The No. 12 Nebraska women’s basketball team gears up for a top-15 showdown with No. 9 Duke when the two perennial powers meet in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wednesday in Lincoln.
Tip-off between the Huskers (6-0) and Blue Devils (5-1) is set for 6:30 p.m. (central) with tickets available in advance at Huskers.com or by calling the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-8-BIG-RED during regular business hours. Tickets also will be available at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Box Office beginning two hours prior to tip-off on Wednesday.
The game will be televised live nationally by the Big Ten Network, with Kevin Kugler and Mary Murphy on the call. Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will call the action on the Husker Sports Radio Network. The game can be heard live in Lincoln on B107.3 FM and 93.3 FM in Omaha, along with free live audio on Huskers.com.
Wednesday night’s game will be a rematch of the 2013 NCAA Sweet 16 clash between the Huskers and Blue Devils in Norfolk, Va. Duke came away with a hard-fought 53-45 win in that game, which marks the only previous meeting in the history of the two schools. Last season, both Nebraska and Duke were seeded among the top four teams in the Lincoln Regional, but both squads were upset in the NCAA second round.
Nebraska reeled off six straight wins to open the season, capping a perfect November with a 63-56 win over previously unbeaten Northern Colorado on Sunday. The Huskers are led by All-America point guard Rachel Theriot, who is averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists after producing three straight 20-point games. Theriot poured in a season-high 25 points against Northern Colorado.
Three-time All-American Elizabeth Williams leads the Blue Devils. The senior ranks among Duke’s top 10 in career points, rebounds and blocked shots, while averaging 14.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game this season. She missed Sunday’s 63-59 loss at No. 7 Texas A&M with an ankle sprain.
#12 Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
3 – Hailie Sample – 6-1 – Sr. – F – 5.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg
23 – Emily Cady – 6-2 – Sr. – F – 14.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg
1 – Tear’a Laudermill – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 11.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg
13 – Brandi Jeffery – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 10.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg
33 – Rachel Theriot – 6-0 – Jr. – G – 19.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg
Off the Bench
31 – Anya Kalenta – 6-3 – Jr. – F – 6.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg
5 – Natalie Romeo – 5-7 – Fr. – G – 4.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg
22 – Allie Havers – 6-5 – So. – C – 4.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg
34 – Jasmine Cincore – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 2.2 ppg, 0.6 rpg
30 – Chandler Smith – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 1.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
2 – Kaylee Page – 6-2 – Fr. – F – 0.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg
11 – Esther Ramacieri – 5-8 – So. – G – 0.2 ppg, 0.4 rpg
12 – Emily Wood – 5-5 – Fr. – G – 0.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg
50 – Darrien Washington – 6-2 – Fr. – F – High School
Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986)
13th Season at NU (247-142); 25th Season Overall (442-282)
#9 Duke Blue Devils (5-1, 0-0 ACC)
1 – Elizabeth Williams – 6-3 – Sr. – C/F – 14.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg
30 – Amber Henson – 6-4 – Sr. – C/F – 6.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg
4 – Sierra Calhoun – 6-0 – Fr. – G/F – 9.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg
14 – Ka’lia Johnson – 5-10 – Sr. – G/F – 6.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg
23 – Rebecca Greenwell – 6-1 – RFr. – G – 15.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg
Off the Bench
11 – Azura Stevens – 6-5 – Fr. – F/G – 11.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg
22 – Oderah Chidom – 6-4 – So. – F – 10.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg
32 – Erin Mathias – 6-4 – Fr. – F/C – 4.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg
34 – Lynee Belton – 6-3 – Fr. – F/G – 3.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg
21 – Kendall Cooper – 6-4 – So. – F/C – 2.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg
35 – Jenna Frush – 5-6 – Sr. – G – 1.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg
12 – Mercedes Riggs – 5-7 – Jr. – G – 0.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Head Coach: Joanne P. McCallie (Northwestern, 1987)
8th Season at Duke (207-43); 23rd Season Overall (523-191)