Huskers Shoot for Sweep Against Ospreys
The Nebraska women’s basketball team takes aim at a sweep of its extended season-opening weekend when the Huskers take on North Florida at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday.
Tip-off between the Huskers and the Ospreys is set for 7 p.m.
Nebraska produced a record-setting performance in an opening-day win over Arkansas Pine Bluff Saturday. Natalie Romeo erupted for a Husker season-opening record 30 points by draining 6-of-9 three-pointers. She also dished out four assists and set the defensive tone for the Big Red off the bench, despite battling illness this week which kept her out of the starting lineup.
Jessica Shepard produced multiple records of her own. The 6-4 forward set school freshman records in an opening game with 24 points and 13 rebounds, becoming the first freshman to ever put up a double-double in a debut.
Monday’s game will be the first-ever meeting with North Florida. The Huskers are a 34-1/2 point favorite. Coach Darrick Gibbs brings his first North Florida team to Lincoln after opening his head coaching career with a 62-55 win at UMKC.
North Florida struggled to an 11-19 overall record that included a 2-12 mark in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Despite the personnel losses, the Ospreys may have found a leader in junior point Claire Ioannidas. She spent the past two seasons at Trinidad State junior college in Colorado, but erupted for 29 points in her Division I debut at UMKC.
Probable Starters:
Nebraska Cornhuskers
43 - Rachel Blackburn - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 2.0 ppg
32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 24.0
4 - Kyndal Clark - 5-7 - RSr. - G - 0.0
5 - Natalie Romeo - 5-7 - So. - G - 30.0
33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Sr. - G - 10.0
North Florida Ospreys
5 - Hadley Kiefer - 5-11 - Fr. - G/F - 8.0 ppg
11 - Taru Madekivi - 6-0 - Jr. - G/F - 0.0
24 - Maiya Rumph - 6-0 - So. - G/F - 1.0
2 - Sierra Shepherd - 5-6 - So. - G - 12.0
23 - Kadesia Johnson - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 5.0
• Natalie Romeo’s 30-point performance in the season opener against Arkansas Pine Bluff marked the highest point total by a Husker in an opener in school history. It was also a career high for Romeo.
• Jessica Shepard produced 24 points and 13 rebounds in the opener to become the first Husker freshman in history to record a double-double in the first game of her career.
• Rachel Theriot will reach the 300 career rebound mark with her next board. She enters the North Florida game with 299 career rebounds.
• Rachel Theriot is two assists away from 450 in her career. She ranks fifth in school history in career assists and needs 251 to match the school record of 699 held by Lindsey Moore.
• Emily Wood opened her sophomore season by matching her career high with two points in the win over Arkansas Pine Bluff.
• Jasmine Cincore opened her sophomore season by tying career highs with six points and three assists while adding career bests in rebounds (4), blocks (1) and minutes (17) against Arkansas Pine Bluff.
• Darrien Washington produced six points, five rebounds and an assist in eight minutes off the bench in her career debut against Arkansas Pine Bluff.
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