Nebraska Women's Basketball
The No. 12 Nebraska women’s basketball team opens a two-game road swing by heading to Tuscaloosa for the first time in school history to take on Alabama on Sunday afternoon.
Tip-off between the Huskers (7-0) and Crimson Tide (7-3) is set for 2 p.m.
Nebraska rolls to Alabama riding a wave of momentum after battling past No. 9 Duke. Nebraska’s seven-game season-opening winning streak is its longest since that same 2009-10 squad opened the year with a 30-0 record on its way to the first unbeaten Big 12 season in conference history, the school’s only Big 12 title and NU’s first NCAA Sweet 16 berth.
Second-year Alabama head coach Kristy Curry brings her 7-3 Crimson Tide team into Sunday’s showdown with No. 12 Nebraska. Alabama’s game with the Huskers will be their third game in an eight-game home stand that started with Tuesday night’s win over USC Upstate and continued with a win a 68-55 over UT-Martin on Thursday.
The Crimson Tide, which returns three regular starters and 2013-14 early season starter Karyla Middlebrook from last year’s squad that dropped a 62-48 decision to the Huskers, is led by sophomore forward Ashley Williams. Freshman Hannah Cook gives Alabama a second double-digit scorer, averaging 12.5 points.
Nebraska leads the all-time series with Alabama 2-0. Alabama and Nebraska have one common opponent, Duke. NU beat Duke 60-54, while Duke beat Alabama a few weeks ago 90-40.
Probable Starters:
Nebraska Cornhuskers
3 - Hailie Sample - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 7.3 ppg
23 - Emily Cady - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 14.6
1 - Tear’a Laudermill - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 11.0
13 - Brandi Jeffery - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 9.7
33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Jr. - G - 19.1
Alabama Crimson Tide
13 - Nikki Hegstetter - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 5.8 ppg
20 - Ashley Williams - 6-0 - So. - F - 17.5
25 - Briana Hutchen - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 8.4
11 - Hannah Cook - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 12.5
22 - Karyla Middlebrook - 5-7 - RFr. - G - 5.8
Nebraska has started five of the past six seasons with a 6-0 record, the 2014-15 Huskers are just the fourth team in school history to start 7-0. A win over Alabama would match the 1992-93 Nebraska team for the third-longest season-opening win streak in school history.
Brandi Jeffery is playing the best basketball of her career, averaging 9.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals in seven games as a starter to open the season.
Hailie Sample ranks No. 23 on the Nebraska career rebound list with 537. She needs two rebounds to catch Chelsea Aubry sitting in 22nd on the NU all-time list, six away from 21st (Diane DelVigna and nine away from Ann Halsne.
Natalie Romeo is a day to day decision on the status of her stress reaction. Natalie’s has missed 3 straight games now as a result of it. Ayna Kalenta will most likely have to sit out this game due to her stress reaction.
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