Huskers Open Exhibition Play with Bearcats
The Nebraska women’s basketball team opens play for the 2016-17 season when the Huskers take on Southwest Baptist in exhibition action at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Bearcats is set for 2 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com.
Free live audio of Sunday’s exhibition game will be available on Huskers.com and through the Huskers App and the TuneIn App. The game will be carried live on radio by the Husker Sports Network.
Nebraska’s exhibition game with the Bearcats will mark the first appearance on the Husker sideline for Coach Amy Williams.
While Williams and her entire 2015-16 USD staff (Tom Goehle, Chuck Love, Tandem Mays, Amanda Hart) will make their Husker debuts against Southwest Baptist, many familiar faces return to the court to power Nebraska.
Jessica Shepard, a 6-4 sophomore forward from Fremont, Neb., who earned first-team All-Big Ten honors a year ago, returns to lead an experienced front court. The 2016 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Shepard averaged team highs of 18.5 points and 8.6 rebounds in 2015-16. She also claimed Preseason All-Big Ten honors heading into 2016-17.
Shepard is joined inside by senior Allie Havers. The 6-5 center from Mattawan, Mich., averaged 8.3 points and 6.6 rebounds in her first season as a starter in 2015-16. Havers and Shepard should give the Big Red one of the Big Ten’s most formidable starting front lines in 2016-17.
Senior guard Esther Ramacieri, junior guards Jasmine Cincore and Emily Wood, and sophomore guard Maddie Simon will all provide levels of experience to the Husker backcourt. Newcomers Rylie Cascio Jensen, Hannah Whitish, Nicea Eliely and Grace Mitchell are all expected to get chances to contribute early in their Nebraska careers.
Probable Starters
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - So. - F
22 - Allie Havers - 6-5 - Sr. - C
11 - Esther Ramacieri - 5-8 - Sr.
12 - Emily Wood - 5-5 - Jr. - G
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - Jr. - G
22 - Allie Havers - 6-5 - Sr. - C
11 - Esther Ramacieri - 5-8 - Sr.
12 - Emily Wood - 5-5 - Jr. - G
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - Jr. - G
Southwest Baptist Bearcats
3 - Caylee Richardson - 6-2 - So. - F
22 - Mackenzie Skupa - 6-2 - Sr. - F
1 - Morgan Henderson - 6-0 - So. - G
2 - Megan Rosenbohm - 5-6 - Jr. - G
4 - Alex Botkin - 5-7 - Sr. - G
22 - Mackenzie Skupa - 6-2 - Sr. - F
1 - Morgan Henderson - 6-0 - So. - G
2 - Megan Rosenbohm - 5-6 - Jr. - G
4 - Alex Botkin - 5-7 - Sr. - G
Southwest Baptist comes to Lincoln for the first time to meet the Huskers in exhibition play on Sunday. Coach Kelsey Keizer led the NCAA Division II Bearcats to a 16-13 overall record that included an 11-11 MIAA conference mark last season.
Southwest Baptist, which is located in Bolivar, Mo., features talented sophomore Calee Richardson. She led the Bearcats with 13.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a freshman while starting all 29 games. Richardson was joined up front in all 29 contests a year ago by Campbell, Neb., native Mackenzie Skupa. The 6-2 senior from Silver Lake High School averaged 6.8 points and 3.9 boards per game as a junior.
Alex Botkin, a 5-7 senior guard averaged 3.9 points and 2.4 boards as a junior for the Bearcats.
Southwest Baptist will bring six newcomers to Lincoln with a five-player freshman class and 6-3 junior college transfer Kiana Peterson.
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• One of Coach Amy Williams’ primary objectives early in the season will be to find a starting five from a relatively inexperienced group of Huskers. Only six players on Nebraska’s roster have ever started a game for the Huskers.
• Jessica Shepard is Nebraska’s returning leader with 29 career starts in 31 games as a freshman.
• A three-year contributor on the court, 6-5 senior Allie Havers adds 21 career starts to Nebraska’s level of experience to begin 2016-17.
• Only three other returning Huskers have ever started a game for Nebraska, including Jasmine Cincore (6), Maddie Simon (5) and Esther Ramacieri (4). Overall, Nebraska returns a total of 65 starts to begin 2016-17.
Let's Get Better This Game!
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