The 23^rd ranked Nebraska women’s basketball team plays their first ever Big Ten Conference game tonight in State College, Pennsylvania, as they visit the 16^th ranked Penn State Lady Lions. Nebraska has raced out to a 11-1 start this season, tied for the second-best 12-game record in program history. They haven’t played since holding off South Dakota State in Lincoln back on December 21^st. The Huskers, who moved up one spot in the latest AP Top 25 poll, meet a Penn State team that was the preseason pick to win the conference. The 10-2 Lady Lions feature the Big Ten’s preseason player of the year, junior guard Alex Bentley, who averages 15 points per game. Nebraska’s Jordan Hooper averages 20 points per game, second in the Big Ten. Tipoff is set for 6 PM.

The Tri-City Storm announced yesterday that they have agreed to a long term contract with head coach and general manager Josh Hauge. The deal will keep Hauge in Kearney for the next two and a half seasons. Hauge was promoted to the head coach and general manager positions after former coach and GM Drew Schoneck was fired on December 7^th. Last season, he coached the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the North American Hockey League to the championship. In six seasons as a head coach in junior hockey, Hauge has never posted a record below .500 or missed the playoffs. The Storm are 3-2 since Hauge took over as the bench boss and are 9-17-0 on the season, last in the USHL’s Western Conference. The Storm host Sioux City tonight at the Viaero Events Center. The puck drops at 7:05.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 Conferences announced yesterday a collaborative effort to enhance long-term scheduling commitments between the two conferences across all sports amongst the 24 institutions. The partnership was announced at a joint press conference, with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney and Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott in attendance. In football, the goal of the collaboration is to create an annual 12 inter-conference game schedule between the two conferences by the 2017 season. These match-ups will generally be based upon competitive balance. Many of the Olympic sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, will also see an increase in inter-conference play on their schedules, as soon as next season. Further details on the indefinite collaboration are to be agreed upon in the coming months.

A two-goal first period lead would not stand up for the Tri-City Storm, as their three-game winning streak came to an end with a 5-2 loss to the Des Moines Buccaneers in USHL action in Kearney last night. Brad Schierhorn and Tim Bonner scored first period goals to send the Storm into the intermission with a 2-0 lead, but the Buccaneers would score three times in the second period and add two more in the final frame to earn the victory. Storm goaltender Phoenix Copley stopped 31 shots in the losing effort. It is Des Moines’ fourth victory over the Storm in five meetings this season, which secures the season series victory for the Buccaneers. The Storm’s record for the season is now 9-17-0. They return to the Viaero Events Center ice Friday night, hosting the Sioux City Musketeers at 7:05.

Nebraska’s welcome to Big Ten basketball was as rude as their introduction to football – and it was the same school that issued the debut beatdown. Wisconsin led by as many as 25 points in the second half on their way to a 64-40 victory over the Huskers at the Devaney Center last night. The Huskers scored the game’s first seven points, but an 11-0 run by the 11^th ranked Badgers in the first half would give them a lead they would never relinquish. The Huskers were then outscored 31-14 in the second half as the Badgers blew the Big Red off their home floor. Toney McCray was the lone Husker to score in double figures with 16 points. The Huskers fall to 8-4 with the loss. Their Big Ten slate gets no easier – their next conference game is at home against 17^th ranked Michigan State on Saturday.

The Nebraska football team returned to practice after a brief holiday break yesterday, but not at the team’s facilities in Lincoln. The Huskers arrived in Orlando Monday and will spend the week preparing at the site of next Monday’s Capital One Bowl. It was Nebraska’s first practice with newly promoted John Papuchis serving as defensive coordinator. New defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski has joined the team’s staff for the remainder of the season as well.

The Tri-City Storm return to the ice after the holiday break tonight in search of their fourth straight win. They host the Des Moines Buccaneers at the Viaero Events Center this evening. The Storm defeated Des Moines in their previous meeting back on December 10^th. It was the first of their three straight victories that have moved them up to seventh in the USHL’s Western Conference. This year, Tri-City is 1-3 against the Buccaneers, losing both visits to Des Moines and splitting two games in Kearney. The puck drops at 7:05.