CHICAGO (AP) — D.J. Newbill scored 26 points, Shep Garner added 19 and Penn State hung on to beat Nebraska 68-65 Wednesday in the Big Ten tournament opener.
The 13th-seeded Nittany Lions (17-15) advanced in the tournament for the first time since a run to the final in 2011, despite letting a 16-point lead in the second half dwindle to one.
They came away with their second-straight win after dropping six in a row when Shavon Shields missed a 3 for 12th-seeded Nebraska (13-18) at the buzzer.
Lincoln – For the second straight game senior Blake Headley roped a pair of triples, and freshman Scott Schreiber add another, to power the Nebraska baseball team to a 9-2 win over the Northern Colorado Bears. The Huskers improved to 9-6 on the year in front of 3,067 fans at Hawks Field.
Headley went 3-for-5 on the day and went 5-for-10 in the two-game series against the Bears with four triples, three runs scored and three RBIs.
Along with Headley and Schreiber, Ben Miller and Tanner Lubach also added multi-hit performances. Seven different Huskers notched an RBI on the day, including a career-high three from Schreiber on a bases-loaded triple in the seventh that was part of a five-run frame.
Freshman Zack Engelken started his first career game at Nebraska and went 3.1 innings. The Overland Park, Kan., native gave up a pair of runs on three hits on and struck out two. The Bears’ two runs on the afternoon came on a two-run homer in the fourth that just snuck over the left field wall off the bat of Payton Tapia.
Four Husker reliever combined to throw 5.2 innings of scoreless relief, and junior Jeff Chesnut earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the year. Nebraska’s pitching staff notched nine strikeouts on the day, while giving up just six hits.
The Huskers continue their 16-game homestand on Friday afternoon then they open a three-game series against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 4:05 p.m., while Saturday’s game is set for 2:05 p.m. and the finale on Sunday is scheduled to start at 1:05 p.m.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA says the Players Association has informed the league that it won’t agree to smoothing in the increased revenues from the national TV deals, which will create a significant spike in the salary cap.
The league’s new contracts with ESPN and TNT begin in 2016-17 and will be worth more than $2.6 billion. Because the salary cap is tied to revenues, that will cause it to soar in the first season, giving many teams spending money they otherwise wouldn’t have.
To prevent that, the league has sought to set a cap figure that would lead to gradual increases, but executive vice president of communications Mike Bass says Wednesday the union rejected that approach.
NBPA executive director Michele Roberts said last month the union had turned down the league’s first smoothing proposal.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will stock catchable-size rainbow trout in several city ponds and lakes across the state this month.
The locations include Bridgeport State Recreation Area’s northwest pit on Tuesday; CenturyLink Lake at Mahoney State Park on March 19; Melham Park in Broken Bow on March 20; TaHaZouka Park in Norfolk and Barnett Park in McCook on March 21; Terry’s Pit in Terrytown and Lake Ogallala on March 24.
All anglers fishing in Nebraska, except residents under age 16, must have a fishing license.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have signed Jeremy Maclin to a five-year deal, adding the down-the-field threat that their wide receiver group was sorely lacking last season.
The contract is worth up to $55 million, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those details were not announced.
The Chiefs planned an afternoon news conference to introduce their newest addition.
Maclin started all 16 games for the Eagles last season. He set career highs with 85 catches for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns, and showed no lingering effects from the torn ACL that caused him to miss the entire 2013 season.
His addition could mean the end of Dwayne Bowe’s tenure in Kansas City. The veteran wide receiver is due to count $14 million against the salary cap.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The United Way will provide extra training for employees who work with students in Omaha after-school programs.
Employees in 31 Omaha after-school programs will receive training from the new United Way Women’s Leadership Council initiative. The council is partnering with the Collective for Youth, a nonprofit group that runs after-school centers in Omaha Public Schools. Participating programs serve about 4,500 students across the metropolitan area.
The training will touch on academics, but will mainly focus on helping kids learn proper behavior and social interaction.
The initiative will begin July 1 with the help of a $150,000 grant from the council to the collective. According to Annie Bird, the community impact chairwoman for the United Way council, the group has committed to providing $450,000 to the nonprofit for the program’s first three years.
A North Platte man has been charged with a felony after he allegedly assaulted his wife.
At around 3:34 p.m., on March 10, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 2400 block of West 9th Street.
Upon arrival, officers met with a female who alleged that her husband, Roger Yates, had thrown a cell phone at her out of anger.
According to police, the victim reported that the phone hit her on the foot, causing visible injury.
Police say it appears the two had been involved in a verbal argument prior to the phone throwing incident.
Yates was placed under arrest and charged with felony 2nd degree assault.
He was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and jailed.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline are asking Nebraska lawmakers to repeal the law that allowed former Gov. Dave Heineman to approve a route through the state.
Landowners and activists squared off with pipeline builder TransCanada on Wednesday in a hearing that included several testy exchanges with lawmakers.
The 2012 state law allowed pipeline developer TransCanada to use eminent domain on holdout landowners once the route was approved.
Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha says he introduced the bill as a “shot across the bow” to TransCanada, and to give voice to landowners who continue to oppose the pipeline.
TransCanada land manager Andrew Craig says eminent domain is a tool of last resort which is needed to develop infrastructure.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — The company that hauls stinky waste from the JBS meatpacking plant in Grand Island has gotten another permit and a warning from Hall County supervisors.
On Tuesday the board voted 5-1 to give Chamness Technology a permit to spread processed livestock waste from Grand Island’s JBS plant on a farm elsewhere in the county. Complaints have been pouring into county officials from nearby residents because of the smell.
Supervisors had warned the company to address the problem when a pile of the waste near Doniphan was not spread quickly and soon spurred odor complaints.
Board chairman Scott Arnold told a Chamness official Tuesday that because the permit is issued to Chamness, the company is responsible. Arnold says that, “If this doesn’t work out, I’m not going to support another permit.”
Donald Allen Welch, 85, of North Platte passed away March 10, 2015 at the North Platte Care Center. He was born August 6, 1929 in North Platte to Robert Allen and Iliean Grace (Litz) Welch. Don grew up south west of Paxton, attending District #8 school through the 11th grade when he finished early to hunt and farm with his family. He farmed the family homestead his entire life. He entered the US Army in April 1951, serving in the Korean War. On September 11, 1951 he married Cassie L. Bryant in Paxton. After his discharge, he returned home to start his family and continue his love of the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and trapping. Don’s life centered around his family, hunting, and the outdoors. He did not know a stranger, would bail anyone out of jail once, and did not expect anything in return!
Survivors include his wife, Cassie of North Platte; children, Becky Vandewalker, Pat ( Teresa) Welch all of North Platte, Diane (Leo) Gonzalez of Lexington, Mike Welch of North Platte, William (Judy) Welch of Paxton, Tom Welch of North Platte, and Gina (Scott) Covington of Fredricksburg, VA; grandchildren, Matt ( Crystal) Welch of North Platte, Melissa (Mike) Logan of DeSoto, MO, Austin Welch of North Platte, Jeremy (Mandy) Evans of Hastings, Sadie (Brad) Worthing of Lexington, Jesse (Lacie) Evans of Elwood, Chloe Gonzalez, Barron Gonzalez both of Lexington, Kolby Welch of Ft. Collins, CO, Willy Welch of Omaha, Audrea Welch and Emily Welch both of Paxton, Max Covington and Alex Covington both of Fredricksburg, VA 17 great-grandchildren; a sister, Emma Cooper of Lincoln; numerous other family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Cecilia Rice; grandchildren, Molly Welch, and Connor Covington.
Memorials may be made to the Charge Syndrome Foundation for the disabled and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.
Christian Wake service 6:00 p.m. MT Friday , March 13, 2015 at St. Patrick’s Church in Paxton. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. MT Saturday, March 14, 2015 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Paxton with co-celebrants the Reverend Bryan Ernst and Reverend Ben Boyd officiating. Burial will follow at the Paxton Cemetery with full military honors graveside. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Friday at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home in North Platte which is in charge of arrangements.
