Nebraska
Nebraska stays hot, beats Ohio State for fourth straight win
Nebraska stays hot, beats Ohio State for fourth straight win
Fred Hoiberg knew Sunday’s home game against the Ohio State Buckeyes was going to be tough. They all are in this dog-eat-dog Big Ten Conference.
On top of Ohio State being a good, physical group likely headed for the NCAA Tournament, Hoiberg’s Huskers were faced with trying to beat Jake Diebler’s team on short notice with an early 1 p.m. tip after returning from an exhausting two-game swing through the Pacific Northwest on Thursday.
And early in the game Sunday inside Pinnacle Bank Arena, Hoiberg thought Nebraska wasn’t winning enough of those 50-50 balls he talks about so often.
“The biggest thing we talked about at halftime was the rebounding and taking care of the basketball,” Hoiberg said about his Huskers, who went into halftime trailing 39-34.
But with the calendar flipped to February, Nebraska is now showing it can be a good basketball team, too. Perhaps one that can make noise in the Big Ten Tournament and solidify a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.
A good team, yes. But it’s also a group with one of the Big Ten’s best bucket-getters in Brice Williams. And it was the 6-foot-7 Williams who recorded a double-double of 24 points, 10 rebounds and four assists to power the Huskers to a come-from-behind win, 79-71.
The victory is Nebraska’s fourth straight and improves the record to 16-8 overall and 6-7 in the Big Ten. The loss drops Ohio State to 14-10, 6-7.
NU has now won four of the last five meetings against OSU. Sunday’s win also gives NU an all-important Quad 1 victory, the fifth of the season for the Huskers and third in this four-game win streak (Illinois and Oregon being the others).
Three thoughts on Nebraska’s win over Ohio State
Williams, who recently earned honors like AP National Player of the Week and Big Ten Player of the Week, went 5-of-5 at the free-throw line in the win, all of which came in the second half when NU was putting OSU away in the final moments.
Sunday marked Williams’ fourth consecutive game with at least 23 points.
“Brice isn’t being a pig out there. He’s not going out and shooting the ball every time. He’s making the right play,” Hoiberg said in the postgame press conference. “He’s getting it in the pocket, he’s making the shake pass. He hit Sam (Hoiberg) on an exit where he curled, got fouled, and we scored there. He’s just making the right play.”
Nebraska allowed OSU to score 39 points and shoot 48.4% from the field in the first half. NU also turned the ball over seven times, which OSU used to score nine points. In the second half? The Huskers held the Buckeyes to 32 points, just 36.7% shooting and limited the turnovers — only three turnovers, and the Buckeyes didn’t score any points off them.
“Our edge in the second half was where we needed it, and we did a good job of coming away with a lot of those 50-50 balls,” Hoiberg said.
A big part of that second half comeback was Juwan Gary, the Robin to Williams’ Batman. Gary was one of four rotation players who had to sit most of the first half due to foul trouble. But in the second half, Gary was everywhere and provided a spark that led to NU outscoring OSU 45-32 in the final 20 minutes.
Gary ended his day with 19 points, five rebounds, one block and one steal.
There was a moment when Hoiberg thought about taking Gary out of the game when he picked up his third foul fairly early in the second half. But Hoiberg rolled the dice, took the gamble and let Gary, who scored NU’s first five points in the second stanza and was doing good things on both ends of the court, stay in the game. It worked out.
“We’re thankful he didn’t end up picking up his fourth,” Hoiberg said. “We switched the matchup a little bit to get him off their driver, their aggressive player, because I knew they were going to go at him to try to draw his fourth. He did a good job staying on the floor.”
NU got several winning plays from role players in the win. Among them, moments from Connor Essegian, Andrew Morgan and Rollie Worster stood out.
Essegian’s offensive rebound and putback tied the game at 48 midway through the second half. That was a bright spot on an otherwise quiet night for NU’s sixth man — Essegian ended with five points and was 1-of-4 from 3.
Knowing he only played six minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, Morgan went into the second half determined to ball out and empty his tank. So when the North Dakota State transfer saw a loose ball, he hit the deck and was able to get the ball to Worster.
After collecting the steal and resetting, Morgan floated down to the paint, and Ohio State lost him. Worster sure didn’t, though, and the transfer point guard from Utah found Morgan under the hoop for an easy two to give Nebraska a 50-48 lead.
“Connor gets the second-chance point, the offensive rebound off two feet, and then Andrew Morgan may have made the play of the game, diving on the floor and then getting the layup on the back end of it,” Hoiberg said.
Worster, who entered the game as a 21.6% 3-point shooter and only had eight treys coming into the game, wound up connecting on a huge 3 late that put the Huskers up 65-60 with 3:05 left in the game.
Nebraska trailed 39-34 at halftime and dealt with foul trouble with four key players. Gary, Berke Buyuktuncel, Worster and Morgan all picked up two fouls — many of which were ticky-tack if you ask the PBA crowd — and didn’t play as many minutes as they usually do.
In the first half Nebraska had held a nine-point lead, 21-12, thanks to a 13-2 run that included six points from an aggressive-driving Williams. But Ohio State never went away and was hitting shots.
Micah Parrish and John Mobley Jr. combined to score 25 points (Parrish 14, Mobley 11) and five 3s (Parrish was 2-of-5 from 3, Mobley 3-of-5) in the first half. They finished with a combined 51 points, with Parrish scoring a game-high 30 and Mobley 21.
Update on Berke Buyuktuncel
Starting big Berke Buyuktuncel left the game with a sprained ankle, Hoiberg confirmed in the postgame presser. The transfer from UCLA finished with 15 points (3-of-5 from 3), six rebounds and three assists. He provided outside scoring, too, going 3-of-5 from 3.
“He twisted it pretty good,” Hoiberg said of Buyuktuncel’s ankle. “We don’t know exactly what it is yet. We’ll reevaluate him in the morning. But the early diagnosis is it’s a pretty good sprain.”
Hoiberg also added this about the 6-10 UCLA transfer: “That was his best game in a Husker uniform.”
UP NEXT
Another game, another opportunity to strengthen the NCAA résumé with a ranked team coming to town. No days off in this Big Ten league.
Nebraska welcomes the No. 18-ranked Maryland Terrapins (18-6, 8-5) on Thursday inside PBA. Like Ohio State was, Maryland will provide Nebraska with another Quad 1 opportunity. That game is set to tip at 7:30 p.m.
Maryland was riding a four-game winning streak until letting a 17-point lead at Ohio State slip away for a 73-70 loss last Thursday. In that game, the Buckeyes outscored the Terrapins 41-29 in the second half.
Maryland hosted Rutgers on Sunday and got back in the win column thanks to a 90-81 victory. Derik Queen went berserk with a double-double of 29 points, 15 rebounds (six offensive rebounds) and five assists. The 6-10 freshman also went 11-of-13 from the free-throw line.
The Huskers will be aiming for some payback after losing 69-66 to Maryland in College Park on Jan. 19, but will need to bring their A-game.
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(InvestigateTV) — Sometimes sports are about more than the final score.
For Jack Burke, a high school football player in Nebraska, a medical diagnosis at birth has never stopped him from competing — and a touchdown catch in his first play back from open heart surgery proved it.
Born with a rare heart defect
Burke was born with Scimitar syndrome, a rare heart defect in which babies are born with an underdeveloped right lung and pulmonary artery. The condition also affects blood flow to the right lung. Treatment often includes surgery, and many adults with the condition go on to live healthy lives.
“As a kid, I never really understood,” Burke said. “It was always natural for me that I had to push myself harder to keep up.”
His mother, Bridget Burke, says the condition was not initially considered dangerous for sports participation.
“His Scimitar Syndrome never really came into play as being dangerous for him to play sports,” she said.
The decision to operate
That changed in the spring of 2025, when Burke’s family and doctors decided it was time for a surgery that had been anticipated for years.
“I’ve kind of known I’ve had to get surgery my whole life,” Burke said. “Once I knew I could get the surgery sooner, I was all in. I wanted to get it so I could get back to sports.”
His father, Ryan Burke, says the timing was deliberate.
“This will be done before school gets started, and still have a chance to do almost everything you want to do,” Ryan Burke said.
Jack Burke underwent open-heart surgery, leaving a visible reminder of what he went through.
“There’s a six-inch scar in the middle of his chest that represents a pretty big thing that happened,” Ryan Burke said.
For Bridget Burke, the moment her son was taken to the operating room was difficult.
“When the rubber hits the road and your kid is being wheeled back to the OR, it is scary and emotional,” she said.
The comeback
Burke eased back into football following his cardiologist’s recommended recovery timeline. His return came in week three of the season.
“Before the Schuyler game I talked to his dad and he’s like, ‘I think we might be ready,’” said coach Jay Landstrom.
Bridget Burke says the family approached the return with caution.
“I mean, I was nervous. We didn’t really know how much he would play. It was going to be some cautious situations,” she said.
Those concerns were set aside — at least for a moment — when Burke caught a touchdown pass on his very first play back.
“All the parents were high-fiving everybody and they were like, ‘Was that really Jack?’” Bridget Burke said.
Landstrom called it a special moment.
“It was just meant to be and that was really special,” he said.
For Burke, the touchdown meant something beyond the scoreboard.
“I just remember one of my teammates came up to me and said, ‘He’s back. He’s back,’” Burke said. “It kind of shows something that tried to stop me — I hurdled that obstacle.”
Burke says the surgery has given him a new sense of freedom.
“Now I can do whatever I want. Nothing can hold me back,” he said.
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The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on April 19.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
4-3-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 19 drawing
14-19-24-30-34
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning 2 By 2 numbers from April 19 drawing
Red Balls: 01-02, White Balls: 09-26
Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning MyDay numbers from April 19 drawing
Month: 08, Day: 16, Year: 61
Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- 2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
- MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The New Orleans Saints made a big splash in free agency when they signed Travis Etienne Jr. to pair with Alvin Kamara in the backfield. Etienne’s addition probably means that the Saints won’t select a back with an early choice in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, don’t be surprised if the team adds another back with a later pick. If that’s the case, Emmett Johnson of the Nebraska Cornhuskers could be someone on their radar.
Etienne will likely be the featured back, but Kamara’s future beyond 2026 is in some doubt. Kamara turns 31 in July and is entering his 10th season with a big contract after already showing some possible decline. Behind them, Kendre Miller has proven he shouldn’t be relied on and 2025 sixth round choice Devin Neal has flashed potential but remains unproven. The Saints may be wise to add more talent to their backfield with a middle or later round pick.
Emmett Johnson bio
- Position: Running back
- College: Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Height: 5-feet, 10 inches
- Weight: 202 pounds
- 40-yard dash: 4.56 seconds
- 10-yard split: 1.59 seconds
- 3-cone drill: 7.32 seconds
- 20-yard shuttle: 4.29 seconds
- Vertical jump: 35.5″
- Broad jump: 10′
Recipient of the 2021 Minnesota Mr. Football award at Academy of Holy Angels High School, Johnson began with the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a three-star recruit. He’d take a redshirt in 2022 then rushed for 411 yards with 2 scores in 2023 as part of a backfield committee. In 2024, Johnson picked up 598 yards on the ground and caught 39 passes for 286 yards with 3 total scores.
By 2025, Johnson was the Cornhuskers featured weapon and exploded onto the national radar. Johnson’s 1,451 rushing yards and 251 carries both led the Big Ten and were among the NCAA leaders. He also caught a team-high 46 passes and scored 15 touchdowns, as his 1,821 yards from scrimmage were second across the NCAA. Those eye-popping numbers earned him 1st Team All-American honors as well as the 2025 Big Ten Running Back of the Year.
Strengths
- Hits rushing lanes with authority
- Makes sharp cuts at top speed
- Decisive north-south runner
- Good acceleration into the second level
- Legitimate receiving threat
Weaknesses
- Doesn’t have breakaway speed
- Has trouble creating yards when the hole isn’t there
- Must maintain balance better through contact
- Doesn’t break many tackles
- Only one year of high-level production
Emmett Johnson 2026 draft outlook
Johnson’s 2025 tape and production are worthy of a high pick, but teams looking for a featured back might be wary of his lack of power. Still, Johnson has a strong chance of being picked somewhere on the second day and shouldn’t last later than the fourth round. His decisive one-cut and go style and receiving ability gives him a strong chance to be an instant contributor with an incredibly high upside of a potential starter.
New Orleans has had success with late-round picks and undrafted players at running back. Emmett Johnson won’t last that long. But, if Johnson slips into Day 3, the Saints could be tempted to add him and bolster their backfield in multiple ways.
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