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Blood dripped from Sam Hoiberg’s finger with 9:20 remaining in the second half. The ball had just been poked free from behind, and as he transitioned to defense, he showed the fresh cut to the officials as play continued for a few seconds until they finally stopped play. There was no foul called, but by then Wisconsin had all but slashed Nebraska’s chances of winning a Big Ten road game.
The Huskers fell 88-72 in Madison on Saturday afternoon. Nebraska (12-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) shot the ball well enough to win, but the Huskers' offense overall struggled at times with shot selection, turnovers and offensive fouls. No. 21 Wisconsin (11-3, 3-0) drew blood early and often with its sharp shooting, ending up 55% from the floor and 13-of-26 from beyond the arc.
Keisei Tominaga scored an efficient 17 points on just 10 shots to lead all scorers, knocking down 3-of-6 from long range. Rienk Mast added 16 points and a team-high six rebounds. Brice Williams joined them in double figures with 10 points and led Nebraska with six assists.
For the Badgers, Tyler Wahl provided 17 points, eight boards and four assists. Bellevue West alum Chucky Hepburn scored 13 and dropped six assists. Connor Essegian, averaging just 7½ minutes and 2.5 points per game, buried four triples in a surprising 12-point outburst off the bench.
NU fell behind by 10 points with 10:02 to go in the first half and never got back within single digits for the final 30 minutes. Each time it seemed the Huskers were closing in and ready to make a game of it, Wisconsin was able to answer offensively. A Mast 3-pointer cut it to 11 at 56-45 with less than 18 minutes remaining, but the Badgers knocked down a pair of free throws and nailed a 3-pointer in their next two possessions to re-establish full control of the contest.
Nearly 60% shooting resulted in a 13-point Badger lead at the break, and they led by as many as 20 points in the first half. Nebraska tried to keep pace with 54% shooting, but the Huskers fouled more, turned it over more and rebounded less than their opponents in the first half, trailing statistically across the board.
The Badger bench was big with 23 points before halftime and 36 for the game. NU also allowed 36 points in the paint as Wisconsin frequently drove to the rim with relative ease. The Huskers couldn’t match the Badgers while settling for longer two-point jumpers instead of driving layups.
Juwan Gary, held in check by early foul trouble, finished without a single rebound in 18 minutes. It was his fewest boards since posting just one in 24 minutes in the loss to Creighton in December.
The task doesn’t get any easier for Nebraska as the Huskers will host top-ranked Purdue on Tuesday night inside Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CST.
More must-reads:
- Shaquille O'Neal makes peace with longtime enemy — mostly
- New report sheds light on how Cowboys view Micah Parsons situation
- The '2024 NFL rushing TD leaders' quiz
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Shaquille O'Neal makes peace with longtime enemy — mostly
Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard patched things up Sunday after years of feuding. But even while describing their rapprochement, O'Neal couldn't keep from teasing his longtime nemesis. The "Big Aristotle" was at the BIG3 playoffs Sunday to watch Howard's L.A. Riot play the Chicago Triplets. In the middle of describing to Rachel Nichols how he and Howard had made peace, O'Neal broke off his explanation to make fun of Howard for missing a dunk. The two Hall of Fame centers had sparred for years, despite their common ground as former members of the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. Some of the tension seemed to be due to Howard adopting O'Neal's "Superman" nickname, though O'Neal claimed to Nichols that he was simply being tough on Howard to motivate him. That explanation doesn't account for the time O'Neal mocked Howard for playing basketball in the Taiwanese league or the decade-plus he's spent roasting Howard on his podcast, in public appearances and on "Inside the NBA." Still, it appears that the two have made peace. Despite O'Neal being left off the original list of presenters, he insisted that he'll be among a group of Hall of Famers inducting Howard Sept. 6, including Dominique Wilkins, Robert Parish, Dennis Rodman and Patrick Ewing. It means that two of the most dominant big men of their eras have finally buried the hatchet. It's added a new level of interest to the Hall of Fame ceremonies, and it should be a sweet moment between O'Neal and Howard. As long as Howard doesn't mention Superman.
Giants have firm stance on possible Jameis Winston trade
The New York Giants have one of the deepest quarterback rooms in the NFL, and there has been speculation that Jameis Winston could be the odd man out when the regular season begins. It does not sound like Winston is going anywhere, however. Russell Wilson is expected to be the Giants' starting quarterback in Week 1. The big question is whether Jaxson Dart or Winston will enter the year as Wilson's primary backup. Dart has played well through two preseason games, and Brian Daboll and his coaching staff have raved about the former Ole Miss star. Some have wondered if the Giants could entertain trade offers for Winston should they decide they view Dart as their No. 2 quarterback. Assistant general manager Brandon Brown was asked about that on Tuesday, and he all but ruled it out. "I appreciate people that are interested, but Jameis is a New York Giant. The way that he's gone about his business from day one, he's made it very intentional of the fact that he wants to be here and he wants to be here for the long haul," Brown said. "Teammates love him. His preparation process, whether it's the off-field things that he does in terms of community relations, Bible studies, things in the locker room, galvanizing the group together — not just the quarterback room, but the offense as a whole. "He's been comic relief, but he's also been a really good example of how to be a pro and handle your business in terms of prehab, rehab and postgame care. So, I'm happy he's here, and he's gonna continue to do those things. He hasn't wavered, and he hasn't been shaken by any distractions at all." Winston signed a two-year, $8M contract with the Giants in free agency this offseason. The deal could climb as high as $16M with incentives, but he would need to play quite a bit to hit those. The Giants value Winston's extensive experience, just as they value Dart's upside. There is a reason they signed both Wilson and Winston and traded up to draft Dart. They believe in all three players, and they likely will not be inclined to trade Winston unless they receive an excellent offer.
Packers' blockbuster trade pitch adds Micah Parsons for huge price
Speculation linking Dallas Cowboys All-Pro edge-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers continues to gain momentum as the star’s holdout amid stalled contract negotiations seems as far apart as ever. Parsons, two weeks ago, publicly requested a trade and continues to hold-in during Cowboys training camp, while there is a belief that Green Bay is attempting to pull off a blockbuster trade. Potential Packers-Micah Parsons Blockbuster Trade Package Parsons, 26, has posted 52.5 sacks through his first four seasons and is one of the most dominant players at his position. He is the kind of difference-maker who could cement Green Bay as a legitimate Super Bowl contender for years to come. But prying Parsons away from the Cowboys wouldn’t come cheap. "You’d want to hope to trade no more than three good young players for one elite player," an NFL executive and former general manager said to me recently of what a Parsons trade package might look like. Given that strategy, it isn’t difficult to envision Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst offering a package of players and picks that looks something like: Packers Trade: 2026 first-round NFL Draft choice, 2027 first-round draft choice, WR Romeo Doubs, EDGE Lukas Van Ness Cowboys Trade: Micah Parsons Trading two first-round picks is likely the starting point for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys in any Parsons negotiations. For the Packers, trading Van Ness would be offering a change of scenery for a former first-round draft choice who has yet to live up to expectations, and upgrading the position with a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber player. Meanwhile, shipping Doubs to Dallas clears a logjam at wide receiver, while helping the Cowboys round out a balanced receiving corps that would include CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Doubs as perhaps the most prolific collection of talent Dak Prescott has had in his career. Whether Parsons’ trade request is anything more than posturing remains to be seen, but if the Cowboys open up trade talks, this package could be the kind of trade that nets Green Bay a difference-maker.
Fever receive devastating injury news on Sophie Cunningham
Injuries continue to be the pitfall for the Indiana Fever this season. Per ESPN, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has been ruled out for the rest of the season following a knee injury she suffered in Indiana's 99-93 win over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. The injury comes with nine games left in the regular season for the Fever. At 19-16, Indiana has the third-best record in the Eastern Conference and is set to make a playoff push this summer. The Fever have been without second-year star Caitlin Clark since July 15, as the guard has been dealing with a groin injury. The team hopes she can return in the regular season, but Indiana could be significantly shorthanded on offense until her return. Cunningham has averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 30 games played this season. She has been crucial as a rotational player, averaging 25.2 minutes for the Fever. The 29-year-old became an early darling of the WNBA this season for standing up for Clark both on and off the court. Cunningham recently signed a podcast deal with Colin Cowherd. The good news for Cunningham is that she is expected to make a full recovery. However, the injury will crush what could have been a special season for the Fever if and when Clark returns.
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