Huskers Collide with Boilers Sunday

Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-4, 3-4 Big Ten)

vs. Purdue Boilermakers (13-7, 4-5 Big Ten)

Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, 2 p.m. (CT)

Pinnacle Bank Arena – Lincoln, Nebraska

Tickets: Huskers.com / 1-800-8-BIG-RED
Special Event: Red Cross Day
Halftime: Christian & Scooby
Live TV/Video: Nebraska Public Media/B1G+
Larry Punteney (PBP), Jami Hagedorn (Analyst)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (1:45 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (ESPN 590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

Huskers Take on Boilermakers in Sunday Showdown 

Nebraska returns to action at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon to take on the Purdue Boilermakers in an important Big Ten Conference clash.

Tip-off between the Huskers (14-4, 3-4 Big Ten) and the Boilermakers (13-7, 4-5 Big Ten) is set for 2 p.m. (CT) with live statewide TV coverage provided by Nebraska Public Media with a live video stream for B1G+ subscribers. Larry Punteney and Jami Hagedorn will be on the call for NPM.

Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will provide commentary for the Huskers Radio Network (B107.3 FM, Lincoln; ESPN 590 AM, Omaha), Huskers.com and the Huskers App.

Nebraska celebrated a return to the court after a 10-day layoff forced by health and safety protocols within the Husker program by posting a 77-44 victory over Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Thursday night.

Freshman Alexis Markowski led Nebraska with 15 points, producing her sixth straight game in double figures while making her fifth consecutive start. The 6-3 forward/center is a four-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week and was the USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Jan. 11). In Big Ten play, Markowski is averaging a team-best 15.4 points per game. 

The Huskers welcomed the returns of Sam Haiby, Jaz Shelley and Bella Cravens to the starting lineup in the win over the Badgers. Haiby and Shelley both missed Nebraska’s loss at Iowa (Jan. 16) – Haiby with injury and Shelley because of health and safety protocols. Cravens made her first start since suffering a lower leg injury at Michigan State (Dec. 30). Haiby finished with 11 points against UW, while Shelley led NU with nine rebounds and nine assists to go with five points. Cravens added seven points and seven rebounds.

Jaz Shelley is the only Big Ten player to rank in the conference’s top 20 in scoring (13.2 ppg), rebounding (7.6 rpg), assists (4.7 apg), blocks (1.2 bpg) and steals (1.8 spg).

All-Big Ten guard Sam Haiby is averaging 11.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals. She has averaged 14.5 points in five career games against Purdue.

Alexis Markowski is averaging 18.6 points per game as a starter over the past five games. She has hit at least 50 percent of her field goal attempts in each of those five contests and has connected on 9-of-12 three-pointers (.750) as a starter, including 6-of-7 at Iowa (Jan. 16).

Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-4, 3-4 Big Ten)

14 – Bella Cravens – 6-3 – Jr. – F – 7.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg

40 – Alexis Markowski – 6-3 – Fr. – F/C – 11.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg

0 – Ashley Scoggin – 5-7 – RSo. – G – 9.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg

1 – Jaz Shelley – 5-9 – So. – G – 13.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg

4 – Sam Haiby – 5-9 – Jr. – G – 11.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg

Off the Bench

34 – Isabelle Bourne – 6-2 – So. – F – 9.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg

21 – Annika Stewart – 6-3 – Fr. – F – 6.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg    

3 – Allison Weidner – 5-10 – Fr. – G – 5.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg

32 – Kendall Coley – 6-2 – Fr. – F/G – 3.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg

11 – Ruby Porter – 5-10 – Fr. – G – 2.9 ppg, 0.8 rpg

10 – Whitney Brown – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 2.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg

5 – MiCole Cayton – 5-9 – Gr. – G – 2.0 ppg, 1.1 rpg

15 – Kendall Moriarty – 6-1 – Fr. – G – 1.9 ppg, 0.5 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)

Sixth Season at Nebraska (86-79); 15th Season Overall (279-188)

Purdue Boilermakers (13-7, 4-5 Big Ten)

35 – Rickie Woltman – 6-4 – Jr. – F – 5.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg

5 – Cassidy Hardin – 5-10 – Sr. – G – 9.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg

10 – Jeanae Terry – 5-11 – Jr. – G – 7.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg

23 – Abbey Ellis – 5-6 – Jr. – G – 11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg

33 – Madison Layden – 6-1 – So. – G – 13.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg

Off the Bench

24 – Ra Shaya Kyle – 6-6 – So. – C – 11.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg

0 – Brooke Moore – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 10.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg

2 – Rokia Doumbia – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 4.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg

3 – Jayla Smith – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 4.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg

14 – Ava Learn – 6-1 – Fr. – G – 3.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg

4 – Mide Oriyomi – 6-0 – Jr. – G/F – 2.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg

30 – Nyagoa Gony – 6-2 – Sr. – F – 1.0 ppg, 0.9 rpg

13 – Ajah Stallings – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 0.0 ppg, 0.5 rpg

Head Coach: Katie Gearlds (Purdue, 2007)

First Season at Purdue (13-7); Ninth Season Overall (229-51)

Nebraska Numbers to Watch

• Through games Jan. 27, the Huskers ranked among the top 25 teams nationally in scoring margin (6th, +20.1), scoring offense (8th, 81.2 ppg), assist-to-turnover ratio (12th, 1.27), defensive rebounds per game (14th, 29.7 rpg), assists per game (15th, 17.8 apg), field goal percentage (16th, .460), rebounds per game (16th, 43.0 rpg), three-point field goals made per game (20th, 8.8 pg), assists (22nd, 320), three-point field goal percentage (24th, .362), three-pointers made (25th, 158) and three-point field goal percentage defense (25th, .258).  

• Nebraska leads the Big Ten in scoring margin (+20.1 ppg), total rebounds (43.0 rpg) and field goal percentage defense (.364).

• Nebraska guard Jaz Shelley ranks among the top 20 players in the Big Ten in scoring (16th, 13.2 ppg), rebounding (10th, 7.6 rpg), assists (7th, 4.7 apg), blocked shots (6th, 1.2 bpg), steals (8th, 1.8 spg), three-point field goal percentage (7th, .427), three-pointers made per game (9th, 2.4) and assist-to-turnover ratio (5th, 2.1).

• Jaz Shelley is the only Big Ten player to rank among the top 20 in the conference in all five major statistical categories: scoring (16th), rebounding (10th), assists (7th), blocks (6th), steals (8th).

• Huskers Jaz Shelley (9th, 2.4 pg) and Ashley Scoggin (11th, 2.3 pg) rank among the top players in the Big Ten in three-point field goals made per game. 

• Nebraska is the only team in the nation with two shooters (Scoggin, 12th; Shelley, 24th) ranked among the top 25 in three-point field goal percentage

• Nebraska’s backcourt has taken care of the ball while creating opportunities. Jaz Shelley (2.1) and Sam Haiby (1.8) rank No. 5 and 10, respectively in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio based on the NCAA minimum of 3.0 assists per game. Husker reserves Ruby Porter (2.9) and Allison Weidner (2.3), who don’t meet the NCAA minimums, own better assist-to-turnover ratios.

• Nebraska ranks eighth nationally in scoring offense with 81.2 points per game. The only time in the last 25 years NU has averaged more than 75 points per game in a season came in 2009-10 (77.4 ppg). That Husker team went unbeaten in the regular season, won the Big 12 regular-season title and advanced to Nebraska’s first NCAA Sweet Sixteen as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.    

• Sophomore point guard Jaz Shelley has pulled down 129 total rebounds in 492 minutes this season. In two seasons (971 minutes) at Oregon (2019-20, 2020-21), the 5-9 Shelley totaled 70 rebounds.

• Jaz Shelley leads Nebraska with 20 blocked shots in 17 games. She had six blocks in 55 games over two seasons at Oregon.

• Nebraska’s minus-21 foul disparity (28-7) at Iowa (Jan. 16) marked the largest foul differential in program history (by NU or opponent) in 1,448 games over 48 seasons. It marked the first time in history that a Husker team held a negative foul differential of greater than 17. Prior to the game, NU held a positive foul differential of 2.1 through 16 games this season.

• Nebraska is averaging an impressive 87.2 points per game through 11 games at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season. Purdue, which owns a 4-2 record in true road games this season, also has been explosive. The Boilermakers are averaging 75 points per game on the road, while averaging just 71.2 points per game overall on the season. 

• In five career games against Purdue, Nebraska’s Sam Haiby has averaged 14.5 points. The only other Husker to play more than one career game against Purdue is Isabelle Bourne, who also has averaged 14.5 points against the Boilers, including 22 points last season.

Scouting The Purdue Boilermakers

• First-year Purdue head coach Katie Gearlds leads the Boilermakers to Lincoln with a 13-7 overall record that includes a 4-5 Big Ten Conference mark. Gearlds graduated from Purdue in 2007 after earning All-America honors as a player, when she helped the Boilermakers to four NCAA Tournament bids, including the NCAA Elite Eight as a senior.

• Purdue has nearly doubled its season victory total from a year ago, when the Boilermakers closed the season 7-16 (4-14 Big Ten) in former coach Sharon Versyp’s final season.

• The 2021-22 Boilers own Big Ten wins over Rutgers, Michigan State, Illinois and Minnesota, while all five losses have come to the league’s top teams, including double-digit setbacks to Maryland (86-71), Ohio State (70-53) and Iowa (79-66, 93-83) along with a 72-65 OT loss to Indiana (Jan. 16).

• In Thursday night’s win over Minnesota (80-66), Purdue guard Jeanae Terry – an Illinois transfer – recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. Madison Layden led four Boilers in double figures with 16 points. 

• Purdue has established a solid hierarchy, led by the sophomore forward Layden, who is averaging team bests with 13.2 points and 1.8 steals to go with 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

• The Boiler backcourt trio of Abbey Ellis (11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.3 apg), Cassidy Hardin (9.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.8 apg) and Terry (7.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 5.6 apg) has started all 20 games alongside each other. Terry and Ellis, a Cal Poly transfer from Melbourne, Australia, have made major impacts.

• The backcourt is bolstered by Brooke Moore, who is in her second season at Purdue after transferring from Auburn. Moore provides explosive scoring (10.3 ppg) off the bench, including 36.4 percent (24-66) success from long range.

• Rickie Woltman, a 6-4 junior forward, has moved into Purdue’s starting lineup in Big Ten play after early season starter Ra Shaya Kyle suffered an injury. Woltman is averaging 6.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in league action. Kyle, a 6-6 sophomore, was averaging 11.0 points and 5.7 rebounds as a starter through the first nine games before suffering a lower leg injury.

• Lincoln High graduate Nyagoa Gony is in her fourth season in the Purdue program. The 6-2 senior forward has appeared in nine games this season.

Nebraska vs. Purdue Series History

• Purdue leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 10-6, including an 83-72 victory at Mackey Arena on Dec. 23, 2020. Isabelle Bourne led Nebraska with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Sam Haiby and Ashley Scoggin each pitched in 16 points for the Huskers. Bella Cravens added six points and 10 rebounds. All 72 points for Nebraska came from starters, including 12 from Kate Cain.

• Overall, the Boilermakers own a three-game winning streak in the series, including a 76-68 win at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 22, 2020. The Huskers also ended the 2018-19 season with a 75-71 loss to the Boilers in the Big Ten Tournament.

• In Nebraska’s three losses to Purdue over the past three seasons, the Boilermakers have out-rebounded the Huskers by an average of 9.0 boards per game, including a 40-30 advantage last season.

• Purdue has hit 42.4 percent (25-59) of its threes over the past three contests against Nebraska, including 10-of-22 last season. NU hit 11-of-25 threes against Purdue in the 2019 Big Ten Tournament loss, but is a combined 10-for-37 in the last two losses to the Boilers, including 4-for-17 last season.

• Nebraska’s last win in the series came with a 67-61 victory at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Feb. 10, 2019). Earlier in the season, the Huskers rolled to an 84-64 victory at West Lafayette. The Big Red also used a 75-51 win at PBA on Jan. 24, 2018 to start a three-game series winning streak against Purdue before punching its ticket to the 2018 NCAA Tournament. 

• In the first-ever meeting between the two schools in women’s basketball, Nebraska fought its way to an epic 93-89 triple-overtime win at Mackey Arena (Feb. 2, 2012). Later that same season, Purdue defeated the Huskers 74-70 in double-overtime in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis.

• The third game between the schools also went overtime, a 69-66 loss for the Huskers in Lincoln on Jan. 5, 2013. None of the other 13 games in the series have gone overtime.

Nebraska Streaks

• Sam Haiby has produced double figures in her last 11 Big Ten games, including all six contests she has played in this season.

• Alexis Markowski has produced double figures in six straight games including each of her five Big Ten starts.

• Ashley Scoggin has started a team-best 44 consecutive games since joining the Huskers for the 2020-21 season.

• The Huskers have knocked down at least one three in 416 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 295 consecutive games.

Deep Bench Boosts Big Red

• The Husker bench has outscored opponent reserves 520-233 (+16.0 ppg) through 18 games, including a 379-169 edge (+19.1 ppg) in 11 games at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

• A total of 10 Huskers are averaging better than 10.0 points per 40 minutes, including two Huskers (Alexis Markowski, 27.8 pp40, 15.8 rp40 and Annika Stewart, 23.5 pp40; 9.9 rp40) who are averaging better than 20 points per 40 minutes. 

• No Husker ranks among the top 25 players in the conference in minutes per game. Jaz Shelley leads Nebraska with 28.9 minutes per game, while Courtney Shaw from Northwestern ranks 25th in the conference (30.3 mpg).