Two Olympic sport athletes at Nebraska were honored by the Big Ten conference yesterday. Nebraska senior Luke Pinkelman was honored by the Big Ten Conference on Monday after being selected as the Big Ten Co-Field Athlete-of-the-Week. It’s the second consecutive week he’s won the award. Pinkelman earned the honor after placing first in the shot put at the Mark Colligan Memorial last Saturday. The senior from Cozad ranks first in the Big Ten and fourth in the nation in the event. In gymnastics, freshman Jessie DeZiel earned her third consecutive Big Ten individual honor after her performance in the Huskers’ meet against Missouri last Saturday. DeZiel was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after she won the all-around competition against the Tigers.

One of the top targets on Nebraska’s recruiting wishlist spurned the Big Red for blue and gold. Devin Fuller, a four-star quarterback recruit from Old Tappan, New Jersey, announced yesterday that he would be signing with UCLA, picking the Bruins over Nebraska, Arizona and Rutgers. The dual-threat quarterback had long been one of Nebraska’s top targets. But the Huskers aren’t hurting for quarterbacks in this class, having already received a commitment from four-star Texan Tommy Armstrong and having convinced the state’s top QB prospect, Grand Island’s Ryker Fyfe, to walk on. Nebraska’s list of scholarship commitments for the class of 2012 sits at 14 with National Signing Day on Wednesday. Several top targets remain undecided, including five-star offensive lineman Andrus Peat.

The 19th-ranked Nebraska women’s basketball team made it three straight victories with a 67-47 win over Illinois in Champaign yesterday. Lindsey Moore scored a game-high 20 points and Jordan Hooper set a new career high in rebounds with 16 to lead the Huskers to the win. In addition to the 16 boards, Hooper scored 12 points to collect her tenth double-double of the season. Emily Cady also scored in double figures for the Huskers, pouring in 17 points. Nebraska struggled from the field in the game, shooting just 33 percent, but their defense compensated, holding Illinois to just 29 percent shooting. The victory moves the Huskers to 18-3 on the season and 7-2 in Big Ten conference play. They are back in action on Thursday, when they travel to visit current Big Ten leaders Purdue.

Former Denver Nugget Chauncey Billups came back to haunt his former team in his hometown. The Denver native scored 32 points and drew a key offensive foul in the final seconds as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Nuggets 109-105 at the Pepsi Center last night. In his first game against the Nuggets since being included in the Carmelo Anthony trade last season, Billups hit six three-pointers to help the Clippers snap Denver’s six-game winning streak. Five players scored in double figures for the Nuggets, led by Nene’s 18. But Nene was called for an offensive foul when he tangled with Billups with 18 seconds left and the Nuggets down by two. Danilo Gallinari added 17 points for the Nuggets in the loss. The Nuggets fall to 14-6 on the season. They host Memphis on Tuesday night.

Tonight on ESPN Radio 1410, it’s North Platte Community College basketball. The Knights and Lady Knights will be looking for a second Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference win on the week when they host the Northeast Community College Hawks at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium. North Platte pulled off a home sweep of McCook’s men and women on Tuesday night, with the women winning 77-66 and the men rolling to a 78-58 victory. The Knights men are 2-1 in the conference and 3-2 in sub-region play, while the Lady Knights are 1-1 in the conference. The visiting Lady Hawks are also 1-1 in the NCCAC, while the Hawks men are 1-2 in the conference and 0-3 in the sub-region. The women’s game tips at 5:30 with the men’s game to follow. ESPN Radio 1410’s coverage begins at 5:15.

Brandon Richardson’s career night led the Nebraska men’s basketball team to a rare road victory. Richardson’s 25 points helped the Huskers come back from an 11-point deficit and defeat Iowa 79-73 in Iowa City last night. The senior guard was 9-for-10 from the field and made six three-pointers, one of which started a late 12-2 run that put the Huskers in front for good. Nebraska fell behind 31-20 in the first half but finished strong to get to within seven points at the halftime break. Joining Richardson in double figures for the Huskers was Bo Spencer with 16 points. The win is Nebraska’s first road conference win of the season and only their fifth in the last three seasons. The Huskers are now 11-9 and 3-6 in the Big Ten. They are off until next Thursday, when they visit Northwestern.

Another massive all-around performance from Jordan Hooper helped the 19th-ranked Nebraska women’s basketball team get past a pesky Iowa squad 60-53 at the Devaney Center last night. Hooper posted a double-double, leading the team with 22 points and hauling in a game-high fifteen rebounds. It’s her Big Ten-leading ninth double-double of the season. The Huskers held Iowa without a field goal for the final 12 minutes of the first half and took a 30-17 lead to the locker room, but they had a 10 minute stretch of their own without a field goal in the second half, allowing Iowa to trim the lead to one with 3 minutes left before the Huskers pulled away. The Huskers sweep the season series against Iowa and are now 17-3 and 6-2 in Big Ten play. They return to action on Sunday night, when they visit Illinois.