By Shamus Mcknight NU Athletics Communications

Behind 30 points from Keisei Tominaga, Nebraska clinched a double bye for next week's Big Ten Tournament with an 85-70 win over Michigan Sunday.&nbsp;

Tominaga posted his second 30-point game of the season, hitting 12-of-17 shots from the floor, including five 3-pointers, as Nebraska improved to 22-9 on the season and 12-8 in Big Ten play.

The Huskers will be the No. 3 seed in Minneapolis, following Purdue's 78-70 win over Wisconsin. The third-place finish matches NU's best conference finish since 1992-93. Nebraska will play its first game Friday evening at approximately 8 p.m. on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.&nbsp;

Josiah Allick had 15 points, while Rienk Mast and Brice Williams added 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Huskers shot 58 percent from the field, including 70 percent in the opening 20 minutes.&nbsp;

Tominaga had 23 first-half points, on 9-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range as he went over 1,000 career points at Nebraska.&nbsp;

Nebraska trailed 16-14 before Tominaga used a personal 8-0 run, including a pair of 3-pointers, to give the Huskers a 22-16 advantage with 13:29 remaining in the half.&nbsp; Nebraska eventually stretched the lead to eight on two occasions, the last at 43-35 on a Tominaga 3-poionter with 4:24 left in the half but the Wolverines would not go away. Michigan shot 55 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including 8-of-15 from long distance to stay within striking distance.&nbsp;

Dug McDaniel had all 17 of his points for Michigan in the opening 20 minutes, including hitting on his first five 3-point attempts.&nbsp;

Michigan pulled to within 46-43 on McDaniel’s fifth 3-pointer of the half with 1:53 left in the half, but baskets from C.J. Wilcher and Josiah Allick stretched the lead to seven at the break.&nbsp;

Michigan was within 55-48 with just over 18 minutes left before the Huskers took control. NU ran off straight points, the last coming on a Josiah Allick layup to give NU a 59-48 lead with 16:27 left. After a Will Tschetter basket, the Huskers scored the next 11 points to stretch the lead to 70-50 with 13:37 left.&nbsp;

Nebraska kept the Wolverines at bay, holding Michigan (8-23, 3-17) to just 24 percent shooting, including 1-of-13 in the second half.&nbsp;

Terrance Williams II finished with 14 points, as Michigan will play on Wednesday in Minneapolis.&nbsp;

*-With the win, the Huskers clinch a double bye for next week’s Big Ten Tournament. It is the first time since 2017-18 that Nebraska has clinched a double bye.

*-With the win, Nebraska will finish in a tie for third place in the Big Ten, its best Big ten finish since joining the conference in 2011-12 and program’s best conference finish since tying for second in the Big Eight in 1992-93. Depending on the Wisconsin/Purdue result, it will be either a two-or-three-way tie for third place.

*-Nebraska’s 22 wins ties for second on the Huskers’ all-time single-season list, while the 12 conference wins ties for second all-time.

*-Nebraska picks up its first-ever win in Ann Arbor, as Nebraska was 0-12 all-time at Michigan before today. Today’s win also marks the Huskers’ first season sweep of the Wolverines.

*-Tominaga posted his second 30-point game of the season and third of his career with 30 points, one shy of his career high. He also tied a career high with six rebounds

*-With his 3-pointer with 4:22 left I the first half, Keisei Tominaga went over 1,000 career points at Nebraska. He became the 31st player to reach 1,000 career points at Nebraska. Tominaga has (982+) points at Nebraska.

*-Tominaga scored 20+ points in the first half, becoming the first Husker to score at least 20 points in a half since Rienk Mast did it against Ohio State on Jan. 23

*-Nebraska scored 50 first-half points, the fourth time Nebraska scored 50+ points in a first half this season and the second time in Big Ten play (also at Indiana).*-Nebraska’s 11-0 second half run was the Huskers’ 21st double-figure run of the season*

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710169461585.jpeg" alt="(Associated Press)" />
 <figcaption>(Associated Press)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Shamus Mcknight NU Athletics CommunicationsBehind 30 points from Keisei Tominaga, Nebraska clinched a double bye for next week's Big Ten Tournament with an 85-70 win over Michigan Sunday.&nbsp;Tominaga posted his second 30-point game of the season, hitting 12-of-17 shots from the floor, including five 3-pointers, as Nebraska improved to 22-9 on the season and 12-8 in Big Ten play.The Huskers will be the No. 3 seed in Minneapolis, following Purdue's 78-70 win over Wisconsin. The third-place finish matches NU's best conference finish since 1992-93. Nebraska will play its first game Friday evening at approximately 8 p.m. on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.&nbsp;Josiah Allick had 15 points, while Rienk Mast and Brice Williams added 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Huskers shot 58 percent from the field, including 70 percent in the opening 20 minutes.&nbsp;Tominaga had 23 first-half points, on 9-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range as he went over 1,000 career points at Nebraska.&nbsp;Nebraska trailed 16-14 before Tominaga used a personal 8-0 run, including a pair of 3-pointers, to give the Huskers a 22-16 advantage with 13:29 remaining in the half.&nbsp; Nebraska eventually stretched the lead to eight on two occasions, the last at 43-35 on a Tominaga 3-poionter with 4:24 left in the half but the Wolverines would not go away. Michigan shot 55 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including 8-of-15 from long distance to stay within striking distance.&nbsp;Dug McDaniel had all 17 of his points for Michigan in the opening 20 minutes, including hitting on his first five 3-point attempts.&nbsp;Michigan pulled to within 46-43 on McDaniel’s fifth 3-pointer of the half with 1:53 left in the half, but baskets from C.J. Wilcher and Josiah Allick stretched the lead to seven at the break.&nbsp;Michigan was within 55-48 with just over 18 minutes left before the Huskers took control. NU ran off straight points, the last coming on a Josiah Allick layup to give NU a 59-48 lead with 16:27 left. After a Will Tschetter basket, the Huskers scored the next 11 points to stretch the lead to 70-50 with 13:37 left.&nbsp;Nebraska kept the Wolverines at bay, holding Michigan (8-23, 3-17) to just 24 percent shooting, including 1-of-13 in the second half.&nbsp;Terrance Williams II finished with 14 points, as Michigan will play on Wednesday in Minneapolis.&nbsp;Nebraska Postgame Notes*-With the win, the Huskers clinch a double bye for next week’s Big Ten Tournament. It is the first time since 2017-18 that Nebraska has clinched a double bye.*-With the win, Nebraska will finish in a tie for third place in the Big Ten, its best Big ten finish since joining the conference in 2011-12 and program’s best conference finish since tying for second in the Big Eight in 1992-93. Depending on the Wisconsin/Purdue result, it will be either a two-or-three-way tie for third place.*-Nebraska’s 22 wins ties for second on the Huskers’ all-time single-season list, while the 12 conference wins ties for second all-time.*-Nebraska picks up its first-ever win in Ann Arbor, as Nebraska was 0-12 all-time at Michigan before today. Today’s win also marks the Huskers’ first season sweep of the Wolverines.*-Tominaga posted his second 30-point game of the season and third of his career with 30 points, one shy of his career high. He also tied a career high with six rebounds*-With his 3-pointer with 4:22 left I the first half, Keisei Tominaga went over 1,000 career points at Nebraska. He became the 31st player to reach 1,000 career points at Nebraska. Tominaga has (982+) points at Nebraska.*-Tominaga scored 20+ points in the first half, becoming the first Husker to score at least 20 points in a half since Rienk Mast did it against Ohio State on Jan. 23*-Nebraska scored 50 first-half points, the fourth time Nebraska scored 50+ points in a first half this season and the second time in Big Ten play (also at Indiana).*-Nebraska’s 11-0 second half run was the Huskers’ 21st double-figure run of the season*

Tominaga hits five threes', Huskers rout Michigan

Minneapolis&nbsp;- Nebraska took No. 3 Iowa to the brink, forcing overtime against the defending champion Hawkeyes before falling 94-89 in the extra period in front of 18,534 fans and a CBS national television audience at the Target Center on Sunday.

Junior first-team All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski tied the Nebraska school record with her 40th career double-double by leading the Huskers (22-11) with 23 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. The Hawkeyes could only slow Markowski, who joined her Husker teammates in sending a strong message about the rise of the Nebraska program throughout the successful week in Minneapolis.

With Iowa focused on stopping Markowski, Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year Natalie Potts added a huge game of her own with 21 points and nine boards to help keep Nebraska in control for most of the game.

All-Big Ten guard Jaz Shelley added the 13th double-double of her career with 16 points and a career-high 13 assists to go along with six rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots. Her free throws with 2:38 left in regulation put Nebraska in front 75-67 after the two teams went to the fourth quarter tied at 58.&nbsp;

However, behind All-America Caitlin Clark Iowa rallied to tie the score at 77 heading to overtime. Clark's leaner with 29.3 seconds left tied the game, and the Hawkeye defense held for the final possession to force OT.

Clark finished with 34 points and 12 assists for Iowa, while Hannah Stuelke contributed 25 points and nine boards. Sydney Affolter added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Kate Martin added 13 points, including a key three-pointer with just over a minute left in regulation, and two more threes and a free throw in overtime to put Iowa in the driver's seat for the first time in the game.

While Iowa solved the puzzle to win in overtime, the Huskers came up with some big answers as well. Trailing 82-81, freshman Logan Nissley drained a pair of threes to give the Big Red an 87-86 advantage with one minute left. But Clark countered with five straight points to give Iowa its a 91-87 lead with 37 seconds left. Nissley finished with 13 points and five assists, while draining four threes.

Nebraska got a layup from Markowski with 21.5 seconds left to trim the margin to 91-89, but the Huskers could get no closer.

The Huskers were playing their fourth game in four days after entering the tournament as the No. 5 seed with an 11-7 Big Ten regular-season mark that included an 82-79 win over then-No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11). They hit 41.6 percent (32-77) for the game, including 14-of-34 threes (.412). NU also sank 11-of-14 free throws, while winning the turnover battle 15-14.

Iowa hit 44.6 percent (33-74) of its shots, including 13-of-33 threes (.394), while connecting on 15-of-19 free throws (.789). The Hawkeyes, who won their third game of the weekend, won the battle of the boards late, 48-43.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Huskers got big contributions up and down the roster in an outstanding first half, taking a 46-35 lead to the locker room. Potts scored 10 of her first-half points in the second quarter, while adding seven first-half rebounds. Potts scored six straight points as part of a 9-0 run that started with a Callin Hake three. The run gave Nebraska its biggest lead of the half at 43-30 with 1:27 left.

Shelley added 10 first-half points, including a buzzer-beating three from the left wing to end the half that sent the Huskers to halftime with a double-digit edge. Shelley, who hit a pair of first-half threes, also had four rebounds and three assists in the first 20 minutes.

Markowski added eight points and eight boards in the half, including a four-point play early in the first quarter that started with her made free throw before Shelley got a rebound and an assist on a Markowski three after she missed the second free throw. That four-point play started a 12-0 run that included back-to-back threes by Minnesotans Annika Stewart and Kendall Coley that gave the Huskers their first double-digit lead at 16-5 with 4:22 left in the first period.

Nebraska hit 17-of-37 (.459) first-half shots, including 7-of-16 threes (.438), while going 5-of-6 at the free throw line. The Huskers won the rebounding battle, 26-20.

Hannah Stuelke led Iowa with 11 first-half points, while Affolter added nine points and six boards, but Clark had just four points on 2-of-13 shooting, including 0-for-9 from beyond the arc.

The Hawkeyes were just 13-of-38 (.342) from the floor and 4-for-16 from three, while going 5-for-5 at the line.&nbsp;

Iowa controlled the third quarter, eliminating Nebraska's halftime edge to take a pair of one-point leads late in the period before the game went to the fourth quarter tied at 58.

By NU Athletics CommunicationsMinneapolis&nbsp;- Nebraska took No. 3 Iowa to the brink, forcing overtime against the defending champion Hawkeyes before falling 94-89 in the extra period in front of 18,534 fans and a CBS national television audience at the Target Center on Sunday.Junior first-team All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski tied the Nebraska school record with her 40th career double-double by leading the Huskers (22-11) with 23 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. The Hawkeyes could only slow Markowski, who joined her Husker teammates in sending a strong message about the rise of the Nebraska program throughout the successful week in Minneapolis.With Iowa focused on stopping Markowski, Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year Natalie Potts added a huge game of her own with 21 points and nine boards to help keep Nebraska in control for most of the game.All-Big Ten guard Jaz Shelley added the 13th double-double of her career with 16 points and a career-high 13 assists to go along with six rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots. Her free throws with 2:38 left in regulation put Nebraska in front 75-67 after the two teams went to the fourth quarter tied at 58.&nbsp;However, behind All-America Caitlin Clark Iowa rallied to tie the score at 77 heading to overtime. Clark's leaner with 29.3 seconds left tied the game, and the Hawkeye defense held for the final possession to force OT.Clark finished with 34 points and 12 assists for Iowa, while Hannah Stuelke contributed 25 points and nine boards. Sydney Affolter added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Kate Martin added 13 points, including a key three-pointer with just over a minute left in regulation, and two more threes and a free throw in overtime to put Iowa in the driver's seat for the first time in the game.While Iowa solved the puzzle to win in overtime, the Huskers came up with some big answers as well. Trailing 82-81, freshman Logan Nissley drained a pair of threes to give the Big Red an 87-86 advantage with one minute left. But Clark countered with five straight points to give Iowa its a 91-87 lead with 37 seconds left. Nissley finished with 13 points and five assists, while draining four threes.Nebraska got a layup from Markowski with 21.5 seconds left to trim the margin to 91-89, but the Huskers could get no closer.The Huskers were playing their fourth game in four days after entering the tournament as the No. 5 seed with an 11-7 Big Ten regular-season mark that included an 82-79 win over then-No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11). They hit 41.6 percent (32-77) for the game, including 14-of-34 threes (.412). NU also sank 11-of-14 free throws, while winning the turnover battle 15-14.Iowa hit 44.6 percent (33-74) of its shots, including 13-of-33 threes (.394), while connecting on 15-of-19 free throws (.789). The Hawkeyes, who won their third game of the weekend, won the battle of the boards late, 48-43.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Huskers got big contributions up and down the roster in an outstanding first half, taking a 46-35 lead to the locker room. Potts scored 10 of her first-half points in the second quarter, while adding seven first-half rebounds. Potts scored six straight points as part of a 9-0 run that started with a Callin Hake three. The run gave Nebraska its biggest lead of the half at 43-30 with 1:27 left.Shelley added 10 first-half points, including a buzzer-beating three from the left wing to end the half that sent the Huskers to halftime with a double-digit edge. Shelley, who hit a pair of first-half threes, also had four rebounds and three assists in the first 20 minutes.Markowski added eight points and eight boards in the half, including a four-point play early in the first quarter that started with her made free throw before Shelley got a rebound and an assist on a Markowski three after she missed the second free throw. That four-point play started a 12-0 run that included back-to-back threes by Minnesotans Annika Stewart and Kendall Coley that gave the Huskers their first double-digit lead at 16-5 with 4:22 left in the first period.Nebraska hit 17-of-37 (.459) first-half shots, including 7-of-16 threes (.438), while going 5-of-6 at the free throw line. The Huskers won the rebounding battle, 26-20.Hannah Stuelke led Iowa with 11 first-half points, while Affolter added nine points and six boards, but Clark had just four points on 2-of-13 shooting, including 0-for-9 from beyond the arc.The Hawkeyes were just 13-of-38 (.342) from the floor and 4-for-16 from three, while going 5-for-5 at the line.&nbsp;Iowa controlled the third quarter, eliminating Nebraska's halftime edge to take a pair of one-point leads late in the period before the game went to the fourth quarter tied at 58.Nebraska Notes<ul>
 <li>The Huskers came up short of their second Big Ten title in 13 seasons in the conference. Nebraska won the Big Ten Tournament title with a win over Iowa in Indianapolis in 2014. NU also played in the Big Ten Championship game in its first season in the league in 2012, falling in double-overtime to Purdue.</li><li>Alexis Markowski recorded her 19th double-double of the season with 23 points and 13 rebounds. She needs one more to tie the school single-season record shared by first-team All-Americans Jordan Hooper (20) and Kelsey Griffin (20).</li><li>Markowski's 13 rebounds pushed her to 355 on the season, surpassing Griffin (2009-10) for the No. 3 spot on the Nebraska single-season rebounding chart (354).</li><li>Shelley set the Nebraska season Big Ten Tournament records with 33 assists over four games. She also set a Husker season tournament record with 16 three-pointers in the 2024 tournament.</li><li>Alexis Markowski and Jaz Shelley earned spots on the Big Ten All-Tournament Team. Caitlin Clark was the MVP, while Sydney Affolter and Michigan's Laila Phelia completed the five-player team.</li>
 </ul><h2>RELATED STORIES</h2>

Huskers push Iowa to OT in Big Ten Title 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jaz Shelley scored a season-high 30 points and added nine assists, leading Nebraska to a 78-68 victory over Maryland on Saturday in a semifinal of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament at Target Center.

Fifth-seeded Nebraska (22-10) advances to the championship game on Sunday and will play the winner of the later semifinal between Michigan and Iowa. Eighth-seeded Maryland (19-13) bowed out after a surprising run that included an 82-61 quarterfinal victory over No. 1 seed Ohio State.

This will be the Cornhuskers’ third appearance in the championship game. They lost to Purdue in 2012 and defeated Iowa in 2014.

After trailing by 13 points in the first half, Maryland kept creeping closer in the third quarter and tied it at 51 on a layup by Bri McDaniel. Nebraska did not give up the lead, however, and took a 60-59 advantage into the fourth.

Shelley's sixth 3-pointer of the game gave the Cornhuskers a 65-59 lead near the eight-minute mark. The Cornhuskers stretched their lead to 11 with 4 1/2 minutes left and a jumper by Shelley stopped a brief rally by the Terrapins, giving Nebraska a 74-66 lead with 1:25 remaining. She scored 11 of Nebraska's 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a 4-for-4 effort at the free throw line in the final minute.

Shelley made 10 of 16 shots, including 6 of 12 from 3. Alexis Markowski grabbed 13 rebounds.

Shyanne Sellers scored 15 points, Faith Masonius 14, Allie Kubek 11, Brinae Alexander 10 and McDaniel 10 for Maryland.

Shelley was 5 for 8 from 3 in the first half. She scored the last 11 points of the first quarter on a layup and three 3s in succession and Nebraska led 25-12 after the first.

Maryland cut the gap to 32-27 before Shelley hit two 3s and Jessica Petrie added one to give the Cornhuskers a 12-point lead halfway through the second. The Terrapins hit 10 of 13 shots in the period and closed to within 47-40 at halftime.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jaz Shelley scored a season-high 30 points and added nine assists, leading Nebraska to a 78-68 victory over Maryland on Saturday in a semifinal of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament at Target Center.Fifth-seeded Nebraska (22-10) advances to the championship game on Sunday and will play the winner of the later semifinal between Michigan and Iowa. Eighth-seeded Maryland (19-13) bowed out after a surprising run that included an 82-61 quarterfinal victory over No. 1 seed Ohio State.This will be the Cornhuskers’ third appearance in the championship game. They lost to Purdue in 2012 and defeated Iowa in 2014.After trailing by 13 points in the first half, Maryland kept creeping closer in the third quarter and tied it at 51 on a layup by Bri McDaniel. Nebraska did not give up the lead, however, and took a 60-59 advantage into the fourth.Shelley's sixth 3-pointer of the game gave the Cornhuskers a 65-59 lead near the eight-minute mark. The Cornhuskers stretched their lead to 11 with 4 1/2 minutes left and a jumper by Shelley stopped a brief rally by the Terrapins, giving Nebraska a 74-66 lead with 1:25 remaining. She scored 11 of Nebraska's 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a 4-for-4 effort at the free throw line in the final minute.Shelley made 10 of 16 shots, including 6 of 12 from 3. Alexis Markowski grabbed 13 rebounds.Shyanne Sellers scored 15 points, Faith Masonius 14, Allie Kubek 11, Brinae Alexander 10 and McDaniel 10 for Maryland.Shelley was 5 for 8 from 3 in the first half. She scored the last 11 points of the first quarter on a layup and three 3s in succession and Nebraska led 25-12 after the first.Maryland cut the gap to 32-27 before Shelley hit two 3s and Jessica Petrie added one to give the Cornhuskers a 12-point lead halfway through the second. The Terrapins hit 10 of 13 shots in the period and closed to within 47-40 at halftime.

Shelley's 30 points helps Huskers get to Big Ten Championship

Minneapolis&nbsp;- Alexis Markowski produced her 18th double-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead four Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska surged past Michigan State for a 73-61 win in the quarterfinals of the TIAA Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament at the Target Center on Friday afternoon.

With the victory, fifth-seeded Nebraska improved to 21-10 overall and advanced to Saturday's first semifinal against eighth-seeded Maryland. The Terrapins advanced to the semifinals with an impressive 82-61 win over top-seeded and No. 4 ranked Ohio State in Friday's first quarterfinal match-up. Tip-off between the Big Red and Terps is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. (CT) with live television coverage from the Big Ten Network.

Markowski, a 6-3 first-team All-Big Ten center, received plenty of help from a collection of Huskers firing on all cylinders on Friday. Jaz Shelley continued her spectacular Big Ten Tournament play with 17 points and five assists, while Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year Natalie Potts notched her fifth double-double of the year with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Fellow All-Big Ten Freshman Logan Nissley added her 10th double-figure scoring effort of the season with 11 points, including three huge third quarter three-pointers to help the Huskers build a 20-point lead heading to the fourth period.

While Markowski and Potts combined for 37 points and 23 rebounds inside for the Huskers, Potts and Nissley combined for 17 points and five three-pointers in the third quarter, as Nebraska outscored the Spartans 26-13 in the period to claim complete control.

Nissley connected on three straight threes in a 2:40 span late in the third after Markowski was whistled for her third foul. Potts, who hit a three to open the period for the Huskers, added the final three of Nebraska's 12-2 spurt to close the quarter and take a 62-42 edge to the fourth.

For the game, Nebraska hit 43.9 percent (29-66) of its shots, including 9-of-25 threes (.360). The Huskers struggled to hit 6-of-12 free throws, but dominated the glass, 44-30, and also won the turnover battle, 13-11.

The Huskers held Michigan State to 43.6 percent (22-55) shooting, including 6-of-16 threes (.375). The Spartans sank 7-of-12 free throws.

Markowski, Potts and Shelley all put together strong first halves, led by Markowski's 16 points and eight rebounds in 16 minutes. Potts added seven points and six boards, including four offensive rebounds to help the Huskers dominate the first-half glass, 25-16.

Shelley pitched in eight points including a pair of three-pointers, while dishing out five assists to help the Huskers build a 36-29 halftime lead.

The Huskers hit 15-of-37 shots (.405) in the half, including 3-of-10 three-pointers, while hitting 3-of-6 free throws. NU held the Spartans to 11-of-27 field goals (.407), including just 1-of-7 threes, while MSU hit 6-of-8 free throws. Nebraska also won the turnover battle, 9-8, in the first 20 minutes.

Michigan State pushed to a 16-10 lead with three minutes left in the first quarter, before Callin Hake hit a three-pointer. The Huskers closed the quarter with momentum but still trailed 22-21 heading to the second period.

After scoring the final bucket of the first quarter, Markowski added the first points of the second period to give Nebraska the lead. With the score tied at 24 after a Potts free throw, Markowski unleashed six straight points over the next 1:30 to give the Big Red a 30-24 edge. The lead grew to eight points after another Markowski basket with 5:25 left.&nbsp;

Julia Ayrault, who led Michigan State with 25 points on the day, scored the opening points of the second half to briefly cut Nebraska's lead to five points, before Potts and Nissley answered with five straight points to give Nebraska its first double-digit lead of the game at 41-31. The Spartans got no closer than six the rest of the game. Ayrault was the only Spartan to score in double figures.

By NU Athletics CommunicationsMinneapolis&nbsp;- Alexis Markowski produced her 18th double-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead four Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska surged past Michigan State for a 73-61 win in the quarterfinals of the TIAA Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament at the Target Center on Friday afternoon.With the victory, fifth-seeded Nebraska improved to 21-10 overall and advanced to Saturday's first semifinal against eighth-seeded Maryland. The Terrapins advanced to the semifinals with an impressive 82-61 win over top-seeded and No. 4 ranked Ohio State in Friday's first quarterfinal match-up. Tip-off between the Big Red and Terps is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. (CT) with live television coverage from the Big Ten Network.Markowski, a 6-3 first-team All-Big Ten center, received plenty of help from a collection of Huskers firing on all cylinders on Friday. Jaz Shelley continued her spectacular Big Ten Tournament play with 17 points and five assists, while Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year Natalie Potts notched her fifth double-double of the year with 15 points and 11 rebounds.Fellow All-Big Ten Freshman Logan Nissley added her 10th double-figure scoring effort of the season with 11 points, including three huge third quarter three-pointers to help the Huskers build a 20-point lead heading to the fourth period.While Markowski and Potts combined for 37 points and 23 rebounds inside for the Huskers, Potts and Nissley combined for 17 points and five three-pointers in the third quarter, as Nebraska outscored the Spartans 26-13 in the period to claim complete control.Nissley connected on three straight threes in a 2:40 span late in the third after Markowski was whistled for her third foul. Potts, who hit a three to open the period for the Huskers, added the final three of Nebraska's 12-2 spurt to close the quarter and take a 62-42 edge to the fourth.For the game, Nebraska hit 43.9 percent (29-66) of its shots, including 9-of-25 threes (.360). The Huskers struggled to hit 6-of-12 free throws, but dominated the glass, 44-30, and also won the turnover battle, 13-11.The Huskers held Michigan State to 43.6 percent (22-55) shooting, including 6-of-16 threes (.375). The Spartans sank 7-of-12 free throws.Markowski, Potts and Shelley all put together strong first halves, led by Markowski's 16 points and eight rebounds in 16 minutes. Potts added seven points and six boards, including four offensive rebounds to help the Huskers dominate the first-half glass, 25-16.Shelley pitched in eight points including a pair of three-pointers, while dishing out five assists to help the Huskers build a 36-29 halftime lead.The Huskers hit 15-of-37 shots (.405) in the half, including 3-of-10 three-pointers, while hitting 3-of-6 free throws. NU held the Spartans to 11-of-27 field goals (.407), including just 1-of-7 threes, while MSU hit 6-of-8 free throws. Nebraska also won the turnover battle, 9-8, in the first 20 minutes.Michigan State pushed to a 16-10 lead with three minutes left in the first quarter, before Callin Hake hit a three-pointer. The Huskers closed the quarter with momentum but still trailed 22-21 heading to the second period.After scoring the final bucket of the first quarter, Markowski added the first points of the second period to give Nebraska the lead. With the score tied at 24 after a Potts free throw, Markowski unleashed six straight points over the next 1:30 to give the Big Red a 30-24 edge. The lead grew to eight points after another Markowski basket with 5:25 left.&nbsp;Julia Ayrault, who led Michigan State with 25 points on the day, scored the opening points of the second half to briefly cut Nebraska's lead to five points, before Potts and Nissley answered with five straight points to give Nebraska its first double-digit lead of the game at 41-31. The Spartans got no closer than six the rest of the game. Ayrault was the only Spartan to score in double figures.

Huskers WBB surges past Spartans into Big Ten Semi's 

The Nebraska softball team opened the Razorback Rumble with an impressive 13-3 six-inning victory over a strong Northern Iowa squad Friday morning at Bogle Park on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

Nebraska's offense came alive with 13 runs on 14 hits, including three home runs. The three home runs are a season high for the Huskers, while the 13 runs are the second-most runs Nebraska (9-10) has scored in 19 games this year.

A quarter of Huskers had multiple hits in the game and six players scored twice for the Big Red. Billie Andrews went 3-for-4 with her 50th career home run, while Caitlynn Neal was 3-for-3. Samantha Bland, Katelyn Caneda and Ava Bredwell - the Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters in the lineup - combined to go 5-for-12 with two doubles, a home run and eight RBIs. Bland and Caneda each went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs while Bredwell hit a two-run homer. Sydney Gray also homered for the Big Red.

Kaylin Kinney (5-6) earned the win in relief, allowing only one run in 5.0 innings. Sarah Harness got the start and allowed two runs in 1.0-plus inning.

Northern Iowa, the two-time defending Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champions, fell to 9-7 on the season. Samantha Heyer (3-4) took the loss, allowing three runs in 1.1 innings.

After Nebraska stranded runners at second and third in the top of the first inning,&nbsp;Northern Iowa took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the frame. With runners on first and second and one out, a ground ball got past Billie Andrews at shortstop. On the play, the runner from second base attempted to score but she was thrown out by Brooke Andrews. Nebraska was one out away from escaping the inning without allowing a run before a two-out RBI single plated the game’s first run.

Gray immediately tied the game when she led off the second inning with her fourth home run of the season. Samantha Bland followed with a single before Bredwell clocked a two-run homer with one out to give Nebraska a 3-1 lead.

UNI put up another run in the bottom of the second but had a runner thrown out at home plate for the second straight inning. With runners on second and third with no outs, a sacrifice fly cut the Husker lead to 3-2. Gray then cut down a runner at home on a ground ball to third base. A stolen base and a walk put runners on second and third with two outs before a strikeout ended the inning.

In the top of the third, Neal led off with a single and a one-out single from Bella Bacon put Huskers on first and second. An error then loaded the bases for Bland, who reached on an RBI fielder's choice that scored Neal and gave Nebraska a 4-2 lead. Caneda followed with a two-run double as the Huskers took a four-run lead.

In the top of the fourth, Billie Andrews led off with a home run to make it 7-2. Brooke Andrews and Neal followed with back-to-back singles. After a force out at second out, Bacon hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Brooke Andrews with Nebraska's eighth run of the game.

UNI got a run back with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the fourth that made it an 8-3 game.

In the top of the sixth, Billie Andrews led off with a single and Brooke Andrews followed with a walk. Neal then delivered her third hit of the game, an RBI single that stretched the Husker lead to 9-3. An error on a fielder's choice scored Brooke Andrews with Nebraska's 10th run of the game. Leading 10-3, Gray walked to load the bases with one out for Bland, who hit a two-run double to push the lead to 12-3. Caneda capped the five-run inning with an RBI ground out.

Northern Iowa threatened to extend the game, loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but a lineout ended the game.

Nebraska is scheduled to play again on Friday afternoon against Saint Francis.

By NU Athletics The Nebraska softball team opened the Razorback Rumble with an impressive 13-3 six-inning victory over a strong Northern Iowa squad Friday morning at Bogle Park on the campus of the University of Arkansas.Nebraska's offense came alive with 13 runs on 14 hits, including three home runs. The three home runs are a season high for the Huskers, while the 13 runs are the second-most runs Nebraska (9-10) has scored in 19 games this year.A quarter of Huskers had multiple hits in the game and six players scored twice for the Big Red. Billie Andrews went 3-for-4 with her 50th career home run, while Caitlynn Neal was 3-for-3. Samantha Bland, Katelyn Caneda and Ava Bredwell - the Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters in the lineup - combined to go 5-for-12 with two doubles, a home run and eight RBIs. Bland and Caneda each went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs while Bredwell hit a two-run homer. Sydney Gray also homered for the Big Red.Kaylin Kinney (5-6) earned the win in relief, allowing only one run in 5.0 innings. Sarah Harness got the start and allowed two runs in 1.0-plus inning.Northern Iowa, the two-time defending Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champions, fell to 9-7 on the season. Samantha Heyer (3-4) took the loss, allowing three runs in 1.1 innings.After Nebraska stranded runners at second and third in the top of the first inning,&nbsp;Northern Iowa took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the frame. With runners on first and second and one out, a ground ball got past Billie Andrews at shortstop. On the play, the runner from second base attempted to score but she was thrown out by Brooke Andrews. Nebraska was one out away from escaping the inning without allowing a run before a two-out RBI single plated the game’s first run.Gray immediately tied the game when she led off the second inning with her fourth home run of the season. Samantha Bland followed with a single before Bredwell clocked a two-run homer with one out to give Nebraska a 3-1 lead.UNI put up another run in the bottom of the second but had a runner thrown out at home plate for the second straight inning. With runners on second and third with no outs, a sacrifice fly cut the Husker lead to 3-2. Gray then cut down a runner at home on a ground ball to third base. A stolen base and a walk put runners on second and third with two outs before a strikeout ended the inning.In the top of the third, Neal led off with a single and a one-out single from Bella Bacon put Huskers on first and second. An error then loaded the bases for Bland, who reached on an RBI fielder's choice that scored Neal and gave Nebraska a 4-2 lead. Caneda followed with a two-run double as the Huskers took a four-run lead.In the top of the fourth, Billie Andrews led off with a home run to make it 7-2. Brooke Andrews and Neal followed with back-to-back singles. After a force out at second out, Bacon hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Brooke Andrews with Nebraska's eighth run of the game.UNI got a run back with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the fourth that made it an 8-3 game.In the top of the sixth, Billie Andrews led off with a single and Brooke Andrews followed with a walk. Neal then delivered her third hit of the game, an RBI single that stretched the Husker lead to 9-3. An error on a fielder's choice scored Brooke Andrews with Nebraska's 10th run of the game. Leading 10-3, Gray walked to load the bases with one out for Bland, who hit a two-run double to push the lead to 12-3. Caneda capped the five-run inning with an RBI ground out.Northern Iowa threatened to extend the game, loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but a lineout ended the game.Nebraska is scheduled to play again on Friday afternoon against Saint Francis.Post-game notes<ul>
 <li>Nebraska homered twice in the second inning and hit three home runs in the game. The three home runs were a season high and snapped a season-long four-game streak without a home run.</li><li>NU stole three bases in the first inning. Prior to that, the Huskers had stolen more than one base in a game only once this season and never more than two.</li><li>Billie Andrews led off the game with a single to extend her hitting streak to 14 games.</li><li>Andrews also homered in the fourth inning. The home run was the 50th of her career, as she became only the third player in program history with 50 home runs.</li><li>Sydney Gray and Ava Bredwell also homered in the game. Gray's homer was her fourth of the season while Bredwell homered for the second time this year.</li><li>Caitlynn Neal went 3-for-3 in the game to match her career high in hits. It marked the fifth time Neal had three hits in a game.</li><li>Katelyn Caneda had two hits and two RBIs, producing her first multi-hit and multi-RBI game of the season.</li><li>Bella Bacon had two RBIs, her second game this season with multiple RBIs.</li>
 </ul><h2>RELATED STORIES</h2>

Huskers Softball starts off Friday with 13-3 win over UNI

Story by NU Athletic Communications

HONOLULU,
Hawaii - The Nebraska beach volleyball team fell to No. 12
Hawaii and Pepperdine, both by 4-1 scores, in their first matches of the
Queen's Cup at Queen's Beach on Thursday.&nbsp;

Merritt
Beason and Skyler Pierce were the lone Husker pair to earn a team point on
Thursday. They teamed up for a 21-19, 15-21, 15-11 win over Hawaii's No. 3
pair, and followed that with a 16-21, 21-19, 17-15 victory over Pepperdine's
No. 4 team.&nbsp;

The
Huskers are now 8-5 on the beach season. Hawaii improved to 1-5, and Pepperdine
improved to 4-3.&nbsp;

The
Huskers have two matches again on Friday, against Chaminade at 3:30 p.m. (CT)
and against Saint Mary's at 6 p.m. (CT).

#12 Hawaii 4,
Nebraska 1
1. Jaime Santer/Alana Embry (UH) def. Lexi Rodriguez/Lindsay Krause (NEB)
21-10, 21-9
2. Kaylee Glagau/Julia Thelle (UH) def. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB)
21-15, 27-25
3. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Julia Lawrenz/Pani Naopleon (UH)
21-19, 15-21, 15-11
4. Riley Wagoner/Sydney Amiatu (UH) def. Laney Choboy/Harper Murray (NEB)
21-18, 21-16
5. Anna Maidment/Sydney Miller (UH) def. Olivia Mauch/Andi Jackson (NEB) 21-11,
21-19
Order
of finish: 1,5,4,2,3

Pepperdine 4,
Nebraska 1
1. Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEP) def. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB)
21-19, 21-18
2. Madison Oriskovich/Kristine Briede (PEP) def. Lindsay Krause/Lexi Rodriguez
(NEB) 16-21, 21-16, 16-14
3. Gabriella Perez/Sarlota Svobodova (PEP) def. Harper Murray/Laney Choboy
(NEB) 21-16, 21-18
4. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Gracie Pedersen/Kaydon Meyers (PEP)
16-21, 21-19, 17-15
5. Emi Erickson/Aubrey Roberts (PEP) def. Andi Jackson/Olivia Mauch (NEB)
21-17, 21-12
Order
of finish: 5,1,3,2,4

Queen's
Cup Schedule
Thursday,
March 7
1 p.m. (CT) - #12 Hawaii 4, Nebraska 1|&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521571" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>
7:15 p.m. (CT) - Pepperdine 4, Nebraska 1 | <a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521602" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>

Friday,
March 8
3:30 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Chaminade |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521604" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>
6 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Saint Mary's |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521605" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>

Saturday,
March 9
1 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #1&nbsp;
2:15 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #2&nbsp;
3:30 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #1&nbsp;
4:45 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #2&nbsp;
6 p.m. (CT) - 5th Place Match&nbsp;
7:15 p.m. (CT) - Bronze Medal Match&nbsp;
8:30 p.m. (CT) - Gold Medal Match&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsHONOLULU,
Hawaii - The Nebraska beach volleyball team fell to No. 12
Hawaii and Pepperdine, both by 4-1 scores, in their first matches of the
Queen's Cup at Queen's Beach on Thursday.&nbsp;Merritt
Beason and Skyler Pierce were the lone Husker pair to earn a team point on
Thursday. They teamed up for a 21-19, 15-21, 15-11 win over Hawaii's No. 3
pair, and followed that with a 16-21, 21-19, 17-15 victory over Pepperdine's
No. 4 team.&nbsp;The
Huskers are now 8-5 on the beach season. Hawaii improved to 1-5, and Pepperdine
improved to 4-3.&nbsp;The
Huskers have two matches again on Friday, against Chaminade at 3:30 p.m. (CT)
and against Saint Mary's at 6 p.m. (CT).#12 Hawaii 4,
Nebraska 1
1. Jaime Santer/Alana Embry (UH) def. Lexi Rodriguez/Lindsay Krause (NEB)
21-10, 21-9
2. Kaylee Glagau/Julia Thelle (UH) def. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB)
21-15, 27-25
3. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Julia Lawrenz/Pani Naopleon (UH)
21-19, 15-21, 15-11
4. Riley Wagoner/Sydney Amiatu (UH) def. Laney Choboy/Harper Murray (NEB)
21-18, 21-16
5. Anna Maidment/Sydney Miller (UH) def. Olivia Mauch/Andi Jackson (NEB) 21-11,
21-19
Order
of finish: 1,5,4,2,3Pepperdine 4,
Nebraska 1
1. Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEP) def. Ally Batenhorst/Bergen Reilly (NEB)
21-19, 21-18
2. Madison Oriskovich/Kristine Briede (PEP) def. Lindsay Krause/Lexi Rodriguez
(NEB) 16-21, 21-16, 16-14
3. Gabriella Perez/Sarlota Svobodova (PEP) def. Harper Murray/Laney Choboy
(NEB) 21-16, 21-18
4. Merritt Beason/Skyler Pierce (NEB) def. Gracie Pedersen/Kaydon Meyers (PEP)
16-21, 21-19, 17-15
5. Emi Erickson/Aubrey Roberts (PEP) def. Andi Jackson/Olivia Mauch (NEB)
21-17, 21-12
Order
of finish: 5,1,3,2,4
Queen's
Cup Schedule
Thursday,
March 7
1 p.m. (CT) - #12 Hawaii 4, Nebraska 1|&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521571" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>
7:15 p.m. (CT) - Pepperdine 4, Nebraska 1 | <a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521602" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>

Friday,
March 8
3:30 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Chaminade |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521604" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>
6 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Saint Mary's |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521605" target="_blank">Live
Stats</a>

Saturday,
March 9
1 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #1&nbsp;
2:15 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #2&nbsp;
3:30 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #1&nbsp;
4:45 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #2&nbsp;
6 p.m. (CT) - 5th Place Match&nbsp;
7:15 p.m. (CT) - Bronze Medal Match&nbsp;
8:30 p.m. (CT) - Gold Medal Match&nbsp;

Huskers Beach VB drop matches to No. 12 Hawaii and Pepperdine

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jaz Shelley had 19 points, seven assists and seven rebounds to lead fifth-seeded Nebraska to a 64-56 win over 12th-seeded Purdue in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday.

The Cornhuskers (20-10) will take on fourth-seeded Michigan State in Friday's quarterfinals. Nebraska won 80-74 at Michigan State on Dec. 9.

Shelley was 6-of-12 shooting with four 3-pointers for Nebraska, which got 15 points from Callin Hake, nine in the fourth quarter. Alexis Markowski added 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Nebraska's third win over Purdue this season.

Sophie Swanson scored a career-high 25 points with seven 3-pointers on nine attempts from the arc, including five in the final quarter. Her seven 3s tied a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1765855030853193950">Purdue freshman record</a>. Abbey Ellis added 11 points and Jeanae Terry grabbed 11 rebounds for the Boilermakers (13-18).

Swanson hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter and tie the game then Nebraska went on a 19-3 run for its largest lead of 16 with four minutes left. Consecutive 3s by Swanson got the Boilermakers within eight and her final 3 with 17 seconds left made it 62-56 before Hake sank two free throws.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jaz Shelley had 19 points, seven assists and seven rebounds to lead fifth-seeded Nebraska to a 64-56 win over 12th-seeded Purdue in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday.The Cornhuskers (20-10) will take on fourth-seeded Michigan State in Friday's quarterfinals. Nebraska won 80-74 at Michigan State on Dec. 9.Shelley was 6-of-12 shooting with four 3-pointers for Nebraska, which got 15 points from Callin Hake, nine in the fourth quarter. Alexis Markowski added 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Nebraska's third win over Purdue this season.Sophie Swanson scored a career-high 25 points with seven 3-pointers on nine attempts from the arc, including five in the final quarter. Her seven 3s tied a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1765855030853193950">Purdue freshman record</a>. Abbey Ellis added 11 points and Jeanae Terry grabbed 11 rebounds for the Boilermakers (13-18).Swanson hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter and tie the game then Nebraska went on a 19-3 run for its largest lead of 16 with four minutes left. Consecutive 3s by Swanson got the Boilermakers within eight and her final 3 with 17 seconds left made it 62-56 before Hake sank two free throws.

Huskers WBB overcomes sluggish start, tops Purdue

By Nebraska Athletic Communications

The Nebraska softball team will play an adjusted schedule this weekend at the Razorback Rumble in Arkansas. The Huskers were scheduled to begin the tournament with a Thursday game at No. 18 Arkansas but that game was canceled due to inclement weather.

The remainder of Nebraska’s games at the Razorback Rumble will be played as scheduled, weather permitting. The Huskers will take on Northern Iowa (10 a.m.) and Saint Francis (2:30 p.m.) on Friday followed by a pair of games on Saturday against Saint Francis (10 a.m.) and South Alabama (12:15 p.m.).

There will be no video coverage of the games this weekend but fans can listen to a free radio broadcast of every Nebraska game all season long on Huskers.com/listen.&nbsp;

With the loss of at least one game this week, Nebraska has added two home games to its schedule next week. The Huskers will host Northern Colorado (Noon) and Maine (5 p.m.) on Tuesday, March 12 at Bowlin Stadium. Admission will be free into both games with general admission seating throughout the stadium.

Nebraska is 8-10 this season, but the Huskers have played one of the nation’s toughest schedules. According to the first NCAA RPI released on Monday, Nebraska has played the 17th-toughest schedule in the nation this season. Seven of NU’s 18 games have come against ranked opponents with three more games against teams just outside the top 25.

Billie Andrews Among Nation’s Extra-base Hit LeadersBillie Andrews has a knack for producing extra-base hits during her Husker career and this year has been no different. Andrews ranks sixth in school history with 83 career extra-base hits, including 13 this season. Nearly 43 percent of her career hits have gone for extra bases.

Billie Andrews Chasing Husker Home Run RecordBillie Andrews ranks 12th nationally in home runs per game this season with six homers in 14 games. Andrews is on pace to break Nebraska’s career home run record this season.

New Hitters Making a Big ImpactLed by first-year transfers Bella Bacon and Peyton Cody, Nebraska’s offensive newcomers have made a big impact at the plate this season. As a group, the newcomers to the Husker lineup have out-paced the returners in batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage, a notable accomplishment considering Nebraska returned the majority of its production from a 2023 offense that was among the best in school history.

Huskers Pitching by Committee in 2024Nebraska has used multiple pitchers in every game this season, utilizing a “pitching by committee” approach. The Huskers have used at least two pitchers in all 18 games, including eight games where three or more pitchers were utilized.

Scouting Northern Iowa (9-6)Northern Iowa is 9-6 this season. Three of the Panthers’ six losses have come to ranked opponents while UNI owns a win at No. 24 Auburn. Northern Iowa is batting .210 as a team while averaging 4.1 runs per game. UNI draws 4.5 walks per game, an average that ranks eighth nationally. The Panthers boast a 3.05 ERA and limit opponents to 3.9 runs per game.

Scouting Saint Francis (11-8)Saint Francis brings an 11-8 record into the Razorback Rumble. The Red Flash began the year 9-1 but has lost seven of its last nine games. Saint Francis is batting .263 and averaging 4.5 runs per game while posting a 2.68 ERA and allowing 3.3 runs per game.

Scouting South Alabama (12-5-1)South Alabama brings a 12-5-1 record into the Razorback Rumble. The Jaguars have been impressive against the top competition this season, posting a 2-0-1 record against ranked teams with wins at No. 17 South Carolina and at No. 10 Alabama with a 1-1 11-inning tie in a neutral site matchup against No. 15 Arizona last Sunday. USA is hitting .267 as a team and averaging &nbsp;5.0 runs per game. Defensively, the Jaguars allow only &nbsp;2.3 runs per game.

By Nebraska Athletic CommunicationsThe Nebraska softball team will play an adjusted schedule this weekend at the Razorback Rumble in Arkansas. The Huskers were scheduled to begin the tournament with a Thursday game at No. 18 Arkansas but that game was canceled due to inclement weather.The remainder of Nebraska’s games at the Razorback Rumble will be played as scheduled, weather permitting. The Huskers will take on Northern Iowa (10 a.m.) and Saint Francis (2:30 p.m.) on Friday followed by a pair of games on Saturday against Saint Francis (10 a.m.) and South Alabama (12:15 p.m.).There will be no video coverage of the games this weekend but fans can listen to a free radio broadcast of every Nebraska game all season long on Huskers.com/listen.&nbsp;With the loss of at least one game this week, Nebraska has added two home games to its schedule next week. The Huskers will host Northern Colorado (Noon) and Maine (5 p.m.) on Tuesday, March 12 at Bowlin Stadium. Admission will be free into both games with general admission seating throughout the stadium.Nebraska is 8-10 this season, but the Huskers have played one of the nation’s toughest schedules. According to the first NCAA RPI released on Monday, Nebraska has played the 17th-toughest schedule in the nation this season. Seven of NU’s 18 games have come against ranked opponents with three more games against teams just outside the top 25.Leading Off<ul>
 <li>Nebraska leads the Big Ten and ranks seventh nationally with 38 doubles.</li><li>The Huskers are on pace for 112 doubles this season, which would break both the Nebraska record (94) and the Big Ten record (110).</li><li>Nebraska is the only Big Ten team without a complete game this season.</li><li>The Huskers lead the Big Ten and rank 14th nationally in double plays per game (0.6).</li><li>Five of Nebraska’s eight returning all-region players have missed multiple games due to injury this season.</li><li>Nebraska has used a different batting order in all 18 games this season.</li><li>Billie Andrews enters this weekend with 194 career hits. Only 13 Huskers have recorded 200 career hits.</li><li>Billie Andrews also has 49 career home runs. Only two Huskers have hit 50 career home runs.</li><li>Peyton Cody enters this weekend with 147 career hits, three shy of 150.</li><li>Emmerson Cope has two saves, one shy of the Nebraska freshman record.</li><li>Caitlynn Neal enters this weekend with 98 career hits, two shy of 100.</li>
 </ul>Billie Andrews Among Nation’s Extra-base Hit LeadersBillie Andrews has a knack for producing extra-base hits during her Husker career and this year has been no different. Andrews ranks sixth in school history with 83 career extra-base hits, including 13 this season. Nearly 43 percent of her career hits have gone for extra bases.<ul>
 <li>Andrews ranks in the top 30 nationally with 13 extra-base hits this season. Since she has played fewer games than many of her peers, Andrews’ average of 0.93 extra-base hits per game ranks fourth nationally among players with at least 12 games played.</li><li>Andrews has at least one extra-base hit in 10 of her 14 games this season, including seven of her last eight games. Andrews has also had two games this season with multiple extra-base hits.</li><li>In addition to ranking fourth in extra-base hits per game, Andrews is 10th nationally in slugging percentage (.961) and 12th in home runs per game (0.4).</li><li>From a career standpoint, Andrews ranks 30th among all active Division I players with 83 career extra-base hits. She ranks ninth nationally among active players in career extra-base hits per game (0.48).</li>
 </ul>Billie Andrews Chasing Husker Home Run RecordBillie Andrews ranks 12th nationally in home runs per game this season with six homers in 14 games. Andrews is on pace to break Nebraska’s career home run record this season.<ul>
 <li>Andrews ranks in a tie for third place in school history with 49 home runs. The Husker home run record is 54 by two-time All-American Taylor Edwards, who played from 2011 to 2014.</li><li>Andrews needs five home runs to tie Edwards’ Nebraska record and six to break the mark. Andrews averages a home run every 3.5 games during her career. Based on that pace and with 35 regular-season games remaining, Andrews is on track to hit 10 more home runs this season which would give her 59 career home runs.</li><li>Andrews has already tied one Nebraska career home run record. She has seven games with multiple home runs in her career, tying Tristen Edwards (2017-21) for the most multi-homer games in Husker history.</li><li>Andrews ranks 16th among all active Division I players with 49 career home runs. She has played at least 10 fewer games than each of the 15 players ranked ahead of her on the active home run chart, with the exception of Wichita State’s Addison Barnard.</li>
 </ul>New Hitters Making a Big ImpactLed by first-year transfers Bella Bacon and Peyton Cody, Nebraska’s offensive newcomers have made a big impact at the plate this season. As a group, the newcomers to the Husker lineup have out-paced the returners in batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage, a notable accomplishment considering Nebraska returned the majority of its production from a 2023 offense that was among the best in school history.<ul>
 <li>Bacon and Cody are batting a combined .341 (28-for-82) this season as the two transfer additions to the lineup. They have combined for six doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs.</li><li>Freshmen Samantha Bland and Emmerson Cope are the other two new bats that have been regulars in the Husker lineup this season. Despite their rookie status, Bland Cope are &nbsp;batting a collective .263 (21-for-80) with seven doubles, three homers and 18 RBIs.</li><li>With the quartet of productive new hitters, three of the top five batting averages on the team are owned by newcomers as are three of the top five slugging percentages. Newcomers also account for two of the four highest home run totals.</li><li>Bacon, who spent her freshman season at Purdue in 2023, has started 17 of Nebraska’s 18 games at first base this season. The Omaha native is batting .306 and is second on the team in hits (15) and walks (5) while ranking third in runs scored (10).</li><li>A sixth-year player who spent her first five seasons at St. John’s, Cody was limited during the first weekend, going 1-for-2 as a pinch hitter. She has returned to the everyday lineup with 10 starts in the past 14 games. Cody is batting .394 this season, ranking second on the team in average, slugging percentage (.667) and on-base percentage (.444) and third in home runs (2).</li><li>Bland has started 17 of Nebraska’s 18 games as a freshman with starts at four different positions. She is tied for the team lead with 11 RBIs while ranking third on the team in doubles (5) and home runs (2).</li><li>Cope has found her way into the starting batting order nine times despite also pitching for the Huskers. She is batting .308 with two doubles, one home runs and seven RBIs. Cope ranks third on the team with a .500 slugging percentage.</li>
 </ul>Huskers Pitching by Committee in 2024Nebraska has used multiple pitchers in every game this season, utilizing a “pitching by committee” approach. The Huskers have used at least two pitchers in all 18 games, including eight games where three or more pitchers were utilized.<ul>
 <li>Nebraska is the only Big Ten team who has not had a pitcher throw a complete game this season. While no Husker pitcher has thrown a complete game, 34 Big Ten pitchers have thrown a complete game, combining for a total of 57 complete games.</li><li>The Huskers have had five pitchers start a game this season. That is a first for Rhonda Revelle, as Nebraska had never used more than four starting pitchers in a season since she took over the program in 1993.</li>
 </ul>Scouting Northern Iowa (9-6)Northern Iowa is 9-6 this season. Three of the Panthers’ six losses have come to ranked opponents while UNI owns a win at No. 24 Auburn. Northern Iowa is batting .210 as a team while averaging 4.1 runs per game. UNI draws 4.5 walks per game, an average that ranks eighth nationally. The Panthers boast a 3.05 ERA and limit opponents to 3.9 runs per game.<ul>
 <li>Madison Parks leads UNI with a .355 batting average. She has also drawn 22 walks in only &nbsp;15 games to post a .623 on-base percentage. Parks ranks second nationally in walks per game (1.5) and fourth nationally in on-base percentage.</li><li>Alexis Pupillo is the only other Panther hitting above .250. Pupillo owns a .302 average and leads UNI in hits (13), runs (12), home runs (6), RBIs (15) and slugging percentage (.744).</li><li>In the circle, UNI has primarily relied on the combination of Samantha Heyer and Anna Wischnowski. Heyer is 3-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 39.1 innings. She has struck out 57 batters to rank 12th nationally with an average of 10.1 strikeouts per seven innings, and opponents are batting just .187 against Heyer. Wischnowski has seen the most action, posting a 5-2 record in a team-high 40.1 innings. She has added one save.</li><li>Kara Maiers (1-0, 3.60 ERA in 11.2 IP) and Maddy McDermott (0-1, 5.79 ERA in 9.2 IP) round out the UNI staff.</li><li>Ryan Jacobs is in his 17th season at UNI, where he owns a 473-343 record. He ranks second in program history in wins and has won a total of five Missouri Valley Conference titles.</li>
 </ul>Scouting Saint Francis (11-8)Saint Francis brings an 11-8 record into the Razorback Rumble. The Red Flash began the year 9-1 but has lost seven of its last nine games. Saint Francis is batting .263 and averaging 4.5 runs per game while posting a 2.68 ERA and allowing 3.3 runs per game.<ul>
 <li>Savannah Nash is the lone .300 hitter in the Saint Francis starting lineup. She is batting .362 and leads the team with 21 hits and 15 RBIs.</li><li>Kaylie Walters is hitting .262 and leads the team with 14 runs scored, 20 walks, a .508 on-base percentage and 12 stolen bases. Rachel Marsden has team-high totals of two triples and two home runs while Olivia Ulam leads the Red Flash with nine doubles and is second with a .286 average, 13 runs and 14 RBIs.</li><li>Grace Vesco has been impressive through the first 19 games of the season. Vesco is 5-4 with a 1.44 ERA in 58.1 innings over 10 appearances and nine starts. She has struck out 56 batters and opponents are hitting only .133 against her with just two extra-base hits in 195 at bats.</li><li>Rachel Marsden, who is also one of Saint Francis’ top hitters, has seen the most action behind Vesco. Marsden is 5-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 49.2 innings. Allie Braly (0-0, 3.00 ERA in 4.2 IP) and Olivia Kolowitz (1-0, 7.70 ERA in 10.0 IP) round out the Red Flash staff.</li><li>Beth Krysiak is in her first season at Saint Francis. She came to Saint Francis after spending four seasons as an assistant coach at Columbia. Previously, Krysiak was 75-128 in five seasons as the head coach of Division III University of Dallas.</li>
 </ul>Scouting South Alabama (12-5-1)South Alabama brings a 12-5-1 record into the Razorback Rumble. The Jaguars have been impressive against the top competition this season, posting a 2-0-1 record against ranked teams with wins at No. 17 South Carolina and at No. 10 Alabama with a 1-1 11-inning tie in a neutral site matchup against No. 15 Arizona last Sunday. USA is hitting .267 as a team and averaging &nbsp;5.0 runs per game. Defensively, the Jaguars allow only &nbsp;2.3 runs per game.<ul>
 <li>Gabby Stagner is the lone .400 hitter in the Jaguar lineup. She leads the team with a .429 average, 18 runs, 24 hits, five doubles, two triples, six home runs and 20 RBIs.</li><li>South Alabama also boasts a trio of .300 hitters. Sasha Willems is hitting .323 with nine RBIs. Mackenzie Brasher owns a .317 average, and she leads the team with 11 stolen bases in 11 attempts. Olivia Branstetter is batting .315 with five doubles and 10 RBIs.</li><li>Olivia Lackie has thrown just more than half of the innings for South Alabama. Lackie is 8-3 with a 0.92 ERA in 60.2 innings over 13 appearances and six starts. She has thrown two shutouts and struck out 76 while limiting opponents to a .130 average. Lackie ranks sixth nationally in wins, seventh in strikeouts and 12th in fewest hits per seven innings (3.1).</li><li>Ryley Harrison has been impressive as well. Harrison is 3-1 with a 1.30 ERA in 27.0 innings. She has thrown a shutout in three of her six starts, ranking ninth nationally in shutouts.</li><li>Madison Lagle (1-0, 2.21 ERA in 19.0 IP), Cadence Williams (0-1, 8.29 ERA in 12.2 IP) and Tori Miller (0-0, 0.00 ERA in 1.2 IP) round out the South Alabama staff.</li><li>Becky Clark is in her 18th season at South Alabama, where she owns a 546-350-2 record. Clark is the only coach in program history dating back to the Jaguars’ first official season of competition in 2007. Clark has led South Alabama to five NCAA Tournament appearances.</li>
 </ul><h2>RELATED&nbsp;</h2>

Huskers Softball heads to Arkansas for Razorback Rumble

The Nebraska beach volleyball team returns to action on Thursday at the Queen's Cup at Queen's Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii.&nbsp;

Nebraska, off to an 8-3 start this beach season, is joined in the tournament by No. 12 Hawaii, Boise State, Chaminade, Pepperdine and Saint Mary's.&nbsp;

The teams will play a round-robin format all-day Thursday and Friday before wrapping up with championship bracket play on Saturday.

Queen's Cup ScheduleThursday, March 7 1 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska at #12 Hawaii |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521571" target="_blank">Live Stats</a>7:15 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Pepperdine |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521602" target="_blank">Live Stats</a>Friday, March 83:30 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Chaminade |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521604" target="_blank">Live Stats</a>6 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Saint Mary's |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521605" target="_blank">Live Stats</a>Saturday, March 91 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #1&nbsp;2:15 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #2&nbsp;3:30 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #1&nbsp;4:45 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #2&nbsp;6 p.m. (CT) - 5th Place Match&nbsp;7:15 p.m. (CT) - Bronze Medal Match&nbsp;8:30 p.m. (CT) - Gold Medal Match&nbsp;

By NU Athletic CommunicationsThe Nebraska beach volleyball team returns to action on Thursday at the Queen's Cup at Queen's Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii.&nbsp;Nebraska, off to an 8-3 start this beach season, is joined in the tournament by No. 12 Hawaii, Boise State, Chaminade, Pepperdine and Saint Mary's.&nbsp;The teams will play a round-robin format all-day Thursday and Friday before wrapping up with championship bracket play on Saturday.Queen's Cup ScheduleThursday, March 7 1 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska at #12 Hawaii |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521571" target="_blank">Live Stats</a>7:15 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Pepperdine |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521602" target="_blank">Live Stats</a>Friday, March 83:30 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Chaminade |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521604" target="_blank">Live Stats</a>6 p.m. (CT) - Nebraska vs. Saint Mary's |&nbsp;<a href="https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=521605" target="_blank">Live Stats</a>Saturday, March 91 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #1&nbsp;2:15 p.m. (CT) - Quarterfinal #2&nbsp;3:30 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #1&nbsp;4:45 p.m. (CT) - Semifinal #2&nbsp;6 p.m. (CT) - 5th Place Match&nbsp;7:15 p.m. (CT) - Bronze Medal Match&nbsp;8:30 p.m. (CT) - Gold Medal Match&nbsp;

Huskers Beach Vollleyball returns to action in Hawaii 

The No. 5 seed Nebraska women’s basketball team will take on No. 12 seed Purdue in the second round of the TIAA Big Ten Conference Tournament on Thursday in Minneapolis.

Purdue (13-17, 5-13 Big Ten) opened the tournament on Wednesday with a 78-72 victory over No. 13 seed Northwestern. The Boilermakers trailed by 12 points midway through the third quarter before building a 10-point fourth-quarter lead.&nbsp;

The Huskers (19-10, 11-7 Big Ten) will battle the Boilermakers at approximately 2 p.m. (CT) at the Target Center in a game televised by BTN with Sloane Martin, Christy Winters Scott and Meghan McKeown on the call.&nbsp;

Fans also can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, at Noon MT on KCOW, panhandlepost.com,the Huskers App and Huskers.com with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action. Pregame is expected to start at Noon MT on KCOW.

Nebraska will take aim at its 20th win of the season, which would give the Huskers their 19th 20-win campaign in school history. It would be the second 20-win season in the past three years under Coach Amy Williams, who also led the Big Red to a 20-win campaign in 2018.

Williams, who was the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year, has led Nebraska to 11 Big Ten wins in three of the past seven years. Prior to that stretch, the Huskers had amassed 11 or more league wins on only five occasions since beginning regular-season Big Eight play in 1982-83 (35 seasons).

Nebraska entered the week at No. 29 in the NCAA NET rankings and went a combined 3-0 against Purdue (2-0) and Northwestern (1-0) during the regular season.&nbsp;

The Huskers own 10 wins over current NET Top 75 foes, including No. 5 Iowa, at No. 21 Michigan State, No. 35 Maryland, No. 48 Illinois, a sweep of No. 51 Michigan, No. 64 Minnesota, No. 70 Georgia Tech and a sweep of No. 72 Purdue. Eight of NU’s 10 losses have come to NET Top 50 opponents.

The Huskers are led by 2024 first-team All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski, who averaged a double-double with team highs of 15.8 points and 10.7 rebounds on the season. Markowski has produced 17 double-doubles this season, including a huge 20-point, 21-rebound effort in a win at Purdue (Feb. 17). Markowski was a second-team All-Big Ten choice in 2023 and 2022, when she was also the 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Jaz Shelley added second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second-time in her career. The 5-9 junior from Moe, Australia averaged 12.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and team bests of 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals on the season. Shelley, who was a first-team All-Big Ten choice in 2023, also leads Nebraska with 66 three-pointers on the year.

Natalie Potts made a major impact on Nebraska’s Big Ten hardware haul by being named the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year by the league coaches. The 6-2 forward from O’Fallon, Mo., ranked second among Big Ten freshmen in scoring (10.5 ppg) and free throw percentage (.859) while leading league rookies in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and field goal percentage (.520). The eight-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week started all 29 games for the Big Red and scored in double figures 18 times, including four double-doubles. She was honorable-mention All-Big Ten by league media.

Logan Nissley joined Potts on the Big Ten All-Freshman teams. The 6-0 guard from Bismarck, N.D., moved into the starting lineup over the final four games of the regular season. Over the final six contests, Nissley averaged 9.3 points and 3.2 rebounds while hitting 44.8 percent of her threes. She increased her season averages to 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists while tying for the fifth-most threes (46) by a freshman in Husker history.

(5) Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-10, 11-7 Big Ten)at TIAA Big Ten TournamentThursday, March 7, 2024, 2 p.m. (CT)Target Center - Minneapolis, MinnesotaTelevision:&nbsp;BTN / FOX Sports AppSloane Martin (PBP), Christy Winters Scott (Analyst)Live Radio:&nbsp;Huskers Radio Network (1 p.m.)Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)B107.3 FM (Lincoln), 590 AM (Omaha),&nbsp;Huskers.com, Huskers AppLive Stats:&nbsp;Huskers.com

Nebraska Cornhuskers&nbsp;(19-10, 11-7 Big Ten - NCAA NET 29)22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 10.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 15.8 ppg, 10.7 rpg1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 12.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 6.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 3.5 ppg, 1.3 rpgOff the Bench0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 7.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 5.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 3.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.2 ppg, 1.9 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Eighth Season at Nebraska (133-109);&nbsp;17th Season Overall (326-218)

Purdue Boilermakers&nbsp;(13-17, 5-13 Big Ten - NET 72)20 - Mary Ashley Stevenson - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 9.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg32 - Alaina Harper - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.0 ppg, 1.1 rpg10 - Jeanae Terry - 5-11 - 5th - G - 5.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg23 - Abbey Ellis - 5-6 - 5th - G - 14.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg33 - Madison Layden - 6-1 - Sr. - G - 10.1 ppg, 3.2 rpgOff the Bench2 - Rashunda Jones - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 8.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg31 - Sophie Swanson - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 6.3 ppg, 1.1 rpg3 - Jayla Smith - 6-0 - Jr. - G - 3.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg15 - Mila Reynolds - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg11 - McKenna Layden - 5-10 - Gr. - G - 1.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg21 - Emily Monson - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 0.8 ppg, 0.6 rpg34 - Caitlyn Harper (OUT) - 6-2 - Gr. - F - 11.3 ppg, 4.0 rpgHead Coach:&nbsp;Katie Gearlds (Purdue, 2007)Third Season at Purdue (49-43);&nbsp;11th Season Overall (277-93)

Scouting the Purdue BoilermakersNebraska swept Purdue during the regular season, most recently claiming a 77-65 win over the Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind. (Feb. 17). NU also worked its way to a 68-54 win in Lincoln (Jan. 31).The Boilers advanced to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament with a 78-72 win over No. 13 seed Northwestern in the first game of the tournament on Wednesday evening at the Target Center.Fifth-year guard Abbey Ellis, who was a Cal Poly transfer prior to 2021-22, led Purdue with a double-double that included a team-high 25 points, hitting 7-of-18 shots from the field and 9-of-10 free throws. The 5-6 Australian also grabbed 10 rebounds. She is Purdue’s leading scorer on the season with 14.6 points per game, while also leading the team with 88 made free throws. She ranks second on the squad with 45 three-pointers.Fifth-year point guard Jeanae Terry, who started her career at Illinois, added eight points, a game-high 16 rebounds and six assists for the Boilermakers. The 5-11 Terry who has joined Ellis and senior guard Madison Layden in Purdue’s starting backcourt for all 30 games, averages 5.2 points and team bests of 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists, while leading the team with 57 steals.&nbsp;Layden, a 6-1 guard, has added 10.1 points and leads Purdue in three-point shooting at 40.8 percent (64-157).Purdue features two of the Big Ten’s top freshmen in Mary Ashley Stevenson (9.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Rashunda Jones (8.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg). Stevenson, a 6-2 forward, was the media’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year, while Jones joined her on the media’s All-Freshman Team. Jones erupted for 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting in just 21 minutes in the win over Northwestern. She helped the Boilers rally from a 12-point third-quarter deficit in the six-point win. Stevrenson added nine points and three rebounds.Sixth-year senior Caitlyn Harper, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in a 93-88 loss to Penn State (Feb. 28), has been replaced in Purdue’s starting five by her younger sister Alaina in the last two games. Alaina Harper had four points and two rebounds in the win over Northwestern and is averaging 3.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in her two starts since her sister’s injury. The elder Harper averaged 11.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in her final season.Freshman Sophie Swanson has contributed 6.2 points with consistent three-point shooting (.363) over 23 games. Swanson, who spent the early part of the season completing her recovery from an ACL injury, is averaging nearly 11 minutes per game. She managed two points on a pair of free throws in the Big Ten Tournament win over the Wildcats.Purdue went 1-4 in its last five regular-season games with three single-digit losses and a 24-point win at Wisconsin (Feb. 25).&nbsp;Nebraska vs. Purdue Series HistoryThe all-time series between Nebraska and Purdue is tied, 10-10, with the Huskers winning four straight, including a 68-54 win in Lincoln (Jan. 31) and a 77-65 win in West Lafayette (Feb. 17) .&nbsp;Alexis Markowski led Nebraska in the Feb. 17 win with 20 points and 21 rebounds. Jaz Shelley and Logan Nissley each contributed 18 points.&nbsp;In the first-ever meeting between the two schools in women’s basketball, Nebraska fought its way to an epic 93-89 triple-overtime win at Mackey Arena (Feb. 2, 2012). Later that same season, Purdue defeated the Huskers 74-70 in double-overtime in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis.The third game between the schools also went overtime, a 69-66 loss for the Huskers in Lincoln on Jan. 5, 2013. None of the other 17 games in the series have gone overtime.After winning the series opener in 2011-12, Nebraska suffered five straight losses to Purdue. Since 2014-15, Nebraska owns a 9-5 edge in the series.Markowski Makes Mark with 20-20 Game at PurdueAlexis Markowski earned her seventh spot on the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll this season with her monster 20-point, 21-rebound performance in a win at Purdue (Feb. 17).The 21 rebounds were not only a career high, but matched the fourth-highest total by a Husker in history. They were the most rebounds in a game by a Nebraska player since Kelly Hubert pulled down 23 boards against Wisconsin on Dec. 7, 1990. It was just the 11th 20-rebound performance in Husker women’s basketball history.Markowski’s effort at Purdue was just the fifth 20-point, 20-rebound game by a women’s basketball player in Husker history.Markowski Climbing Husker Double-Double ListNebraska’s Alexis Markowski is producing double-doubles at one of the top rates in the nation through 29 games in 2023-24. The 6-3 junior center from Lincoln, Neb., is tied for 11th nationally and ranks third in the Big Ten with 17 double-doubles on the year, including 11 in 18 Big Ten games.Markowski, who earned her second appearance on the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List, ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding at 10.7 boards per game, including 11.5 in conference play. She also ranks seventh in the league in scoring at 15.8 points per game.She produced the biggest double-double of her career with 20 points and 21 rebounds in a 77-65 road win at Purdue (Feb. 17). It was just the fifth 20-point, 20-rebound performance in Husker history. She added 12 points and 10 boards in a win over Northwestern (Feb. 20), before contributing 10 points and 12 boards in a win over Minnesota (Feb. 24).Markowski owns 38 career double-doubles, trailing only first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2010) and Jordan Hooper (2014) who share the Nebraska school record with 40 career double-doubles.Markowski has scored in double figures 28 times in 29 games this season, including six 20-point performances. She was held to nine points and 16 rebounds at No. 2 Ohio State (Feb. 14).The 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Markowski earned her second straight appearance on the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List this year. Last season, as the only sophomore on the list, she advanced to the Midseason Top 10 for the award.Markowski ranks sixth on the Nebraska career rebound list with 889.Markowski Named First-Team All-Big TenAlexis Markowski led an impressive hardware haul by the Huskers when All-Big Ten teams were announced on Tuesday, March 5. The 6-3 center from Lincoln, Neb., captured first-team all-conference honors for the first time after claiming second-team accolades in 2023 and 2022, when she was also the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.Markowski, who ranked second in the Big Ten in rebounding (10.7 rpg) and seventh in scoring (15.8 ppg), produced 17 double-doubles during the season, including 11 in Big Ten play. She was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll seven times in 2023-24.&nbsp;Jaz Shelley, a 2023 first-team All-Big Ten selection, claimed second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second time in three seasons at Nebraska. The 5-9 guard from Moe, Australia (pronounced MO-ee) was a second-team All-Big Ten choice in 2022, when she was also a member of the media’s Big Ten All-Defensive Team.&nbsp;Shelley ranks second among the Huskers in scoring (12.8 ppg), while leading the team in assists (5.2 apg), steals (1.7 spg) and made three-pointers (66). She has added 4.2 rebounds per game.Shelley and Markowski were both preseason first-team All-Big Ten heading into the 2023-24 season, and Markowski was also preseason first-team All-Big Ten in 2022-23.Potts Earns Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year AwardNatalie Potts capped an outstanding first season at Nebraska by being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year by the conference coaches on Tuesday, March 5.The 6-2 forward from O’Fallon, Mo., claimed her eighth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (March 4), before earning NU’s third Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year honor in the last eight years.The Big Ten’s most consistent freshman from start to finish since earning the league’s first freshman-of-the-week honor (Nov. 13), Potts claimed at least one weekly award in all five months of the campaign. Her eight weekly honors matched teammate Alexis Markowski’s award total from her 2022 Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year campaign.A two-time Missouri MaxPreps High School Player of the Year, Potts averaged 14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals over the last two weeks of the regular season.For the season, she led all Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and field goal percentage (.520), while ranking second in scoring (10.5 ppg) and free throw percentage (.859).A unanimous choice by the coaches to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, Potts produced four double-doubles, including game highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Northwestern (Feb. 20), on her way to her seventh Big Ten weekly freshman honor.Potts, who has started all 29 games for the Big Red, was named the No. 14 impact freshman in the nation by ESPN on Dec. 22.&nbsp;Potts owns 18 double-figure scoring games on the season.She earned her sixth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award with 14 points and six rebounds in Nebraska’s 82-79 upset of No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11). She produced eight points and five rebounds in helping the Huskers outscore the Hawkeyes 27-10 in the decisive fourth quarter. It followed a 12-point performance in a huge road win at Michigan (Feb. 6).&nbsp;Potts had 11 points, six rebounds and a career-high four steals in a win over Purdue (Jan. 31).&nbsp;Potts produced her third career double-double with game highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Michigan (Jan. 17).She posted her second double-double with 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in NU’s win over Maryland (Dec. 31), including 13 points and 12 boards in the second half.&nbsp;Potts scored all 16 of her points in the second half in a win at Wisconsin (Jan. 4). She opened league play with 10 points, five boards and two blocks in a win at Michigan State (Dec. 9).&nbsp;Potts had 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes in a win over UNCW (Dec. 5).&nbsp;Potts won her second Big Ten Freshman award (Nov. 22) after averaging 14.0 points in two games at the St. Pete Showcase. She opened the week with a career-high 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field, including a three-pointer, in a 75-61 win over Lamar.She opened another strong week by notching her first double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in a win over Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29). She followed with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in a win over Georgia Tech (Dec. 2).Potts averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 block to earn her first Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Nov. 13).She backed up her opening week with 11.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in her second week, including 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting against No. 22 Creighton (Nov. 19). She had seven points, 11 rebounds and a career-high three blocks in a win over Alcorn State (Nov. 14).Nissley Joins Potts On Big Ten All-Freshman TeamNebraska freshman Logan Nissley made a late-season push to earn Big Ten All-Freshman honors from both the coaches and media (March 5). The 6-0 guard from Bismarck, N.D., played a major role in NU’s success in February, averaging 9.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists over seven games, helping NU to a 5-2 record in the month.Nissley joined the starting lineup the final four games of the regular season, averaging 8.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a starter, while helping Nebraska to a 3-1 record.In her first career start, Nissley tied a career high with 18 points to help the Huskers to a road win at Purdue (Feb. 17). She helped NU rally from a 10-point first-quarter deficit by scoring 11 first-half points and the first six points of the second half.She added 12 points in her second start by tying her career high with four three-pointers while dishing out a career-high six assists in a win over Northwestern (Feb. 20).Nissley’s efforts in her first two starts followed a breakout performance with 15 points and a career-high seven rebounds in 24 minutes in Nebraska’s 82-79 win over No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11).She owns nine double-figure scoring efforts on the season, including three in the past six games. For the season, Nissley is averaging 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists while playing in all 29 games.&nbsp;Nissley, who has hit 46-of-116 three-pointers, has tied two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge at No. 5 in Nebraska history in made threes by a freshman. Nissley’s .397 three-point percentage also ranks fourth among freshmen in Husker history.Nebraska’s 20-Win Seasons• Nebraska shoots for its third 20-win season under Coach Amy Williams and its second in the past three years when the Huskers travel to the Big Ten Tournament Thursday.• The Huskers own 18 20-win seasons in school history, including a top victory total of 32 in 2009-10. Nebraska owns seven 20-win campaigns from 2009-10 to 2022-23.• The Nebraska men’s basketball program already owns a 20-win season in 2023-24, and a win for the women would give the two teams 20-win seasons in the same year for the first time since 2017-18, when the men finished 22-11, and the women went 21-11.Husker Numbers to Watch• Alexis Markowski is three rebounds from 900 in her career. Only five players in Husker history have recorded 900 career rebounds: Janet Smith (1,280, 1979-82), Emily Cady (1,114, 2012-15), Jordan Hooper (1,110, 2011-14), Kelsey Griffin (1,019, 2006-10) and Karen Jennings (1,000, 1990-93).• Markowski (310) needs four rebounds to match Carol Garey at No. 7 on the NU season rebounding list, and seven rebounds to catch Karen Jennings at No. 6 (317). Markowski is 12 rebounds from matching her season total (322) from a year ago, which is the fifth-best mark in the NU record book. She is one of five Huskers in history to record two 300-rebound seasons.• Markowski’s next double-double will be the 39th of her career, which would move her within one of Nebraska’s school record of 40 shared by first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2006-10) and Jordan Hooper (2011-14).• Freshman Logan Nissley is 13 points away from 200 on the year.• Jaz Shelley is expected to play in her 150th career collegiate game on Thursday.• Kendall Coley is expected to play in her 100th career collegiate game on Thursday.Nebraska Notables•&nbsp; Jaz Shelley (610) and Darian White (526) both own 500 assists in their college careers. Only five previous Huskers in history had totaled 500 collegiate assists (Lindsey Moore, Meggan Yedsena, Rachel Theriot, Jina Johansen, Nicole Kubik).&nbsp;• Darian White has scored in double figures 105 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 8, Nebraska). She scored a season-high 16 points against TCU (Nov. 25).• Nebraska features one of the Big Ten’s best freshman classes with Natalie Potts (304/156), Logan Nissley (187/61) and Jessica Petrie (125/64) combining for 616 points and 281 rebounds. All three freshmen have played in all 29 games for the Big Red and all three are averaging double-figure minutes.&nbsp;

Husker Nuggets• Natalie Potts earned eighth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards in 2023-24. No other league freshman won more than three awards. Potts won conference honors Nov. 13, Nov. 27, Dec. 11, Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Feb. 12, Feb. 26 and March 3.&nbsp;

• Alexis Markowski was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll seven times in 2023-24. She also earned a spot on the St. Pete Showcase All-Tournament Team (Nov. 25). She ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding (10.7 rpg) and seventh in scoring (15.8 ppg).

• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 493 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 372 consecutive games.

• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 37 times in the last 101 games, including 10 times in 2023-24. The Huskers hit a season-high 16 threes against UNCW (Dec. 5), and sank 12 triples vs. Southern (Dec. 17). NU hit 11 threes vs. Minnesota (Feb. 24), along with 10 threes vs. Northwestern State (Nov. 6), Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29), Georgia Tech (Dec. 2), Michigan State (Dec. 9), Maryland (Dec. 31) and both games vs. Iowa (Jan. 27/Feb. 11).

Preview: Huskers WBB open Big Ten Tourney vs Purdue

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;

The Nebraska wrestling team begins its postseason push this weekend as it travels to Maryland for the 2024 Big Ten Championships. The two-day event kicks off Saturday, March 9 at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Md.&nbsp;

The Big Ten Network will offer live linear and streaming coverage of the championships. Session I begins Saturday at 9 a.m. (CT) and Session II semifinals start at 6 p.m. (CT). The championship coverage continues Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) with consolation matches on B1G+ and returns to BTN at 3:30 p.m. (CT) for the final bouts. Additional mat coverage can be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required) for every session.

The Huskers have nine wrestlers seeded 10th or higher in their conference championship lineup. After wrapping up the regular season with only one loss, Ridge Lovett grabs the top spot at 149. Lenny Pinto is seeded second at 184, followed by Jacob Van Dee (133), Brock Hardy (141) and Silas Allred (197) all in fourth. Caleb Smith (125), Peyton Robb (157) and Antrell Taylor (165) sit in fifth. Making his Big Ten Tournament debut is Nash Hutmacher (HWT) in 10th, and two-time NCAA Qualifier Bubba Wilson (174) received a 12th-place seed.

Live stats and brackets will be available on trackwrestling.com. Updates will also be posted to the Nebraska wrestling twitter throughout the weekend.

Last Time Out:&nbsp;Five-straight bout wins helped the Huskers secure the 26-9 victory over No. 19 Arizona State on Sunday afternoon in the Huskers’ regular-season finale.&nbsp;

Up Next:&nbsp;NU will set its focus on the 2024 NCAA Championships, which will be held March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.&nbsp;

Nebraska's Big Ten Championship Lineup

125: #5 Caleb Smith • High Point, N.C. (18-6)

133: #4 Jacob Van Dee • Union City, Pa. (18-6)

141: #4 Brock Hardy • Brigham City, Utah (15-6)

149: #1 Ridge Lovett • Post Falls, Idaho (21-1)

157: #5 Peyton Robb • Owatonna, Minn. (16-5)

165: #5 Antrell Taylor • Millard, Neb. (17-5)

174: #12 Bubba Wilson • Manhattan, Kan. (12-10)

184: #2 Lenny Pinto • Stroudsburg, Pa. (19-3)

197: #4 Silas Allred • Muncie, Ind. (20-5)

HWT: #10 Nash Hutmacher • Oacoma, S.D. (5-3)

Quick Notes:•&nbsp;Two Huskers claimed individual titles as the Huskers finished second at the 2023 Cliff Keen Invitational earlier this year. Lovett and Robb finished atop their weight classes as NU amassed 125.5 team points.&nbsp;•&nbsp;Lovett earned the Big Ten Championship top seed at 149 pounds for the first time. He is just the third one-seed at the tournament since Robert Kokesh was seeded first at 174 pounds for the 2015 Big Ten Championships.&nbsp;•&nbsp;Stat leaders among starters:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Team Points: Lovett (52)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pins: Lovett (6)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Major Decisions: Smith, Lovett, Taylor (4)&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic Communications&nbsp;The Nebraska wrestling team begins its postseason push this weekend as it travels to Maryland for the 2024 Big Ten Championships. The two-day event kicks off Saturday, March 9 at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Md.&nbsp;The Big Ten Network will offer live linear and streaming coverage of the championships. Session I begins Saturday at 9 a.m. (CT) and Session II semifinals start at 6 p.m. (CT). The championship coverage continues Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) with consolation matches on B1G+ and returns to BTN at 3:30 p.m. (CT) for the final bouts. Additional mat coverage can be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required) for every session.The Huskers have nine wrestlers seeded 10th or higher in their conference championship lineup. After wrapping up the regular season with only one loss, Ridge Lovett grabs the top spot at 149. Lenny Pinto is seeded second at 184, followed by Jacob Van Dee (133), Brock Hardy (141) and Silas Allred (197) all in fourth. Caleb Smith (125), Peyton Robb (157) and Antrell Taylor (165) sit in fifth. Making his Big Ten Tournament debut is Nash Hutmacher (HWT) in 10th, and two-time NCAA Qualifier Bubba Wilson (174) received a 12th-place seed.Live stats and brackets will be available on trackwrestling.com. Updates will also be posted to the Nebraska wrestling twitter throughout the weekend.Last Time Out:&nbsp;Five-straight bout wins helped the Huskers secure the 26-9 victory over No. 19 Arizona State on Sunday afternoon in the Huskers’ regular-season finale.&nbsp;Up Next:&nbsp;NU will set its focus on the 2024 NCAA Championships, which will be held March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.&nbsp;Nebraska's Big Ten Championship LineupWith preliminary seeding125: #5 Caleb Smith • High Point, N.C. (18-6)133: #4 Jacob Van Dee • Union City, Pa. (18-6)141: #4 Brock Hardy • Brigham City, Utah (15-6)149: #1 Ridge Lovett • Post Falls, Idaho (21-1)157: #5 Peyton Robb • Owatonna, Minn. (16-5)165: #5 Antrell Taylor • Millard, Neb. (17-5)174: #12 Bubba Wilson • Manhattan, Kan. (12-10)184: #2 Lenny Pinto • Stroudsburg, Pa. (19-3)197: #4 Silas Allred • Muncie, Ind. (20-5)HWT: #10 Nash Hutmacher • Oacoma, S.D. (5-3)Quick Notes:•&nbsp;Two Huskers claimed individual titles as the Huskers finished second at the 2023 Cliff Keen Invitational earlier this year. Lovett and Robb finished atop their weight classes as NU amassed 125.5 team points.&nbsp;•&nbsp;Lovett earned the Big Ten Championship top seed at 149 pounds for the first time. He is just the third one-seed at the tournament since Robert Kokesh was seeded first at 174 pounds for the 2015 Big Ten Championships.&nbsp;•&nbsp;Stat leaders among starters:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Team Points: Lovett (52)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pins: Lovett (6)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Major Decisions: Smith, Lovett, Taylor (4)&nbsp;

B1G Preview: Husker Wrestlers set for 2024 Big Ten Championships

Winter and Spring sports collide in the first week of March! Dave Collins reports on several recent and upcoming events and happenings in CSC athletics this week!

<div><iframe title="CSC Sports Journal - Wrestling RMAC Honors, Nationals, Basketball Finishes Up and Softball Meets MSU-D! 3/6/24" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=2h97s-15a1a5c-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=c73a3a" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Winter and Spring sports collide in the first week of March! Dave Collins reports on several recent and upcoming events and happenings in CSC athletics this week!<figure>
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🎙 PODCAST: CSC SJ - Wrestling RMAC Honors, Nationals, Basketball Finishes Up and Softball Meets MSU-D! 3/6/24

🏀 Nebraska Boys High School State Basketball Brackets

Click for this year's games, times and scores at the <a href="http://chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://nsaa-static.s3.amazonaws.com/textfile/bask/bbbr.pdf">Nebraska Boys Basketball High School Tournament</a>&nbsp;in Lincoln!

🏀 Nebraska Boys High School State Basketball BracketsClick for this year's games, times and scores at the <a href="http://chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://nsaa-static.s3.amazonaws.com/textfile/bask/bbbr.pdf">Nebraska Boys Basketball High School Tournament</a>&nbsp;in Lincoln!<figure>
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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Two years ago, Russell Wilson exuberantly declared he intended to play a dozen years in Denver and double the trio of Lombardi Trophies in the Broncos' lobby.

General manager George Paton was equally dizzy, thrilled to send four premium draft picks and three players to Seattle for a younger, healthier version of Peyton Manning and excited to sign the Super Bowl-winning quarterback to that $242 million extension six months later.

Acquiring Wilson turned out to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-broncos-russell-wilson-73c72ba857a85517a10f0bc963e63290">biggest miscalculation</a>&nbsp;in franchise history. He won just 11 of his 30 starts and witnessed both the coaching and quarterback carousels continue to churn in Denver, which hasn't been to the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016.

Wilson endured his worst season under Nathaniel Hackett in 2022 and bounced back under Sean Payton in 2023 only to get benched for Jarrett Stidham for the final two games.

On Monday, the Broncos informed Wilson they'd release him next week when the new league year begins.

“We thank Russell for his contributions and dedications to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1764762904182550644?s=20">team posted</a>&nbsp;on its social media channels, adding, “We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.”

The divorce will be a costly one for the Broncos, however. They still owe Wilson his $39 million salary for 2024 minus whatever he'd sign for with another team, which would likely be the veteran's minimum salary of $1.21 million.

The Broncos also will take a record $89 million hit in dead cap charges over the next two seasons, which will crimp their roster building as they seek to end an eight-year playoff drought that's featured six head coaches and 13 starting quarterbacks since Manning retired a month after the franchise's third Super Bowl title.

<a href="https://x.com/DangeRussWilson/status/1764764382716731840?s=20">Wilson thanked Broncos fans</a>&nbsp;and teammates on social media posts, and issued individual shout-outs to a few of them, including left tackle Garett Bolles and receivers Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Brandon Johnson and Tim Patrick.

“Court, I'll never forget your one-handed catch in LA and your toe-tap in Buffalo. Bolles, you always wrapping your arm around me win or lose. Brandon Johnson, your relentless work ethic. Jeu, you snagging and high-pointing that ball in KC!” Wilson wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Wilson also praised Patrick and running back Javonte Williams for their attitudes during arduous rehabs and thanked locker room attendants and other staff.

“Tough times don't last but tough people do,” Wilson concluded. “God's got me. I am excited for what's next.”

Wilson enjoyed a bounce-back year last season, throwing for 26 touchdowns with eight interceptions in 15 games.

But it wasn't good enough and Payton went with Stidham for the final two games. Stidham went 1-1 and the Broncos finished 8-9, their seventh straight losing season and their eighth in a row outside the playoffs.

Although he had maintained a Wilson return was possible, Payton hinted at an impending split at the NFL scouting combine last week when talking about Denver's long string of middling quarterbacks and suggested his job was to make sure “the next one” was the right QB to lead the Broncos back into contention.

Wilson, who had gone radio silent on social media at Payton's request a year ago, recently resumed sharing videos of his workouts and over the weekend he&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DangeRussWilson?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">removed all Broncos references</a>&nbsp;from his profile on X.

Wilson was acquired in 2022 from the Seattle Seahawks, where he won a Super Bowl title after the 2013 season with a win over the Broncos, for a bevy of draft picks (two first-rounders and two seconds) and players (Drew Lock, Noah Fant and Shelby Harris).

He signed a nearly quarter-billion dollar extension before playing a single down in Denver and then went 4-11 in his first season under Hackett, who was fired after 15 games.

Payton had Wilson dial back his social media presence a year ago and a focused and fit Wilson showed up to training camp 20 pounds lighter.

He went 7-8 before losing his starting job. Wilson contended the Broncos had threatened to bench him for the final nine games if he didn't push back his $37 million injury guarantee in his contract.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709741254281.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Two years ago, Russell Wilson exuberantly declared he intended to play a dozen years in Denver and double the trio of Lombardi Trophies in the Broncos' lobby.General manager George Paton was equally dizzy, thrilled to send four premium draft picks and three players to Seattle for a younger, healthier version of Peyton Manning and excited to sign the Super Bowl-winning quarterback to that $242 million extension six months later.Acquiring Wilson turned out to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-broncos-russell-wilson-73c72ba857a85517a10f0bc963e63290">biggest miscalculation</a>&nbsp;in franchise history. He won just 11 of his 30 starts and witnessed both the coaching and quarterback carousels continue to churn in Denver, which hasn't been to the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016.Wilson endured his worst season under Nathaniel Hackett in 2022 and bounced back under Sean Payton in 2023 only to get benched for Jarrett Stidham for the final two games.On Monday, the Broncos informed Wilson they'd release him next week when the new league year begins.“We thank Russell for his contributions and dedications to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1764762904182550644?s=20">team posted</a>&nbsp;on its social media channels, adding, “We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.”The divorce will be a costly one for the Broncos, however. They still owe Wilson his $39 million salary for 2024 minus whatever he'd sign for with another team, which would likely be the veteran's minimum salary of $1.21 million.The Broncos also will take a record $89 million hit in dead cap charges over the next two seasons, which will crimp their roster building as they seek to end an eight-year playoff drought that's featured six head coaches and 13 starting quarterbacks since Manning retired a month after the franchise's third Super Bowl title.<a href="https://x.com/DangeRussWilson/status/1764764382716731840?s=20">Wilson thanked Broncos fans</a>&nbsp;and teammates on social media posts, and issued individual shout-outs to a few of them, including left tackle Garett Bolles and receivers Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Brandon Johnson and Tim Patrick.“Court, I'll never forget your one-handed catch in LA and your toe-tap in Buffalo. Bolles, you always wrapping your arm around me win or lose. Brandon Johnson, your relentless work ethic. Jeu, you snagging and high-pointing that ball in KC!” Wilson wrote on X (formerly Twitter).Wilson also praised Patrick and running back Javonte Williams for their attitudes during arduous rehabs and thanked locker room attendants and other staff.“Tough times don't last but tough people do,” Wilson concluded. “God's got me. I am excited for what's next.”He signed off, “#3”Wilson enjoyed a bounce-back year last season, throwing for 26 touchdowns with eight interceptions in 15 games.But it wasn't good enough and Payton went with Stidham for the final two games. Stidham went 1-1 and the Broncos finished 8-9, their seventh straight losing season and their eighth in a row outside the playoffs.Although he had maintained a Wilson return was possible, Payton hinted at an impending split at the NFL scouting combine last week when talking about Denver's long string of middling quarterbacks and suggested his job was to make sure “the next one” was the right QB to lead the Broncos back into contention.Wilson, who had gone radio silent on social media at Payton's request a year ago, recently resumed sharing videos of his workouts and over the weekend he&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DangeRussWilson?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">removed all Broncos references</a>&nbsp;from his profile on X.Wilson was acquired in 2022 from the Seattle Seahawks, where he won a Super Bowl title after the 2013 season with a win over the Broncos, for a bevy of draft picks (two first-rounders and two seconds) and players (Drew Lock, Noah Fant and Shelby Harris).He signed a nearly quarter-billion dollar extension before playing a single down in Denver and then went 4-11 in his first season under Hackett, who was fired after 15 games.Payton had Wilson dial back his social media presence a year ago and a focused and fit Wilson showed up to training camp 20 pounds lighter.He went 7-8 before losing his starting job. Wilson contended the Broncos had threatened to bench him for the final nine games if he didn't push back his $37 million injury guarantee in his contract.

Broncos cutting Russell Wilson

By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information Director

The Chadron State College men's basketball team's season came to an end in the first round of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament with an 84-74 defeat Tuesday night, falling to RMAC tournament #1 seed and the #5 ranked team in the nation, Colorado Mesa.   

The loss ends CSC's season at 12-17 overall and 9-13 in RMAC play. The Mavericks improve to 26-3 overall. They will host #4 Black Hills State in the RMAC Semifinals on Friday.

Chadron State started 3-4 from the field to build a 9-2 lead four minutes into the game. The Eagles were able to stretch their lead to 10 points with 9:36 remaining in the half.

With CSC leading 23-14, the Mavericks defense answered the threat by the visitors and manufactured a 12-0 scoring run in the hosts favor, giving the Mavericks a 26-23 lead.  

Both teams traded baskets before Christopher Speller hit a jumper with two seconds remaining, putting the Mavericks up 37-32 at half.

Chadron State opened the second half by making only one of seven attempts from the field. On the other side, Colorado Mesa began the second half with five consecutive points to build a ten-point lead that stretched to 13 points with 14:31 remaining.

That's when Jalen Patterson, a junior guard from Galt, California, scored eight consecutive points to make the score 49-44. After an "and-1" layup, Patterson scored a jumper on CSC's next possession before knocking down a three with 12 minutes remaining.

Colorado Mesa quickly regained a double-digit lead but CSC slowly chipped it back down to four points with 7:31 remaining. The Eagles found themselves trailing 63-59 after making three consecutive shots and five of their last seven.

<figure>
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 </figure>By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information DirectorThe Chadron State College men's basketball team's season came to an end in the first round of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament with an 84-74 defeat Tuesday night, falling to RMAC tournament #1 seed and the #5 ranked team in the nation, Colorado Mesa. The loss ends CSC's season at 12-17 overall and 9-13 in RMAC play. The Mavericks improve to 26-3 overall. They will host #4 Black Hills State in the RMAC Semifinals on Friday.Chadron State started 3-4 from the field to build a 9-2 lead four minutes into the game. The Eagles were able to stretch their lead to 10 points with 9:36 remaining in the half.With CSC leading 23-14, the Mavericks defense answered the threat by the visitors and manufactured a 12-0 scoring run in the hosts favor, giving the Mavericks a 26-23 lead. Both teams traded baskets before Christopher Speller hit a jumper with two seconds remaining, putting the Mavericks up 37-32 at half.Chadron State opened the second half by making only one of seven attempts from the field. On the other side, Colorado Mesa began the second half with five consecutive points to build a ten-point lead that stretched to 13 points with 14:31 remaining.That's when Jalen Patterson, a junior guard from Galt, California, scored eight consecutive points to make the score 49-44. After an "and-1" layup, Patterson scored a jumper on CSC's next possession before knocking down a three with 12 minutes remaining.Colorado Mesa quickly regained a double-digit lead but CSC slowly chipped it back down to four points with 7:31 remaining. The Eagles found themselves trailing 63-59 after making three consecutive shots and five of their last seven.The Mavericks lead stood at 68-63 with 5:45 remaining when the hosts offense caught fire. With 4:03 remaining in the game, Colorado Mesa led 78-63.Chadron State was able to chip the Mavericks lead back down to nine but were unable to overcome the late scoring run by the hosts.The hosts finished 33-58 (56.9 percent) from the field. They made 10 of their 25 attempts from three (40 percent) and were 8-13 from the charity stripe (61.5 percent).CSC finished 29 of 66 (43.9 percent) from the field and 14-19 (73.7 percent) from the charity stripe. The Eagle's finished 2-12 (16.7 percent) from three point land, their second lowest percentage this season.Colorado Mesa outrebounded CSC 40 to 29.Chadron State had nine turnovers in the loss, resulting in five Maverick points. The Eagles scored 15 points off 17 Mesa turnovers.Josh Robinson led CSC in scoring with 30 points and had a game high 10 rebounds. The senior made 13 of his 23 attempts from the field and was 4-8 from the charity stripe.Patterson and Bryce Latimer joined Robinson in double-figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Trevor Baskin and Owen Koonce both scored 22 points for the Mavericks. Baskin added 10 rebounds while Spiller had 14 points.