Nebraska, Kansas get rematch in WNIT Super 16

At that time, Kansas was 10-0 and thinking NCAA Tournament. And after Nebraska beat the then-No. 20 Jayhawks 85-79 in three overtimes on Dec 21, Nebraska had its second win against a ranked team, a 10-3 record, and was also thinking March Madness.

Now in late March the teams face off again in a game to keep their seasons alive in the third round of the WNIT. The game begins at 6:30 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas.

Nebraska last played at Allen Fieldhouse in 2017. The Huskers will be back there again next season for a regular-season game.

Kansas (21-11) lost to TCU 57-52 in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament, and then on Selection Sunday wasn’t chosen for the NCAA Tournament. According to the NCAA selection committee, Kansas was one of the first four teams left out.

“(Kansas is) also playing with a purpose,” Nebraska coach Amy Williams said. “They are very similar in the fact that both their team and our team felt like we should be playing in the NCAA Tournament. I feel like they’ve got something to prove. They have really dangerous, dangerous top five players that are all capable of scoring between 25 and 30 points in a game.

“When you have that many experienced weapons it’s something we’re going to have to figure out how to contain their starting five.”

And Nebraska will probably have to take on the challenge without senior guard Sam Haiby. With her ability to drive to the basket, Haiby is always capable of having a big game. She suffered a leg injury during Nebraska’s game against Northern Iowa on Sunday, and was using crutches after the game.

Williams wouldn’t answer when asked if she received the good news she was hoping for regarding Haiby after further evaluation on Monday.

“We’re just kind of keeping it to be determined,” Williams.

There’s a thought in sports that part of what determines what team wins during college football bowl season and college basketball postseason is what team still wants to be playing.

Williams agrees with that, and she’s got some experience in that area. As the coach at South Dakota in 2016, that team won six straight games to win the WNIT championship.

“That’s a big part of it is if you’re still excited to be playing together,” Williams said.

This season Nebraska has won its two WNIT games by nine points (Missouri State) and 20 points (Northern Iowa).

Nebraska will have a big challenge in rebounding against Kansas, and that’s held Nebraska back at times this season. Kansas outrebounded Nebraska 68-46 in the first game, including 25 offensive rebounds.

Kansas’ 6-foot-6 center, Taiyanna Jackson, averages 12.5 rebounds per game, while also ranking second in scoring at 15 points. In the triple-overtime game against Nebraska, she had 18 points and 21 rebounds.

A first-team All-Big 12 choice, Jackson also earned her second straight spot on the Big 12 all-defensive team.

When Nebraska played Kansas earlier this season the Jayhawks rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit. Isabelle Bourne got the winning shot for Nebraska with a nothing-but-net corner three-pointer with 30 seconds left in the third overtime. Jaz Shelley led the Huskers with 24 points, including two huge three-pointers in the third overtime.

For part of that game, Nebraska had both Allison Weidner and Haiby, but the Huskers could be playing without both on Thursday. Weidner suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second half of that game. Haiby scored 12 points that night.

* There is no TV for the game, but a live video stream of the game will be provided to subscribers of ESPN+ with Josh Klingler and Wayne Simien on the call.

* Kansas entered the WNIT ranked No. 37 in the NCAA NET rankings while Nebraska was No. 43. Thursday’s matchup will feature the No. 2 and No. 3 NET teams in the WNIT, trailing only No. 19 Oregon.