WBB: Game #21 @ Ohio State

Huskers Hope to Stay Hot to End Big Ten First Half at Ohio State

The Nebraska women's basketball team closes the first half of regular-season Big Ten Conference play by traveling to Ohio State for a Thursday night battle with the Buckeyes. Tip-off between the Huskers and the Buckeyes is set for 7:30 p.m.

Nebraska hopes to continue building momentum after notching back-to-back Big Ten wins at Minnesota and over Michigan State last week. The Huskers enjoyed their first weekend bye and will head to Ohio State shooting for their first win in Columbus since 1990.

Jordan Hooper (18.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg), Lindsey Moore (15.3 ppg, 5.5 apg, 2.0 spg) and Emily Cady (9.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg) provide the Huskers with three legitimate All-Big Ten-caliber performers.

The Big Red's "Big Three" will try to offset the explosiveness of Tayler Hill - the Big Ten's leading scorer. Hill enters Thursday's game averaging 24.5 points per game in Big Ten play, and 21.0 points per contest on the year. Unfortunately for Hill, the Buckeyes have been limited by illness and injury throughout the first half of conference play.

Reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Amber Stokes missed four games with a knee injury before returning in a limited role in Sunday's loss to Ohio State. Stokes scored four points in 20 minutes.

Nebraska's all-time series with Ohio State is tied at four wins apiece. The No. 24 Huskers won the last meeting, 77-62, over the Buckeyes in the semifinals of the 2012 Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.

Probable Starters:

Nebraska Cornhuskers

3 - Hailie Sample - 6-1 - So. - F

23 - Emily Cady - 6-2 - So. - F

35 - Jordan Hooper - 6-2 - Jr. - F

00 - Lindsey Moore - 5-9 - Sr. - G

24 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Fr. - G

Ohio State Buckeyes

22 - Darryce Moore - 6-2 - Jr. - F

33 - Ashley Adams - 6-5 - Jr. - C

14 - Ameryst Alston - 5-11 - Fr. - G

4 - Tayler Hill - 5-10 - Sr. - G

31 - Raven Ferguson - 5-11 - So. - G

Nebraska Coach Connie Yori takes aim at her 400th career victory as a head coach when the Huskers take on Ohio State in Columbus on Thursday. Earlier this season, Yori became the first women's basketball coach in Nebraska history to reach the 200-win milestone. On the men's side, only Danny Nee and Joe Cipriano have produced 200 basketball victories at Nebraska. Nee won 254 games. Cipriano earned 253 wins.

Last week, Lindsey Moore crossed the 600-career assist plateau and became the first Husker in history with 1,400 points and 600 assists. Moore enters the Ohio State game with 1,466 points and 614 assists.

Lindsey Moore (1,466) and Jordan Hooper (1,442) became just the second set of active teammates in Nebraska history with 1,400 or more points apiece when Hooper crossed the mark last week. Moore enters the Ohio State game needing 34 points to reach 1,500, while Hooper is just 24 points behind Moore despite playing 34 fewer games.

Jordan Hooper is one of only eight Huskers in history with 1,400 points and 600 career rebounds and has pushed her career totals to 1,442 points and 686 rebounds. Only six previous Huskers have reached the 1,400-point, 700-rebound club in their careers, and Hooper needs 14 rebounds to achieve the mark.

Huskers Battle Buckeyes Thursday on BTN huskers.com