Jonesboro, Ark. - After a grueling championship bracket, the Nebraska bowling team battled through three top-ranked opponents to finish fifth at the 2024 Mid-Winter Invite, finishing with a 10-3 record and 72-31 mark overall.
Despite sitting as the No. 6 seed for Sunday's bracket, the Huskers were a force in Arkansas with a 8-2 record after the first two days, including six top-20 wins over No. 1 Jacksonville State, No. 2 Youngstown State, No. 3 Arkansas State, No. 8 Stephen F. Austin, No. 15 Wisconsin-Whitewater and No. 17 Oklahoma Christian.
The Huskers faced No. 10 Maryville in the first match of bracket play on Sunday. NU had a good showing in game one taking the lead 1-0 with a 202-154 victory, but the Saints answered with three-straight wins (209-187, 225-172, 195-177) in games two through four. NU responded with a pair of victories in games five (236-168) and six (201-157), but after a chopped spare in game seven, Maryville took game seven (206-184) and the match, 4-3.
Up next, NU bowled No. 11 Sam Houston State, who most recently edged out the Huskers a week ago at the Flyer Classic, winning in the title match, 4-2. In a one-pin difference, the Bearkats took game one (199-198) before Nebraska took back to back wins in games two (168-158) and three (245-206). SHSU answered in game four (268-193) before Nebraska gained a 3-2 lead in game five (237-192). Sam Houston would claw back in game six (214-191) forcing a best of seven tiebreaker with the Huskers grabbing the 258-213 win, to take the match 4-3.
After two-straight seven game matches, the work was not finished as the Big Red was slated to face off against No. 2 Youngstown State, whom the Huskers defeated previously this weekend in the five-game baker format. The Penguins earned the 1-0 lead after game one (223-206) before Nebraska tied it with a double win (234-199, 211-179) in games two and three. Then game four would go to the Penguins (266-194) as well as game five (212-170). With YSU holding a 3-2 lead, Nebraska was able to respond in game six (176-158) before forcing NU’s third seventh game tie breaker of the day winning 259-174 (4-3) to seal up a fifth-place finish and a 10-3 weekend.
Up Next, the Huskers return to the lanes in their final regular season appearance at the NCATSU Stallings Invitational at Greensboro, N.C., Feb. 23 hosted by No. 4 North Carolina A&T.
Mid-Winter Invitational Final Standings:
No. 3 Arkansas State
No. 5 Vanderbilt
No. 10 Maryville
No. 1 Jacksonville State
No. 6 Nebraska
No. 2 Youngstown State
No. 11 Sam Houston State
No. 23 McKendree
No. 16 Newman
No. 7 Louisiana Tech
No. 8 Stephen F. Austin
No. 17 Oklahoma Christian
No. 15 Wisconsin Whitewater
Alabama State
No. 24 Central Missouri
Alabama A&M
Jackson State
Grambling