Nebraska Women's Basketball
The Nebraska women’s basketball team hits the road for the first time this Saturday when the Huskers take on No. 1 UConn at the XL Center in Hartford. Tip-off between the Huskers and the Huskies is set for Noon central.
The Huskers will be making their first-ever appearance at the XL Center in Hartford, and just their second trip to UConn. The last time the Big Red faced the Huskies came in the 1997 Preseason WNIT Championship Game.
Since that game, Nebraska has made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a pair of NCAA Sweet Sixteens. UConn has won nine NCAA titles, including each of the last three. The Huskies have won 86 of their last 87 games dating back to the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Jessica Shepard, a two-time Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week, leads the young Huskers to Hartford. The 6-4 forward from Fremont, Neb., is averaging 22.3 points and 9.8 rebounds through four games. She needs seven points to become the first freshman in NU history to reach 100 in just five games.
Coach Geno Auriemma brings another dominant UConn team into Saturday’s clash with Nebraska at the XL Center in Hartford. Auriemma, who has won better than 87 percent of his games in 31 seasons at UConn, will shoot for career win No. 920. As a team, UConn is averaging 98.5 points and shooting 53.6 percent from the field.
Two-time Naismith National Player of the Year Breanna Stewart leads UConn. The 6-4 forward is averaging 24.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in wins over No. 7 Ohio State (100-56) and Kansas State (97-57). She scored her 2,000th career point against the Wildcats on Monday.
Probable Starters:
Nebraska Cornhuskers
43 - Rachel Blackburn - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 5.8 ppg
32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 23.3
4 - Kyndal Clark - 5-7 - RSr. - G - 4.0
5 - Natalie Romeo - 5-7 - So. - G - 17.8
33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Sr. - G - 8.8
Connecticut Huskies
30 - Breanna Stewart - 6-4 - Sr. - F - 24.5 ppg
3 - Morgan Tuck - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 15.0
4 - Moriah Jefferson - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 17.5
11 - Kia Nurse - 6-0 - So. - G - 12.5
15 - Gabby Williams - 5-11 - So. - G - 13.0
• Nebraska will make its first appearance at the XL Center in Hartford when the Huskers take on UConn.
• Jessica Shepard needs seven points to become the first Husker freshman in history to reach 100 points in just five games. No other Husker freshman has ever scored 100 in fewer than six games.
• Jessica Shepard’s next double-double will tie for fifth on the Husker freshman list with four. Only one Husker (Debra Powell) has ever produced more than five double-doubles as a freshman.
• Natalie Romeo’s career-high 30-point effort against Arkansas Pine Bluff marked the highest point total by a Husker in an opener in school history.
• Rachel Theriot is ranked No. 27 in career points at Nebraska with 1,058. She needs 11 points to catch Kate Galligan on NU’s all-time list.
• Kyndal Clark is expected to make her 103rd collegiate start on Saturday.
• Saturday’s game will mark Nebraska’s second trip to Connecticut to face the Huskies. The Huskers dropped a 71-61 decision at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs in 1997.
• While the date is not firmly set, the Huskers and Huskies are scheduled to meet at PBA in December of next year.
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