Lincoln – The Nebraska men’s basketball team will be battle-tested for the start of Big Ten play, as the Huskers released their 2013-14 non-conference schedule Friday.

The slate, which includes matchups with Sweet 16 teams Florida Gulf Coast and Miami, will feature a minimum of six teams that won last 20 games in 2012-13. One year after having a schedule that was one of the toughest in the nation, Nebraska Coach Tim Miles has raised the bar for the Huskers in year two.

“It’s a phenomenal schedule, both home and away,” Nebraska Coach Miles said. “I can’t imagine it won’t be one of the top 25 schedules in the country.”

Nebraska will play five of its 12 non-conference games away from Lincoln, highlighted by three games at the Charleston Classic, an eight-team field that includes first-round opponent UMass along with NCAA qualifiers New Mexico, Temple and Davidson, and road games at NCAA Tournament qualifiers Creighton and Cincinnati.

Nebraska’s lone exhibition will be on Monday, Nov. 4, when the Huskers welcome Nebraska-Kearney to Pinnacle Bank Arena. It will be the third time NU and UNK have played an exhibition contest and the first since 2006-07. NU and UNK also squared off in exhibition games in 2001 and 2004.

The regular-season opener at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for Friday, Nov. 8, when the Huskers play host to Florida Gulf Coast. The Eagles bring back four starters from a team that made the NCAA Sweet 16 and finished with a 26-11 record. On Tuesday, Nov. 12, NU continues a three-game homestand against a Western Illinois squad that won the Summit League regular season title and went 22-8 on the season. WIU, which will face the Huskers for the first time since 2001-02, ranked second nationally in scoring defense last year, allowing 52.7 points per game for Coach Jim Molinari. NU concludes the stretch on Sunday, Nov. 18 against South Carolina State, which returns four starters. The Huskers won their only previous matchup with South Carolina State in 2008-09.

As previously announced, the Huskers will take on UMass in the opener of the Charleston Classic on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 11:30 a.m. (CT) on ESPN3.  It will be the first-ever meeting on the court between the two programs, The Minutemen went 21-12 last year and reached the NIT. UMass returns three starters, including All-Atlantic 10 point guard Chaz Williams, who ranked third nationally in assists per game (7.3 apg) while also averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game.

Nebraska will take on either UAB or New Mexico on Friday, Nov. 22, with the semifinal taking place at 1:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN2 or ESPNU, and the consolation game taking place at 11 a.m. on ESPNU or ESPN3.  New Mexico returns four starters from a team that went 29-6 and was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, while UAB returns four starters for second-year coach Jerod Haase, paced by All-CUSA forward Rod Rucker, who averaged 14.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Nebraska will meet one of the remaining four teams – Clemson, Davidson Georgia or Temple – on the final day of competition on Sunday, Nov. 24.

Nebraska returns home for a matchup with Northern Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 30, the first matchup between the two programs since 1991, before embarking on a challenging December slate, which includes three NCAA Tournament teams.

The Huskers open the month against defending ACC champion Miami, as the Hurricanes visits Pinnacle Bank Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 4, for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Hurricanes went 29-7 last season, winning both the regular-season and tournament titles for the first time in program history, before falling to Marquette in the Sweet 16.

On Sunday, Dec. 8, the Huskers will renew their annual series with Creighton. The Bluejays have moved to the new Big East Conference, bit return four starters, including two-time All-American Doug McDermott. The Huskers look to extend their series lead, which is 25-21 entering the 2013-14 season.

The Huskers return home for a pair of games sandwiched around final exams. On Saturday, Dec. 14, the Huskers welcome Arkansas State to Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Red Wolves went 19-12 last season and won the Sun Belt Western Division. On Saturday, Dec. 21, the Huskers play host to The Citadel in the first meeting between the programs since 1992.

The Huskers wrap up non-conference action on the road, traveling to Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, in the first game of a home-and-home series. The Bearcats are coming off three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and welcome back leading scorer Sean Kilpatrick, who averaged 17.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

The start times and television information for the remainder of Nebraska’s home games will be announced later this summer.

Nebraska Basketball 2013-14 Non-Conference Schedule

 

Day                   Date              Opponent                                                             Location                                           TV                    Time

Monday              Nov. 4            Nebraska-Kearney                                                 Pinnacle Bank Arena                                                 TBA

Friday                Nov. 8            Florida Gulf Coast                                                 Pinnacle Bank Arena                         BTN                  TBA

Tuesday              Nov. 12          Western Illinois                                                    Pinnacle Bank Arena                                                 TBA

Sunday               Nov. 17          South Carolina State                                              Pinnacle Bank Arena                                                 TBA

Thurs.-Sun.          Nov. 21-24       at Charleston Classic                                               Charleston, S.C. (TD Arena)                                           TBA

Thursday           Nov. 21           vs. UMass                                                             Charleston, S.C. (TD Arena)                   ESPN3               11:30 a.m.

Friday               Nov. 22           vs. New Mexico or UAB                                            Charleston, S.C. (TD Arena)                                           TBA

Sunday             Nov. 24           vs. TBA (Clemson, Davidson, Georgia, Temple)                 Charleston, S.C. (TD Arena)                                           TBA

Saturday             Nov. 30          Northern Illinois                                                   Pinnacle Bank Arena                                                 TBA

Wednesday         Dec. 4            Miami                                                                 Pinnacle Bank Arena                         ESPN/2/U          TBA

Sunday               Dec. 8             at Creighton                                                          Omaha, Neb. (CenturyLink Center)                                  TBA

Saturday             Dec. 14          Arkansas State                                                      Pinnacle Bank Arena                                                 TBA

Saturday             Dec. 21          The Citadel                                                          Pinnacle Bank Arena                                                 TBA

Saturday             Dec. 28           at Cincinnati                                                          Cincinnati, Ohio (Fifth Third Arena)                                 TBA

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska football fans can meet and greet the 2013 Cornhuskers on Friday afternoon.

The annual Fan Day runs from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. inside Memorial Stadium. Coaches and players who will be part of fall camp will be in attendance.

Fans can enter through Gates 3 and 24 on the southeast and southwest corners of the stadium. Fans are asked to limit their autograph requests to one item per player or coach.

Free parking is available in the 14th and Avery Parking Garage, the Champions Club parking lot west of the stadium, Lot 8 at the north end of Osborne Athletic Complex and Lot 5 northeast of the stadium. The Stadium Drive garage will be open, but there’s a charge for parking there.

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Tulsa Drillers starting pitcher Chad Bettis has been called up to the big leagues.

Bettis started for the Colorado Rockies Thursday night in Atlanta. The right-hander, who allowed just two hits and struck out eight in his last outing against the Arkansas Travelers a week ago, squared off with Julio Teheran of the Braves in his Major League Baseball debut.

At the start of the 2013 season, MLB.com ranked Bettis as the Driller’s top pitching prospect. Despite missing seven weeks due to a strained oblique muscle, he went 3-4 with a 3.71 ERA in 12 starts with Tulsa. He struck out 68 and walked just 13 in 63 innings.

Colorado selected Bettis with its second round pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Texas Tech University.

ATLANTA (AP) — Justin Upton drove in five runs with two homers, Julio Teheran matched his career high with 11 strikeouts, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 11-2 on Thursday night for their seventh straight win.

Jason Heyward added a two-run homer and Chris Johnson had three hits as the Braves completed a four-game sweep of the Rockies. The Braves outscored the Rockies 31-5 in the last three games of the series.

Atlanta’s 7-0 homestand also included three wins over St. Louis.

The Rockies were without outfielders Michael Cuddyer and Carlos Gonzalez. The middle of their lineup took another hit when Troy Tulowitzki was ejected in the second inning.

The NL East-leading Braves stretched their lead over Washington to 11½ games.

Teheran (8-5) struck out the side in the third and fifth innings. He lasted only five innings, allowing one run and five hits and two walks, in his third straight start of allowing no more than one run.

NEW YORK (AP) — Looming playoffs could force an end to negotiations in baseball’s latest drug scandal as pressure builds to impose penalties so stars can still make the postseason.

Monday appears to be the deadline for Alex Rodriguez and 13 others to accept suspensions for their ties to the Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic. While A-Rod is expected to get a lengthy ban, a penalty starting that day would allow Texas All-Star outfielder Nelson Cruz to return for October.

Major League Baseball is prepared to issue two simultaneous announcements no later than Monday, a person familiar with the process told The Associated Press on Thursday. One would list players who accept suspensions; the other would name those disciplined without deals, but who could challenge penalties before an arbitrator.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized.

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans now have uniforms to go with a new team name, emblems and color scheme the NBA franchise released earlier this year.

The club, which competed as the Hornets last season, unveiled new uniforms Thursday on new practice courts built alongside the headquarters of the NFL’s Saints in suburban New Orleans.

The home uniforms are white with gold and red trim, with “New Orleans” written in navy blue across the front, along with blue numbers.

The road uniforms are navy blue with the same trim, but with lettering and numbers in white.

The club’s primary logo, with a basketball tucked under a soaring pelican’s beak, appears on the sides of the shorts.

Forward Anthony Davis says he’s eager to wear the uniform in games.

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA regular-season schedule will be released Tuesday.

The schedule will be unveiled during an NBA TV special program at 6 p.m. EDT that will highlight opening-week matchups and other games of interest.

It also will be posted along with the show on NBA.com.

Some teams have already begun releasing their preseason schedules.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers from Pennsylvania and Ohio introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that would require NCAA schools to guarantee four-year scholarships to athletes who play collision sports and due process for schools accused of breaking rules.

Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.-R) and Rep. Joyce Beatty (Ohio-D) say the National Collegiate Athletics Accountability Act will help improve health and education of student-athletes and require more transparency from the NCAA.

The legislation would require athletes to have annual baseline concussion testing and ensure that an athlete in good academic standing would not be in danger of losing an athletic scholarship because of injury or performance.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Colorado Rockies optioned left-hander Jeff Francis to Triple-A Colorado Springs to clear a roster spot for right-hander Chad Bettis.

Bettis was called up from Double-A Tulsa to start in his major league debut against the Braves on Thursday night.

The Rockies are without outfielders Michael Cuddyer and Carlos Gonzalez for Thursday night’s game. Manager Walt Weiss says Cuddyer is away on a family emergency and it is not known when he will return.

Gonzalez left Wednesday night’s game after aggravating his sprained right middle finger. Weiss says Gonzalez will be rested a couple of days to see if the injury improves.

Francis is 2-5 with a 6.63 ERA in 12 games, including 11 starts. He allowed three hits and two runs in 2 1-3 innings against the Braves on Tuesday.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey says he knows the move to a new position is coming.

Just not quite yet.

The 15th year veteran tells The Associated Press, “You’ve got to look at history. Ronnie Lott. Rod Woodson. Aeneas Williams. They all did it and they all did it before I did. History says this is about that time. I understand that and I’m not naive about it.”

But, he says, he has no plans to move this season. And any move will be a mutual decision between him and whichever team he’s playing for at the time.

For 2013, that team is the Broncos, who have been using him exclusively at cornerback during training camp, while trying to limit his time on the field to save his thirty-something legs.