Huskers Close Non-Conference with Hungry Red Wolves
The Nebraska women’s basketball team closes non-conference play on Monday by taking on Arkansas State at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tip-off between the Huskers and Red Wolves is set for 7 p.m.
The Huskers carry an 8-0 home record this season and own a 19-game home non-conference winning streak heading into the Arkansas State game. The Big Red are coming off a 90-67 win over Northern Arizona on Saturday.
Jessica Shepard and Rachel Theriot erupted for big games. Shepard powered in 35 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field, including 14 points in the first quarter and 15 as Nebraska pulled away in the fourth. She also grabbed a career-high four steals. Theriot added 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. The Huskers also got strong games from Natalie Romeo and Anya Kalenta.
The most experienced team the Huskers will face all season, Arkansas State features five senior starters including a trio of fifth-year seniors. The Red Wolves also have an experienced head coach with Brian Boyer in his 17th season.
The Red Wolves, who went 24-6 a year ago with a 16-4 record and a second-place finish in the Sun Belt Conference, are led by fifth-year senior guard Aundrea Gamble.
Arkansas State’s unbelievably experienced backcourt also features fifth-year seniors Amanda Lawson and Brittney Gill. At 5-10, Lawson leads an undersized ASU squad with seven blocked shots, while the 5-8 Gill is one of only two Red Wolves averaging better than five rebounds per game. Jessica Flanery, a 5-10 guard, completes the four-out look of the ASU backcourt. Flanery leads the Red Wolves with 17 three-pointers. Inside, senior Khadija Brown-Haywood is the lone forward in the starting five and she stands just 5-11. However, she leads the Red Wolves with 8.8 rebounds to go along with her 13.6 points per game.
Probable Starters:
Nebraska Cornhuskers
43 - Rachel Blackburn - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 6.3 ppg
32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 19.5
4 - Kyndal Clark - 5-7 - RSr. - G - 4.7
5 - Natalie Romeo - 5-7 - So. - G - 14.9
33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Sr. - G - 12.4
Arkansas State Red Wolves
3 - Khadija Brown-Haywood - 5-11 - Sr. - F - 13.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg
5 - Brittney Gill - 5-8 - RSr. - G - 7.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg
11 - Amanda Lawson - 5-10 - RSr. - G - 8.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg
21 - Jessica Flanery - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 9.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg
24 - Aundrea Gamble - 5-9 - RSr. - G - 18.9
• Nebraska is 1-2 all-time against Arkansas State but the two teams have not met since 1993.
• Jessica Shepard’s 35-point effort against Northern Arizona set the Nebraska freshman record, surpassing the 34-point performance by Debra Powell in1982. Shepard also attempted a school-record 20 free throws.
• Jessica Shepard needs five points against Arkansas State to reach 200 in her career.
• Nebraska is 8-0 at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season to stretch its home non-conference winning streak to 19 games.
• Natalie Romeo set a new personal career high for assists in a game (10) against Northern Arizona.
• Nebraska is averaging 86.5 points per game at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season.
• Allie Havers made her first career start in the win over Northern Arizona.
• Anya Kalenta is coming off arguably her best game as a Husker with a seven-point effort in the win over Northern Arizona that included a career high of 14 rebounds
• Darrien Washington finally returned to action for one first-half minute against Northern Arizona.
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