The BigRich Sports Report
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Richard Rhoden
A much-needed long weekend was highlighted by former Huskies doing their thing in front of limited crowds, but large television audiences.
Nebraska football’s Austin Allen and South Dakota State basketball’s Baylor Scheierman were busy over the Thanksgiving holiday, each making highlight plays that made this sports guy go bug-eyed.
Scheierman, now a starter as a true sophomore for the Jackrabbits, was more than ready to get the season started.
South Dakota State played three games in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic in Souix Falls, S.D. on the ESPN family of networks, kicking off its season against preseason No. 15 West Virginia.
Early in that one, Baylor made a quick cut to the left from the right wing and jammed it home as the Jacks kept pace with West Virginia.
The Jackrabbits had a couple leads in the first half before West Virginia pulled away a bit. South Dakota State made it a four-point game with just over a minute to go, but couldn’t pull the upset, losing 79-71.
Baylor played 36 minutes in the game, totaling 15 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Those stats only got better.
The former Husky couldn’t miss from deep against Utah State as Baylor dropped a career high 23 points, including 13 over a four-minute stretch in the first half. He added four rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Later in the second half, Baylor displayed his quarterback skills, flipping the ball behind his back on a fastbreak for an easy teammate bucket.
It’s a move fans around here have seen him make so many times before and it’s so much fun to see him make those plays in front of a TV audience.
Some five minutes later, Baylor broke free by himself off a steal and threw it down with authority.
SDSU’s final game featured a slow start against Saint Mary’s in a 72-59 loss. The Jackrabbits are 1-2 on the year, but looked a lot better than that record indicates.
It’s going to be a blast to see Baylor’s game evolve at the D-1 level and how far the Jackrabbits can go.
From one towering college athlete to another.
How about that catch from Oz?
Austin made one of the plays of the game late in the first half against Iowa, snagging a 23-yard pass from Adrian Martinez on third and 23 with all-out effort.
Any other receiver, that ball was overthrown. Austin used every inch of his 6’8” frame to catch the ball and get a foot down in bounds to move the sticks.
Heck, the catch made Sportscenter’s top 10 plays at No 7. How many Aurora kids can say they’ve been on top 10 plays?
Maybe I’m too much of a downer, but the only thing I could think of while Austin’s mammoth reception was under review was his “catch” in the 2015 state championship game that wasn’t called a catch. Boy, I wish we had review there. Likewise, glad the review did its job in this case.
Oz’s catch extended Nebraska’s drive near the end of the half that resulted in a touchdown, tying the game at 13.
The former Husky made another highlight late in the game, this time for a much more serious reason.
On his second reception of the game, Oz attempted to get out of bounds with the Huskers down six and clock winding down.
He was picked up by two Iowa defenders and slammed to the ground at such a vicious angle where it almost looked like his feet touched the back of his head.
No foul, no flag, just an injured player.
So much for player safety, am I right?
Oz didn’t return and the Huskers lost in total Nebraska 2020 fashion.
Austin’s injury wasn’t serious and he’ll be back. Two former Huskies doing their thing. We see you from A-Town.
RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.
