail by eight at half. A buzzer beater three at the end of the third period extended the hosts lead to seven and the Eagles never were able to lower their deficit to less than six in the final period.The Pack shot 36.5 percent from the field in the victory compared to CSC's 31.3 percent. Both teams struggled from behind the arc, where the Eagles made four of their 16 attempts while CSU-Pueblo made seven of their 25. Chadron State outrebounded its opponent 39 to 35 in the loss.A total of 26 Eagle turnovers resulted in 23 points for the home team. CSU-Pueblo had 19 turnovers that Chadron State turned in to 18 points.Liberty Line, a redshirt sophomore from Parker, Colorado, stayed true to her name, making 10 of her 11 attempts from the line for a team high 14 points. The Eagles finished 18 of 21 from the free throw line, good for 85.7 percent.Kylie Krise, a Western Colorado transfer and native of Briggsdale, Colorado, chipped in ten points to join Line in double-digits.Three Thunderwolves scored in double-digits, led by Alisha Little with 16 points. Autumn Watts and Landri Hudson added 15 and 14 points, respectively.Ashayla Powers, a junior from Longmont, Colorado had a team high eight rebounds for CSC. Little also led the Thunderwolves in rebounds with 13 to finish with the double-double.

🏀WBB: Line's strong night not enough to bring CSC back at Pueblo to open RMAC play

PUEBLO, Colo. -- Thanks to a driving layup by senior guard Bryce Latimer with three seconds remaining, the Chadron State College men's basketball won  84-82 over homestanding Colorado State-Pueblo on Friday night in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

The Eagles took a 7-5 lead and never trailed the rest of the game. They outscored the ThunderWolves 10-2 in the final 2:14 of the first half to own a 45-35 halftime advantage. Chadron State took a 13-point lead early in the second half and was still on top 78-67 with 3:53 to play.

But things got dicey late in the game when Brevin Walter, a 6-foot-4 senior transfer from South Dakota Mines, scored the ThunderWolves' final 10 points, six of them at the free throw line.

His two fouls shots with 18 seconds remaining tied the score at 82-82. But Latimer was able to take the ball to the hoop for the winning shot. Just three seconds were left when Pueblo got the clock stopped, and the hosts could not respond before the buzzer sounded.

Latimer led the Eagles with 25 points on 11 of 25 shooting from the field and going three of four at the free throw line. Walter paced Pueblo with 26 points, making seven of 16 field goal shots and 12 of 14 free throws.

Senior forward Josh Robinson scored 19 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for the Eagles.  Center Porter Anderson added nine points while making all four of his field goal shots and his only free throw.  He also pulled down seven rebounds, but played only 12 minutes because of early foul trouble.

De'Shaun Cooper, a 6-foot-9 junior, made eight of his nine field goal attempts while scoring 16 points for Pueblo, but he grabbed only one rebound.

Chadron State outrebounded the Wolves by a 39 to 26 margin, helping the Eagles get off 10 more field goal attempts.  CSC was 33 of 66 from the field while Pueblo was 29-56, but the hosts were 21-29 at the charity stripe and the Eagles 13-18.

Now 3-3 for the season, the Eagles will play at New Mexico Highlands on Saturday night. The Cowboys defeated Colorado Christian 72-63 Friday night,

Chadron State—Bryce Latimer 25, Josh Robinson 19, Porter Anderson 9, Jalen Patterson 8, Dalton Peterson 5, Jarrett Taylors 5, Raul Nunez 5, Martin Poznanovic 4, Malakai 4. Totals: 33-66 (5-16) 13-18, 85 points, 39 rebounds. 11 turnovers.

CSU-Pueblo—Brevin Walter 26, De'Shaun Cooper 16, Armon Muldrew 11, Makiah Morris 10, Daeyon James 6, Ty Adams 6, Aurrion Harris 5, Isaish Morris 2.  Totals: 29-56 (3-15) 21-29 82 points, 26 rebounds, 7 turnovers.

Chadron State                45             39       ---84

CSU-Pueblo                   35             47       ---82

3-pointers: CSC—Patterson 2, Peterson, 1, Taylor 1, Harris 1.  CSU-P—James 2, Adam 1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701529328616.jpeg" alt="Bryce Latimer CSC Basketball" />
 <figcaption>Bryce Latimer CSC Basketball</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationPUEBLO, Colo. -- Thanks to a driving layup by senior guard Bryce Latimer with three seconds remaining, the Chadron State College men's basketball won 84-82 over homestanding Colorado State-Pueblo on Friday night in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for both teams.The Eagles took a 7-5 lead and never trailed the rest of the game. They outscored the ThunderWolves 10-2 in the final 2:14 of the first half to own a 45-35 halftime advantage. Chadron State took a 13-point lead early in the second half and was still on top 78-67 with 3:53 to play.But things got dicey late in the game when Brevin Walter, a 6-foot-4 senior transfer from South Dakota Mines, scored the ThunderWolves' final 10 points, six of them at the free throw line.His two fouls shots with 18 seconds remaining tied the score at 82-82. But Latimer was able to take the ball to the hoop for the winning shot. Just three seconds were left when Pueblo got the clock stopped, and the hosts could not respond before the buzzer sounded.Latimer led the Eagles with 25 points on 11 of 25 shooting from the field and going three of four at the free throw line. Walter paced Pueblo with 26 points, making seven of 16 field goal shots and 12 of 14 free throws.Senior forward Josh Robinson scored 19 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for the Eagles. Center Porter Anderson added nine points while making all four of his field goal shots and his only free throw. He also pulled down seven rebounds, but played only 12 minutes because of early foul trouble.De'Shaun Cooper, a 6-foot-9 junior, made eight of his nine field goal attempts while scoring 16 points for Pueblo, but he grabbed only one rebound.Chadron State outrebounded the Wolves by a 39 to 26 margin, helping the Eagles get off 10 more field goal attempts. CSC was 33 of 66 from the field while Pueblo was 29-56, but the hosts were 21-29 at the charity stripe and the Eagles 13-18.Now 3-3 for the season, the Eagles will play at New Mexico Highlands on Saturday night. The Cowboys defeated Colorado Christian 72-63 Friday night,Chadron State—Bryce Latimer 25, Josh Robinson 19, Porter Anderson 9, Jalen Patterson 8, Dalton Peterson 5, Jarrett Taylors 5, Raul Nunez 5, Martin Poznanovic 4, Malakai 4. Totals: 33-66 (5-16) 13-18, 85 points, 39 rebounds. 11 turnovers.CSU-Pueblo—Brevin Walter 26, De'Shaun Cooper 16, Armon Muldrew 11, Makiah Morris 10, Daeyon James 6, Ty Adams 6, Aurrion Harris 5, Isaish Morris 2. Totals: 29-56 (3-15) 21-29 82 points, 26 rebounds, 7 turnovers.Chadron State 45 39 ---84CSU-Pueblo 35 47 ---823-pointers: CSC—Patterson 2, Peterson, 1, Taylor 1, Harris 1. CSU-P—James 2, Adam 1.

Latimer wins it with driving layup for CSC in final seconds

Kearney, Neb. –&nbsp;All-American middle Taya Beller had a match-high 22 kills and third-ranked Wayne State controlled the final two sets to rally past 13th-ranked Nebraska Kearney (<a href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wvball&amp;id=7814" target="_blank">18-25, -23, 20-25, -22, -9</a>) Friday night in an NCAA Tournament second round match in St. Paul, Minn.This was the first meeting between the Wildcats (30-2) and the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;(29-6) in eight years and the first-ever national tourney battle between the two. UNK still has a healthy 69-10 all-time series advantage.

Wayne will meet either Concordia-St. Paul or Central Missouri on Saturday night for the right to advance to the “Elite Eight.”"In both matches this weekend I thought we competed at a different level. I'm proud of our team as if we had won because they came out here and left it all out on the court," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Rick Squiers&nbsp;on the&nbsp; Radio&nbsp;postgame&nbsp;show. "A little bit of the inexperience we have that maybe they don't shows up once or twice and that's about all it takes to put you in a tough spot."Ranked number one for much of the last two seasons, Wayne had fewer kills and digs than the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;and hit six points lower. However, they registered six more blocks, took advantage of seven UNK service errors and hit .260 over the final two sets. The Blue &amp; Gold amassed 21 kills in the fourth and fifth sets but had only early leads in both."In the fourth when we kind of made a run at them at the end (7-1 run to make it 21-20), I thought we're right there again. It comes down to just a play or two in moments like that and they were able to make a couple. Some of that is because they have good athletes who have a little more margin for error," said Squiers.

UNK's best set was the third when it hit .306 (14-3-36) to help erase deficits of 4-1, 7-3 and 10-6. The Lopers closed on an 11-6 run with back-to-back blocks making it 2-1 on the scoreboard. In the first set, Kearney had an 18-9 outburst to erase a four-point hole. They then closed with three straight points, the final one being a block.In the fifth, Wayne took advantage of two service errors and four kills from senior outside&nbsp;Kelsie&nbsp;Cada&nbsp;to control the&nbsp;action. UNK led 2-1 after a kill from sophomore outside&nbsp;Emilee&nbsp;Lane&nbsp;(Hays, Kan.) but the 'Cats zoomed ahead to lead 7-4 and 9-7.

The&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;got within 11-9 but the final four points of the match all went to the Black &amp; Gold."We ran out of juice a little bit," said&nbsp;Squiers. "Every year is a different journey but this one was unique by the way it started … the outdoor match and then going for the regular season attendance record."Beller, a 6-2 fifth-year junior, hit .383 and added six blocks to her offensive output. She had six kills in each of the first two sets and then four in both the third and fourth. Next,&nbsp;Cada&nbsp;had 14 kills and went 26 for 27 in serve receive with freshman outside Channatee Robles and fifth-year junior middle Maggie Brahmer having 11 kills apiece. A 2022 All-American, Brahmer had a team-best nine blocks with sophomore Taylor Bunjer adding seven more. 

Finally,&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Jordan McCormick had 23 digs.Lane, in relief of All-American&nbsp;Emersen Cyza&nbsp;(Alliance) due to injury, went for 16 kills in a team-best 50 swings. The total was one shy of tying her career high. For the fifth straight match, junior outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) had a double digit kill total, going for 16 in 48 swings. Next, right side&nbsp;Jaden Ferguson&nbsp;(Lincoln SW) had her 10th double double (17 digs, 13 kills, .297 pct.) of the year with freshman middle&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) hot early and ending with 10 kills and six stuffs. Sophomore middle&nbsp;Trista&nbsp;Marx&nbsp;(Limon, Colo.) was strong late to the tune of eight kills, two blocks and a .375 efficiency.Also for the&nbsp;Lopers,&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Lauren Taubenheim&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) had 23 digs, junior DS&nbsp;Jensen&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;(Minden) had 16 and two aces with setter&nbsp;Peyton Neff&nbsp;(North Platte) having her typical all-around effort; 59 assists, 17 digs, four aces, block and kill.This was the curtain call for&nbsp;Cyza&nbsp;and Ferguson with&nbsp;Taubenheim,&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;and DS/S&nbsp;Rhianna Wilhelm&nbsp;(Henderson) all having a "COVID" year available if they wish to return in 2024.

Peter Yazvac/ UNK Media RelationsKearney, Neb. –&nbsp;All-American middle Taya Beller had a match-high 22 kills and third-ranked Wayne State controlled the final two sets to rally past 13th-ranked Nebraska Kearney (<a href="https://lopers.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wvball&amp;id=7814" target="_blank">18-25, -23, 20-25, -22, -9</a>) Friday night in an NCAA Tournament second round match in St. Paul, Minn.This was the first meeting between the Wildcats (30-2) and the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;(29-6) in eight years and the first-ever national tourney battle between the two. UNK still has a healthy 69-10 all-time series advantage.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701529474714.png" alt="Wayne State Postgame" />
 <figcaption>Wayne State Postgame</figcaption>
 </figure>Wayne will meet either Concordia-St. Paul or Central Missouri on Saturday night for the right to advance to the “Elite Eight.”"In both matches this weekend I thought we competed at a different level. I'm proud of our team as if we had won because they came out here and left it all out on the court," said UNK head coach&nbsp;Rick Squiers&nbsp;on the&nbsp; Radio&nbsp;postgame&nbsp;show. "A little bit of the inexperience we have that maybe they don't shows up once or twice and that's about all it takes to put you in a tough spot."Ranked number one for much of the last two seasons, Wayne had fewer kills and digs than the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;and hit six points lower. However, they registered six more blocks, took advantage of seven UNK service errors and hit .260 over the final two sets. The Blue &amp; Gold amassed 21 kills in the fourth and fifth sets but had only early leads in both."In the fourth when we kind of made a run at them at the end (7-1 run to make it 21-20), I thought we're right there again. It comes down to just a play or two in moments like that and they were able to make a couple. Some of that is because they have good athletes who have a little more margin for error," said Squiers.(Wayne State Postgame Press Conference)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I9JnegOVrj4?si=588veHnmJxDaLMsV" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>UNK's best set was the third when it hit .306 (14-3-36) to help erase deficits of 4-1, 7-3 and 10-6. The Lopers closed on an 11-6 run with back-to-back blocks making it 2-1 on the scoreboard. In the first set, Kearney had an 18-9 outburst to erase a four-point hole. They then closed with three straight points, the final one being a block.In the fifth, Wayne took advantage of two service errors and four kills from senior outside&nbsp;Kelsie&nbsp;Cada&nbsp;to control the&nbsp;action. UNK led 2-1 after a kill from sophomore outside&nbsp;Emilee&nbsp;Lane&nbsp;(Hays, Kan.) but the 'Cats zoomed ahead to lead 7-4 and 9-7. The&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;got within 11-9 but the final four points of the match all went to the Black &amp; Gold."We ran out of juice a little bit," said&nbsp;Squiers. "Every year is a different journey but this one was unique by the way it started … the outdoor match and then going for the regular season attendance record."Beller, a 6-2 fifth-year junior, hit .383 and added six blocks to her offensive output. She had six kills in each of the first two sets and then four in both the third and fourth. Next,&nbsp;Cada&nbsp;had 14 kills and went 26 for 27 in serve receive with freshman outside Channatee Robles and fifth-year junior middle Maggie Brahmer having 11 kills apiece. A 2022 All-American, Brahmer had a team-best nine blocks with sophomore Taylor Bunjer adding seven more. Finally,&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Jordan McCormick had 23 digs.Lane, in relief of All-American&nbsp;Emersen Cyza&nbsp;(Alliance) due to injury, went for 16 kills in a team-best 50 swings. The total was one shy of tying her career high. For the fifth straight match, junior outside&nbsp;Asha Regier&nbsp;(Newton, Kan.) had a double digit kill total, going for 16 in 48 swings. Next, right side&nbsp;Jaden Ferguson&nbsp;(Lincoln SW) had her 10th double double (17 digs, 13 kills, .297 pct.) of the year with freshman middle&nbsp;Mia Berg&nbsp;(Eureka, Mo.) hot early and ending with 10 kills and six stuffs. Sophomore middle&nbsp;Trista&nbsp;Marx&nbsp;(Limon, Colo.) was strong late to the tune of eight kills, two blocks and a .375 efficiency.Also for the&nbsp;Lopers,&nbsp;libero&nbsp;Lauren Taubenheim&nbsp;(Lincoln Pius) had 23 digs, junior DS&nbsp;Jensen&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;(Minden) had 16 and two aces with setter&nbsp;Peyton Neff&nbsp;(North Platte) having her typical all-around effort; 59 assists, 17 digs, four aces, block and kill.This was the curtain call for&nbsp;Cyza&nbsp;and Ferguson with&nbsp;Taubenheim,&nbsp;Rowse&nbsp;and DS/S&nbsp;Rhianna Wilhelm&nbsp;(Henderson) all having a "COVID" year available if they wish to return in 2024.

Wayne St takes down UNK to move on in NCAA Tournament

Perkins County Schools has announced that Ava Reese has committed to Hastings College to continue her education and athletic career to run track. Reese signed in the school's gym.

Perkins County Schools has announced that Ava Reese has committed to Hastings College to continue her education and athletic career to run track. Reese signed in the school's gym.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPerkinsCntySchools%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0ArS55tfgoDcjQsYou9EwJizuvLcr5uLWJmsVYw6F97NuNRmvBNqf6vTAJ4c82aFal&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="703" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Perkins County Ava Reese commits to Hastings College for track

Story by Pro Volleyball Federation

<a href="https://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Pro Volleyball Federation</a>, North America’s premier women’s professional volleyball league, has announced a multi-year agreement with&nbsp;<a href="https://franklinsports.com/" target="_blank">Franklin Sports</a>, a leading manufacturer in the sporting goods industry. As part of the partnership, Franklin’s newly designed REAL Pro Volleyball will become the exclusive volleyball of the League. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The partnership between Pro Volleyball Federation and Franklin Sports comes at the perfect time. Both organizations share a collective goal and commitment of bringing the highest level of women’s professional volleyball to the United States. In teaming up, Franklin and the League will shine a light on the first real opportunity for women to play professional volleyball in North America at a major league level. To that end, the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball was designed for Pro Volleyball Federation to rival any other ball played in any other league in the world. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “We always aimed to be able to design and produce our own ball for Pro Volleyball Federation that would stand up to any other ball in the world, and our partners at Franklin have helped us accomplish that goal,” said Dave Whinham, co-founder of Pro Volleyball Federation. “From the start Franklin expressed a desire to disrupt the status quo in the volleyball space and become a real leader in the production and development of the highest quality volleyballs. That commitment to excellence, and its desire to disrupt, made Franklin the perfect partner in developing this new ball for our League.”&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Designed specifically for Pro Volleyball Federation, the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball is renowned for its innovative and cutting-edge features including a distinctive cover material, a 12-panel design, and an innovative wave surface texture. The ball’s embossed cover and precisely balanced construction play a pivotal role in ball tracking, assisting in generating consistent float and spin through the air while ensuring a seamless experience for players. The cover material, pattern, and surface texture are meticulously crafted to enhance touch, providing superior ball control and making it conducive to high-intensity performance. &nbsp;

Story by Pro Volleyball Federation<a href="https://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">Pro Volleyball Federation</a>, North America’s premier women’s professional volleyball league, has announced a multi-year agreement with&nbsp;<a href="https://franklinsports.com/" target="_blank">Franklin Sports</a>, a leading manufacturer in the sporting goods industry. As part of the partnership, Franklin’s newly designed REAL Pro Volleyball will become the exclusive volleyball of the League. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The partnership between Pro Volleyball Federation and Franklin Sports comes at the perfect time. Both organizations share a collective goal and commitment of bringing the highest level of women’s professional volleyball to the United States. In teaming up, Franklin and the League will shine a light on the first real opportunity for women to play professional volleyball in North America at a major league level. To that end, the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball was designed for Pro Volleyball Federation to rival any other ball played in any other league in the world. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “We always aimed to be able to design and produce our own ball for Pro Volleyball Federation that would stand up to any other ball in the world, and our partners at Franklin have helped us accomplish that goal,” said Dave Whinham, co-founder of Pro Volleyball Federation. “From the start Franklin expressed a desire to disrupt the status quo in the volleyball space and become a real leader in the production and development of the highest quality volleyballs. That commitment to excellence, and its desire to disrupt, made Franklin the perfect partner in developing this new ball for our League.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Designed specifically for Pro Volleyball Federation, the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball is renowned for its innovative and cutting-edge features including a distinctive cover material, a 12-panel design, and an innovative wave surface texture. The ball’s embossed cover and precisely balanced construction play a pivotal role in ball tracking, assisting in generating consistent float and spin through the air while ensuring a seamless experience for players. The cover material, pattern, and surface texture are meticulously crafted to enhance touch, providing superior ball control and making it conducive to high-intensity performance. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The ball is designed to meet all&nbsp;Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) size and weight requirements and has passed all performance standards. This guarantees that players at all levels, from amateur enthusiasts to professional athletes, can rely on the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball for quality and performance during play.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “We are incredibly excited to partner with Pro Volleyball Federation and to have Franklin’s REAL Pro Volleyball designated as the exclusive volleyball of the federation. This collaboration milestone highlights our commitment to innovation and quality, aligning with Pro Volleyball Federation’s vision for the sport’s future growth,” said Adam Franklin, President of Franklin Sports. “The REAL Pro Volleyball is not just a ball; it represents our shared dedication to empowering the players. We are beyond thrilled to be a part of Pro Volleyball Federation’s inaugural season and working together to shape a new era in women’s volleyball.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Franklin&nbsp;also manufactures licensed products for Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, and USA Pickleball.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seven teams for the inaugural season will compete, with squads in Atlanta, Columbus, Ohio, Grand Rapids, Mich., Las Vegas, Omaha, Neb., Orlando, Fla. and San Diego. Two additional markets (Dallas and Kansas City, Mo.) have already been announced for 2025. Overall, the League will be showcased in three different time zones in the United States in season one. Matches will take place on 67 different dates between January and May 2024 as opponents will be competing every day of the week.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Franklin Sports will have prominent visibility on the court in all Pro Volleyball Federation arenas, inclusion during games and commercials, along with dedicated Franklin product exhibits showcasing fan favorites and participating in League contests and sweepstakes. The Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball will be on display for the first time at the American Volleyball Coaches Association Convention (AVCA) in Tampa, Fla. from December 14-17. The ball will officially debut on the court for Pro Volleyball Federation’s inaugural match between the Atlanta Vibe and Omaha Supernovas at CHI Center on January 24 at 8 p.m. ET.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As a valuable league partner, Franklin Sports will collaborate with Pro Volleyball Federation on growth initiatives for the sport that seek to drive participation in volleyball nationwide. Support of the numerous camps and clinics organized by each League franchise throughout the year will be integral to this grassroots development.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For more information about the Franklin REAL Pro Volleyball visit&nbsp;<a href="https://franklinsports.com/elite-pro-volleyball" target="_blank">franklinsports.com/elite-pro-volleyball</a>&nbsp;and for photography assets visit&nbsp;<a href="https://app.frame.io/presentations/283ca123-0881-4ae5-88d6-fdc920507d4a" target="_blank">here</a>. To learn more about Pro Volleyball Federation, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>. &nbsp;ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION&nbsp;Pro Volleyball Federation is&nbsp;REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL&nbsp;and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.provolleyball.com/" target="_blank">ProVolleyball.com</a>.&nbsp;ABOUT FRANKLIN SPORTS&nbsp;Founded by Irving Franklin in 1946, Franklin Sports is a Stoughton, Massachusetts-based sporting goods brand that manufactures and sells over 10,000 products across many different categories. Franklin Sports is proud of its partnerships with Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, USA Pickleball, Pro Volleyball Federation and Hasbro’s Nerf brand including the leagues’ youth participation programs. Franklin also works with hundreds of elite athletes through sports equipment and apparel collaborations. Franklin is a multigenerational, family-owned business with a rich history and trusted reputation as a quality sporting goods brand – from recreational sports all the way up to the professional level – has made it one of the perennial leaders in the industry. At Franklin Sports, the team believes that sports make life better. Driven by Franklin’s passion to get people moving, playing, and competing, the Franklin mission is to bring sports to life for athletes of all ages. Whether designing a product for a World Series MVP or a child enjoying their first swings of the bat, Franklin Sports is dedicated to making sports inspiring, fun and accessible for all. For more information on Franklin Sports, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.franklinsports.com/" target="_blank">www.franklinsports.com</a>&nbsp;or follow Franklin on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/franklinsports/" target="_blank">@franklinsports</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/franklinsportseqp/" target="_blank">@franklinsportseqp</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/franklinpickleball/" target="_blank">@franklinpickleball</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FranklinSports" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FranklinSports" target="_blank">@franklinsports</a>.