The Denver Nuggets dug a first half hole and couldn’t recover in a 94-81 loss to the New Orleans Saints last night at the Pepsi Center in Denver. It’s the first home loss of the season for the Nuggets, who led by one after one quarter but trailed by eight at the halftime break. A quick third quarter spurt by the Hornets pushed the lead to 15, and the Nuggets never got closer than seven points after that as the Hornets used a 52% shooting night to keep the home team at bay. Four players scored in double figures for the Nuggets, led by Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari, who scored 15 points apiece. Rudy Fernandez added 14 points off the bench. The Nuggets, who fall to 6-4 on the season with the loss, will try and snap their two-game losing streak tomorrow night at home against the New Jersey Nets.

The 19th ranked Nebraska women’s basketball team survived a tough test in Iowa City, holding off the Iowa Hawkeyes 77-72 yesterday afternoon. Trailing by five with nine and a half minutes to play, the Huskers went on a 19-6 run over the next six minutes, capped by a Brandi Jeffrey three, to seize control and earn their eighth straight win. Point guard Lindsey Moore stole the show for the Huskers, coming close to her second career triple-double. Moore led three Huskers in double figures with 22 points, pulled down seven rebounds, and handed out nine assists. Also scoring in double figures were Jordan Hooper with 17 points and Emily Cady with 14 points. The Huskers are now 14-1 and 3-0 in Big Ten play. They are back on the road on Thursday night, making their first trip to Madison to take on Wisconsin.

The North Platte Community College Knights finished the 2011 calendar year on a down note. After winning six of their first seven games, they lost four of their last five to go into their extended holiday break with a disappointing 7-5 record. But with a new year comes new opportunity, and the new opportunity for the Knights begins tonight at the NPCC Classic at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium. Tonight, the Knights take on the Midland University JV. Tomorrow afternoon, they will battle Otero Junior College in a clash of Region IX South Subregion foes. They are the first of nine games the Knights will play this month, seven of which are home games. Tonight’s game can be heard live on ESPN Radio 1410. Pregame coverage gets underway at 7:15, with the tip-off scheduled for 7:30.

The 19th-ranked Nebraska women’s basketball team overcame a slow start and cruised to a 62-48 victory over Indiana at the Devaney Center last night. In their first ever Big Ten home game, the Huskers fell behind by eight midway through the first half but closed out the half on a 25-4 run to take a 37-24 lead into the locker room. They extended their run by scoring the first nine points of the second half and never looked back. Reigning Big Ten Player of the Week Jordan Hooper posted yet another double-double, scoring a game-high 21 points and hauling down 11 rebounds. She was joined in double figures by Emily Cady, who tied her season high tally with 18 points. The win moves the Husker women to 13-1 and 2-0 in Big Ten play. They are back in action Sunday afternoon at Iowa.

The 19th-ranked Nebraska women’s basketball team plays their first ever Big Ten Conference home game tonight, as they welcome Indiana to the Devaney Center. The Huskers served notice to the rest of the conference on their debut, as they knocked off then-number 16 Penn State on the road last Friday. That improved Nebraska’s record on the season to 12-1, and sophomore Jordan Hooper earned her second Big Ten Player of the Week honor this season thanks to her 31 point effort in the victory. The win boosted the Huskers up four spots in the most recent AP Top 25 poll. The Hoosiers enter tonight’s contest with a 5-10 record and are coming off a loss to Minnesota on Monday. They defeated the Huskers 67-61 last season in Bloomington. Tip off in Lincoln tonight is set for 7:05.