Nebraska Cornhuskers
vs
UConn Huskies
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m.
Pinnacle Bank Arena
Television: BTN - Kevin Kugler (PBP), Brenda VanLengen (Color)
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network - Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
KBBK 107.3 FM - Lincoln; KKCD 105.9 FM - Omaha; KBRB 1400 AM - Ainsworth; KWBE 1450 AM - Beatrice;
KAMI 1580/100.1 AM/FM - Cozad; KRGI 1430 AM - Grand Island; KHAS 1230 AM - Hastings; KGFW 1340 AM - Kearney;
KSWN 93.9 FM - McCook; KNCY 1600/105.5 AM/FM - Nebraska City; KHAQ 98.5 FM - North Platte;
KNEB 94.1 FM - Scottsbluff; KSID 1340 AM - Sidney; Inside PBA 87.7 FM
Free Live Audio: Huskers.com/Huskers App
Huskers Close Non-Conference Play with No. 1 UConn
The Nebraska women’s basketball team closes its non-conference schedule by taking on unbeaten and No. 1 UConn Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.
Tip-off between the Huskers (4-7) and the Huskies (10-0) is set for 8 p.m.
Nebraska is coming off an 80-64 loss at Creighton on Sunday. Sophomore Jessica Shepard led the Huskers with her third consecutive double-double and sixth of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds. She is averaging team bests of 19.4 points and 11.1 rebounds and owns 16 career double-doubles for the Huskers. She also leads the Huskers with 13 three-pointers this season.
Freshman Nicea Eliely has added 8.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a team-leading 1.7 steals per game for the Huskers. She also leads the Huskers in field goal percentage (.500) while starting all 11 games.
The Huskers also will honor 2016 Olympian Danielle Page on Wednesday. Page, who was a four-year letterwinner at Nebraska from 2005 to 2008, became the first Husker basketball player in history to earn an Olympic medal by helping Serbia to bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Page averaged 10.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in helping Serbia to its first-ever women’s basketball medal. Page ranks No. 3 in Husker history with 207 blocks, including a single-season record 78 as a senior in 2008.
Page will be available for autographs in the main lobby at Pinnacle Bank Arena during pregame from 7 to 7:45 p.m. She will be honored on the court between the first and second quarters.
Probable Sarters:
Nebraska Cornhuskers
32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - So. - F
22 - Allie Havers - 6-5 - Sr. - C
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - Fr. - G
11 - Esther Ramacieri - 5-8 - Sr. - G
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - Jr. - G
UConn Huskies
15 - Gabby Williams - 5-11 - Jr. - F
24 - Napheesa Collier - 6-1 - So. - G/F
33 - Katie Lou Samuelson - 6-3 - So. - G/F
11 - Kia Nurse - 6-0 - Jr. - G
5 - Crystal Dangerfield - 5-5 - Fr. - G
Scouting UConn
Nebraska closes its 12-game non-conference schedule when the Huskers take on the unbeaten and No. 1 UConn Huskies at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Wednesday. Although the Huskies have never faced the Huskers in Lincoln, UConn has won a pair of games at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
In 2014, UConn advanced to the NCAA Women’s Final Four by winning the NCAA Lincoln Regional with wins over BYU and Texas A&M.
UConn Coach Geno Auriemma was so impressed with Pinnacle Bank Arena, the city of Lincoln and the hospitality shown by Husker fans, that he arranged for a home-and-home series with the Big Red.
“The people are phenomenal. The building is spectacular,” Auriemma said. “This is really, really nice. There’s no doubt in my mind there will be another regional here, no question. Most places are fans of their team, not necessarily fans of the game. Here I think they take tremendous pride in their team, their school and the community, and they showed it.”
The young Huskies have continued to fire on all cylinders early in 2016-17. Sophomores Katie Lou Sameulson (20.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and Napheesa Collier (20.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg) lead four Huskies averaging in double figures, including junior guard Kia Nurse (12.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg) and junior forward Gabby Williams (10.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg).
Freshman Crystal Dangerfield, a 5-5 point guard, has started UConn’s past two games with senior point guard Saniya Chong (4.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg) sitting out after suffering a concussion. Dangerfield is averaging 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds so far this season.
UConn’s game with Nebraska will be its second in a three-game Big Ten swing. The Huskies defeated Ohio State, 82-63, on Monday night before traveling to Lincoln. UConn concludes its Big Ten stretch by battling No. 4 Maryland in College Park on Thursday.
UConn leads the all-time series with Nebraska 2-0.
Husker Nuggets
• UConn will be the fourth Husker opponent this season to be a preseason pick to win its conference.
• UConn is Nebraska’s third unbeaten opponent in the last six games, joining current top-25 teams from Virginia Tech and California.
• Jessica Shepard leads the Huskers with averages of 19.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
• Shepard owns six double-doubles this season, including a season-high 28 points and 14 rebounds against San Jose State.
• Nebraska freshman Nicea Eliely ranks second on the team in scoring (8.9 ppg), third in rebounding (4.0 rpg), second in assists (2.7 apg) and first in steals (1.6 spg), field goal percentage (.500) and three-point field goal percentage (.444) through the first 10 games of her collegiate career.
• Nebraska senior Allie Havers has competed in 107 consecutive games since the first game of her freshman season.
• The Huskers have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 262 straight regular-season games.
• Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 141 consecutive games.
BEAT THE HUSKIES!_blk__.jpg)
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