Huskers Hunt Road Win at Northwestern

Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-9, 5-6 Big Ten)

at Northwestern Wildcats (8-14, 1-10 Big Ten)

Monday, February 6, 2023, 6 p.m. (CT)

Welsh Ryan Arena – Evanston, Illinois
Live TV: BTN 
Mike Hall (PBP), Naz Hillmon (Analyst)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (5:45 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln (107.3 FM/1400 AM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

Huskers Hunt for Road Win at Northwestern

The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns to Big Ten road action Monday when the Huskers take on Northwestern in Evanston, Ill.

Tip-off between the Big Red (13-9, 5-6 Big Ten) and the Wildcats (8-14, 1-10 Big Ten) is set for 6 p.m. (CT) with live television coverage provided by the Big Ten Network with Mike Hall and Naz Hillmon on the call. 

The game also can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on 107.3 FM and 1400 AM in Lincoln along with 590 AM in Omaha, Huskers.com and the Huskers App.

Nebraska is coming off a 71-67 win over Michigan State on Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. The Huskers built a 21-point third-quarter lead before a furious Spartan rally trimmed the margin to 68-67 with 12 seconds left. Nebraska sealed the win with 11 points at the free throw in the fourth quarter. 

Isabelle Bourne, a 6-2 junior from Canberra, Australia, led Nebraska with 20 points and nine rebounds, including eight points and four boards in the fourth quarter. Bourne, a two-time honorable-mention All-Big Ten choice, is averaging 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Alexis Markowski notched her 10th double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds against the Spartans. The 6-3 sophomore who ranks second in the Big Ten with 9.6 rebounds per game, was named to the Lisa Leslie Award Top 10 on Friday, Feb. 3. Markowski was the 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and ranks second among the Huskers with 12.1 points per game while leading the Big Red with 1.0 block per contest.

Sam Haiby added her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds against the Spartans. Since returning to the starting lineup against Michigan (Dec. 28), the 5-9 graduate guard from Moorhead, Minn., is averaging 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.2 steals. Over the last five games, those numbers have increased to 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 steals.

Jaz Shelley continues to be a leader for the Huskers. The 5-9 guard from Moe, Australia (pronounced MO-ee), is averaging team bests with 12.5 points, 6.5 assists and 1.6 steals. Shelley is 10 points away from reaching 1,000 in her college career (694-Nebraska; 296-Oregon).

Maddie Krull (Omaha, Neb.) rounds out Nebraska’s starting five with 5.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists on the season. Krull has scored in double figures in four of the last seven games. During that span, she has upped her averages to 9.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals while knocking down 35.7 percent (10-28) of her three-pointers.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-9, 5-6 Big Ten)

34 – Isabelle Bourne – 6-2 – Jr. – F – 11.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg

40 – Alexis Markowski – 6-3 – So. – C/F – 12.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg

1 – Jaz Shelley – 5-9 – Jr. – G – 12.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg

4 – Sam Haiby – 5-9 – Gr. – G – 9.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg

42 – Maddie Krull – 5-9 – So. – G – 5.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Off the Bench

21 – Annika Stewart – 6-3 – So. – F – 6.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg

14 – Callin Hake – 5-9 – Fr. – G – 5.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg

15 – Kendall Moriarty – 6-1 – So. – G – 3.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg

44 – Maggie Mendelson – 6-5 – Fr. – F/C – 2.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg

32 – Kendall Coley – 6-2 – So. – F/G – 1.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg

2 – Trinity Brady – 5-11 – Jr. – G – 2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg

3 – Allison Weidner (Out) – 5-10 – So. – G – 10.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)

Seventh Season at Nebraska (109-93); 16th Season Overall (302-202)

Northwestern Wildcats (8-14, 1-10 Big Ten)

10 – Caileigh Walsh – 6-3 – So. – F – 12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg

20 – Paige Mott – 6-1 – Jr. – F – 8.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg

1 – Kaylah Rainey – 5-6 – Sr. – G – 5.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg

3 – Sydney Wood – 5-11 – Gr. – G/F – 10.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg

23 – Jasmine McWilliams – 5-11 – Jr. – G – 3.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg

Off the Bench

15 – Courtney Shaw – 6-0 – Gr. – F – 5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg

2 – Carline Lau – 5-9 – Fr. – G – 5.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg

21 – Melannie Daley – 5-11 – So. – G – 4.6 ppg, 0.9 rpg

33 – Laya Hartman – 5-11 – Sr. – G – 2.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg

11 – Hailey Weaver – 5-11 – So. – G – 2.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg

22 – Alana Goodchild – 6-2 – Fr. – F – 2.2 ppg, 0.4 rpg

13 – Mercy Ademusayo – 6-4 – So. – F – 1.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg

42 – Anna Morris – 6-3 – Jr. – F – 1.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg

Head Coach: Joe McKeown (Kent State, 1979)

15th Season at Northwestern (249-212); 37th Season Overall (758-386)

Scouting The Northwestern Wildcats

Coach Joe McKeown brings his 15th Northwestern team into Monday night’s game hungry for a second Big Ten win. The Wildcats are coming off a 74-64 loss at Penn State on Thursday, which followed their lone conference victory, a 70-67 win at Wisconsin (Jan. 29). Prior to the win over the Badgers, Northwestern was 0-9 in the league.

Despite an 8-14 overall record and a 1-10 Big Ten mark, the Wildcats are extremely dangerous. Their two losses to nationally ranked Illinois were by a total of nine points. They also played both Michigan and Purdue to 11 points before their 10-point road loss at Penn State.

McKeown’s Cats have also prided themselves on their defense, but they have surrendered 71.3 points per game this season, and that number has grown to 76.0 points in league games. They have also struggled on the offensive end, averaging just 61.2 points in Big Ten action and 64.8 points overall.

Northwestern is traditionally outstanding at forcing turnovers, but the Wildcats carry a minus-1.9 turnover margin this year. A year ago, Northwestern carried a plus-4.7 turnover margin with National Defensive Player of the Year Veronica Burton. Two seasons ago, Northwestern’s turnover margin was plus-9.3.

Caileigh Walsh leads Northwestern with 12.0 points and 5.0 rebounds this season. She leads the Cats with 25 three-pointers but has hit just 28.4 percent of her long-range attempts. The 6-3 forward is the only Wildcat to start all 22 games this season.

Veteran Sydney Wood gives Northwestern two starters averaging in double figure, pitching in 10.9 points and 5.0 rebounds along with a team-best 2.3 steals. The graduate student has made 81career starts for the Wildcats despite missing all but four games last year with an injury.

Paige Mott, a 6-1 junior forward, adds 8.4 points and 4.3 rebounds, while Kaylah Rainey and Jasmine McWilliams round out Northwestern’s probable starters. The 5-6 Rainey leads the Cats with 3.4 assists while adding 1.7 steals to her 5.1 points per game.

Northwestern gets regular contributions off the bench from Courtney Shaw (5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Caroline Lau (5.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and Hailey Weaver (2.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg), who have each played in all 11 Big Ten games.

The Wildcats are hitting just 38.4 percent of their shots from the field through 11 Big Ten games, including just 29.8 percent of their three-pointers. They also have hit just 67.4 percent of their free throws, while getting out-rebounded (38.5-34.7 rpg). League opponents are hitting 45.3 percent from the field, including 32.7 percent from long range, while connecting on 70.4 percent of their free throws. The Cats have a negative scoring margin (76.0-61.6) and a negative turnover margin (17.0-14.5) in conference play.

Nebraska vs. Northwestern Series History

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Northwestern, 13-8, including three consecutive wins against the Wildcats.

Last season, the Huskers worked their way to a 73-59 victory over Northwestern at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Senior Day in Lincoln (Feb. 27, 2022). Isabelle Bourne led three Huskers in double figures with 20 points on perfect three-point shooting (3-3), while Alexis Markowski added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds and a pair of threes. Jaz Shelley added 17 points and five assists while knocking down 3-of-6 threes, as the Huskers combined to go 9-for-18 from beyond the arc.

All-American Veronica Burton led Northwestern with 16 points and four steals but went just 3-for-14 from the floor and committed five turnovers. Laya Hartman was the only other Wildcat to finish in double figures with 12 points. Northwestern went 8-for-23 from long range and 19-for-23 at the free throw line but hit just 8-of-36 (.222) two-point attempts against the Huskers.

In the last meeting in Evanston (Feb. 17, 2021), Nebraska battled to a 71-64 win, as Isabelle Bourne finished with 21 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, while Kate Cain added 22 points and eight boards for Nebraska. The Huskers overcame a 28-4 turnover deficit by out-rebounding the Cats, 52-33.

Nebraska notched a 65-63 win at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Dec. 31, 2020) to start the three-game winning streak. Sam Haiby hit a wild putback of her own miss as time expired. The play was ESPN SportCenter’s Top Play. Haiby led the Huskers with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Isabelle Bourne added a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards. The Huskers lost the turnover battle, 24-7, but won the boards 47-35.

In the last three games in the series, Northwestern has produced a 70-22 (+48) turnover margin, while Nebraska has dominated the boards, 142-99 (+43) rebounding edge.

The Huskers are 6-5 against the Cats in Evanston and raced to an 88-56 win over Northwestern at the 2012 Big Ten Tournament (March 1). Nebraska is 6-3 all-time against Northwestern in Lincoln dating back to a 65-64 win at the Devaney Center on Nov. 29, 1980. The two teams will meet in Lincoln to complete the season series again on Nebraska’s Senior Day (Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023).

Injuries Altering Nebraska’s Season

While Nebraska is squarely in the hunt for a second straight NCAA Tournament bid (NET No. 39), the Huskers have had their journey through the season challenged with several injuries to key players.

Despite Nebraska returning five starters (Isabelle Bourne, Alexis Markowski, Jaz Shelley, Allison Weidner, Sam Haiby) from last year’s team that went 24-9 overall and 11-7 in the Big Ten, Haiby missed 10 of the first 11 games this season with a leg injury suffered in practice (Sept. 12).

Trinity Brady, a fourth-year guard, started the first eight games in place of Haiby, before Brady suffered a concussion in the first half of a loss at No. 9 Virginia Tech (Dec. 1). Brady has missed the last 14 games.

Despite the loss of Brady and the absence of Haiby, Nebraska notched an impressive 90-67 road win at No. 20 Maryland (Dec. 4) in the first start by Maddie Krull as a Husker.

However, prior to Nebraska’s next game with Wisconsin (Dec. 7), the Huskers lost Isabelle Bourne to an upper body injury suffered in practice. Bourne missed three games, as Annika Stewart made the first three starts of her career. Nebraska went 3-0 with wins over Wisconsin, Samford and Wyoming.

Bourne returned to the starting lineup for a 3OT win over Kansas (Dec. 21), but Allison Weidner suffered a season-ending leg injury early in the fourth quarter of the victory over the Jayhawks. Weidner has missed Nebraska’s last nine games and underwent season-ending surgery (Jan. 10).

Weidner’s injury hastened the return of Sam Haiby to the starting lineup for Nebraska’s Big Ten loss to No. 14 Michigan (Dec. 28).

Nebraska was forced to make another adjustment to its starting five in a win at Purdue (Jan. 18), when Maddie Krull missed a start because of illness. Freshman Callin Hake made her first career start and played well with eight points and three rebounds. Krull also played huge off the bench, overcoming illness for one of her best performances of the season, finishing with 15 points in the victory over the Boilermakers.

The only two Huskers to start all 22 contests this season are Jaz Shelley and Alexis Markowski, despite Markowski battling multiple nagging injuries from preseason to the present. Shelley ranks second in the Big Ten with 35.1 minutes played per game.

Huskers Face Historic Strength of Schedule

Nebraska’s game with No. 10 Iowa (Jan. 28) was its ninth this season against an AP Top 25 team at game time, and the Huskers are scheduled to face at least two more current top-25 foes. If those numbers hold, it would give NU a school-record-tying 11 games against AP Top 25 teams. No other Nebraska team has ever faced more than 11 AP Top 25 opponents (2000-01). 

Since entering the Big Ten (2011-12), the Huskers had never played more than eight games in a season against AP Top 25 foes prior to this season.

Nebraska’s game with Iowa was its fourth against an AP Top 10 team this season. The Huskers have never faced more than five AP Top 10 teams in the same season, and the Huskers will meet current AP No. 6 Iowa again on Feb. 18 in Lincoln, after playing current No. 18 Michigan in Ann Arbor (Feb. 12).

The Huskers could face additional games against AP Top 25 foes, if Illinois regains a spot in the rankings. The Fighting Illini slipped out of the poll Monday and are the top team receiving votes outside the top 25. Nebraska plays Illinois Feb. 9 in Lincoln and Feb. 22 in Champaign.

Nebraska Notables

Isabelle Bourne recently became the 36th 1,000-point scorer in Nebraska history, achieving the milestone in the fourth quarter of NU’s win over Penn State (Jan. 11). She is just the 22nd player in NU history to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,000 points (1,056) and 500 rebounds (568) joining teammate Sam Haiby (1,496 points, 597 rebounds) in that prestigious group.

Sam Haiby is one of just four players in Nebraska history to rank among the school’s top 20 in points (13th, 1,496), rebounds (20th, 597) and assists (8th, 442). Haiby joins Maurtice Ivy, Anna DeForge and Emily Cady as the only other Huskers on that elite list.

Preseason All-Big Ten center and 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alexis Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) is one of the Big Ten’s top rebounders, averaging 9.6 boards to go along with her 12.1 points per contest. The 6-3 center owns 10 double-doubles on the season and leads the Huskers with 22 blocks.

Jaz Shelley opened Big Ten play with 29 points in a road upset at No. 20 Maryland (Dec. 4), before pumping in 31 points in a win over Wisconsin (Dec. 7). She also had 21 points and five assists in a loss to No. 14 Michigan (Dec. 28). She just missed a triple-double with 10 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in a win over Penn State (Jan. 11).

Nebraska has knocked down 10 or more threes on nine occasions this season and is 9-0 when hitting double-digit threes. Nebraska’s most recent double-digit three-point effort came on 13-of-28 shooting against Penn State (Jan. 11). 

Kendall Moriarty put the exclamation point on the win over Penn State (Jan. 11) with a running, half-a-hook three from beyond halfcourt in the closing seconds to beat the shot clock. Moriarty’s improbable shot, which came on a Nebraska baseline inbounds play, was Scott Van Pelt’s “The Best Thing I Saw Today” on ESPN. 

Husker Numbers to Watch

Sam Haiby needs four points to become the 13th player in Husker history to score 1,500 career points. Haiby is 45 points away (1,496) from matching Angie Miller for No. 12 on Nebraska’s all-time scoring list (1,541 points, 1984-87).

Jaz Shelley is 10 points away from 1,000 in her college career (694-Nebraska; 296-Oregon).

Sam Haiby is two assists away from No. 7 on the NU career list (444, Amy Stephens, 1985-89).

Sam Haiby needs three rebounds to reach 600 in her career, and 14 rebounds to climb to No. 19 by matching Pyra Aarden (611, 1993-96) on Nebraska’s career rebound list. 

Jaz Shelley is two three-pointers away from 129 in her Husker career, which would move her into the top 10 on Nebraska’s career three-point list. Shelley has 127 made threes in 54 games (2.4 pg) as a Husker. The only player in NU’s top 10 to hit threes at a faster clip in her career is Natalie Romeo, who connected on 155 threes in 55 games (2.8 pg) as a Husker (2014-15, 2015-16). Amy Stephens, one of the greatest shooters and scorers in Nebraska history, hit 129 threes in 57 games (2.3 pg) in the first two seasons of the three-point shot in women’s college basketball (1987-88, 1988-89). Nebraska’s all-time three-point leader, All-American and 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year Jordan Hooper, hit 295 threes in 131 career games (2.3 pg).

Isabelle Bourne is 13 points away from catching Kate Galligan at No. 31 on NU’s scoring list (1,069, 1993-96) and 18 points from Tina McClain at No. 30 (1,074, 1994-97). Issie’s older sister, Callie, recently reached the 1,000-point mark in her fifth season at Idaho State, achieving the milestone at San Diego (Nov. 25) in career game No. 118.

Isabelle Bourne ranks No. 23 on the Nebraska career rebound list with 568 and needs six rebounds to catch Nafeesah Brown at No. 22 (574).

Alexis Markowski is 12 points away from 700 and 24 rebounds away from 500 in her career.

Maddie Krull is nine points away from 600 in her college career.