Huskers Meet No. 11 Maryland on Alumni Day

Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-7, 4-4 Big Ten)

vs. 11/11 Maryland Terrapins (15-4, 6-2 Big Ten)

Sunday, January 22, 2023, 1 p.m. (CT)

Pinnacle Bank Arena – Lincoln, Nebraska
Tickets: Huskers.com / 1-800-8-BIG-RED
Live TV: Nebraska Public Media 
Larry Punteney (PBP), Kara Graham (Analyst) 
Live Video: B1G+
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (12:45 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Special Event: Alumni Day

Huskers Meet No. 11 Maryland on Alumni Day

The Nebraska women’s basketball team shoots for a season sweep of Maryland when the Huskers play host to the No. 11 Terrapins on Sunday in Lincoln.

Tip-off between the Big Red (12-7, 4-4 Big Ten) and the Terps (15-4, 6-2 Big Ten) is set for 1 p.m. (CT). Tickets are on sale now at Huskers.com. Live statewide television coverage will be provided by Nebraska Public Media with Larry Punteney and Kara Graham on the call. A live video stream will be available to subscribers of B1G+. 

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

Sunday’s game will be the second this season between Nebraska and Maryland. The Huskers defeated the then-No. 20 Terrapins, 90-67 at Xfinity Arena in College Park on Dec. 4. Jaz Shelley erupted for 29 points to lead the Huskers to their first-ever win in the series with the Terps.

Nebraska is coming off a 71-64 win at Purdue on Wednesday. The Huskers trailed by nine late in the third quarter before dominating the fourth, 23-8, on the way to their second Big Ten road victory.

Alexis Markowski powered Nebraska in the fourth quarter at Purdue, scoring 11 points and grabbing six rebounds in the final 10 minutes to produce her eighth double-double of the season with a team-high 19 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

Maddie Krull, who missed her first start in 11 games because of an illness, came off the bench to lift the Huskers with 15 points, including a game-clinching three-pointer in the closing minutes. It was Krull’s third double-figure scoring effort in the last three games.

Sam Haiby put up another strong effort in her sixth straight start, producing 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Haiby, who did not play in the first meeting with Maryland while recovering from injury, has scored in double figures in four of the last five games. Over the past five contests, Haiby is averaging 11.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.4 steals.

Freshman Callin Hake made her first career start in the win at Purdue, scoring eight points and grabbing three rebounds. Over the last six games, Hake is averaging 9.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist, including the first four double-figure scoring efforts of her career. She played eight scoreless minutes in the first meeting this season with Maryland.

All-Big Ten guard Jaz Shelley (Moe, Australia – pronounced MOE) continues to be one of Nebraska’s top threats, leading the Huskers in scoring (13.1 ppg), assists (6.4 apg) and steals (1.7 spg) while adding 4.1 rebounds per game. Shelley ranks among Big Ten leaders with 40 made three-pointers on the season.

The game with No. 11 Maryland will be Nebraska’s eighth this season against an AP Top 25 team at game time, and the Huskers are scheduled to face five more current top-25 foes. If those numbers hold, it would give NU a school-record 13 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 have never played more than eight games in a season against AP Top 25 foes.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-7, 4-4 Big Ten)

34 – Isabelle Bourne – 6-2 – Jr. – F – 10.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg

40 – Alexis Markowski – 6-3 – So. – C/F – 12.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg

1 – Jaz Shelley – 5-9 – Jr. – G – 13.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg

4 – Sam Haiby – 5-9 – Gr. – G – 8.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg

42 – Maddie Krull – 5-9 – So. – G – 5.2 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Off the Bench

21 – Annika Stewart – 6-3 – So. – F – 6.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg

14 – Callin Hake – 5-9 – Fr. – G – 5.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg

44 – Maggie Mendelson – 6-5 – Fr. – F/C – 4.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg

15 – Kendall Moriarty – 6-1 – So. – G – 3.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg

32 – Kendall Coley – 6-2 – So. – F/G – 2.0 ppg, 1.5 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 (108-91); 16th Season Overall (301-200)

11/11 Maryland Terrapins (15-4, 6-2 Big Ten)

13 – Faith Masonius – 6-1 – Sr. – G/F – 7.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg

0 – Shyanne Sellers – 6-2 – So. – G – 14.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg

1 – Diamond Miller – 6-3 – Sr. – G – 18.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg

10 – Abby Meyers – 6-0 – Sr. – G – 13.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg

12 – Elisa Pinzan – 5-8 – Gr. – G – 3.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg

Off the Bench

5 – Brinae Alexander – 6-0 – Sr. – G/F – 9.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg

3 – Lavender Briggs – 6-1 – Sr. – G – 6.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg

11 – Gia Cooke – 5-9 – Fr. – G – 3.2 ppg, 0.5 rpg

24 – Bri McDaniel – 5-10 – Fr. – G – 2.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg

15 – Mila Reynolds – 6-3 – Fr. – G/F – 1.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg

2 – Ava Sciolla – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 0.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg

21 – Emma Chardon – 6-2 – So. – F – 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg

Head Coach: Brenda Frese (Arizona, 1993)

21st Season at Maryland (550-144); 24th Season Overall (607-174)

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 (1,017) and 500 rebounds (554) joining teammate Sam Haiby (1,460 points, 571 rebounds) in that prestigious group.

Opponents have quieted Jaz Shelley from three-point range over the last six Big Ten games. In Nebraska’s first two conference wins (Maryland, Wisconsin) Shelley went 13-for-22 (.591) from beyond the arc, including 6-for-10 against the Terps (Dec. 4) and a season-best 7-for-12 against the Badgers (Dec. 7). Since getting those 13 threes in a four-day span, Shelley has hit just 13 more over the last nine games (13-41, .317), including six threes in six Big Ten contests (6-27, .222). 

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 last Wednesday. The Huskers were 12-for-25 in the first meeting at Maryland, including a combined 10-for-15 effort from Jaz Shelley (6-10) and Isabelle Bourne (4-5).

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. Moriarty added eight big points on just three field goal attempts in Nebraska’s road win at Maryland. Her fourth-quarter three-pointer started a 7-0 run that turned a 60-55 deficit into a 62-60 lead for the Huskers at Purdue.

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 9.3 boards to go along with her 12.7 points per contest. The 6-3 center owns eight double-doubles on the season and leads the Huskers with 21 blocks while ranking second on the team with 19 steals.

Nebraska has lost starters Allison Weidner (10.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.4 apg) and Trinity Brady (2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg) to injuries. Weidner (leg) was injured in the fourth quarter of Nebraska’s 85-79 3OT win over No. 20 Kansas (Dec. 21) and is out for the season. Brady (concussion) was injured in the first half of NU’s loss at No. 9 Virginia Tech (Dec. 1) and has missed the past 11 games.

The injuries to Weidner and Brady have helped hasten the return of three-year starter Sam Haiby to Nebraska’s lineup. Haiby, who has more than 1,400 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists in her Husker career, produced double figures off the bench in the win over Kansas. She made her first start on New Year’s Day at No. 4 Indiana, helping the Huskers push the Hoosiers to overtime. Haiby is averaging 8.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 22 minutes per game since returning from her own leg injury suffered in the preseason (Sept. 12).  

Huskers Celebrate Alumni Day vs. Maryland

Approximately 30 former Husker women’s basketball players are expected to be in attendance as part of Alumni Weekend activities on Sunday for Nebraska’s game against Maryland at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Headlining the group will be a strong contingent from the first decade of Husker women’s basketball from the 1970s, including Nebraska’s first 1,000-point career scorer Jan Crouch and former Husker tennis coach Kathy Hawkins. 

The 1975-76 team, which was the first team to be awarded full varsity letters, will be honored as part of Nebraska’s Title IX recognition.

Nebraska’s first 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound player, who also was NU’s career leader in blocked shots for nearly four decades, Janet Smith headlines a list of players from the 1980s.

The Husker contingent from the 1990s is led by 1993 Wade Trophy winner and National Player of the Year Karen Jennings, who is Nebraska’s all-time leading scorer.

The collection of Huskers from the 2000s is led by WNBA Draft pick Nicole Kubik and current Hastings College Head Coach Jina Johansen Douglas, while the 2010s feature the hard-nosed 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound star who powered Nebraska to four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament – Emily Cady.

Nebraska’s most recent alum from the 2020s include Nebraska career block leader Kate Cain, along with Taylor (Kissinger) Schreiber and Nicea Eliely.

The alumni have been invited to attend team activities on Saturday before a private banquet on Saturday evening. The 1975-76 team will be recognized during the first-quarter break during Sunday’s game, while the entire group of alumni in attendance will be announced on the court at halftime.

Scouting the No. 11 Maryland Terrapins

Coach Brenda Frese brings No. 11 Maryland to Lincoln following a 77-64 win at Wisconsin on Thursday night. The Terrapins improved to 15-4 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten with the win over the Badgers.

Since dropping a 90-67 loss to Nebraska in College Park in its Big Ten opener on Dec. 4, Maryland has reeled off eight wins in nine games with the only loss coming at No. 6 Indiana (68-61) on Jan. 12. However, the Terps do not own a win over a ranked Big Ten team and have only played five games against ranked foes this season, including losses to No. 1 South Carolina and No. 6 Indiana, along with wins over No. 6 UConn, No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 17 Baylor.

Maryland’s schedule is weighted with six games against top-25 foes down the stretch, including two against No. 2 Ohio State, two more against No. 10 Iowa, and battles with No. 14 Michigan and No. 21 Illinois.

The Terps are led on the court by All-Big Ten guard Diamond Miller. The 6-3 senior leads Maryland in scoring (18.7 ppg), rebounding (6.6 rpg), steals (2.1 spg) and blocks (1.6 bpg) while ranking third on the team in assists (2.8 apg). Miller managed 13 points and four rebounds in the first meeting with Nebraska this season, but went just 3-for-12 from the field with five turnovers.

Shyanne Sellers, the 2022 Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year, has added 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. She led Maryland with 21 points and eight rebounds in the first meeting with the Huskers this season. Sellers is the only other significant contributor from last year’s Maryland team to return to the Terrapins this season.

Maryland lost starters Chloe Bibby (11.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Katie Benzan (10.2 ppg, 3.8 apg) to graduation, while All-Big Ten performer Angel Reese (17.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg) transferred to LSU, All-Big Ten guard Ashley Owusu (14.3 ppg) transferred to Virginia Tech and Mimi Collins (7.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg) transferred to NC State.

Faith Masonius, who suffered a torn ACL midway through the 2021-22 season (at Indiana, Jan. 2, 2022), has moved from a supporting role into a starting assignment. Masonius, who had nine points, four rebounds and three assists against Nebraska on Dec. 4, is averaging 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds as one of only two Terps to start all 19 games. The other is graduate guard Eliza Pinzan, a South Florida transfer who is averaging 3.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and a team-best 3.3 assists. Pinzan was scoreless in just 12 minutes in the first meeting with NU.

Princeton transfer Abby Meyers, the 2022 Ivy League Player of the Year, rounds out the Maryland starting five by averaging 13.7 points and 4.9 rebounds. The 6-0 senior is also one of Maryland’s top threats from long range, hitting 39-of-97 threes (.402). She went 0-for-2 from long range and just 1-of-7 from the field to finish with two points and six rebounds in the first meeting with Nebraska.

Off the bench, two of Maryland’s top contributors are also transfers, led by senior guard/forward Brinae Alexander (Vanderbilt) who is averaging 9.5 points and 3.6 rebounds. Alexander has knocked down 48.8 percent (41-89) of her three-point attempts. She sparked Maryland off the bench in the first meeting with Nebraska, finishing with 14 points on 3-of-7 three-point shooting in the loss.

Lavender Briggs, a senior transfer from Florida, is averaging 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds. Briggs added six points off the bench in the loss to Nebraska on Dec. 4.

Maryland is averaging 78.6 points, while allowing 69.8 points per contest. The Terps are 15-4 despite carrying a minus-2.1 rebound margin thanks to a plus-6.5 turnover margin. Maryland is hitting 43.6 percent of its shots from the field, including a solid 37.8 percent from three-point range. The Terps have also knocked down 78.4 percent of their free throws.

In the first meeting with Nebraska, the Huskers held Maryland to just 40 percent (24-60) from the field, including 4-of-16 from three-point range. The Terps did connect on 15-of-18 free throws. Nebraska won the rebounding battle, 35-34, and both teams committed 17 turnovers. Maryland allowed the Huskers to hit 50 percent (30-60) of their shots, including 12-of-25 threes (.480).

Nebraska vs. Maryland Series History

Maryland leads the all-time series with Nebraska 15-1, but the Huskers won the most recent meeting with a 90-67 victory at the Xfinity Center in College Park, Md. (Dec. 4, 2022).

Jaz Shelley led the Huskers with 29 points on 6-of-10 three-point shooting while adding five assists in the win over the Terps. Isabelle Bourne added 18 points on 4-of-5 shooting from long range. Alexis Markowski pitched in 14 points, while Allison Weidner contributed her first career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.

Nebraska trailed 36-31 at the half before outscoring the Terps 59-31 over the final 20 minutes, including 30-11 in the fourth quarter. The Huskers finished 12-for-25 from three-point range, while Maryland went just 4-for-16.

Shyanne Sellers led Maryland with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Diamond Miller added 13 points but went just 4-for-12 from the field. Brinae Alexander contributed 14 points off the bench, including three of Maryland’s four threes.

Maryland has been ranked in the AP Top 20 in all 17 meetings (including Sunday) with the lowest ranking coming at No. 20 (twice, 2019-20 and 2022-23).

The Terps have been ranked in the top 15 in either the AP or Coaches poll entering 14 of the previous 16 meetings, including Maryland’s 80-65 win at College Park last season (Feb. 6, 2022). 

The Terrapins have been ranked in the top 10 in eight of the 16 previous meetings, including an 83-73 Maryland win over the Huskers at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis (March 11, 2021).        • Nebraska took No. 13 Maryland to the wire at the Xfinity Center in College Park before falling 77-75 (Feb. 25, 2018). The Huskers trailed by 14 points in the third quarter before rallying to take a 75-74 lead with 48 seconds left. A Hannah Whitish three-pointer from the right wing in the closing seconds caught back iron and caromed off as Maryland survived. 

Nebraska’s first meeting with Maryland came in the 2008 NCAA Tournament second round in College Park – a 76-64 Maryland win. NU is 1-13 against the Terps as Big Ten foes.

Since 2014-15, Maryland’s first season in the Big Ten, the Terrapins have been Nebraska’s most frequent opponent from the Eastern Time Zone. Sunday’s game will be NU’s 15th against the Terps as conference foes. Other than Michigan (14 games), Nebraska has not played any other opponent from the Eastern Time Zone more than 11 times since 2014-15.

Nebraska has made seven trips to the Xfinity Center in league play, and Maryland is making its sixth trip to Pinnacle Bank Arena. Lincoln is 1,205 miles from College Park.

Since Maryland entered the league (2014-15), Michigan State has only appeared on the court at Pinnacle Bank Arena three times, and the Huskers have played the Spartans nine times. Lincoln is 727 miles from East Lansing. NU is 9-5 all-time against Michigan State and 5-0 in Lincoln.

Husker Numbers to Watch

Jaz Shelley is seven 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 122 made threes in 51 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).

Sam Haiby is one point away (1,460) from matching Emily Cady for No. 13 on Nebraska’s all-time scoring list (1,461 points, 2012-15).

Sam Haiby needs three rebounds to climb to No. 21 on Nebraska’s career rebound list. Haiby heads into the Maryland game with 571 rebounds to rank 22nd at Nebraska. Nafeesah Brown is No. 21 in NU history with 574 boards (1992-93, 1993-94).

Isabelle Bourne is immediately behind Sam Haiby on the NU career rebound list. Bourne enters the Maryland game at No. 23 on Nebraska’s all-time list with 554.

Isabelle Bourne is 18 points away from catching Alexa Johnson at No. 34 on NU’s scoring list (1,035, 2001-04). 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.

Jaz Shelley is 38 points away from 1,000 in her college career (666-Nebraska; 296-Oregon).

Kendall Moriarty has already surpassed her season point total (74-45) from a year ago while quadrupling her three-point total (12-3) and nearly tripling her season rebound total (35-12). She also has more than tripled her steals total (11-3), hit six times as many free throws (12-2) and matched her season block total (3) from a year ago.