Sports
Nebraska basketball player appears to chip tooth after being punched in back of head during game
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Nebraska guard Connor Essegian suffered what appeared to be a chipped tooth after he was punched in the back of the head during the Cornhuskers’ 84-72 win over New Mexico on Thursday night.
The ugly scene unfolded in the first half of the game when one of the Lobos’ leading scorers this season, Deyton Albury, took aim at the back of Essegian’s head with just over a minute remaining in the half.
Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Connor Essegian (0) reacts after scoring against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, on March 1, 2025. (Steven Branscombe/Imagn Images)
Albury was assessed a flagrant foul 2 for the contact and ejected from the game.
LOUISVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH SUFFERS BIZARRE INJURY TRYING TO AVOID CELEBRATION
“It looked like there was contact to his head, which is what they called it,” New Mexico coach Eric Olen said after the game, via The Santa Fe New Mexican. “That was a tough moment for us, losing Deyton like that and that took the wind out of our sails and we didn’t really finish the half.”
Essegian finished the game with 6 points, 7 rebounds and one assist in 31 minutes in the win that extended Nebraska’s winning streak to nine games. But he walked away with another trophy of sorts.
Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Connor Essegian (0) celebrates after a play in the first half of the championship game of the College Basketball Crown tournament against the UCF Knights at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 6, 2025. (Ian Maule/Getty Images)
The senior from Indiana took to social media after the game to show what appeared to be a chipped tooth.
“Well that was a first for me,” he wrote in a post on X, with a picture of a piece of his tooth in his hand.
He joked in a later post that users on the social media platform were “undefeated” after someone created an account with the handle, “Connor Essegian’s Tooth.”
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“Y’a’ll are too quick,” he wrote.
Albury posted an apology on X after the game, calling his actions a “selfish decision.” His message did not include an apology to Essegian.
“Lobo Nation you deserve better than what I displayed tonight. Regardless of what led to my selfish decision I put myself before the team during a time when I needed to demonstrate composure and leadership.
New Mexico guard Deyton Albury shoots over Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
“My actions are not a reflection of our players, coaches or the UNM basketball program. I sincerely apologize to Coach Olen and the rest of the staff, my teammates, Lobo fans and supporters, especially the young kids who witnessed my foolish decision on a national TV stage.
“Representing UNM and the city of Albuquerque is a privilege not a right. I accept full responsibility for what happened. I will never let our team, fans and the city down like this again.”
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The Cornhuskers are 5-0 to start the season, and their winning streak dating back to last season is the longest streak in the nation.
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The transgender athlete debate has come to the nation’s highest court. On Tuesday, for the first time, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on whether transgender girls and women should be eligible for girls’ and women’s sports. The court will hear two cases.
First up is Little v. Hecox, a case rooted in Idaho, which passed the first law restricting transgender girls and women in sports in 2020. In the afternoon, the court will hear arguments in West Virginia v. B.P.J., a case that involves a transgender girl named Becky Pepper-Jackson who competes in track and cross country at her high school.
ESPN reporters Katie Barnes and Shwetha Surendran will have live coverage, from inside and outside the courtroom, all day.
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Aaron Rodgers very well may have played his final NFL game on Monday night, and it came at a crushing loss in the Wild Card Round against the Houston Texans.
Rodgers had a tough night that included a fumble loss that resulted in a touchdown and a pick six that piled onto the already seemingly insurmountable score. But while it appeared he could still make amazing throws all season long, NFL broadcaster Troy Aikman brought up a sobering reminder that Rodgers could very well hang up the cleats after the game.
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Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans greets Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) after an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
“I think we are watching Aaron Rodgers’ last game and what we saw of Philip Rivers this year when he came out and decided to come out of retirement and play for the Colts, who knows what next year might bring,” Aikman said. “He might be willing to come in at some point if a team needs a quarterback. I doubt that will happen.
“I don’t imagine he’s gonna say he wants to come back and sign with the Steelers again or with another team.”
Rodgers shook hands with Texans opponents as he walked off the field. He was 17-of-33 for 146 yards. He was sacked four times.
TEXANS DEFENSE SUFFOCATES AARON RODGERS, STEELERS IN PLAYOFF WIN
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers warms up before an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Houston Texans, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The clock started on his decision about whether he would return to the NFL for the 2026 season. He was asked almost immediately about his future as he joined reporters for the postgame press conference.
“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions,” Rodgers said. “I’m disappointed. It was such a fun year. Obviously, a lot of adversity, but a lot of fun.”
The NFL Network reported last week the Steelers would be “more than open” to bringing Rodgers back for next season if he decides against retirement.
If this is it for Rodgers, he will go down as one of the game’s best quarterbacks.
He was a 10-time Pro Bowler, four-time MVP and one-time Super Bowl champion. He played for the Steelers, Green Bay Packers and New York Jets.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers speaks during a press conference after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Houston Texans, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Rodgers racked up 66,274 passing yards and 527 passing touchdowns in 264 games. He amassed 163 regular-season wins in 257 starts as a quarterback.
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