The Nebraska women’s basketball team will face an old foe in its 2022-23 regular-season non-conference finale, when the Huskers play host to Kansas at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 21.
The game, which will feature a pair of 2022 NCAA Tournament teams, will mark the second trip to Lincoln for the Jayhawks since Nebraska left the Big 12 Conference following the 2010-11 season. The Huskers defeated Kansas, 58-52, on Dec. 5, 2018.
Coach Amy Williams and Nebraska return five starters from a team that went 24-9 a year ago, including 11-7 in the Big Ten Conference. Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alexis Markowski (12.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg) is expected to lead the Huskers inside along with two-time All-Big Ten forward Isabelle Bourne (11.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg). The Big Red backcourt features explosive All-Big Ten guards Jaz Shelley (13.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 5.0 apg) and Sam Haiby (11.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.9 apg), along with 2021-22 freshman Allison Weidner (Humphrey, Neb.). The backcourt has been strengthened by the addition of Maddie Krull (Omaha, Neb.) during the offseason. Krull was a two-year starter at South Dakota, and the Millard South grad helped the Coyotes to the 2022 NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
Kansas is coming off a 21-10 season that included an 11-7 Big 12 mark and culminated with a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks knocked off Georgia Tech in the opening round at Stanford, before falling to the Cardinal in the second round. The 2021-22 campaign marked the first 20-win season for the Jayhawks since 2012-13.
Coach Brandon Schneider enters his eighth season leading Kansas after guiding the Jayhawks to their first postseason bid since 2013. Schneider was the 2022 Big 12 Coach of the Year, as KU produced a 14-game improvement in the win column last season after going 7-18 in 2020-21.
The Jayhawks are expected to bring four returning starters and an impact transfer with them to Lincoln in December. Returning first-team All-Big 12 guard Holly Kersgieter (13.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and honorable-mention All-Big 12 guard Zakiyah Franklin (12.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.0 apg) headline the Jayhawk backcourt. Ioanna Chatzileonti (9.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and Taiyanna Jackson (8.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg) add size and strength inside. Jackson earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive team after the 6-6 center set the school record with 95 blocked shots. The Jayhawks also expect to be bolstered by the addition of Wyvette Mayberry, a two-year starter at Tulsa who averaged 14.1 points per game while hitting 43 percent of her three-pointers a year ago.
Nebraska has faced Kansas on the hardwood in women’s basketball more than any other opponent in school history (83 games) and those matchups have continued despite the two programs no longer sharing the same conference.
The Huskers rolled to a 66-49 win over the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 6, 2017, opening a two-game home-and-home series between the two schools in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
In Nebraska’s first season as a Big Ten Conference member, the Huskers met Kansas in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament in Little Rock, Ark., falling 57-49.
Over the last 33 games in the series, which dates back to Nebraska Coach Amy (Gusso) Williams’ senior season in 1997-98, the Huskers own a 23-10 advantage over Kansas. However, in the all-time series, the Jayhawks carry a 50-33 edge over the Big Red.
Fans interested in joining Nebraska’s season ticket wait list can sign up now on Huskers.com. Applications submitted before Aug. 1 provide fans priority access to 2022-23 season tickets.
Nebraska’s Big Ten Conference home schedule will include marquee matchups with Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Northwestern, Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Illinois.
Dates for Nebraska’s remaining non-conference home games will be announced in the coming days.
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