Chadron State College Interim Athletic Director Ted Tewahade announced Tuesday that men's basketball head coach Shane Paben will not have his contract renewed.

"Coach Paben has brought success to the men's basketball program at Chadron State College," Tewahade said. "We thank him for time and dedication to Chadron State College."

Chadron State finished the 2023-24 season with a 12-17 overall record and a 9-13 mark in conference play. In four years, Paben had a combined record of 46-52 and was 36-39 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.

The Eagles qualified for the RMAC Tournament in three of the four years under Paben.

Prior to CSC, Paben was the head men's basketball coach at Bellevue University for 11 years. For his career, he owns a record of 321-152.

Tewahade said a national search for a men's basketball coach will begin soon.

"CSC has outstanding student-athletes, a top-notch facility, and a supportive fan base," Tewahade said. "I am excited to see what the future for CSC men's basketball holds."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711502869499.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: CSC Sports InformationChadron State College Interim Athletic Director Ted Tewahade announced Tuesday that men's basketball head coach Shane Paben will not have his contract renewed."Coach Paben has brought success to the men's basketball program at Chadron State College," Tewahade said. "We thank him for time and dedication to Chadron State College."Chadron State finished the 2023-24 season with a 12-17 overall record and a 9-13 mark in conference play. In four years, Paben had a combined record of 46-52 and was 36-39 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.The Eagles qualified for the RMAC Tournament in three of the four years under Paben.Prior to CSC, Paben was the head men's basketball coach at Bellevue University for 11 years. For his career, he owns a record of 321-152.Tewahade said a national search for a men's basketball coach will begin soon."CSC has outstanding student-athletes, a top-notch facility, and a supportive fan base," Tewahade said. "I am excited to see what the future for CSC men's basketball holds."

Chadron State not renewing basketball coach Shane Paben's contract

Story by NU Athletic Communications

The No. 23 Nebraska women’s gymnastics team was selected to be a part of the Arkansas regional of the 2024 NCAA Championships, which is set for April 3-6. NU was placed in the second round of the regional and will compete against No. 7 Kentucky, No. 10 Arkansas and Arizona.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This marks the 39th time the Big Red has earned an NCAA Championship berth, and the second straight as a team.&nbsp;

“We are super excited to not only be 'dancing' on, but to go back down to Arkansas," Head Coach Heather Brink said. "We were just there a few weeks ago and know exactly what to expect in the environment. It's a great place to compete in."

NU is led by All-Big Ten honorees Emma Spence (first-team), Kinsey Davis (second-team) and Sophia McClelland (second-team). The team is coming off a seventh-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and a score of 196.250. In the three meets before the conference championships, Nebraska notched three-straight scores of 197.000 or above.&nbsp;

The top two teams from each session of the Arkansas regional will qualify for the regional finals, and the top two teams from the regional finals will qualify for the championship round, which takes place April 18-20 in Fort Worth, Texas.&nbsp;

The other three regional sites are Ann Arbor, Mich., Gainesville, Fla. and Berkeley, Calif.&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe No. 23 Nebraska women’s gymnastics team was selected to be a part of the Arkansas regional of the 2024 NCAA Championships, which is set for April 3-6. NU was placed in the second round of the regional and will compete against No. 7 Kentucky, No. 10 Arkansas and Arizona.&nbsp;&nbsp;This marks the 39th time the Big Red has earned an NCAA Championship berth, and the second straight as a team.&nbsp;“We are super excited to not only be 'dancing' on, but to go back down to Arkansas," Head Coach Heather Brink said. "We were just there a few weeks ago and know exactly what to expect in the environment. It's a great place to compete in."NU is led by All-Big Ten honorees Emma Spence (first-team), Kinsey Davis (second-team) and Sophia McClelland (second-team). The team is coming off a seventh-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and a score of 196.250. In the three meets before the conference championships, Nebraska notched three-straight scores of 197.000 or above.&nbsp;The top two teams from each session of the Arkansas regional will qualify for the regional finals, and the top two teams from the regional finals will qualify for the championship round, which takes place April 18-20 in Fort Worth, Texas.&nbsp;The other three regional sites are Ann Arbor, Mich., Gainesville, Fla. and Berkeley, Calif.&nbsp;

Huskers gymnastics garner NCAA Bid 

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle Post

On Monday, Former Husker and professional basketball player Jordan Hooper announced the formation of the Hooper/Hiemstra Basketball academy for young basketball players in the Panhandle.&nbsp;

Hooper said in a Facebook post that the basketball academy will be put on by herself and Mason and Randy Hiemstra and will be known as 'H2BA.'

Hooper stresses that the Academy will work with high school Coaches in the Panhandle and will offer an old school approach to the contemporary game of the sport.&nbsp;

"We see the need and we want to give western Nebraska a product we can all be proud of," Hooper said.

The academy will be offered to boys and girls for grades 3-5, 6-8, and high school, and the program will work with area high schools in the area.

Hooper says all of the details of the Academy have not been established, but for more information, you can message them at Hooper/Hiemstra Basketball Academy on Facebook.&nbsp;

Hooper and Hiemstra, both Alliance natives starred for the Bulldogs before having standout college careers, Hooper with Nebraska and Hiemstra with Hastings and Chadron State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711421840668.jpeg" alt="Mason Hiemstra left, Jordan Hooper right. (Photo courtesy of&nbsp; Hooper/Hiemstra Basketball Academy)" />
 <figcaption>Mason Hiemstra left, Jordan Hooper right. (Photo courtesy of&nbsp; Hooper/Hiemstra Basketball Academy)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Alex Benzegala Panhandle PostOn Monday, Former Husker and professional basketball player Jordan Hooper announced the formation of the Hooper/Hiemstra Basketball academy for young basketball players in the Panhandle.&nbsp;Hooper said in a Facebook post that the basketball academy will be put on by herself and Mason and Randy Hiemstra and will be known as 'H2BA.'Hooper stresses that the Academy will work with high school Coaches in the Panhandle and will offer an old school approach to the contemporary game of the sport.&nbsp;"We see the need and we want to give western Nebraska a product we can all be proud of," Hooper said.The academy will be offered to boys and girls for grades 3-5, 6-8, and high school, and the program will work with area high schools in the area.Hooper says all of the details of the Academy have not been established, but for more information, you can message them at Hooper/Hiemstra Basketball Academy on Facebook.&nbsp;Hooper and Hiemstra, both Alliance natives starred for the Bulldogs before having standout college careers, Hooper with Nebraska and Hiemstra with Hastings and Chadron State.

Hooper/Hiemstra Basketball Academy to help youth basketball in Panhandle

Pending approval by the School Board, Alliance High School is thrilled to announce the hiring of four varsity head coaches.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Our new head softball coach is Heston Williams.&nbsp; Heston is graduating from Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota this spring.&nbsp; Heston is a member of the baseball team at Mount Marty.&nbsp; Coach Williams will teach PE at Alliance High School.&nbsp; His wife Andi will be a fifth grade teacher at Grandview Elementary.

Our new head volleyball coach is Tabitha Unzicker. Tabitha is a 2014 graduate of Alliance High School and the University of Nebraska Kearney.&nbsp; She also earned a master's degree from Black Hills State.&nbsp; Tabitha began her coaching career as the head volleyball coach of the Bayard Tigers.&nbsp; In four years, she has a record of 71-51 and led Bayard to its first state tournament appearance in 30 years in 2022 with a record of 31-2.&nbsp; Tabitha served as an assistant coach in the Western Nebraska All star volleyball game in 2023.&nbsp; Tabitha teaches special education at Emerson Elementary.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Our new girls basketball coach is Mickenzie Brennan.&nbsp; Mickenzie is a 2015 graduate of Alliance High School and Chadron State.&nbsp; She fought through numerous injuries while playing basketball for AHS and went on to play college basketball at Mid Plains Community College and Chadron State.&nbsp; Mickenzie began her career as a teacher and coach at Hyannis High School.&nbsp; She most recently coached for Alliance Middle School and has served as an assistant coach for Alliance High School.

Our new boys basketball coach is Jordan Mills.&nbsp; Jordan is a 2015 graduate of Alliance High School and Chadron State.&nbsp; Jordan was a standout player for the Bulldogs.&nbsp; He played college basketball for Mid Plains Community College and Chadron State.&nbsp; Jordan has taught elementary PE in Rapid City and was a freshmen coach and varsity assistant coach at Rapid City Central.&nbsp; Jordan will teach at Alliance High School.&nbsp; His wife Samantha is also a graduate of Alliance High School.&nbsp; They are excited to move back to Alliance.

All of these coaches are eager to begin working with the athletes of Alliance High School.

By Alliance High School Activity OfficePending approval by the School Board, Alliance High School is thrilled to announce the hiring of four varsity head coaches.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our new head softball coach is Heston Williams.&nbsp; Heston is graduating from Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota this spring.&nbsp; Heston is a member of the baseball team at Mount Marty.&nbsp; Coach Williams will teach PE at Alliance High School.&nbsp; His wife Andi will be a fifth grade teacher at Grandview Elementary.Our new head volleyball coach is Tabitha Unzicker. Tabitha is a 2014 graduate of Alliance High School and the University of Nebraska Kearney.&nbsp; She also earned a master's degree from Black Hills State.&nbsp; Tabitha began her coaching career as the head volleyball coach of the Bayard Tigers.&nbsp; In four years, she has a record of 71-51 and led Bayard to its first state tournament appearance in 30 years in 2022 with a record of 31-2.&nbsp; Tabitha served as an assistant coach in the Western Nebraska All star volleyball game in 2023.&nbsp; Tabitha teaches special education at Emerson Elementary.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our new girls basketball coach is Mickenzie Brennan.&nbsp; Mickenzie is a 2015 graduate of Alliance High School and Chadron State.&nbsp; She fought through numerous injuries while playing basketball for AHS and went on to play college basketball at Mid Plains Community College and Chadron State.&nbsp; Mickenzie began her career as a teacher and coach at Hyannis High School.&nbsp; She most recently coached for Alliance Middle School and has served as an assistant coach for Alliance High School.Our new boys basketball coach is Jordan Mills.&nbsp; Jordan is a 2015 graduate of Alliance High School and Chadron State.&nbsp; Jordan was a standout player for the Bulldogs.&nbsp; He played college basketball for Mid Plains Community College and Chadron State.&nbsp; Jordan has taught elementary PE in Rapid City and was a freshmen coach and varsity assistant coach at Rapid City Central.&nbsp; Jordan will teach at Alliance High School.&nbsp; His wife Samantha is also a graduate of Alliance High School.&nbsp; They are excited to move back to Alliance.All of these coaches are eager to begin working with the athletes of Alliance High School.

Alliance hires four head-coaches to fill vacancies

Kansas City, Mo.&nbsp;- Husker sophomore Brock Hardy (141) led the Huskers with a third-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Championships, and the Nebraska wrestling team scored 60.5 points to claim ninth overall.&nbsp;

Five Huskers competed in the NCAA medal round, highlighted by Hardy’s upset victory and Peyton Robb’s win to conclude his Husker career with his fourth all-american honor.&nbsp;

Nebraska’s five NCAA All-Americans marks the fifth time in seven years the program has had four or more claim the award. Since 2012, Nebraska has had at least two wrestlers receive All-American honors, and the program has earned a total of 136 combined awards from 75 wrestlers.&nbsp;

Third-Place MatchNo. 9 Hardy lost in Friday morning’s quarterfinals but climbed the ladder in consolation, winning four-straight, to claim a third-place finish. The two-time NCAA All-American defeated No. 2 Real Woods by decision 7-6 and finished his run with a 6-1 record.&nbsp;

Fifth-Place MatchTop-seeded Ridge Lovett battled No. 2 Kyle Parco for the second time this season for fifth at 149. Lovett earned an escape in the second period, but Parco scored a last-second takedown to finish on top, 3-1. The Big Ten champion ends his NCAA run as three-time All-American and finishes the year with a 27-4 record.&nbsp;

In the 125 fifth-place match, No. 15 Caleb Smith (125) met No. 2 Luke Stanich (LEH) in a rematch of the pair’s bout in the second round. Smith battled, but Stanich was victorious with the 5-1 decision. Smith closed the weekend with his first career All-American honor and a sixth-place finish.&nbsp;

Seventh-Place MatchAt 157, No. 8 Robb ended his Husker career surpassing 100 victories, earning his fourth all-american honor and finishing seventh. Robb used three takedowns to top No. 10 Jared Franek of Iowa and ended his career with a 102-35 mark.&nbsp;

No. 8 Antrell Taylor (165) met West Virginia’s No. 9 Peyton Hall for seventh. The two wrestled a tight match before Hall secured the 2-1 decision. The redshirt freshman concluded his impressive first career NCAA Championship with an eighth-place finish.&nbsp;

Cons. SemifinalsNo. 9 Hardy (141) advanced to the third-place match after a medical forfeit from UNC’s No. 6 Lachlan McNeil.&nbsp;

No. 15 Smith met two-time All-American No. 12 Anthony Noto of Lock Haven at 125. The two were tied 1-1 after regulation, but Noto got the takedown in sudden victory to top Smith, 4-1. Top-seeded Lovett then wrestled No. 7 Tyler Kasak of Penn State. Kasak scored two takedowns in the opening period to go on and defeat Lovett by major decision, 10-1. Both Smith and Lovett went on to wrestle for fifth.&nbsp;

NCAA ChampionshipsT-Mobile Center | Kansas City, Mo.&nbsp;Sessions I - VIMarch 21-23, 2024

125: No. 15 Caleb Smith (4-3) 6thFirst Round: No. 15 Smith dec. No. 15 Michael DeAugustino (MICH) 4-1 SV-1Second Round: No. 15 Smith dec. No. 2 Luke Stanich (LEH) 4-1 SV-1&nbsp;Quarterfinals: No. 10 Eric Barnett (WIS) dec. No. 15 Smith 4-3 TB-2&nbsp;Round of 12: No. 15 Smith dec. No. 20 Stevo Poulin (UNCO) 5-0Cons. Quarters: No. 15 Smith dec. No. 23 Tanner Jordan (SDSU) 5-2 SV-1Cons. Semis: No. 12 Anthony Noto (LH) dec. No. 15 Smith 4-1 SV-1Fifth-Place Match: No. 2 Luke Stanich (LEH) dec. No. 15 Smith 5-1

133: No. 14 Jacob Van Dee (1-2) DNPFirst Round: No. 14 Van Dee dec. No. 19 Julian Farber (UNI) 5-1Second Round: No. 3 Kai Orine (NCST) dec. No. 14 Van Dee 2-0Cons. Second Round: No. 20 Tyler Wells (MINN) major dec. No. 14 Van Dee 11-2&nbsp;

141: No. 9 Brock Hardy (6-1) 3rdFirst Round: No. 9 Hardy tech. fall No. 24 Danny Pucino (ILL) 20-4 (6:35)&nbsp;Second Round: No. 9 Hardy dec. No. 8 Sergio Lemley (MICH) 10-4Quarterfinals: No. 1 Jesse Mendez (OHST) dec. No. 9 Hardy 5-2Round of 12: No. 9 Hardy dec. No. 11 Josh Koderhandt (NAVY) 7-3Cons. Quarters: No. 9 Hardy pinned No. 4 Ryan Jack (NCST)&nbsp;Cons. Semis: No. 9 Hardy tops No. 6 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) MFFThird-Place Match: No. 9 Hardy dec. No. 3 Real Woods (IOWA) 7-6

149: No. 1 Ridge Lovett (3-3) 6thFirst Round: No. 1 Lovett pinned No. 33 Michael Cetta (RUT) 1:30Second Round: No. 1 Lovett dec. No. 17 Graham Rooks (IND) 11-4Quarterfinals: No. 1 Lovett major dec. No. 8 Casey Swiderski (ISU) 14-4Semifinals: No. 4 Caleb Henson (VT) dec. No. 1 Lovett 1-0Cons. Semis: No. 7 Tyler Kasak (PSU) major dec. No. 1 Lovett 10-1Fifth-Place Match: No. 2 Kyle Parco dec. No. 1 Lovett 3-1&nbsp;

157: No. 8 Peyton Robb (4-2) 7thFirst Round: No. 8 Robb dec. No. 25 Trevor Chumbley (NW) 1-0Second Round: No. 8 Robb dec. No. 9 Will Lewan (MICH) 11-6Quarterfinals: No. 1 Levi Haines (PSU) major dec. No. 8 Robb 8-0Round of 12: No. 8 Robb dec. No. 19 Tommy Askey (APP) 9-4Cons. Quarters: No. 7 Peyten Kellar (OHIO) dec. No. 8 Robb 12-10Seventh-Place Match: No. 8 Robb major dec. No. 10 Jared Franek (IOWA) 11-2

165: No. 8 Antrell Taylor (3-3) 8thFirst Round: No. 8 Taylor major dec. No. 25 Holden Heller (PITT) 11-0Second Round: No. 8 Taylor dec. No. 9 Peyton Hall (WVU) 11-9Quarterfinals: No. 1 Keegan O’Toole (MIZZ) pinned No. 8 Taylor (4:06)Round of 12: No. 8 Taylor dec. No. 14 Giano Petrucelli (AF) 11-6Cons. Quarters: No. 7 Izzak Olejnik (OKST) dec. No. 8 Taylor 2-0Seventh-Place Match: No. 9 Peyton Hall (WVU) dec. No. 8 Taylor 2-1&nbsp;

184: No. 5 Lenny Pinto (2-2) DNPFirst Round: No. 5 Pinto tech. fall No. 28 Caleb Hopkins (CAMP) 25-8 (7:00)Second Round: No. 5 Pinto dec. No. 12 Jaden Bullock (MICH) 4-2Quarterfinals: No. 4 Trey Munoz (ORST) dec. No. 5 Pinto 5-3Round of 12: No. 9 Bennett Berge (SDSU) dec. No. 5 Pinto 13-8

197: No. 10 Silas Allred (2-2) DNPFirst Round: No. 10 Allred dec. No. 23 Luke Geog (OHST) 10-3Second Round: No. 10 Allred dec. No. 26 Andy Smith (VT) 4-2Quarterfinals: No. 2 Trent Hidlay (NCST) major dec. No. 10 Allred 11-3Round of 12: No. 5 Jacob Cardenas (COR) dec. No. 10 Allred 5-2

HWT: No. 29 Nash Hutmacher (0-2) DNP&nbsp;First Round: No. 4 Cohlton Schultz (ASU) dec. No. 29 Hutmacher 10-3Cons. First Round: No. 20 Daniel Bucknavich (CSU) dec. No. 29 Hutmacher 5-2 SV-1

By NU AthleticsKansas City, Mo.&nbsp;- Husker sophomore Brock Hardy (141) led the Huskers with a third-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Championships, and the Nebraska wrestling team scored 60.5 points to claim ninth overall.&nbsp;Five Huskers competed in the NCAA medal round, highlighted by Hardy’s upset victory and Peyton Robb’s win to conclude his Husker career with his fourth all-american honor.&nbsp;Nebraska’s five NCAA All-Americans marks the fifth time in seven years the program has had four or more claim the award. Since 2012, Nebraska has had at least two wrestlers receive All-American honors, and the program has earned a total of 136 combined awards from 75 wrestlers.&nbsp;Third-Place MatchNo. 9 Hardy lost in Friday morning’s quarterfinals but climbed the ladder in consolation, winning four-straight, to claim a third-place finish. The two-time NCAA All-American defeated No. 2 Real Woods by decision 7-6 and finished his run with a 6-1 record.&nbsp;Fifth-Place MatchTop-seeded Ridge Lovett battled No. 2 Kyle Parco for the second time this season for fifth at 149. Lovett earned an escape in the second period, but Parco scored a last-second takedown to finish on top, 3-1. The Big Ten champion ends his NCAA run as three-time All-American and finishes the year with a 27-4 record.&nbsp;In the 125 fifth-place match, No. 15 Caleb Smith (125) met No. 2 Luke Stanich (LEH) in a rematch of the pair’s bout in the second round. Smith battled, but Stanich was victorious with the 5-1 decision. Smith closed the weekend with his first career All-American honor and a sixth-place finish.&nbsp;Seventh-Place MatchAt 157, No. 8 Robb ended his Husker career surpassing 100 victories, earning his fourth all-american honor and finishing seventh. Robb used three takedowns to top No. 10 Jared Franek of Iowa and ended his career with a 102-35 mark.&nbsp;No. 8 Antrell Taylor (165) met West Virginia’s No. 9 Peyton Hall for seventh. The two wrestled a tight match before Hall secured the 2-1 decision. The redshirt freshman concluded his impressive first career NCAA Championship with an eighth-place finish.&nbsp;Cons. SemifinalsNo. 9 Hardy (141) advanced to the third-place match after a medical forfeit from UNC’s No. 6 Lachlan McNeil.&nbsp;No. 15 Smith met two-time All-American No. 12 Anthony Noto of Lock Haven at 125. The two were tied 1-1 after regulation, but Noto got the takedown in sudden victory to top Smith, 4-1. Top-seeded Lovett then wrestled No. 7 Tyler Kasak of Penn State. Kasak scored two takedowns in the opening period to go on and defeat Lovett by major decision, 10-1. Both Smith and Lovett went on to wrestle for fifth.&nbsp;NCAA ChampionshipsT-Mobile Center | Kansas City, Mo.&nbsp;Sessions I - VIMarch 21-23, 2024125: No. 15 Caleb Smith (4-3) 6thFirst Round: No. 15 Smith dec. No. 15 Michael DeAugustino (MICH) 4-1 SV-1Second Round: No. 15 Smith dec. No. 2 Luke Stanich (LEH) 4-1 SV-1&nbsp;Quarterfinals: No. 10 Eric Barnett (WIS) dec. No. 15 Smith 4-3 TB-2&nbsp;Round of 12: No. 15 Smith dec. No. 20 Stevo Poulin (UNCO) 5-0Cons. Quarters: No. 15 Smith dec. No. 23 Tanner Jordan (SDSU) 5-2 SV-1Cons. Semis: No. 12 Anthony Noto (LH) dec. No. 15 Smith 4-1 SV-1Fifth-Place Match: No. 2 Luke Stanich (LEH) dec. No. 15 Smith 5-1133: No. 14 Jacob Van Dee (1-2) DNPFirst Round: No. 14 Van Dee dec. No. 19 Julian Farber (UNI) 5-1Second Round: No. 3 Kai Orine (NCST) dec. No. 14 Van Dee 2-0Cons. Second Round: No. 20 Tyler Wells (MINN) major dec. No. 14 Van Dee 11-2&nbsp;141: No. 9 Brock Hardy (6-1) 3rdFirst Round: No. 9 Hardy tech. fall No. 24 Danny Pucino (ILL) 20-4 (6:35)&nbsp;Second Round: No. 9 Hardy dec. No. 8 Sergio Lemley (MICH) 10-4Quarterfinals: No. 1 Jesse Mendez (OHST) dec. No. 9 Hardy 5-2Round of 12: No. 9 Hardy dec. No. 11 Josh Koderhandt (NAVY) 7-3Cons. Quarters: No. 9 Hardy pinned No. 4 Ryan Jack (NCST)&nbsp;Cons. Semis: No. 9 Hardy tops No. 6 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) MFFThird-Place Match: No. 9 Hardy dec. No. 3 Real Woods (IOWA) 7-6149: No. 1 Ridge Lovett (3-3) 6thFirst Round: No. 1 Lovett pinned No. 33 Michael Cetta (RUT) 1:30Second Round: No. 1 Lovett dec. No. 17 Graham Rooks (IND) 11-4Quarterfinals: No. 1 Lovett major dec. No. 8 Casey Swiderski (ISU) 14-4Semifinals: No. 4 Caleb Henson (VT) dec. No. 1 Lovett 1-0Cons. Semis: No. 7 Tyler Kasak (PSU) major dec. No. 1 Lovett 10-1Fifth-Place Match: No. 2 Kyle Parco dec. No. 1 Lovett 3-1&nbsp;157: No. 8 Peyton Robb (4-2) 7thFirst Round: No. 8 Robb dec. No. 25 Trevor Chumbley (NW) 1-0Second Round: No. 8 Robb dec. No. 9 Will Lewan (MICH) 11-6Quarterfinals: No. 1 Levi Haines (PSU) major dec. No. 8 Robb 8-0Round of 12: No. 8 Robb dec. No. 19 Tommy Askey (APP) 9-4Cons. Quarters: No. 7 Peyten Kellar (OHIO) dec. No. 8 Robb 12-10Seventh-Place Match: No. 8 Robb major dec. No. 10 Jared Franek (IOWA) 11-2165: No. 8 Antrell Taylor (3-3) 8thFirst Round: No. 8 Taylor major dec. No. 25 Holden Heller (PITT) 11-0Second Round: No. 8 Taylor dec. No. 9 Peyton Hall (WVU) 11-9Quarterfinals: No. 1 Keegan O’Toole (MIZZ) pinned No. 8 Taylor (4:06)Round of 12: No. 8 Taylor dec. No. 14 Giano Petrucelli (AF) 11-6Cons. Quarters: No. 7 Izzak Olejnik (OKST) dec. No. 8 Taylor 2-0Seventh-Place Match: No. 9 Peyton Hall (WVU) dec. No. 8 Taylor 2-1&nbsp;184: No. 5 Lenny Pinto (2-2) DNPFirst Round: No. 5 Pinto tech. fall No. 28 Caleb Hopkins (CAMP) 25-8 (7:00)Second Round: No. 5 Pinto dec. No. 12 Jaden Bullock (MICH) 4-2Quarterfinals: No. 4 Trey Munoz (ORST) dec. No. 5 Pinto 5-3Round of 12: No. 9 Bennett Berge (SDSU) dec. No. 5 Pinto 13-8197: No. 10 Silas Allred (2-2) DNPFirst Round: No. 10 Allred dec. No. 23 Luke Geog (OHST) 10-3Second Round: No. 10 Allred dec. No. 26 Andy Smith (VT) 4-2Quarterfinals: No. 2 Trent Hidlay (NCST) major dec. No. 10 Allred 11-3Round of 12: No. 5 Jacob Cardenas (COR) dec. No. 10 Allred 5-2HWT: No. 29 Nash Hutmacher (0-2) DNP&nbsp;First Round: No. 4 Cohlton Schultz (ASU) dec. No. 29 Hutmacher 10-3Cons. First Round: No. 20 Daniel Bucknavich (CSU) dec. No. 29 Hutmacher 5-2 SV-1

Huskers Wrestling claims top-ten national finish

Local High School Track Meet Results Page

&gt; John Ganser Invite - Sidney High School, March 22 Boys Team Champion: Laramie, WY Girls Team Champion: Laramie, WY <a href="https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/527482/results">Results Link</a>

&gt; Binfield Invite - Scottsbluff High School, March 22 Boys Team Champion: Scottsbluff Girls Team Champion: Scottsbluff <a href="https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/541327/results">Results Link</a>

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Sidney, Scottsbluff Track Meet Champions & Results

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Wearing three-piece suits matters to Texas A&amp;M coach Buzz Williams.

Since his Aggies snapped a five-game skid with him wearing a more casual outfit, he's stuck with the same clothes, down to boxers and undershirt.

Wade Taylor IV scored 25 points and No. 9 seed Texas A&amp;M sent eighth-seeded Nebraska home still looking for its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a>&nbsp;victory, beating the Huskers 98-83 on Friday night in the South Region.

“We need to find a cleaners in Memphis because they’re wet after every game, and I’m making everybody wear the same thing over and over, which I’ve never done,” Williams said. “But I’m not saying there’s causation, and that’s why we’re winning. But in case there is, that’s what I’ll wear on Sunday.”

Texas A&amp;M (21-14) will play top-seeded Houston on Sunday with a trip to Dallas awaiting in the Sweet 16.

The Aggies added insult to injury by beating Nebraska after unexpectedly hiring athletic director Trev Alberts away from his alma mater for the same job&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-am-alberts-nebraska-85885942186b80ae2812dc7a48dcae6c">last week.</a>

Manny Obaseki added 22 points for the Aggies, who put five players in double figures and scored a season high in points. Tyrece Radford finished with 20, making Texas A&amp;M the first SEC team with a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SECNetwork/status/1771350819721396341?s=20">trio scoring at least 20 points</a>&nbsp;in this tournament since 2007.

Jace Carter also had 13, and Henry Coleman III scored 10.

“The job is not finished,” Radford said of his message to the Aggies. “Yes, it feels amazing to win. It’s an honor to even be here. But we just can’t get stuck on this win, because we still have a long tournament ahead of us.”

<a href="https://www.apnews.com/hub/nebraska-cornhuskers">Nebraska</a>&nbsp;(23-11) leaves Memphis still looking for that elusive NCAA victory following the program's best finish in Big Ten play since 1992-93. The Huskers tied for third and then reached the Big Ten semifinals, posting the second-most wins in program history to earn coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-march-madness-hoiberg-extension-805ecf64cdc9f4b1a5230f24e49d95c4">Fred Hoiberg an extension</a>.

“We ran into a buzzsaw,” Hoiberg said of the Aggies.

Brice Williams led the Huskers with 24 points.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-keisei-tominaga-nebraska-japan-2f0fc89a7d2d4e84671ec3f0d380b1f5">Keisei Tominaga</a>&nbsp;had 21, and Josiah Allick had 14.

The Aggies gave the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/southeastern-conference">Southeastern Conference</a>&nbsp;a much-needed win after getting eight teams in, and now the league is 3-5. The Aggies also used their size to dominate Nebraska inside with a 40-28 outrebounding difference while outscoring them 44-38 in the paint.

Texas A&amp;M is 6-1 in March since Williams put Obaseki into the starting lineup.

Obaseki had been averaging 6.3 points per game this season and 15.8 in this stretch as a starter. Obaseki had 19 by halftime, making his first three 3s and posing for a moment after the last one. Taylor scored 17, then went to the bench with two fouls. Obaseki scored the final 16 points of the first half for the Aggies.

“It’s been fun playing alongside Wade,” Obaseki said. “It’s been an honor. I played against him since fourth, fifth grade, just seeing his game and seeing him succeed at a high level makes me happy.”

Together, they broke open what had sounded and looked like a Nebraska home game with a thrilling start featuring nine lead changes and three ties. The Huskers last led 31-30 when the Aggies, who lost the SEC Tournament semifinals in Nashville, took control.

Taylor's fifth 3 put the Aggies ahead to stay at 33-31, and they led 58-44 at halftime after failing to reach 58 points in four games during the season.

Texas A&amp;M: The Aggies improved to 14-16 all-time in their 16th appearance in the tournament, getting their first win since 2018 and the first since Williams took over in 2019. ... The Aggies have become 3-point specialists after averaging just 6.9 made 3s a game coming into this tournament. They went 13 of 23 (56.5%). ... They also set a team record at this tournament, topping the 92 points scored in a pair of games in 2016.

Nebraska: The Huskers came in 10th nationally in field goal defense, holding opponents to 39.7% shooting. They allowed Texas A&amp;M to shoot 49.3% (35 of 71). ... They weren't much better on offense after finishing the first half missing 12 of their final 13 shots.

The Aggies may get a rematch with the Big 12 program a mere 100 miles away if Houston takes care of its business. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-am-houston-basketball-score-9067f8570bb559931729c6bbf4a40fed">Cougars beat Texas A&amp;M 70-66 on Dec. 16</a>&nbsp;in Houston.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711208827205.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Wearing three-piece suits matters to Texas A&amp;M coach Buzz Williams.Since his Aggies snapped a five-game skid with him wearing a more casual outfit, he's stuck with the same clothes, down to boxers and undershirt.Wade Taylor IV scored 25 points and No. 9 seed Texas A&amp;M sent eighth-seeded Nebraska home still looking for its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a>&nbsp;victory, beating the Huskers 98-83 on Friday night in the South Region.“We need to find a cleaners in Memphis because they’re wet after every game, and I’m making everybody wear the same thing over and over, which I’ve never done,” Williams said. “But I’m not saying there’s causation, and that’s why we’re winning. But in case there is, that’s what I’ll wear on Sunday.”Texas A&amp;M (21-14) will play top-seeded Houston on Sunday with a trip to Dallas awaiting in the Sweet 16.The Aggies added insult to injury by beating Nebraska after unexpectedly hiring athletic director Trev Alberts away from his alma mater for the same job&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-am-alberts-nebraska-85885942186b80ae2812dc7a48dcae6c">last week.</a>Manny Obaseki added 22 points for the Aggies, who put five players in double figures and scored a season high in points. Tyrece Radford finished with 20, making Texas A&amp;M the first SEC team with a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SECNetwork/status/1771350819721396341?s=20">trio scoring at least 20 points</a>&nbsp;in this tournament since 2007.Jace Carter also had 13, and Henry Coleman III scored 10.“The job is not finished,” Radford said of his message to the Aggies. “Yes, it feels amazing to win. It’s an honor to even be here. But we just can’t get stuck on this win, because we still have a long tournament ahead of us.”<a href="https://www.apnews.com/hub/nebraska-cornhuskers">Nebraska</a>&nbsp;(23-11) leaves Memphis still looking for that elusive NCAA victory following the program's best finish in Big Ten play since 1992-93. The Huskers tied for third and then reached the Big Ten semifinals, posting the second-most wins in program history to earn coach&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-march-madness-hoiberg-extension-805ecf64cdc9f4b1a5230f24e49d95c4">Fred Hoiberg an extension</a>.“We ran into a buzzsaw,” Hoiberg said of the Aggies.Brice Williams led the Huskers with 24 points.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-keisei-tominaga-nebraska-japan-2f0fc89a7d2d4e84671ec3f0d380b1f5">Keisei Tominaga</a>&nbsp;had 21, and Josiah Allick had 14.The Aggies gave the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/southeastern-conference">Southeastern Conference</a>&nbsp;a much-needed win after getting eight teams in, and now the league is 3-5. The Aggies also used their size to dominate Nebraska inside with a 40-28 outrebounding difference while outscoring them 44-38 in the paint.Texas A&amp;M is 6-1 in March since Williams put Obaseki into the starting lineup.Obaseki had been averaging 6.3 points per game this season and 15.8 in this stretch as a starter. Obaseki had 19 by halftime, making his first three 3s and posing for a moment after the last one. Taylor scored 17, then went to the bench with two fouls. Obaseki scored the final 16 points of the first half for the Aggies.“It’s been fun playing alongside Wade,” Obaseki said. “It’s been an honor. I played against him since fourth, fifth grade, just seeing his game and seeing him succeed at a high level makes me happy.”Together, they broke open what had sounded and looked like a Nebraska home game with a thrilling start featuring nine lead changes and three ties. The Huskers last led 31-30 when the Aggies, who lost the SEC Tournament semifinals in Nashville, took control.Taylor's fifth 3 put the Aggies ahead to stay at 33-31, and they led 58-44 at halftime after failing to reach 58 points in four games during the season.BIG PICTURETexas A&amp;M: The Aggies improved to 14-16 all-time in their 16th appearance in the tournament, getting their first win since 2018 and the first since Williams took over in 2019. ... The Aggies have become 3-point specialists after averaging just 6.9 made 3s a game coming into this tournament. They went 13 of 23 (56.5%). ... They also set a team record at this tournament, topping the 92 points scored in a pair of games in 2016.Nebraska: The Huskers came in 10th nationally in field goal defense, holding opponents to 39.7% shooting. They allowed Texas A&amp;M to shoot 49.3% (35 of 71). ... They weren't much better on offense after finishing the first half missing 12 of their final 13 shots.UP NEXTThe Aggies may get a rematch with the Big 12 program a mere 100 miles away if Houston takes care of its business. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-am-houston-basketball-score-9067f8570bb559931729c6bbf4a40fed">Cougars beat Texas A&amp;M 70-66 on Dec. 16</a>&nbsp;in Houston.

Aggies add March Madness insult, beating Nebraska 98-83 after hiring Huskers' AD

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Alexis Markowski had 16 points and six rebounds and sixth-seeded Nebraska won its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a>&nbsp;game since 2014 by just barely holding off No. 11 Texas A&amp;M 61-59 on Friday night.

Nebraska (23-22) will play third-seeded Oregon State on Sunday. The Beavers (25-7) overcame a slow start to defeat No. 14 Eastern Washington 73-51 in the earlier game Friday night. The winner Sunday heads to the Sweet 16 in Albany, New York.

Logan Nissley also had 16 points for Nebraska. Senior Jaz Shelley, who averaged 13.7 points and 5.6 assists this season, had five points while adding five rebounds and six assists.

“Just a tough, gritty win,” Markowski said. ”They were chipping away. I felt like our turnovers, they were really capitalizing on those and scoring. And I think we really stuck together and leaned into each other.

"There was no doubt in our mind that we were going to win our game.”

Aicha Coulibaly had 26 points and 10 rebounds for Texas A&amp;M (19-12), which finished fifth in the SEC and earned an at-large bid in this year’s tournament.

The Huskers led by as many as 17 points, but Coulibaly's short jumper got Texas A&amp;M within 56-54 with 4:34 left. Endyia Rogers made a pair of free throws to tie it at 66.

Markowski's layup under the basket put Nebraska in front before Coulibaly's layup and free throw gave the Aggies the narrow lead with 17.7 seconds to go.

The Huskers regained the lead on Nissley's free throws. Shelley made the first of a pair with 1.7 seconds to make it 61-59.

Rogers' 3-point attempt for the win was off and the Huskers advanced.

Nebraska finished fifth in the Big Ten this season, but advanced to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-nebraska-big-ten-womens-championship-7b445b70a54fcf8c4212e4399851305f">conference tournament final before falling to Iowa and Caitlin Clark</a>.

It was Texas A&amp;M’s first trip to the tournament since 2021, when the team advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season.

Texas A&amp;M vastly improved since last season, when the team won just nine games in coach Joni Taylor’s first year. She said she hoped the loss Friday didn't overshadow the improvement the team made this year.

“My message after the game was how proud I was in their fight, how hard they fought, their resiliency, their toughness,” Taylor said. “We talked about being able to put four quarters together, not play just a half of basketball. And that's our next step, is to play four quarters, consistently, all the time.”

The Aggies were ranked 15th in the nation in rebounding, with a collective average of 42.3 total rebounds a game. They finished with 38 against the Huskers.

Nebraska held a 14-12 lead after the first quarter and began to pull away in the second, going ahead 24-17 on Nissley's 3-pointer.

The Huskers led 27-20 at halftime and extended their advantage to 36-22 on Kendall Moriarty's 3-pointer in the third quarter.

The Aggies closed the gap to 48-40 early in the fourth quarter on Coulibaly's layup.

“When we lost that 17-point lead and went down by a point, lots of teams would cave in that moment,” Nebraska coach Amy Williams said. “But our kids stayed locked and focused. They made some big free throws down the stretch and found a way.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711208755652.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Alexis Markowski had 16 points and six rebounds and sixth-seeded Nebraska won its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a>&nbsp;game since 2014 by just barely holding off No. 11 Texas A&amp;M 61-59 on Friday night.Nebraska (23-22) will play third-seeded Oregon State on Sunday. The Beavers (25-7) overcame a slow start to defeat No. 14 Eastern Washington 73-51 in the earlier game Friday night. The winner Sunday heads to the Sweet 16 in Albany, New York.Logan Nissley also had 16 points for Nebraska. Senior Jaz Shelley, who averaged 13.7 points and 5.6 assists this season, had five points while adding five rebounds and six assists.“Just a tough, gritty win,” Markowski said. ”They were chipping away. I felt like our turnovers, they were really capitalizing on those and scoring. And I think we really stuck together and leaned into each other."There was no doubt in our mind that we were going to win our game.”Aicha Coulibaly had 26 points and 10 rebounds for Texas A&amp;M (19-12), which finished fifth in the SEC and earned an at-large bid in this year’s tournament.The Huskers led by as many as 17 points, but Coulibaly's short jumper got Texas A&amp;M within 56-54 with 4:34 left. Endyia Rogers made a pair of free throws to tie it at 66.Markowski's layup under the basket put Nebraska in front before Coulibaly's layup and free throw gave the Aggies the narrow lead with 17.7 seconds to go.The Huskers regained the lead on Nissley's free throws. Shelley made the first of a pair with 1.7 seconds to make it 61-59.Rogers' 3-point attempt for the win was off and the Huskers advanced.Nebraska finished fifth in the Big Ten this season, but advanced to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-nebraska-big-ten-womens-championship-7b445b70a54fcf8c4212e4399851305f">conference tournament final before falling to Iowa and Caitlin Clark</a>.It was Texas A&amp;M’s first trip to the tournament since 2021, when the team advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season.Texas A&amp;M vastly improved since last season, when the team won just nine games in coach Joni Taylor’s first year. She said she hoped the loss Friday didn't overshadow the improvement the team made this year.“My message after the game was how proud I was in their fight, how hard they fought, their resiliency, their toughness,” Taylor said. “We talked about being able to put four quarters together, not play just a half of basketball. And that's our next step, is to play four quarters, consistently, all the time.”The Aggies were ranked 15th in the nation in rebounding, with a collective average of 42.3 total rebounds a game. They finished with 38 against the Huskers.Nebraska held a 14-12 lead after the first quarter and began to pull away in the second, going ahead 24-17 on Nissley's 3-pointer.The Huskers led 27-20 at halftime and extended their advantage to 36-22 on Kendall Moriarty's 3-pointer in the third quarter.The Aggies closed the gap to 48-40 early in the fourth quarter on Coulibaly's layup.“When we lost that 17-point lead and went down by a point, lots of teams would cave in that moment,” Nebraska coach Amy Williams said. “But our kids stayed locked and focused. They made some big free throws down the stretch and found a way.”

No. 6 Nebraska blows lead but holds on to beat No. 11 Texas A&M 61-59

Scotts Bluff County Arraignments for 3/22/24

Detainee Name	DOB	Case #		Arresting 	Bond	Location

Manuel Trevino	01/22/81	POV		SBPD	NONE	M21	71

Alejandro Gauna	07/17/65	CR24-526		SBPD	NONE	C10	8

Joshua Harshbarger	09/29/81	Poss cont sub X2, Poss drug para		NSO	NONE	I02	6,		Poss marijuana &lt; 1oz, Poss stolen 							property					

Garrett Olds	10/28/93	DUS		GERPD	5,000	F21	

Scotts Bluff County Arraignments for 3/22/24Detainee Name	DOB	Case #		Arresting 	Bond	Location	Manuel Trevino	01/22/81	POV		SBPD	NONE	M21	71Alejandro Gauna	07/17/65	CR24-526		SBPD	NONE	C10	8Joshua Harshbarger	09/29/81	Poss cont sub X2, Poss drug para		NSO	NONE	I02	6,		Poss marijuana &lt; 1oz, Poss stolen 							property					Garrett Olds	10/28/93	DUS		GERPD	5,000	F21

Scotts Bluff County Police Activity for 3/22/24

Q.&nbsp;Aicha, what was your reaction when you saw Texas A&amp;M's name pop up on the bracket screen?

AICHA COULIBALY: I was super excited because this is the first time I've ever been to the NCAA Tournament. I'm a senior, and it was a lot of excitement. I just didn't know what to say. I was shocked. It feels great.

Q.&nbsp;Aicha, what's it like when you're watching that show when you're on the bubble? What's the emotions of watching that entire show?

AICHA COULIBALY: Like I said, our name popped up and they called our name really fast. I was just sitting in my chair, I was just screaming all over the place and jumping. I was just full of emotions. It's just exciting to see how far we came this season. We had some lows and some ups and downs, and we just kept fighting, and this is where we are at right now, and it feels great.

Q.&nbsp;You obviously had one of the better reactions of the selection show Sunday. How do you move forward from that and get ready to play a game against a team like Nebraska?

JANIAH BARKER: I think it's just -- first, of course, it's a blessing to be here, and I think it was really, really cool and fun just to be a part of that, and it was all very, very genuine. We came in the next day or two days later. I think we had an off day, we came in and was ready to work. Joni -- after the selection show, we seen the coaches for a little bit and then they left. They wanted to go scout it. They came to us and told us we have a really good chance to do this and they believe in us, and I think we're all excited to be here, and honestly all respect to Nebraska, all respect to everybody here, but we're ready to do what we need to do, which is win.

Q.&nbsp;Playing South Carolina, coaches, fans, people will say playing a team like that will make you better. Do you believe any of that, or is that just what people say after you have a game like that?

AICHA COULIBALY: I feel like that's what people will say, and I know what our team is capable of and what I am capable of. It wasn't new, and I feel like we just stayed composed and played our game, and that's what we've got to keep doing going into the game tomorrow, as well, against Nebraska.

Q.&nbsp;Endyia Rogers played a couple years just down the road here at Oregon. When you guys knew you were coming here, what was her reaction and what she has told you about playing in this part of the country?

JANIAH BARKER: Honestly if you seen the video that we posted on Texas A&amp;M, she was on the side over here doing one of these. She was really, really excited.

We landed in Eugene, actually, and we drove over to here. She's just excited herself. She's back in Pac-12 country, and I think she's excited to play and get back to her regular self because she's back on the court.

I'm excited tore her to be back here, and hopefully she can do what she did when she was at Oregon for us.

Q.&nbsp;What challenges does Nebraska present to y'all, and what will it take to play a great game tomorrow?

AICHA COULIBALY: I think it's going to take a lot of mental focus for us. They have a lot of shooters and we have to be ready to contest every shot.

Just stick to our own defensive principles and do what we're told to do and follow the game plan and scouting and stuff, doing our job. It's going to take everybody, not only one person can win this game. Just getting stops and like offensively executing on offense and just staying focused the whole game. It's going to be a mental game for sure, so we've just got to stay locked in and play our game and not get distracted.

Q.&nbsp;What's the biggest change for you as a player from last season to this season?

JANIAH BARKER: I would think for me as a player, my role. I think last year I was a more freer person just because I was a freshman and just trying to figure out what was really going on. I think this year I have more on my plate as the coaches give me, which is a blessing, as well. But just to be a better leader, just to be a better example of what a good teammate should be, a good player should be, a good listener.

It's just a lot of stuff that they told me about me mentally, just learning from those types of things. But I've grown a lot, and I'm really happy for my coaching staff to give me those types of things to get better at and go forward. Yeah, I've grown just being a better Janiah.

JONI TAYLOR: I'm excited to be here in Corvallis, obviously, in the tournament. Excited for our team. This was one of our goals for this year, and ready to get out and practice and just get going so we can face a really tough Nebraska team tomorrow. We're going to have our hands full. They shoot it, they have great post presence, really, really good team and have a great body of work, and just excited to get out there and perform tomorrow.

Q.&nbsp;Endyia Rogers played nearby at Oregon for a couple years. What's been her reaction to being selected to play here in Corvallis?

JONI TAYLOR: Well, I think, number one, Endyia is really grateful to be back playing. She understands the impact she has on our team, and she worked extremely hard to get herself back on the court. Excited for her to be able to play, and then to make the tournament and then find out we're coming to Corvallis, I think she's got a ton of fans who are coming to support her. It's a gym she's familiar in, and just excited for her to go out and play again.

Q.&nbsp;What's unique or a challenge about playing Nebraska, that matchup?

JONI TAYLOR: Well, I mean, they put five scorers on the floor. You look at their starters and four out of five make the all-tournament team in some way, whether it's Freshman of the Year, First Team, all-freshman team. Extremely talented. They play with great pace, and then they can also slow you down, pound it inside. They just have weapons all over the floor, and it makes it hard to double because they can hit you from three. Jaz does a really good job of scoring off the bounce. She's a three-level scorer. They just stretch you defensively.

Then offensively they make it really hard, as well. They, in my opinion, from the film that I've watched, they're as good defensively as they are offensively, and I don't think they get enough credit for how good they are defensively.

Q.&nbsp;Y'all had one of the better reactions on Sunday for the selection show. How do you move forward emotionally to get ready for the biggest game of the season?

JONI TAYLOR: Right. Well, I was really excited about their reaction because I have been in that room a ton of times where when you know you're going, it's like, okay, we're in, what's next. So to capture how they felt, how we all felt, was a really, really special thing, and we wanted them to have that moment. That's what Sunday was for. We also had Monday off. So when we got to work on Tuesday, we were locked in and ready to go, which is something this team has done all year long.

We try really hard to be neutral and not ride the wave of being too high or being too low. We've had some really high moments this year, and we've had some really low moments this year, and we've remained really neutral throughout it all, so I think this was par for the course in terms of how we responded.

Q.&nbsp;Obviously last year you won nine times and now 19. How does it feel to feel validated and being in March Madness in year two?

JONI TAYLOR: Well, I think for us, it's our own internal validation of we're taking the right steps. This is where we wanted to be in year two to get Texas A&amp;M women's basketball back into the tournament. It was one of our key goals for the year, and we did that.

I think as a staff, as a program, all it does for us is confirm that we're moving in the right direction. Are we where we want to be? Absolutely not. But are we moving in the right direction? Sure.

In terms of outside validation, we really try hard to not worry about what other people think, say or feel because if they're not in our program every day, they have no bearing on what goes on.

Q.&nbsp;Endyia Rogers had her injury late in the season. How is your team different when she is healthy?

JONI TAYLOR: You know, I'm going to quote Buzz Williams here. He texted me after the Mississippi State game in the SEC tournament obviously saying&nbsp;congratulations,&nbsp;happy birthday, all the things, but I had been saying it but not in the way he said it, and what he said to me was with Endyia back on the floor, it looks like everybody can sit back in their normal seat at the table. I think that's what she does for us. There's a calm. There's a, okay, let me put down this extra load that I was carrying and just pick up my normal bag that I wear, and you can see that when she's on the floor. Coming off the bench or starting, just knowing that she's available gives everybody a sense of calm, and it allows us to take our normal seats at the table.

Q.&nbsp;There was a photo taken of both the men's program and the women's program before both teams left on Wednesday praying in a circle. What does that mean to you being synchronized with your men's program?

JONI TAYLOR: I have been fortunate to be at a lot of institutions where there's been incredible men coaches for leaders and incredible staff and young men as players. I have never been a part of something as special as we're a part of now with our men's program at Texas A&amp;M, and that comes from the top down. That starts with Buzz. His young men are who they are because of him and how he leads them and directs them.

There is cohesion. There's chemistry there. There's friendship. Our director of athletics culture came to me the day before and said, hey, both teams are practicing, can we pray before we practice and leave. Absolutely.

Story by NCAA Communications<div><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/MsaQX58R-Qhb3tgnY.html" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="20240321 Nebraska Pregame (1)" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Q.&nbsp;Aicha, what was your reaction when you saw Texas A&amp;M's name pop up on the bracket screen?AICHA COULIBALY: I was super excited because this is the first time I've ever been to the NCAA Tournament. I'm a senior, and it was a lot of excitement. I just didn't know what to say. I was shocked. It feels great.Q.&nbsp;Aicha, what's it like when you're watching that show when you're on the bubble? What's the emotions of watching that entire show?AICHA COULIBALY: Like I said, our name popped up and they called our name really fast. I was just sitting in my chair, I was just screaming all over the place and jumping. I was just full of emotions. It's just exciting to see how far we came this season. We had some lows and some ups and downs, and we just kept fighting, and this is where we are at right now, and it feels great.Q.&nbsp;You obviously had one of the better reactions of the selection show Sunday. How do you move forward from that and get ready to play a game against a team like Nebraska?JANIAH BARKER: I think it's just -- first, of course, it's a blessing to be here, and I think it was really, really cool and fun just to be a part of that, and it was all very, very genuine. We came in the next day or two days later. I think we had an off day, we came in and was ready to work. Joni -- after the selection show, we seen the coaches for a little bit and then they left. They wanted to go scout it. They came to us and told us we have a really good chance to do this and they believe in us, and I think we're all excited to be here, and honestly all respect to Nebraska, all respect to everybody here, but we're ready to do what we need to do, which is win.Q.&nbsp;Playing South Carolina, coaches, fans, people will say playing a team like that will make you better. Do you believe any of that, or is that just what people say after you have a game like that?AICHA COULIBALY: I feel like that's what people will say, and I know what our team is capable of and what I am capable of. It wasn't new, and I feel like we just stayed composed and played our game, and that's what we've got to keep doing going into the game tomorrow, as well, against Nebraska.Q.&nbsp;Endyia Rogers played a couple years just down the road here at Oregon. When you guys knew you were coming here, what was her reaction and what she has told you about playing in this part of the country?JANIAH BARKER: Honestly if you seen the video that we posted on Texas A&amp;M, she was on the side over here doing one of these. She was really, really excited.We landed in Eugene, actually, and we drove over to here. She's just excited herself. She's back in Pac-12 country, and I think she's excited to play and get back to her regular self because she's back on the court.I'm excited tore her to be back here, and hopefully she can do what she did when she was at Oregon for us.Q.&nbsp;What challenges does Nebraska present to y'all, and what will it take to play a great game tomorrow?AICHA COULIBALY: I think it's going to take a lot of mental focus for us. They have a lot of shooters and we have to be ready to contest every shot.Just stick to our own defensive principles and do what we're told to do and follow the game plan and scouting and stuff, doing our job. It's going to take everybody, not only one person can win this game. Just getting stops and like offensively executing on offense and just staying focused the whole game. It's going to be a mental game for sure, so we've just got to stay locked in and play our game and not get distracted.Q.&nbsp;What's the biggest change for you as a player from last season to this season?JANIAH BARKER: I would think for me as a player, my role. I think last year I was a more freer person just because I was a freshman and just trying to figure out what was really going on. I think this year I have more on my plate as the coaches give me, which is a blessing, as well. But just to be a better leader, just to be a better example of what a good teammate should be, a good player should be, a good listener.It's just a lot of stuff that they told me about me mentally, just learning from those types of things. But I've grown a lot, and I'm really happy for my coaching staff to give me those types of things to get better at and go forward. Yeah, I've grown just being a better Janiah.JONI TAYLOR: I'm excited to be here in Corvallis, obviously, in the tournament. Excited for our team. This was one of our goals for this year, and ready to get out and practice and just get going so we can face a really tough Nebraska team tomorrow. We're going to have our hands full. They shoot it, they have great post presence, really, really good team and have a great body of work, and just excited to get out there and perform tomorrow.Q.&nbsp;Endyia Rogers played nearby at Oregon for a couple years. What's been her reaction to being selected to play here in Corvallis?JONI TAYLOR: Well, I think, number one, Endyia is really grateful to be back playing. She understands the impact she has on our team, and she worked extremely hard to get herself back on the court. Excited for her to be able to play, and then to make the tournament and then find out we're coming to Corvallis, I think she's got a ton of fans who are coming to support her. It's a gym she's familiar in, and just excited for her to go out and play again.Q.&nbsp;What's unique or a challenge about playing Nebraska, that matchup?JONI TAYLOR: Well, I mean, they put five scorers on the floor. You look at their starters and four out of five make the all-tournament team in some way, whether it's Freshman of the Year, First Team, all-freshman team. Extremely talented. They play with great pace, and then they can also slow you down, pound it inside. They just have weapons all over the floor, and it makes it hard to double because they can hit you from three. Jaz does a really good job of scoring off the bounce. She's a three-level scorer. They just stretch you defensively.Then offensively they make it really hard, as well. They, in my opinion, from the film that I've watched, they're as good defensively as they are offensively, and I don't think they get enough credit for how good they are defensively.Q.&nbsp;Y'all had one of the better reactions on Sunday for the selection show. How do you move forward emotionally to get ready for the biggest game of the season?JONI TAYLOR: Right. Well, I was really excited about their reaction because I have been in that room a ton of times where when you know you're going, it's like, okay, we're in, what's next. So to capture how they felt, how we all felt, was a really, really special thing, and we wanted them to have that moment. That's what Sunday was for. We also had Monday off. So when we got to work on Tuesday, we were locked in and ready to go, which is something this team has done all year long.We try really hard to be neutral and not ride the wave of being too high or being too low. We've had some really high moments this year, and we've had some really low moments this year, and we've remained really neutral throughout it all, so I think this was par for the course in terms of how we responded.Q.&nbsp;Obviously last year you won nine times and now 19. How does it feel to feel validated and being in March Madness in year two?JONI TAYLOR: Well, I think for us, it's our own internal validation of we're taking the right steps. This is where we wanted to be in year two to get Texas A&amp;M women's basketball back into the tournament. It was one of our key goals for the year, and we did that.I think as a staff, as a program, all it does for us is confirm that we're moving in the right direction. Are we where we want to be? Absolutely not. But are we moving in the right direction? Sure.In terms of outside validation, we really try hard to not worry about what other people think, say or feel because if they're not in our program every day, they have no bearing on what goes on.Q.&nbsp;Endyia Rogers had her injury late in the season. How is your team different when she is healthy?JONI TAYLOR: You know, I'm going to quote Buzz Williams here. He texted me after the Mississippi State game in the SEC tournament obviously saying&nbsp;congratulations,&nbsp;happy birthday, all the things, but I had been saying it but not in the way he said it, and what he said to me was with Endyia back on the floor, it looks like everybody can sit back in their normal seat at the table. I think that's what she does for us. There's a calm. There's a, okay, let me put down this extra load that I was carrying and just pick up my normal bag that I wear, and you can see that when she's on the floor. Coming off the bench or starting, just knowing that she's available gives everybody a sense of calm, and it allows us to take our normal seats at the table.Q.&nbsp;There was a photo taken of both the men's program and the women's program before both teams left on Wednesday praying in a circle. What does that mean to you being synchronized with your men's program?JONI TAYLOR: I have been fortunate to be at a lot of institutions where there's been incredible men coaches for leaders and incredible staff and young men as players. I have never been a part of something as special as we're a part of now with our men's program at Texas A&amp;M, and that comes from the top down. That starts with Buzz. His young men are who they are because of him and how he leads them and directs them.There is cohesion. There's chemistry there. There's friendship. Our director of athletics culture came to me the day before and said, hey, both teams are practicing, can we pray before we practice and leave. Absolutely.

Husker Women bring spirit to NCAA practice

Q.&nbsp;The opportunity to win Nebraska's first NCAA Tournament game, is that something you guys are thinking about heading into this one?

RIENK MAST: Yes, most definitely. Obviously going into the season, it's a big goal to be here, and you know that Nebraska's never won an NCAA Tournament game, but now to actually be here and be in this position and have this opportunity, just super excited to go out there and hopefully write some history.

Q.&nbsp;Brice, the A&amp;M players and Coach Williams were talking about your guys' scouting report of what they thought of you. And they used "pretty" talk about the offense. What have been your impressions of A&amp;M now that you have time to look at them and what jumps out about their strengths and weaknesses?

BRICE WILLIAMS: They're just an aggressive team. I wouldn't say anything special about them. They just had their identity of trying to out-tough the opponent, and that's the emphasis this week. We just can't get punked, just going to focus on that.

Q.&nbsp;Keisei has taken the college basketball world by storm the past couple of weeks. I don't know if you buy into "Japanese Steph Curry" hype. But what's it like to play alongside him? Do you have an anecdote that he played in a practice or anything that stands out?

RIENK MAST: It's obviously special to play with somebody that draws in this type of hype and this type of excitement around himself. He draws a lot of attention on the court, which makes it a little bit easier for us to play. I know for myself, I definitely look for him and try and feed him the ball whenever I can during the game.

But it's been pretty special to have him, like have him on our team this year, like an anecdote for -- he was with his national team, but one of the first practices that he was back, we were playing a little 5-on-5, and it was three possessions in a row.

First one he hit just a normal 3. Then when you let him hit one 3, he gets on fire, like, right away. So then he hit a step-back 3. And then right the next possession he got switched, the 5 switched out on him and he took him one-on-one and hit another step-back 3, like, three possessions in a row.

That was the first time that I really saw what type of player he was in person and he's been special this year.

BRICE WILLIAMS: The stuff you all see out there on the court on game days, it's crazy. Like Rienk said, he's definitely a guy who can heat up just by making one shot.

But the stuff he does after practice or shoot-arounds, when he's hitting turnaround, half-court shots, like he'll turn around, he won't look at the basket. Him and Rienk do it every time after shoot-around. But Keisei makes them on a regular -- it's just crazy the stuff he does off camera.

Q.&nbsp;Both of you guys transferred in for this moment. You set this goal ahead of you at the beginning of the season. But now that you're here how cool is it to be in this spectacle and be in March Madness and see the city and all the hype around it?

BRICE WILLIAMS: It's new. It's exciting. Like you said it's the goal we set out to do when we transferred here. But at the same time we came -- we wanted to win here. We didn't want to just be here.

So while we're excited, I think we're both just trying to, you know what I'm saying, write history. Put our name down in history with Nebraska and just make a run.

RIENK MAST: We're not here for just one game. Everybody will say that. If you ask the Texas A&amp;M players, they'll also say we're not here for just one game. But obviously excited to be here. But we don't want to be here just for one day; we want to extend this journey a little bit longer.

Q.&nbsp;How unique is it -- you've been around Keisei Tominaga, but to know this game is being live streamed in Japan. And to get that kind of reach, is it fun? Do you have some family members who in parts of the world that may be able to watch this game because of him that otherwise would not have been able to -- they would have been checking an app trying to keep up with the game?

BRICE WILLIAMS: I don't have any family in Japan or anything, but it's just crazy that one guy can draw so much attention nationally, worldwide. It just shows that the game can bring everybody together.

But it's just cool. It's cool that everybody over there can see him play and support him. He's kind of a celebrity over there, I heard. It's all necessary.

Q.&nbsp;I'm just wondering, we talked to you guys on Sunday and we asked you how big of an impact Fred can have. Now that you've had some preparation, some practices going into this game, he's played in the NCAA Tournament. He's coached in it. Just what kind of help has Fred been during this process?

RIENK MAST: Just mainly kind of explaining to us, like, how to stay poised during games. These games, most of them will come down to the wire. They'll be one-possession games.

What we've talked about is just staying poised and level headed and not get too sped up or too nervous or excited, or whatever, just staying level headed and staying in the moment.

Q.&nbsp;You've only been at Nebraska for one season, played for Coach Hoiberg for less than a year, but what impact has he had on your developments not only getting ready for this season but preparing you for the next level?

BRICE WILLIAMS: What he's done for me, instilling confidence in me. Obviously playing a new position I've never played before at point guard. Kind of running the show. And if whether I make a mistake or make multiple mistakes, he's shown that he has confidence in me, and that helps me have confidence in myself.

He's given me freedom to make mistakes and learn while pumping me up behind the scenes. Just having confidence in myself and my game and that's just propelled me forward.

RIENK MAST: Just obviously he's played and coached at the next level and especially coaching aspect of how he approaches a game. I believe he still approaches the game the same way when he was coaching the Bulls as he is approaching the game now.

So just to learn from him kind of how it goes on at the professional level and how preparations go, and just learning a lot of how he looks at Xs and Os of the game. Just his basketball IQ is enormous. And learning from him has been really good.

Q.&nbsp;I know you're probably overhearing the stuff but you're the only Power Five team to not have won a game in a tournament. Is that something you guys talk about often? How do you work through that? And what's the motivation to go and win this to get that kind of monkey off the back?

BRICE WILLIAMS: We talk about it multiple times. We talked about it a lot, kind of just to go along with our season, first it started with the road games. Then once it started coming down to the wire we started talking about we never won.

But everybody talks about how we have a special group, and we don't want to just be, like, some people talk about. We definitely want to get the monkey off our back and win our first one. But like I said, we just want to make a run. We just want to make a run.

RIENK MAST: Obviously everybody's aware. But, like, you can't let it define us too much. You can't go into the game, like, oh, this is like the opportunity of a lifetime. Obviously it's a high-pressure game, but we can't be thinking too much about, oh, we've never won a game here.

It's just, all right, this is one game that we have to win. And we can't be too caught up in the history of it all. We've just got to focus in on the moment.

Q.&nbsp;There are many great shooters these days, but what people say about Keisei is different. They say best show on TV or fun to watch. Why do you think Keisei is that kind of player?

RIENK MAST: He's very unassuming. He's 6'2", not too athletic. But when he goes out on the court he plays with the type of swagger and type of attitude that is almost unmatched.

And the way he shoots the ball, how Fred teaches us to shoot, with holding your follow-through and sticking your shot and all that. It doesn't really matter for him, as long as it gets out of his hands clean and he gets a somewhat decent look, you know this thing is going in more times than not. That's something I personally have never seen other than with Keisei.

BRICE WILLIAMS: Probably the degree of difficulty. None of his shots are open. None of his shots are like wide open. They're all usually fading away or super, super quick release. But I would probably just say the degree of difficulty and how much he makes those difficult shots, how often.

Q.&nbsp;Brice, coming off the Big Ten Tournament and your strong performance in that one-and-done environment, how does that impact your confidence coming into a similar situation but obviously higher stakes?

BRICE WILLIAMS: The pressure was definitely on. And, you know, in those games it was a lot of different crowds. It was a lot of different people rooting for you, a lot of different people rooting against you.

But heading into the tournament now, that was a neutral site. So we were basically on the road. All we had was ourselves pretty much.

For us to play how we did, I know we gave up the last one, was the noise, but we still played pretty good. We looked at one another and played for one another. And that was good heading into the tournament now where everything is a neutral site again. It was encouraging.

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Fred Hoiberg.

FRED HOIBERG: Want to say how excited we are to be in this opportunity right now. When we put this group together we thought we had a chance to be here. I give our guys all the credit in the world for continuing to buy in, be very professional throughout this entire season regardless of the circumstance.

Whether we won, whether we lost, we generally prepared the same way, and these guys have been extremely coachable. And I'm really excited for them to have this opportunity.

Q.&nbsp;Just an opinion, do you think the uniqueness of your systems maybe give you an advantage in a situation like this, your systems on offense and defense?

FRED HOIBERG: Well, I don't know about that. I think at this time of year obviously it's, the importance is how your team is playing and how they're hanging in there together when you've been through as many battles as we have.

And I know this, we're playing a hot team. We're playing one of the hottest teams in the country right now that came off a five-game winning streak. And their loss, their lone loss in that stretch, to Florida, was as good a 20 minutes that they had played all year. They had a 20-point lead in the first half against Florida in that game. I know we're playing a hot team.

That being said, I really do like the way we're playing, I think our guys have done a great job of sharing the ball. We found the right guy, whoever has had it going. And this team has been very selfless all season long.

We've had a good week of prep. I'm sure A&amp;M has had a great week of prep as well. And you've got two teams playing really good basketball squaring off tomorrow.

So, again, we've all got our unique systems. A&amp;M is a very unique system on both sides of the ball, and I know this, whatever offense they're running, we have to be tied together. Defensively we've been pretty darned good with the exception of the Illinois game. We had a lot of miscues in that game.