TheNebraska women's basketball team returns home after a successful two-game BigTen road swing to battle Ohio State on Valentine's Day at the Bob DevaneySports Center on Thursday night.
Tip-offbetween the red-hot Huskers (18-6, 8-3 Big Ten) and the surging Buckeyes(14-10, 4-7 Big Ten) is set for 8:06 p.m. (central) in Lincoln. Kevin Kuglerand Stephanie White will team up for the call of the live telecast on the BigTen Network in Nebraska's annual Play4Kay game to promote cancer awareness andresearch. Husker fans are encouraged to wear pink.
TheHusker Sports Network will provide a live radio broadcast of the game with MattCoatney and Jeff Griesch on the call, including flagships B107.3 FM in Lincoln,The Wolf 93.3 FM in Omaha and 880 AM KRVN in Lexington. A free live audiostream will be available on Huskers.com.
OhioState comes to Lincoln riding a three-game winning streak following a 59-52 winat Northwestern on Sunday. The Buckeyes have won three straight since droppinga 62-53 decision to the Huskers in Columbus, Ohio on Jan. 31. OSU fell to 1-7after the loss to Nebraska but is climbing the conference standings after winsover Indiana, Wisconsin and the Wildcats.
Nebraskastretched its Big Ten winning streak to six games by claiming its fifth victoryin six Big Ten road games this season with a 76-75 win at Iowa on Monday night.Nebraska's six-game Big Ten winning streak ties for the second-longestconference winning streak in school history. NU's four straight road wins sitsall alone as the second-best conference stretch in program history, trailingonly a perfect 8-0 road record by the 2010 Big 12 champion Huskers.
NebraskaCornhuskers (18-6, 8-3 Big Ten)
3 - Hailie Sample - 6-1 - So. - F - 4.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg
23 - Emily Cady - 6-2 - So. - F - 9.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg
35 - Jordan Hooper - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 19.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg
00 - Lindsey Moore - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 15.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg
24 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 5.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Off the Bench
1 - Tear'a Laudermill - 5-9 - So. - G - 5.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg
13 - Brandi Jeffery - 5-7 - So. - G - 3.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg
10 - Meghin Williams - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 2.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg
14 - Katie Simon - 6-2 - So. - F - 2.0 ppg, 1.1 rpg
21 - Sadie Murren - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 1.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg
22 - Courtney Aitken - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 1.2 rpg
Head Coach:Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986)
11th Season at NU (208-132); 23rd Season Overall (403-272)
OhioState Buckeyes (14-10, 4-7 Big Ten)
15 - Aleksandra Dobranic - 6-4 - Jr. - C - 4.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg
33 - Ashley Adams - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 9.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg
3 - Amber Stokes - 5-10 - RSr. - G - 9.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg
4 - Tayler Hill - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 21.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg
14 - Ameryst Alston - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 6.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg
Off the Bench
22 - Darryce Moore - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 7.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg
31 - Raven Ferguson - 5-11 - So. - G - 5.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg
23 - Martina Ellerbe - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg
12 - Maleeka Kynard - 5-7 - So. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg
13 - Cait Craft - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg
50 - Emilee Harmon - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 2.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg
11 - Shelbi Honeycutt - 5-10 - So. - G - 1.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg
25 - Amy Scullion - 6-0 - So. - G - 0.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg
Head Coach:Jim Foster (Temple, 1980)
11th Season at OSU (275-79); 35th Season Overall (779-304)
HuskersPlay4Kay in Valentine's Day Battle with Buckeyes
Nebraska returns to the Devaney Center for a special Valentine'sDay clash with Ohio State on Thursday, Feb. 14. Tip-off with the Buckeyes isset for 8:06 p.m. and the game will be Nebraska's annual Play4Kay game. Fansare encouraged to wear pink to the game, as the Huskers will be sporting pinkaccessories to their white uniforms. Several pink promotions will be in place,and those affected by breast cancer and other forms of cancer will berecognized.
Play4Kayis a national initiative sponsored by the Women's Basketball CoachesAssociation to promote cancer awareness and research. The initiative is namedin honor of former North Carolina State Coach Kay Yow.
Red-HotHooper Piling on Production During Winning Streak
Jordan Hooper captured her second straight Big TenPlayer-of-the-Week award on Feb. 12, following her 29-point, eight-rebounderuption in Nebraska's 76-75 road win at Iowa on Monday night. Hooper's effortin Iowa City followed a game-high 19-point, seven-rebound performance in a55-50 victory at Northwestern last Thursday.
Hooper,who has scored in double figures in 15 straight games including seven gameswith 24 or more points, has increased her team-leading averages to 19.5 pointsand 8.5 rebounds per game. During Nebraska's six-game winning streak, Hooper isaveraging 24.3 points and 7.3 boards, while shooting 49 percent (51-104) fromthe field and 42.9 percent from three-point range (18-42).
Hooperis the only player in the Big Ten to rank among the top four players in theconference in both scoring and rebounding.
HooperJoins Husker Top 10 in Scoring, Rebounding
Jordan Hooper's 29-point effort at Iowa pushed her career scoringtotal to 1,545 points, moving her into No. 10 on Nebraska's all-time scoringlist in the 88th game of her career. Hooper's eight rebounds also increased hercareer total to 715, which ranks eighth in Husker history. She needs just 35rebounds to catch Debra Powell (1982-85) at No. 7 on the NU career charts.Hooper is just the seventh Husker in history with 1,500 points and 700 reboundsin a career.
HooperWithin Striking Distance of 200th Career Three-Pointer
Jordan Hooper enters the Ohio State game with 197 careerthree-pointers poised to become just the second Husker in history to hit 200career threes. The 6-2 forward from Alliance, Neb., would become the firstplayer in the NU record book to reach the milestone as a junior. Career record holderKiera Hardy entered her senior season with a then-school-record 196 careerthrees.
Oneof the top three-point shooters in the nation, Hooper could set her sights onchallenging Nebraska's single-season three-point record in 2012-13.
Hooper,who hit 67 three-pointers in each of her first two seasons as a Husker, hasalready knocked down 63 threes through 24 games as a junior. Her 67 threes werethe sixth-best totals in school history, and her 63 this season are theeighth-most by a Husker in a single season. Hardy (2004-05) and Amy Stephens(1988-89) share NU's season record with 85 made threes.
Hooper,who ranks fourth in the Big Ten with an average of 2.6 threes per game, is onpace to end the regular season with 80 three-pointers.
Hooper,Moore Cross 1,500 Career Points Against Wildcats
Junior forward Jordan Hooper and senior point guard Lindsey Mooreboth crossed the 1,500-career point mark in Nebraska's win at Northwestern onFeb. 7. Hooper, who entered the game with 1,497 points, hit a three-pointerless than 20 seconds into the contest to reach 1,500. She has pushed her careertotal to 1,545 points in just 88 career games.
Mooreentered the Northwestern game with 1,489 points and finished a highlight-reelreverse layup against Karly Roser to hit 1,500 midway through the second half.Moore has pushed her career total to 1,519 and needs 22 points to catch AngieMiller in 11th place on Nebraska's career scoring list.
Mooreis the first Husker with 1,500 career points and 600 career assists (636). Infact, no other Husker has ever scored 1,200 points and dished out 600 assists.
Moore toMake NU Record 123rd Straight Start
Senior All-America candidate Lindsey Moore is expected to make the123rd consecutive start of her career when the Huskers face Ohio StateThursday. The 5-9 point guard from Covington, Wash., has started every game ofher career since leading the Huskers to a perfect 29-0 regular-season recordand the Big 12 title as a freshman in 2009-10. Moore owns an 87-35 record asNebraska's starting point guard and has guided the Huskers to a pair of NCAATournaments.
MegganYedsena (1991-94) established the Nebraska record for consecutive careerstarts, after taking the court for tip-off in all 120 games in her outstandingfour-year career from 1990-91 through 1993-94. Yedsena is the only Husker inhistory to start every game of a four-year career. Kelsey Griffin, a 2010first-team All-American and a teammate of Moore's in 2009-10, owns the NUcareer record with 127 starts in 127 career games over a five-year period.
Moore'sstarting streak is tied with Penn State's Nikki Greene for the second-longestactive streak in the nation. Moore and Greene (99, plus 23 in 2012-13), trailonly Texas Tech's Monique Smalls, who owns 125 straight starts (102, plus 24 in2012-13).
Moore Setto Break Husker Record for Minutes Played
After playing the full 40 minutes in Nebraska's Monday night winat Iowa, Lindsey Moore needs just 11 minutes against Ohio State to break the NUrecord for career minutes played. The 5-9 point guard from Covington, Wash.,enters the Ohio State game with 3,985 minutes played.
MegganYedsena set the Husker record for career minutes with 3,995 in 120 games from1990-91 to 1993-94. Moore needs just 15 against the Buckeyes to become thefirst Husker in history to play 4,000 career minutes.
MooreClosing In On 200 Career Steals
Lindsey Moore notched four steals in Nebraska's win atNorthwestern on Feb. 7 to increase her career total to 194 and climb to No. 9on the NU career steals list.
Moore,who leads the Huskers with 46 steals this season, needs just six more to becomethe ninth player in Nebraska history with 200 career steals. She has pulledwithin striking distance of Maurtice Ivy at No. 8 on the NU career list. Mooreneeds 21 steals to match the 1988 Big Eight Player of the Year.
Moore,who set a career-best with 72 steals as a junior in 2011-12, has claimed threeor more steals in four of NU's 10 Big Ten games. In addition to her four stealsat Northwestern, Moore had four steals in NU's Big Ten-opening win overWisconsin. She added three steals at Minnesota (Jan. 20) and three more againstNo. 25 Michigan State (Jan. 24). Last season, Moore averaged four steals inthree games with Iowa.
Hooper,Theriot Hoarding Big Ten Weekly Honors
Nebraska's Jordan Hooper won her second straight Big TenPlayer-of-the-Week award on Feb. 12 to become the first player to win threeconference weekly honors (Dec. 24, Feb. 5, Feb. 12) this season. Hooper, whoalso won three Big Ten Player-of-the-Week awards last season, has claimed sixcareer weekly awards in less than two full seasons in the Big Ten.
WhileHooper is the only player to win three player-of-the-week awards, teammateRachel Theriot is the only player to capture three Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Weekhonors. Theriot joined Hooper in sweeping the conference honors on Feb. 5.Theriot added weekly freshman honors on Jan. 22 and Dec. 31.
Thelast Husker to claim three conference freshman-of-the-week awards was Hooper,who brought home four Big 12 Freshman-of-the-Week awards in 2010-11.
2012-13Huskers Join Select Few with Big Ten Streaks
A six-game conference winning streak has been a rarity in Nebraskahistory. The Huskers' current six-game streak marks just the third time sincethe start of regular-season Big Eight play in 1982-83 that the Huskers haveproduced a six-game winning streak.
In2009-10, the Huskers won a school-record 16 straight league games on their wayto a perfect 29-0 regular-season record and a Big 12 Conference title. The2009-10 Husker squad earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament beforefinishing 32-2 in the NCAA Sweet 16.
The1996-97 Huskers managed a six-game league winning streak early in the first-everBig 12 Conference campaign. The 2012-13 Huskers matched that streak with a76-75 win at Iowa on Monday.
NebraskaFinds Road Success in Big Ten Play
Nebraska secured its fifth Big Ten road win of the season with theHuskers' 76-75 victory over Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Monday night.Winning five conference games is a rarity in Husker history. In fact, the2012-13 Huskers became just the fourth NU team to accomplish the feat sinceregular-season Big Eight Conference play began in 1982-83. All four of thoseteams have done it under Coach Connie Yori in the past six seasons.
The2006-07 Huskers that earned Yori her first NCAA Tournament berth at Nebraskabecame the first NU squad to claim five conference (Big 12) road wins. Yori's2009-10 Huskers went a perfect 8-0 on the road on their way to a perfect Big 12season and a conference championship.
The2011-12 Huskers added five Big Ten road wins in their first season in theconference. The 2011-12 Huskers also earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Onlysix Nebraska teams have produced winning road conference records in schoolhistory and all six went to the NCAA Tournament.
Sincejoining the Big Ten, Nebraska is 10-4 in Big Ten road games and 3-1 in neutralsite games at the Big Ten Tournament, giving NU a 13-5 record away from theDevaney Center against Big Ten teams.
Scoutingthe Ohio State Buckeyes
Coach Jim Foster brings one of the Big Ten's hottest teams intoThursday night's game at Nebraska. The Buckeyes have notched three straightwins since Nebraska's 62-53 win over OSU in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 31. OhioState, which is playing host to the first and second rounds of the 2013 NCAATournament, has battled back from a 1-7 mark in the first half of Big Ten playto start the second half 3-0 and improve to 14-10 on the season.
JordanHooper shot the Huskers to victory at Ohio State with 28 points, including fivethree-pointers, while Lindsey Moore added 11 points and six assists. RachelTheriot pitched in nine points, five rebounds and six assists in the firstmeeting, as Nebraska led from start to finish.
OhioState's second half resurgence has been helped by the Buckeyes getting healthy.OSU entered the offseason with four returning starters minus All-Big Ten andWNBA point guard Samantha Prahalis from last year's team that ran to a 25-7overall record and an 11-5 Big Ten mark (Tied-2nd).
OSUwas dealt a blow in the offseason when returning starter Kalpana Beach suffereda torn ACL and was knocked out for the season. Despite the setback, seniorguards Tayler Hill and Amber Stokes kept the Buckeyes in the top 25 by runningto a 10-3 non-conference mark.
Innon-conference play, Ohio State averaged 71.4 points per game. In Big Ten play,OSU's offense has struggled to score 64.8 points per game, despite playing sixovertime periods through 11 games. They've managed 70 points just once in thelast seven games, but are 4-3 during that stretch. They scored 70 or more ineach of the first four Big Ten games, but went 0-4.
Stokessuffered a sprained knee against Illinois on Jan. 6 and missed four games.Stokes returned to the court Jan. 27 against Penn State but was still limitedby the injury against the Lady Lions and the Huskers on Jan. 31.
Stokes,who was the 2012 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, returned to the startinglineup on Sunday in Ohio State's 59-52 win at Northwestern. She had six pointsand seven rebounds in 34 minutes against the Wildcats. In five games since theinjury, Stokes is 6.6 points and 3.0 rebounds with three steals. Before the injury,she was averaging 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game.
OhioState still features one of the Big Ten's most explosive offensive players inTayler Hill. The senior guard is averaging 21.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.0assists and 2.5 steals per contest. Hill is OSU's top three-pointer shooterwith 51 threes on the year. No other Buckeye has hit more than 18. Although OSUhas won three of its last four, Hill is 1-for-20 in those games, including0-for-6 at Northwestern and 0-for-3 at Indiana. She was for 0-for-5 inNebraska's win in Columbus. Despite her shooting woes, Hill is averaging 21.7points per game over the last four contests and is 34-of-40 at the free throwline. Hill's falling shooting numbers from outside, could be attributed in partto the 40.1 minutes per game she has played in 11 Big Ten contests. She'splayed 40 or more minutes in six straight games .
JuniorAshley Adams, a 6-5 center, anchors OSU's inside game with 9.5 points and 7.1rebounds per game. Adams has started every game alongside Hill and is comingoff 13 points and seven rebounds while playing the full 40 minutes atNorthwestern. In the last five games, Adams has averaged 38.2 minutes percontest. She had her fifth double-double with 12 points and 10 boards in thefirst meeting with NU.
Freshmanpoint guard Ameryst Alston (6.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.0 apg) has turned up herproduction significantly in Big Ten play, averaging 8.8 points, 3.7 reboundsand a team-best 3.4 assists. Alston, who had six points and four rebounds inthe first meeting with NU, has averaged 36.2 minutes per game the last fivecontests.
JuniorAleksandra Dobranic, a 6-4 center, has joined OSU's starting five the last fourgames averaging 5.0 points and 3.7 rebounds during the stretch. She's averaging4.1 points and 2.3 boards on the year.
DarryceMoore, a 6-2 junior forward, adds more size off the bench with 7.3 points and4.4 rebounds per game. Moore has made 11 starts and is shooting 51.2 percentfrom the field on the year. Her last seven games she is shooting 38.1 percent,including a 4-for-4 night at Indiana.
Sophom*oreguard Raven Ferguson has also made 11 starts but has played just 32 totalminutes in the last four games, including 22 at Indiana. She is averaging 5.8points and 2.4 rebounds on the year, but has scored just five total points inthe last five games.
MartinaEllerbe (2.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg), Maleeka Kynard (2.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and Cait Craft(2.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg) all have started at least one game for Ohio State this year,as the Buckeyes have sampled 10 different starters this season. Emilee Harmon(2.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg), Shelbi Honeycutt (1.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg) and Amy Scullion (0.9ppg, 0.9 rpg) have all played roles for the Buckeyes this season.
Nebraskavs. Ohio State Series History
Nebraska leads the all-time series with Ohio State 5-4, includinga 62-53 victory at Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 31. Jordan Hooper led the Huskerswith 28 points and five three-pointers, while Lindsey Moore added 11 points ina low-scoring, late-night affair. Moore and Rachel Theriot combined for 20points and 12 assists. Tayler Hill led OSU with 22 points and six assists,while Ashley Adams added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in thefirst meeting this season.
TheHuskers went 2-1 against the Buckeyes in NU's first Big Ten campaign. No. 24 NUran to a 77-62 win over the No. 14 Buckeyes in the semifinals of the 2012 BigTen Tournament in Indianapolis on March 3. It was the second win for theHuskers over OSU in a week, after No. 23 NU rolled to a 71-57 win over No. 8OSU in Lincoln on Feb. 26.
TheBuckeyes own a 3-2 edge over the Huskers in the all-time series in Columbus,Ohio. NU is 2-1 all-time against Ohio State in Lincoln.
HuskersNever Trail in 76-75 Win at Iowa
Jordan Hooper scored a game-high 29 points to lead Nebraska to itssixth straight win in a 76-75 thriller at Iowa on Monday night atCarver-Hawkeye Arena.
Hooperhit 11-of-23 shots from the field, including a pair of early three-pointers togive Nebraska its fourth consecutive Big Ten road win.
Hooper,a 6-2 junior forward from Alliance, Neb., was one of five Huskers to hit twothrees on the night, and she added eight rebounds. Senior point guard LindseyMoore scored all 14 of her points in the second half while playing the full 40minutes in a tremendous all-around effort. Moore added seven rebounds and agame-high seven assists while committing just one turnover.
BrandiJeffery pitched in a season-high tying 10 points off the bench. Jeffery scoredeight of her points in the first half to keep the Huskers in control. Fellowsophom*ore Emily Cady added nine points, eight rebounds and four assists.Freshman Rachel Theriot added six points on a pair of big threes, the secondgiving NU its biggest lead of the game 64-52 with 8:32 left.
Sophom*oreHailie Sample pitched in four points, four rebounds and a career-high sixassists. Sample added a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left to help NUsecure the win. Moore sealed the victory with two more shots at the line with12.8 seconds left.
Thefree throws were enough to save the Huskers from a furious Iowa rally in thefinal three minutes, capped by Theairra Taylor's three-pointer at the buzzer totrim the final margin to one.
Moorehad given the Huskers a 10-point lead at 68-58 with three minutes remaining ona short jumper, before Nebraska made mistakes and the Hawkeyes made itinteresting.
Inthe end, Nebraska left Iowa City with a victory and never trailed in the game.Nebraska hit 43.3 percent (26-60) of its shots, including 10-of-23 (.435) ofits three-pointers. The Huskers were also a sizzling 16-of-18 at the free throwline. NU outrebounded Iowa 37-36, but lost the turnover battle 12-8.
MorganJohnson led Iowa with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots whilehitting 9-of-11 shots from the field. Melissa Dixon added 19 points on 5-of-10three-point shooting for the Hawkeyes, while Jaime Printy pitched in 16 points.Taylor finished with 11 points.
Iowahit 43.8 percent (28-64) from the field, including 33.3 percent (8-24) fromthree-point range. The Hawkeyes also hit 11-of-15 free throws.
TheHuskers took a 41-32 lead into the locker room at halftime after jumping to an11-2 lead in the first 2:15. Iowa answered to tie the game at 11 with a 9-0 runof its own, but Hooper scored with 14:50 left in the half and NU did notrelinquish the lead the rest of the half.
Hooperled Nebraska with 17 first-half points and four rebounds, but picked up hersecond foul with 2:12 left in the half and the Huskers clinging to a 35-32lead. With Hooper on the bench, Theriot and Cady hit three-pointers to closethe half with a 41-32 lead. Cady, who also opened the first-half scoring with athree, hit 7-of-14 three-pointers in the first half, including two from Hooperand two from Jeffery.
Jeffery,a sophom*ore guard, scored eight first-half points after putting up only fourpoints combined in Nebraska's previous eight conference games.
Iowahit 13-of-27 (.481) first-half attempts, including 3-of-8 three-pointers and3-of-4 free throws. Johnson hit all five of her first-half shots to lead Iowawith 10 points, while Printy added eight points and a pair of three-pointers.
Big Red'sBig Three Leading Huskers in Big Ten Play
Junior forward Jordan Hooper leads Nebraska with 19.4 points and8.2 rebounds per game in Big Ten action, and has averaged 24.3 points and 7.3boards during NU's six-game winning streak.
Seniorpoint guard Lindsey Moore has added 14.9 points, and team bests of 5.5 assistsand 1.9 steals in Big Ten play. Sophom*ore forward Emily Cady is just short ofdouble-double production in Big Ten action, averaging 10.1 points and 8.7rebounds in conference play. Cady is also shooting 52.4 percent fromthree-point range and 84.2 percent at the free throw line, while adding 1.7assists in Big Ten action.
Moore,Hooper Rank High in Big Ten Stats
Lindsey Moore leads the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio(2.2-to-1) with 132 assists and 59 turnovers through 24 games. It is one ofeight categories in which Moore ranks among the top 15 in the Big Ten.
Thesenior point guard from Covington, Wash., ranks fourth in assists (5.5 apg) andfourth in three-point field goal percentage (.406). She is eighth in free throwpercentage (.821), 10th overall in scoring, while ranking 11th in both fieldgoal percentage (.460) and steals per game (1.9). She is also 14th inthree-pointers made per game (1.6).
Hooperranks among the top five in the Big Ten in four categories. She is No. 4 in theleague in scoring (19.5 ppg), rebounding (8.5 rpg), and three-pointers per game(2.6). She also ranks fourth with 5.8 defensive rebounds per game. She ranksseventh in offensive rebounding (2.7) and free throw percentage (.828).
Moore,Hooper Second Active Teammates with 1,500 Points
Jordan Hooper (1,545) and Lindsey Moore (1,519) are just thesecond set of active teammates in Nebraska history with 1,500 or more points.
Hooperand Moore both reached the 1,500-point mark at Northwestern on Feb. 7. The duojoins Maurtice Ivy (1,578) and Angie Miller (1,541) in 1986-87 as the onlyHuskers to play together in the same season with 1,500 or more career points.No Husker teammates have reached 1,600 career points in the same year.
HooperSeventh Husker with 1,500 Points, 700 Rebounds
Jordan Hooper ha pushed her career totals to 1,545 points and 715rebounds to become the seventh Husker in history to reach 1,500 points and 700rebounds in a career.
Hooperreached the 1,500/700 mark in her 87th career game at Nebraska. No other memberof NU's 1,500/700 list played fewer than 111 games in their careers.
Nebraska'sdistinguished 1,500/700 list includes first-team All-Americans Karen Jennings(2,405 points/1,000 rebounds) and Kelsey Griffin (2,033/1,019), along with 1988Big Eight Player-of-the-Year Maurtice Ivy (2,131/778). Two-time WNBA All-StarAnna DeForge (1,859/804), Debra Powell (1,843/750) and Kathy Hagerstrom(1,778/874).
Hooperhas climbed to No. 8 on NU's all-time rebounding list and is one of just eightplayers in Nebraska history to record 700 career rebounds.
MooreNarrowing Gap with Yedsena for Career Assist Mark
Lindsey Moore became just the second Husker in history to reachthe 600-career assist mark against Illinois Jan. 17. The 5-9 senior point guardfrom Covington, Wash., ranks No. 2 on the Husker all-time assist chart with636, trailing only school record holder Meggan Yedsena (696, 1991-94). Moore isjust the eighth player in Big Ten Conference history to reach 600 careerassists.
Moore,a Nancy Lieberman Award candidate, needs 67 assists to catch Yedsena at the topof the Husker assist list. Moore is averaging 5.4 assists in 2012-13.
Moorecrossed the century mark in assists as a senior with seven at Minnesota Jan. 20and has pushed her season total to 125. She joined Yedsena as the only Huskersin history to record 100 or more assists in four separate seasons. Last season,Moore dished out 167 assists in 33 games, while distributing 183 assists as asophom*ore in 2010-11. She opened her career with 154 assists as a freshman in2009-10.
Moorehas produced a career-high 11 assists on four occasions (at Iowa, Jan. 8, 2012;Mississippi Valley State, Nov. 15, 2011; Florida A&M, Jan. 2, 2011; vs.UCLA, March 23, 2010). She has a season-high nine assists (Northern Arizona,Nov. 16) in 2012-13 and five games with eight or more assists this season.
CadyDoing Double Duty in Big Ten Play
Sophom*ore Emily Cady is playing well in her second Big Tencampaign, averaging 10.1 points and 8.7 rebounds through 11 conference games.Cady, who owns a trio of Big Ten double-doubles after her 12-point, 10-reboundeffort at Minnesota Jan. 20, is nearly averaging a double-double in leagueplay. Cady, a 6-2 forward from Seward, Neb., opened with 13 points and acareer-high 14 rebounds in Nebraska's 70-52 win over Wisconsin Jan. 2. She hit6-of-9 shots from the field, including 3-of-4 three-pointers to tie anothercareer best. It was Cady's first double-double of the season.
Shenotched her second Big Ten double with 11 points and 10 rebounds at IndianaJan. 10. Cady hit 3-of-4 shots from the field, including her lone three-pointattempt, and went 4-for-4 at the line. Cady produced a 17-point, nine-reboundeffort at No. 8 Penn State, when she went 3-of-4 from three-point range. Sheadded seven points and 12 rebounds in the loss to No. 14 Purdue Jan. 5, andnine points and eight rebounds against Illinois Jan. 17. She had 10 points andsix boards in NU's win at Ohio State Jan. 31.
InBig Ten games, Cady is shooting 46.6 percent from the field, including 52.4percent (11-21) from long range. She also has connected on 32-of-38 free throws(.842).
Theincreased production in conference play is nothing new for Cady, who averaged12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in conference action last season. She earned aspot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, after averaging 7.3 points and 5.8 boardsin regular-season non-conference play.
Overall,Cady averaged 9.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals to go alongwith a team-best 28 blocked shots in 2011-12. Five of Cady's six careerdouble-doubles have come against Big Ten competition and the sixth came againstKansas in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. She notched her first career double-doublewith 11 points and 12 rebounds in NU's triple-overtime win at Purdue on Feb. 2,2012.
Cady,who has started 57 straight games, is averaging 9.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.6assists and 1.3 steals overall. She owns 11 double-figure scoring efforts andsix double-digit rebounding games as a sophom*ore to push her career total to13.
TheriotBattling for Big Ten All-Freshman Honors
Rachel Theriot is coming on strong in Big Ten action and ranksamong the conference's top five freshmen in scoring, rebounding and assists.Her 3.8 assists per game in league play lead all Big Ten freshmen, while her3.6 rebounds rank fifth behind Northwestern forward Lauren Douglas (4.7 rpg),Wisconsin guard Nicole Bauman (3.8 rpg), Ohio State guard Ameryst Alston (3.7rpg) and Purdue center Taylor Manuel (3.7 rpg). Theriot's 7.3 points per BigTen game are fifth among league rookies.
Theriotproduced arguably her best effort of the season at Minnesota Jan. 20. The 6-0guard from Middleburg Heights, Ohio, played a career-high 39 minutes and scored13 points to go along with career highs of three three-pointers and eightassists in the win over the Golden Gophers. The effort earned her Big TenFreshman-of-the-Week honors for the second time.
Sheproduced another spectacular effort against the Gophers two weeks later inLincoln with 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting to go along with a career-highmatching seven rebounds. She also dished out five assists with no turnovers.That effort, along with nine points, five rebounds and six assists at OhioState on Jan. 31, earned Theriot her third Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awardin the past seven weeks.
Theriot,is developing into a top contender for Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year honors,increasing her overall season averages to 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.1assists. In Big Ten play, Theriot is averaging 7.3 points, 3.6 boards and 3.8assists per contest.
Throughthe first 12 games this season, Theriot was averaging just 3.2 points, 2.4rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting just 27.3 percent from thefield, including 13.3 percent (2-15) from three-point range.
Overthe last 12 contests, the freshman has turned up her production to 7.7 points,3.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists. She owns four double-figure scoring efforts inthat stretch, after not scoring more than six points in any of the first 12games. Over the last 12 games, Theriot is shooting 49.4 percent from the field,including 41.4 percent (12-29) from three-point range.
Theriotscored a career-high 14 points while adding six assists and four rebounds in awin at Indiana Jan. 10. She hit 7-of-9 shots from the field, including all fiveof her first-half attempts, to carry Nebraska to a 20-point halftime lead. Shecaptured the first Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award of career Dec. 31, afternotching her first double-figure scoring performance against Grambling StateDec. 20.
Theriothas played in all 24 games while making 18 straight starts, despite battling afoot injury.
LaudermillIgniting Huskers at Both Ends off Bench
Tear'a Laudermill is showing growth and maturity in her game overthe past three months. The 5-9 sophom*ore guard from Riverside, Calif., hasdeveloped into a consistent offensive threat off the bench while providingpesky defense as Nebraska's defensive hound.
Laudermillmatched her career high for the second time in Big Ten play with 14 points togo along with three rebounds, an assist and two steals in a win over MinnesotaFeb. 3. It was her second double-figure scoring effort of the season, joining a14-point effort at Indiana Jan. 10.
Afterscoring only six total points in Nebraska's first four games this season,Laudermill has scored at least four points in 15 of the last 19 games. She hasscored in double figures twice in Big Ten play and is averaging 5.7 points, 1.4rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.9 steals in conference action. She is alsoNebraska's top on-the-ball defender.
Forthe season, Laudermill ranks fourth among the Huskers in scoring with 5.6points per game, while ranking third on the team with 28 steals - five morethan her season total from 2011-12. In fact, she has more points, more assistsand more steals, while shooting a higher percentage from the field and the freethrow line than her freshman season, when she was one of NU's top players offthe bench.
Laudermillhas improved immensely at the free throw line. As a freshman, she hit just22-of-42 free throws (.524), but enters the Ohio State game 21-of-27 (.778)this season.
NebraskaCelebrates Final Basketball Season at Devaney Center
The Nebraska men's and women's basketball teams will celebratetheir final season at the Bob Devaney Sports Center throughout the 2012-13campaign. The Huskers will move into the new Pinnacle Bank Arena in downtownLincoln in October of 2013. The arena, which is set for completion next fall,will become the new home of Husker men's and women's basketball in 2013-14.
Aspart of the festivities at the Devaney Center during 2012-13, the Huskers planto highlight the greatest moments and greatest players in the 37-year historyof the Devaney Center At each men's and women's basketball home game during theseason, HuskerVision will produce a big screen feature showcasing one of themost memorable moments in men's and women's basketball history.
Onthe women's side, long-time Husker Sports Network basketball broadcasters MattCoatney and Jeff Griesch compiled the list along with Mike Babco*ck, whor*searched and wrote a detailed history of Husker women's basketball in 2000.The women's basketball moments range from Jan Crouch's 27-point performance onopening night on Nov. 12, 1976 to Lindsey Moore's triple-double on Jan. 2,2011. They include championship celebrations in 1988 and 2010 and historicvictories throughout the decades, while recognizing Husker legends such asKaren Jennings, Maurtice Ivy, Kelsey Griffin, Anna DeForge, Amy Stephens andmore. During the season, fans also will be able to join the discussion throughsocial media, offering their most memorable moments at the Devaney Center.
TheNebraska Athletic Department created a special "Devaney Center FinalSeason" logo that is displayed on giant banners draped outside above thenorth and south entrances of the Devaney Center.
Huskers.comOpens Voting for All-Devaney Teams Feb. 8
As part of its celebration of the final basketball season in theBob Devaney Sports Center, the Nebraska Athletic Department is inviting fans tovote for their favorite players in Husker men's and women's basketball history.Fan voting for Nebraska's All-Devaney Teams opened on Feb. 8, and fans areencouraged to visit Huskers.com to vote for the best Huskers to grace Devaney'shardwood since 1976.
Nebraska'slong-time radio play-by-play announcer Matt Coatney offered his top fivewomen's players, while Mike Babco*ck, Lee Barfknecht and Brian Rosenthal allchose their top players on the men's side.
Fanvoting closes on Feb. 22. Vote for the All-Devaney Women's Team and find outmore about the best players in Nebraska women's basketball history at thefollowing link on Huskers.com.
http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=206327880
NebraskaImproving Defensively in Big Ten Play
Much of Nebraska's success in Big Ten play must be attributed tothe defensive end, where the Huskers have improved significantly duringconference action. In fact, NU ranks third in scoring defense through 11 BigTen games. The Huskers are surrendering just 59.3 points per game, which trailsonly Penn State (56.4 ppg) and Michigan (58.3 ppg) allowed.
Nebraskaranks fourth in conference play in field goal percentage defense (.376), whileranking second in three-point field goal percentage defense (.294).
DuringNebraska's six-game winning streak, the Huskers are allowing just 58.5 pointsper game, while holding opponents to 37.1 percent shooting and 29.5 percentshooting from long range.
Innon-conference play, the Huskers were allowing 60.2 points per game, whileopponents were shooting 41.1 percent from the field, including 32.5 percentfrom beyond the three-point arc.
Big Ten,Huskers Ranking High in National RPI
The Big Ten is proving itself as an improved women's basketballconference in 2012-13. RealTimeRPI ranks the conference No. 2 nationally amongall conferences, trailing only the Big 12 this season, ranking ahead of the BigEast (3), SEC (4), ACC (5) and Pac-12 (6) among the top conferences in thenation.
PennState (5), Purdue (13) and Nebraska (25) give the Big Ten three top-25 RPIteams, according to the official NCAA RPI rankings (Feb. 11). Michigan (29),Michigan State (30) and Iowa (33) provide the conference with six top-50 RPIsquads. Illinois (54), Minnesota (71) and Ohio State (72) give the league ninetop-75 schools, while Wisconsin (90) adds a 10th top-100 RPI team. Northwestern(107) and Indiana (184) round out the Big Ten contingent among the 345 NCAADivision I women's basketball schools.
Hooper,Moore Earn Spots on Wade, Naismith, Wooden Lists
Junior Jordan Hooper and senior Lindsey Moore are being mentionedamong the top players in the nation in 2012-13, and are candidates for theWade, Naismith and Wooden awards.
Hooperand Moore were among 25 college players named to the 2012-13 preseason WadeWatch List, announced by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) onSept. 18. They joined each other on the Preseason Wooden Award Top 30 on Nov.9. They appeared on their first national player-of-the-year watch list togetherlast season, when they were both included in the Naismith Midseason 32 and theyearned spots on the 2013 Naismith Trophy Preseason Top 50 on Nov. 15.
Hooperand Moore are the first Husker teammates in history named to any of the threemajor national player-of-the-year watch lists at the same time.
In2011-12, Hooper was an Associated Press Honorable-Mention All-American, whileearning WBCA All-Region 6 honors. The 6-2 forward from Alliance, Neb., was alsoone of five first-team All-Big Ten selections, and a member of the Big TenAll-Tournament team after averaging 18.9 points and a Big Ten-best 9.3 reboundsper game.
Moore,a 5-9 point guard from Covington, Wash., was one of eight finalists for the2012 Nancy Lieberman Award, which is presented annually to the nation's toppoint guard. Moore joined Hooper on the Big Ten All-Tournment Team and was asecond-team All-Big Ten choice. Moore ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten in assists(5.1 apg), No. 5 in steals (2.2 spg) and No. 7 in scoring (15.7 ppg).
FormerNebraska All-American Karen Jennings won the Wade Trophy in 1993, whileAll-American Kelsey Griffin was a finalist for the Wade, Naismith and Woodenawards in 2010.
Hooper,Moore Earn Preseason All-Big Ten Honors
Nebraska's Jordan Hooper and Lindsey Moore captured All-Big Tenhonors while the Huskers were picked to finish second in the conference, whenpreseason polls were announced by the Big Ten Oct. 25.
Hooper,a 6-2 junior forward from Alliance, Neb., was named to the preseason All-BigTen team by both the conference coaches and media. In 2011-12, Hooper was oneof five first-team All-Big Ten selections, while also earning Big TenAll-Tournament honors. She ranked third in the Big Ten in scoring (18.3 ppg),while leading the Big Ten in both rebounding (9.3 rpg) and double-doubles (14)last season.
Moore,a 5-9 senior point guard from Covington, Wash., was one of five preseasonAll-Big Ten picks by the conference media. Moore ranked No. 7 in the Big Ten inscoring (15.7 ppg), No. 2 in assists (5.1 apg) and No. 5 in steals (2.2 spg) in2011-12. Moore earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a junior, while joiningHooper on the Big Ten All-Tournament Team.
Defendingregular-season champion Penn State was the choice of the coaches and the mediato win the 2013 Big Ten title. The Huskers were picked second in both polls,while Purdue was the coaches' selection to finish third. Ohio State was themedia's choice to finish third.
HuskersLoad Up 2012-13 Schedule
Nebraska's 31-game regular-season schedule features 19 gamesagainst 2012 postseason squads. NU's schedule is highlighted by 13 gamesagainst 2012 NCAA Tourament teams, including a matchup with Elite Eightqualifier Maryland and two games with NCAA Sweet 16 Penn State. The Huskersplay three games against 2012 WNIT teams and three contests against WBIparticipants.
TheHuskers also play seven games against six teams that won conference titles in2012. Maryland headlines the list of conference champs after claiming the 2012ACC Tournament title. The Terps finished with a 31-5 record at No. 6 in the APpoll. NU also faces Big Ten regular-season champ Penn State twice and Big TenTournament champ Purdue once. In non-conference play, the Huskers tangled withBig Sky Conference champ Idaho State, Missouri Valley Conference champCreighton and Summit League Conference champ South Dakota State.
Big Red,Big Ten Schedule Strengths on the Rise
Nebraska's Strength of Schedule continues to climb according toRealTime RPI, which lists the Huskers' SOS No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 23nationally (as of Feb. 13). Overall, the Big Ten schedule strengths areimpressive, including Penn State (11), Iowa (18), Purdue (19), Wisconsin (27),Illinois (28), Michigan (35), Minnesota (36), Northwestern (38), Ohio State(41), Michigan (48). The schedules of 10 Big Ten teams rank among the top 50 inthe country. Michigan State (54) and Indiana (84) also rank easily in the top25 percent nationally.
Nebraskais facing one of the toughest regular-season schedules in school history in2012-13. NU's Strength of Schedule has ranked among the top 30 nationally infour of the past five seasons, and the Huskers have faced a top-25 schedule sofar in 2012-13.
Nebraskahas already played 13 games this season against teams that have produced 15victories so far this year. Perhaps even more impressively, 21 of the Huskers'24 games have come against teams that have already achieved double-digit wintotals this season.
TheHuskers have played 14 games against top 100 RPI teams and each of theirremaining five Big Ten games are set to come against top 100 squads.
InjuriesContinue to Slow Down Huskers
Nebraska's offseason featured a laundry list of injuries. NU'sentire starting five played injured in the Huskers' NCAA Tournament loss toKansas to end the 2011-12 season.
EmilyCady underwent offseason knee surgery, while Jordan Hooper and Hailie Sampleeach took extended rest to recover from stress reactions in their legsfollowing NU's four games in four days at the Big Ten Tournament. Cady enteredthe season as one of the healthiest Huskers, while Hooper and Sample werelimited by injuries. Lindsey Moore was slowed by a reoccurring injury, whileNU's lone center Adrianna Maurer tried to recover from major back surgery inJanuary of 2012. Maurer announced the end of her basketball career at Nebraskaon Jan. 7, 2013, because of continuing pain. Senior forward Meghin Williams hasbeen limited in practice throughout her four-year career by foot injuries.
Freshmanguard Rachel Theriot missed nearly three weeks of practice with a stressreaction in her foot, bringing the list of Huskers severely limited in practiceto seven on a daily basis.
Nebraska'sother freshmen, Courtney Aitken and Sadie Murren, and sophom*ores BrandiJeffery, Tear'a Laudermill and Katie Simon were healthy throughout fallpractice. However, Aitken has been wearing a walking boot on her foot sincemid-December and has not played since Dec. 5. Jeffery did not play at PennState Jan. 13 or against No. 25 Michigan State because of a foot injury. Shereturned for limited minutes off the bench against Illinois, both games againstMinnesota and at Ohio State, but is still listed as day-to-day. Murren hasmissed seven games with a back injury and is also day-to-day.
NU's FourReturning Starters Solid for 57 Straight Games
After starting 33 consecutive games together in 2011-12,Nebraska's four returning starters Lindsey Moore (122), Jordan Hooper (88) andsophom*ores Emily Cady (57) and Hailie Sample (57) have started all 23 gamestogether in 2012-13.
However,Nebraska's fifth starting spot has changed in 2012-13 with sophom*ore guardBrandi Jeffery starting NU's first six games and freshman Rachel Theriotstarting the Huskers' last 18 contests.
In2011-12, fifth-year senior guard Kaitlyn Burke joined Moore, Hooper, Cady andSample in NU's starting lineup for every game.
Consistentstarting lineups are nothing new for the Huskers under Coach Connie Yori. Infact, three times in Yori's 11 seasons Nebraska has used the same starting fivefor every game in a season, including all 33 games in 2011-12. The 2006-07Huskers featured the same starting five for 32 games on their way to a 22-10season and the NCAA Tournament. Yori's 2003-04 Huskers also used the samestarting five for 30 games on their way to an 18-12 season and a WNIT bid.
Afull year with the same starting five is rare in women's college basketball. Infact, Nebraska was the only Big Ten team to feature the same starting fivethroughout 2011-12, and was one of only three teams in the 2012 NCAA Tournamentto start the same five every game. Kansas State and BYU were the others.
Overthe past eight seasons (including 2012-13), Nebraska has used only 20 differentstarting lineups in 250 games.
HooperPuts Up Double-Doubles at Record Rate
Jordan Hooper has climbed into a tie for third on Nebraska'scareer double-double list after producing her seventh of the 2012-13 seasonwith 11 points and 11 rebounds at Indiana Jan. 10. It was Hooper's second straightdouble-double following a 15-point, 14-rebound effort against No. 14 PurdueJan. 5. Hooper owns 24 career double-doubles, matching Nafeesah Brown on the NUcareer chart.
Innon-conference play, Hooper notched 24 points and 14 rebounds in NU's win atSouth Florida on Dec. 16. It was Hooper's second straight double-double, afterproducing 36 points and 12 boards in a win over No. 24 Florida State on Dec. 8.
Hooperbecame just the seventh Husker in history to produce at least 20 careerdouble-doubles, when she registered 29 points and 10 boards in NU's win overIdaho State on Dec. 1. Hooper added a double-double with 19 points and 10rebounds against Sam Houston State Nov. 20, after notching her firstdouble-double of the year with 12 points and 14 boards against Temple Nov. 11.
Hooperled the Big Ten and ranked among the top 25 players nationally with 14double-doubles in 2011-12. Hooper, who produced double figures in 32 ofNebraska's 33 games, recorded 14 double-figure rebounding performances as a sophom*ore.Hooper's 14 double-doubles ranked as the third-highest single-season total inschool history, trailing only first-team All-American Kelsey Griffin's 20 in2009-10, and Nafeesah Brown's 16 in 1993-94. Griffin and Brown were bothseniors when they produced their impressive double-figure totals.
Hooperbecame just the fifth player in Nebraska history to post double-figuredouble-doubles in a season, joining Griffin (10, 2006-07, 20, 2009-10), Brown(16, 1993-94), Karen Jennings (13, 1990-91, 13, 1991-92), Maurtice Ivy (10,1985-86) and Carol Garey (10, 1978-79).
Hooper,a 6-2 junior forward from Alliance, Neb., had 25 points and 10 rebounds in theBig Ten Championship Game loss to No. 21 Purdue on March 4. She added 21 pointsand 10 rebounds against No. 14 Ohio State in the Big Ten semifinals March 3,and 15 points and 10 boards in little more than a half against Iowa in the BigTen quarterfinals on March 2.
Hooperproduced arguably her most eye-popping double-double with 19 points and acareer-high 18 rebounds in NU's win over Wisconsin Feb. 19, 2012. Her 18 boardstied for the 12th-highest total in school history and were the most by a Huskersince Charlie Rogers grabbed 20 against Drake on Dec. 2, 1999.
Hooperadded back-to-back double-doubles with 22 points and 15 rebounds against IowaJan. 26, and 12 points and 16 rebounds at Illinois Jan. 29. She notcheddouble-doubles in a personal-best four straight games from Dec. 18, 2011 toJan. 5, 2012.
HooperBuilding Off Super Sophom*ore Campaign
Jordan Hooper became the first sophom*ore in school history toproduce 600 points and 300 rebounds in the same season, finishing the 2011-12campaign with 624 points and 306 boards. The 6-2 forward from Alliance, Neb.,became just the fourth Husker ever to accomplish the feat.
Hooper,an honorable-mention AP All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten pick, set theNebraska sophom*ore single-season scoring record with 624 points. She eclipsedthe 609 points scored by Kiera Hardy in 2004-05. Hooper's 306 rebounds markedthe third-highest total in school history by a sophom*ore, trailing only 372 byJanet Smith in 40 games in 1979-80) and 314 by Carol Garey in 36 games in1978-79. Hooper's 9.3 rebounds per game matched Smith's sophom*ore record. Onlyone other sophom*ore in NU history - Kathy Hagerstrom (1980-81) scored 500points and grabbed 250 boards.
Hooper'ssophom*ore production was on a similar level to the two most productive seasonsin school history. Karen Jennings, the 1993 Wade Trophy winner and a first-teamAll-American, produced 810 points and 319 rebounds in 32 games as a junior in1991-92. Kelsey Griffin, a finalist for every national player-of-the-year awardin 2010 and a first-team All-American, produced 685 points and 354 rebounds in34 games as a senior.
Fastbreakersto Hold Husker Roundball Run, April 27
The Fastbreakers Booster Club will hold its first Husker RoundballRun in Lincoln on Saturday, April 27, beginning at 9 a.m. The event willinclude 5K and 1.5-mile runs to provide fun and fitness for fans and runners ofall ages.
Adultregistration fee is $30, while youth 13 and under can register for just $15.Entrants will receive an official Roundball Run T-shirt and a Husker party withcontinental breakfast and door prizes will be available following the events.
Fanscan register on-line at www.huskers.com/donate. Entrants are encouraged toregister by Monday, April 8 to guarantee T-shirt size requests.
Severalsponsorships are also available to businesses and individuals. For moreinformation about the Roundball Run, please contact the Kiley Abdouch at theHuskers Athletic Fund at kabdouch@huskers.com.
FastbreakersAnnounce Backboard Event Schedule
The Fastbreakers Booster Club set the dates for three BackboardEvents during the 2012-13 season. The events, which are held in the northwestcorner of the upper concourse at the Devaney Center, tipped off on Wednesday,Nov. 28 at 5:30 p.m., 90 minutes before Nebraska's game against Maryland in theBig Ten/ACC Challenge. The second Backboard Event was held prior to Nebraska'sBig Ten clash with Purdue on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tip time was 1 p.m., while thebanquet began at 11:30 a.m.
Thisseason's Backboard Events conclude with a luncheon prior to Nebraska's Big Tenregular-season finale with Penn State on March 3. The start times of theluncheon and game will be announced at a later date, after the Big Ten Networkmakes its television picks for the final two games of the season across theconference.
Eachevent is scheduled to begin 90 minutes prior to tip-off of each game and willfeature a speaker from the women's basketball staff. The cost of each event is$15 per person, and spots must be reserved no later than one week in advance ofthe event, either on-line at www.Huskers.com/donate (online registration availablefor current Fastbreakers Club members only), by calling the Huskers AthleticFund at (402) 472-2367.
FastbreakersAnnounce Plans for Three Bus Trips
Fastbreakers followed the Huskers to their first road game of theseason, when Nebraska took on South Dakota State in Brookings, S.D., on Sunday,Nov. 18. The Fastbreakers also took a bus to Omaha for Nebraska's annual clashwith Creighton on Wednesday, Dec. 5.
Thefinal road trip of the season is set for Nebraska's appearance at the Big TenTournament March 7-10 in Hoffman Estates, Ill. The Fastbreakers will leaveLincoln for the Chicago area on Wednesday, March 6 and will return followingthe Huskers' appearance at the tournament. The cost of bus ride is $170, anddoes not include game tickets. Beverages on the bus are included in the price,but no meals are included.
Formore details on the 2012-13 Fastbreaker Bus Trips, contact Doug Fry atdfry5@neb.rr.com or call (402) 617-7039. All trips must be booked and paid fortwo weeks prior to departure.
Huskers,Big Ten Earn Top 25 Mention in Polls
Nebraska continues to receive votes in both major national polls,after having its school-record streak of 24 straight weeks listed in at leastone of the major national top 25 polls snapped Jan. 14-15.
Inthe Big Ten, Penn State and Purdue have been ranked in the top 25 in every pollthis season, while the Huskers spent 10 weeks in the USA Today top 25 and sixweeks in the AP Poll. Ohio State appeared in every USA Today poll untildropping out Jan. 8. The Buckeyes slipped from the AP Poll on Dec. 17.
Michigan,Michigan State and Iowa have given the Big Ten seven different teams ranked inthe Associated Press top 25 so far this season. Illinois (AP, Jan. 7) andMinnesota (USA, Nov. 20) give the balanced Big Ten nine teams that havereceived votes in at least one poll this season.
Nebraskanon-conference opponents have also littered the polls this season, led by APNo. 7 Maryland and AP No. 19 Florida State. Creighton and South Florida havealso received votes in numerous polls.
Yori'sHuskers Own Success Against Top 25 Foes
Nebraska has made a habit of knocking off top-25 opponents duringConnie Yori's 11 seasons at the helm. In fact, the Huskers' 59-54 win over No.25 Michigan State on Jan. 24, 2013, marked NU's 27th win over an AP Top 25 foeunder Yori, including the second this season. Nebraska also knocked offthen-No. 24 Florida State, 78-77, on Dec. 8, 2012. It was the Seminoles' firstloss of the season.
TheHuskers defeated No. 14 Ohio State (March 3, 2012), after knocking off the No.8 Buckeyes (Feb. 26). The first win over OSU marked NU's sixth victory over atop-10 foe under Yori. Prior to Yori's arrival at Nebraska in 2002-03, theHuskers owned just one win over a top 10 opponent in school history.
NUproduced five wins over AP Top 25 teams (at game time) in 2011-12, including a93-89 triple overtime win at No. 15 Purdue (Feb. 2). The Huskers also knockedoff No. 16 Penn State (Dec. 30) on the road in their first-ever Big Ten Conferencegame, while defeating No. 23 USC (Nov. 18) at the Devaney Center.
In2009-10, the Huskers set the school single-season mark with eight wins overtop-25 teams. NU's top-25 wins that season came against No. 5 LSU, No. 9Baylor, No. 10 Oklahoma State, No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 13Iowa State, No. 16 Iowa State and No. 22 UCLA. The win over No. 9 Baylor andfreshman Brittney Griner, was Nebraska's first-ever road win over a top-10team. The Huskers' three wins over top-10 foes in 2009-10, matched Nebraska'sprevious total from the previous 35 seasons.
Thehighest-ranked team Nebraska has ever defeated was the 2004-05 Baylor team thatwent on to win the national title. NU outlasted No. 2 BU, 103-99 in tripleovertime on Jan. 12, 2005. The Huskers' 21-point win over No. 10 OSU on Feb. 3,2010, marked NU's largest victory margin ever over a top-10 team. Nebraska's29-point win over No. 14 Iowa State in 2005 was NU's largest victory margin inhistory over a top-25 foe. Nebraska's 56-45 win over No. 15 Texas at theDevaney Center in 2008 also marked the lowest point total ever allowed by theHuskers against a ranked opponent.
BeforeYori's arrival at Nebraska in 2002-03, the Huskers had not defeated a top-10team since a 73-67 win over No. 9 Iowa on Dec. 8, 1996, and had never beaten atop-five opponent.
Nebraska'sHistory of Success at Home
The Huskers produced a 13-3 record at the Bob Devaney SportsCenter in 2011-12. Since the Devaney Center opened in 1976-77, the Huskers are386-129 (.750) in games played in the arena, including 144-87 (.623) inconference games. Since 2003-04, NU is 122-33 (.787) at the Devaney Center.
NUhas posted double-figure home victory totals in 10 consecutive seasons,including a perfect 16-0 mark in 2009-10. NU was 11-4 at home in 2010-11. TheHuskers are 11-3 at the Devaney Center in 2012-13.
Big TenNetwork Providing Major Exposure for Huskers
For the second consecutive season, Nebraska expects to have everyregular-season and postseason game available in video form for Husker fans tofollow all the action.
Forthe first time in school history in 2011-12, all 33 games played by the Huskerswere delivered by national television or live video streams to Husker fans. In2012-13, Nebraska is enjoying its highest level of national TV exposure inschool history, while adding two outstanding alternative video streamingsources.
Overall,the Huskers will have 11 regular-season games televised nationally, includingeight by the Big Ten Network and BTN2Go.com. Nebraska's battle with Purdue wastelevised nationally by CBS on Jan. 5, while the Huskers' clash with Penn Stateon Jan. 13 was carried live on ESPN2. NU's non-conference road game at USC(Nov. 23) was televised by the Pac-12 Network. Nebraska's final gam of the yearat home against Penn State will be the final regular-season game carried by theBig Ten Network.
TheBig Ten Network is distributing 10 other Nebraska women's basketball gamesthrough live video streams on BTN.com. For complete television and live-streamlistings, visit Huskers.com. Fans can subscribe to BTN.com by visitinghttp://video.btn.com/allaccess. A yearly subscription for all Nebraska eventson BTN.com is just $79.95. Fans can gain access to every Big Ten event streamfor just $119.95 per year. Monthly subscriptions are also available. Two ofNU's BTN.com games (Michigan State, Jan. 24; Minnesota, Feb. 3) were alsotelevised live statewide in Nebraska by NET.
HuskersNsideprovides Husker fans more video streaming opportunities on the Internet.Nebraska's premium site on Huskers.com streamed NU's exhibition finale againstNebraska-Kearney (Nov. 4), before streaming the season opener against NorthCarolina A&T (Nov. 9). Non-conference home games against Northern Arizona(Nov. 16), Idaho State (Dec. 1), Florida State (Dec. 8) and Grambling State(Dec. 29) also were streamed through HuskersNside.
Nebraska'sroad games at South Dakota State (Nov. 18), Creighton (Dec. 5) and at SouthFlorida (Dec. 16) all shared streams to Huskers, Nside subscribers. All threeschools share NeuLion as an Internet partner. Monthly packages are available onHuskersNside for $12.95. Four-month passes are on sale for $39.95, whileyear-long passes are just $54.95.
HuskersPutting Up Top 10 3FG Numbers Again in 2012-13
Nebraska has hit 158 three-pointers through 24 games to rank asthe seventh-most threes in school history. It marks the 10th consecutive yearthat Connie Yori's Nebraska teams have produced a top-10 total inthree-pointers made. The Huskers' 6.6 threes per game rank second in the BigTen and 50th nationally.
TheHuskers have hit seven or more threes in a game 13 times in 24 contests in2012-13, after hitting seven or more threes 17 times in 33 games last season.Nebraska has hit double-digit threes four times this year, including aseason-high 12 in the Big Ten-opening win over Wisconsin on Jan. 2, and 11threes against Oral Roberts and Northern Arizona. NU added 10 threes at Iowa onFeb. 11.
The2011-12 Huskers produced a record-setting three-point season, connecting on 230threes on a record 759 attempts. Nebraska led the Big Ten with 7.0 made threesper game, matching the school-record the Huskers set in 2010-11. Nebraska's 230threes surpassed the 225 the 2009-10 Huskers hit. NU's 759 attempts shatteredthe previous school recored of 661 also set in 2009-10.
NUhit a 2011-12 season-best 14 three-pointers on 26 attempts against MississippiValley State, which marked the second-highest total in school history. Ittrailed only the 17 threes the Huskers hit against Vermont (17-33) to open the2010-11 season. The Huskers hit double-digit threes four times last year.
Priorto 2009-10, the school-record for three-pointers made in a season was 173.Before Yori's arrival, no Husker team had hit more than 132 threes in a season,or attempted more than 437.
HooperLeads Assault on Husker Three-Point Records
In addition to her impressive scoring and rebounding numbers,Jordan Hooper has hit three-pointers at a record-breaking rate since herarrival at Nebraska. The 6-2 forward shattered the NU single-season freshmanrecord with 67 threes (67-184, 36.4 percent) in 2010-11, and drained 67 morethrees in 2011-12, which is the second-best total by a sophom*ore in Nebraskahistory. Hooper's 2011-12 season total trailed only Kiera Hardy's school-recordtotal of 85 set as a sophom*ore in 2004-05.
In88 career games, Hooper has hit 197 three-pointers to rank second on theNebraska career list. Hardy (267 3FG, 2004-07) owns the Nebraska record.
In2010-11, Hooper tied the Nebraska single-game record with seven three-pointersat Missouri on Feb. 2, 2011. She scored 31 points against the Tigers, including28 on six threes in the second half alone.
HooperPlays Beast on Boards
Jordan Hooper led the Big Ten and ranked among the nation's toprebounders with 9.3 boards per game as a sophom*ore in 2011-12.
Her18-rebound effort in a win over Wisconsin on Feb. 19 put her in rare company inthe Nebraska record books, tying for the 12th-highest single-game total inschool history. It also marked the best rebound total by a player in CoachConnie Yori's first 11 seasons at Nebraska. It was also the highest total by aHusker since Charlie Rogers grabbed 20 rebounds against Drake on Dec. 2, 1999.
Hooper's18-board performance represented her third time in seven games with 15 or morerebounds. She became just the seventh player in Husker history to grab 15 ormore rebounds three times in a career. and just the sixth Husker to pull down15 or more boards three times in a season, joining Janet Smith, Carol Garey, NafeesahBrown, Pyra Aarden and most recently, Keasha Cannon-Johnson (2001-02).
Inback-to-back games last season, Hooper grabbed 15 rebounds in a win over Iowa(Jan. 26), before ripping down 16 boards in a victory at Illinois (Jan. 29).She joined Smith and Aarden as the only Huskers to pull down 15 or more boardsin back-to-back games.
PinnacleBank Arena to Provide New Home to Huskers in 2013-14
Nebraska continues preparations to move into its new home formen's and women's basketball - Pinnacle Bank Arena - next season. Constructionon the $179 million arena has marched ahead of schedule with favorable buildingconditions for more than a year.
TheHuskers will continue to call the new Hendricks Training Complex home forpractice, while the Nebraska volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics team willcall the Devaney Center home for competition.
Thearena project was approved by voters in May 2010. Pinnacle Bank Arena isexpected to open in the fall of 2013. Nebraska men's and women's basketballteams will be the primary tenants of the 470,400-square-foot facility, whichcan hold nearly 15,000 fans for Husker hoops.
Asthe exclusive sponsor of the arena and arena site, the new arena website willbe PinnacleBankArena.com. The agreement also calls for Pinnacle Bank toreceive: three exterior signs; the Pinnacle Bank Arena logo on the center-hungscoreboard, public exterior doors and adjacent light pole banners; signs on themain and upper concourses; use of a center court suite and use of the arena fortwo days per year; and three locations for ATM machines in the arena.
HuskerSports Network, Huskers.com Carries NU World-Wide
The Husker Sports Network and Nebraska women's basketball haveteamed up for well over a decade to take every game, home and away, around the worldfor free on Huskers.com.
Inaddition to carrying every women's basketball free on Huskers.com, the HuskerSports Network flagship stations B107.3 FM-KBBK (Lincoln) and The Wolf 93.3FM-KFFF (Omaha) provide strong FM signals for Husker women's basketball andvolleyball. 880-AM-KRVN (Lexington) also provides a huge AM signal statewide incentral Nebraska, while more than 20 stations have joined the Husker SportsNetwork's women's basketball coverage across the state.
TheHusker Sports Network is in its 18th season of producing and marketing the livebroadcasts of Nebraska women's basketball in 2011-12. Women's basketballplay-by-play announcer Matt Coatney and color commentator Jeff Griesch are intheir 12th year together as the Huskers' broadcast team.
CatchCoach Yori's Radio Show on the Husker Sports Network
Nebraska Coach Connie Yori will appear on the Husker SportsNetwork regularly throughout the season with host Matt Coatney for the ConnieYori Radio Show. The show will begin with a regular, one-hour segment on thepopular Sports Nightly Radio Show in December. The show will air regularly oneither Monday or Tuesday nights at 8 p.m., depending on conflicts with otherlive events on the network. A tentative schedule for the show can be foundbelow.
- Date - Upcoming Opponents - Time
- Monday, Feb. 25 - at Wisconsin (Feb. 28) / Penn State (March 3) - 8 p.m.
- March 4 or March 5 - at Big Ten Tournament (March 7-10) - 8 p.m.
- March 11 or March 12 - Season Review/Postseason Preview - 8 p.m.
- Monday, March 18 - Postseason Preview (NCAA Selection 6 p.m.) - 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 19 - at Michigan(Feb. 21) / Iowa (Feb. 24) - 8 p.m.
Bank ofthe West Coach Connie Yori Show
The Bank of the West Coach Connie Yori Show is back for its 11thseason in 2012-13, providing in-depth analysis and outstanding features in theyear-long coverage of Nebraska women's basketball. Coach Yori and host JeffGriesch will discuss the highlights, which begins in November and continuesthroughout the season. The show will be available on Time Warner CableOn-Demand this season, and also will be available free world-wide onHuskers.com.
MyTV (10.2/11.2) will distribute the show in Lincoln and Grand Island, whileHuskers.com will have new shows available on Tuesdays during the season.
SpencerMunicipal Utilities in Spencer, Iowa, will also carry the show on SMU-3, eachThursday at 10 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 10 p.m. each week. The firstConnie Yori Show will be available on Huskers.com on Thursday, Nov. 8. Showsthroughout the season will be available on Huskers.com on Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Dec.11, Dec. 25, Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Jan. 22, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 19, Feb. 26, March5 and either March 12 or March 19. There will be no show on Dec. 18, Jan. 1 orFeb. 12.
Havers,Tvrdy, Ramacieri Feel at Home as Huskers
Nebraska women's basketball coach Connie Yori announced thesigning of three talented prep stars to National Letters of Intent onWednesday, Nov. 14, to join the Huskers for the 2013-14 season.
AllieHavers, Hannah Tvrdy and Esther Ramacieri will join the Huskers in 2013-14hoping to continue Nebraska's tradition of postseason play. Havers, a 6-5senior forward from Mattawan High School in Michigan, will bring outstandingheight, length and athleticism to the Huskers. Tvrdy, one of the winningestplayers in Nebraska High School history from prep power Seward, adds anotherplayer with a point guard's mentality to the Husker backcourt. Ramacieri addsinternational flavor to the Husker class, as the fourth Canadian to sign withNebraska in 11 seasons under Yori.
"We'reexcited about the addition of Hannah, Allie, and Esther to our Huskerfamily," Yori said. "They all are hard-working kids who fit in oursystem both on and off the court."
Courtesy of UNL Sports Information
