Markowski Earns National Freshman Award

Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski was named the Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week by the United States Basketball Writers Association, when the USBWA announced its weekly award winners on Tuesday, Jan. 11.

Markowski, a 6-3 forward/center out of Lincoln Pius X High School, averaged 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds last week in home games against No. 8 Michigan (Jan. 4) and No. 22 Iowa (Jan. 9). The 2021 Nebraska High School Player of the Year, Markowski made her first collegiate start in place of an injured Bella Cravens in NU’s 79-58 win over the No. 8 Wolverines at Pinnacle Bank Arena. She erupted for a career-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting while pulling down seven rebounds and grabbing a career-high two steals. She added a blocked shot in a career-high 27 minutes of action against Michigan to help Nebraska to its first win over a top-10 opponent since 2014. The 21-point margin also matched the largest in school history by a Husker women’s basketball team over a top-10 foe.

Markowski followed with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, an assist and a steal in her second straight start on Sunday against No. 22 Iowa.

For the season, Markowski is averaging 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 15 minutes per game, while hitting 49 percent of her shots from the field including 60 percent (3-5) of her three-pointers. She earned her third Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week honor on Monday (Jan. 10), after previously claiming awards on Nov. 29 and Dec. 20.

Markowski and the Huskers will be back in action on Thursday night when they travel to Bloomington to take on No. 6 Indiana. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Hoosiers is set for 5 p.m., with live television coverage provided by the Big Ten Network.