Hot-shooting Shelley goes for 31 points as Nebraska runs past Wisconsin

One big roar to end the first quarter. One appreciative cheer to start the second. A three, then some D. Both told the story of the Nebraska women’s basketball team’s 82-54 rout of Wisconsin on Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

First, NU guard Jaz Shelley — on a torrid shooting run — splashed a 40-foot runner to beat the first-quarter buzzer. It was three of her 31 points and gave the Huskers a 24-10 lead after the opening 10 minutes.

“That was a kind of heat check,” Shelley said. “I was feeling it.”

To start the second quarter, the Huskers played cooler, forcing a shot clock violation without Wisconsin even attempting a look at the hoop. NU forced another violation later in the quarter, two of 21 turnovers committed by a Badger team that had shown scoring prowess in several losses this season.

Not Wednesday. Playing without starting forward Isabelle Bourne — whose arm was in a sling — Nebraska closed driving gaps, deflected passes, smacked at the ball and brought aggressive double teams at impressive Wisconsin freshman post Serah Williams, who had 18 points.

Shelley also volunteered to guard UW’s top guard, Julie Pospisilova, who came in hitting 41.1% of her threes. Nebraska held Pospisilova scoreless. Shelley credited a good scouting report — prepared by new NU assistant Jessica Keller — for stifling the Badgers’ offense.

Nebraska coach Amy Williams liked her team’s tenacity, too.

“I’m just thrilled with that,” Williams said. “I thought they were very locked in and focused, and that’s what we know we have to do defensively to be successful.”

Shelley kept the Huskers (7-3 overall, 2-0 in the Big Ten) steady on offense with her second straight game of 30 points or more. She hit seven of Nebraska’s 13 three-pointers and outscored Wisconsin 13-10 in the first quarter. One of the top players in the Big Ten, Shelley said she’s accepted that, with key players like Bourne and Sam Haiby hurt, she has to score more.

“I think my team needs my aggressiveness,” Shelley said. “They feed off that.”

NU led 24-10 after Shelley’s half-court bomb. In the second quarter, Wisconsin (3-8 and 0-2) got within 31-23 on a three-point play from Sydney Hilliard. Nebraska responded with an 8-0 run to end the half when Kendall Moriarty and Allison Weidner hit back-to-back three-pointers.

In front of 4,553 fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena, Nebraska quickly built on its 39-23 halftime early in the third quarter with layups from Alexis Markowski and Weidner, followed by a long, top-of-the-key three from Stewart, who had 10 points and five rebounds in her first start of the season. Williams credited Stewart’s defense — a liability earlier in her career — with starting some of NU’s fast breaks.

Every available Husker scored in the game as Weidner finished with 13 points and seven assists and five rebounds, while Moriarty had a career-high nine points and three rebounds.

The win ensures NU will have a share of the league lead until it returns to Big Ten play on Dec. 28 against currently unbeaten Michigan.

Between now and then, the Huskers play three nonconference home games, starting with Saturday’s 6 p.m. tilt against Samford.