The No. 16 Nebraska women’s basketball team hits the road for the first time in more than a month to face Michigan State in the Big Red’s Big Ten road opener on Thursday night. Tip-off between the Huskers and the Spartans is set for 6 p.m.
Nebraska, which was the preseason pick of media and coaches to win the 2014 Big Ten title, opened conference play with a 66-65 come-from-behind win over Northwestern in the first-ever Big Ten game at Pinnacle Bank Arena. It was Nebraska’s fifth straight win.
Michigan State also notched a Big Ten-opening victory, crushing Minnesota 81-56 on the Gophers’ homecourt on Saturday at the Barn. It was the third straight win overall for the Spartans, who carry a 6-1 home mark at the Breslin Center this season.
All-American Jordan Hooper leads a talented and experienced starting five for the Big Red. The two-time first-team All-Big Ten forward from Alliance, Neb., ranks among the top three players in the Big Ten by averaging 20.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. She notched her seventh double-double with 14 points and 10 boards in last Thursday’s win over Northwestern. Hooper is 53 points and 49 rebounds away from becoming just third Husker and fifth Big Ten player in history to reach career milestones of 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Michigan St closed the first half in Minnesota on a 22-5 surge Sunday afternoon after Gopher star Rachel Banham was whistled for her second personal foul, and Minnesota never recovered.
A balanced and explosive Michigan State bunch hit 10-of-12 shots from the floor to close the first half, then shot 68 percent from the field in the second half. The Spartans head into the game with Nebraska having hit 27 of their last 37 shots.
Aeriel Powers, leads the Spartans in scoring, rebounding and steals with 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals. Becca Pickrel, a 6-3 forward, has added 13.3 points and 6.9 rebounds. Kiana Johnson, a speedy 5-7 point guard, has pitched in 8.9 points and 2.7 rebounds, while leading MSU with 6.1 assists.
Nebraska and Michigan State have split the two games in the short head-to-head history between the two schools.
Probable Starters:
Nebraska Cornhuskers
3 - Hailie Sample - 6-1 - Jr. - F - 6.5 ppg
23 - Emily Cady - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 13.2
35 - Jordan Hooper - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 20.2
33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - So. - G - 12.1
1 - Tear’a Laudermill - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 8.8
Michigan State Spartans
11 - Annalise Pickrel - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 13.3 ppg
23 - Aeriel Powers - 6-0 - RFr. - F - 13.4
52 - Becca Mills - 6-4 - Jr. - F - 9.1
0 - Kiana Johnson - 5-7 - Jr. - G - 8.9
21 - Klarissa Bell - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 8.8
Jordan Hooper needs 29 points to catch fellow Alliance, Neb., native Amy Stephens (1,976) at No. 4 on Nebraska’s all-time scoring list. Hooper is 53 points and 49 rebounds away from becoming just the third Husker in history to achieve the 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound career milestones. Hooper would become just the fifth Big Ten Conference player in history to achieve those combined plateaus.
Emily Cady ranks No. 6 overall in rebounding (8.5 rpg) and No. 5 in defensive rebounds (6.6 pg) in the Big Ten. She is also No. 4 in the conference in field goal percentage (.561). Emily needs six rebounds to become the 17th player in school history to reach the 600-rebound milestone. She is 67 rebounds away from joining the Nebraska top 10 in career rebounds (661).
Rachel Theriot ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2-to-1) and No. 3 in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.909, 30-33). She also ranks No. 4 in the conference in assists (5.7 apg).
Tear’a Laudermill has averaged 11.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals during Nebraska’s five-game winning streak. The last three games, Laudermill is averaging 13.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals.
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