January 1, Nebraska Player Hurt By Punch, Team Stays Hot

Wyatt’s Take

• Nebraska’s Connor Essegian got punched in the head but helped secure another win.
• Deyton Albury of New Mexico was ejected for the flagrant foul.
• Cornhuskers are riding a nine-game win streak, the longest in the country.

Nebraska’s Connor Essegian ended up with a chipped tooth after taking a punch to the back of the head during a game against New Mexico. The incident happened late in the first half, when New Mexico’s Deyton Albury struck Essegian and was quickly thrown out of the game with a flagrant 2 foul.

“It looked like there was contact to his head, which is what they called it,” New Mexico coach Eric Olen said after the game. “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 still managed 6 points, 7 rebounds, and an assist in Nebraska’s 84-72 victory, pushing their winning streak to nine games. After the game, Essegian shared a photo of his chipped tooth on social media, joking, “Well that was a first for me,” along with a picture of the tooth fragment in his hand.

He also laughed off fans creating a social media account named for his lost tooth, saying, “Y’a’ll are too quick.” After the game, Albury issued an apology online for his behavior, calling it a “selfish decision,” but did not mention Essegian in his message.

“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.

“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.”

The Cornhuskers are now 5-0 to start the season, owning the country’s longest active win streak.

Want more stories like this sent straight to your inbox? Stick with us and keep up with what matters in your neck of the woods.

Wyatt Matters

This story highlights grit and toughness—something folks around here understand. When life throws punches, it’s about finishing the job and supporting your team, no matter what.

Read the full story here