WBB: Game #29 vs Minnesota (B1G Tournament)

The No. 16 Nebraska women’s basketball team will begin its hunt for a Big Ten Tournament title on Friday, when the third-seeded Huskers take the sixth-seeded Minnesota. Minnesota came back from 16 points down in the second half to defeat Wisconsin in the first round of the B1G tournament 72 - 66 in overtime.

Nebraska produced a perfect February (8-0) on its way to nine consecutive wins, which tied for the third-longest winning streak in school history. In fact, three of the five longest winning streaks in school history have come in NU’s first three seasons in the Big Ten. The four longest streaks have come in the last five years..

Nebraska hopes to make another Big Ten Tournament run at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Jordan Hooper, Emily Cady and Hailie Sample were starters on NU’s 2012 team that uncorked three straight wins before falling to Purdue 74-70 in double-overtime in the championship game. Juniors Tear’a Laudermill and Brandi Jeffery also were key reserves during Nebraska’s 2012 run.

The Big Ten Network will carry each of the 10 games in the first three rounds of the tournament Thursday through Saturday.

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Minnesota 9-6.

Probable Starters:

Nebraska Cornhuskers

3 - Hailie Sample - 6-1 - Jr. - F - 6.0 ppg

23 - Emily Cady - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 13.0

35 - Jordan Hooper - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 20.1

33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - So. - G - 13.9

1 - Tear’a Laudermill - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 11.3

Minnesota Golden Gophers

20 - Kayla Hirt - 6-2 - So. - G/F - 6.5 ppg

32 - Amanda Zahui - 6-5 - RFr. - C - 15.1

1 - Rachel Banham - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 22.4

21 - Sari Noga - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 8.0

24 - Mikayla Bailey - 5-9 - So. - G - 2.4