The No. 12 Nebraska women’s basketball team opens a two-game road swing by heading to Tuscaloosa for the first time in school history to take on Alabama on Sunday afternoon.
Tip-off between the Huskers (7-0) and Crimson Tide (7-3) is set for 2 p.m. (central) at Foster Auditorium with the radio call by Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on the Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and 93.3 FM in Omaha. Free live audio also will be available on Huskers.com.
A live video stream of the event on SEC Network + through secsports.go.com, watchespn.com or through the WatchESPN app is also available for premium subscribers of those services.
Nebraska rolls to Alabama riding a wave of momentum after battling past No. 9 Duke on Wednesday in Lincoln. Playing in front of a season-high crowd of 7,571 fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena and a BTN national TV audience, the Huskers notched their first regular-season non-conference win over a top-10 team since Dec. 20, 2009, when the Big Red beat No. 5 LSU, 77-63 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Nebraska’s seven-game season-opening winning streak is its longest since that same 2009-10 squad opened the year with a 30-0 record on its way to the first unbeaten Big 12 season in conference history, the school’s only Big 12 title and NU’s first NCAA Sweet 16 berth.
All-America point guard Rachel Theriot continues to carry the Huskers on offense, leading the Big Red with 19.1 points and 4.7 assists, while adding 5.0 rebounds per contest. Theriot is shooting 53.5 percent from the floor, including 52.9 percent from three-point range, and 94.3 percent at the free throw line.
Senior forward Emily Cady is off to the best start of her career, averaging 14.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Cady has started 107 consecutive games alongside fellow senior forward Hailie Sample, who has pitched in 7.3 points and 6.1 rebounds as one of the nation’s top defensive players.
Senior guards Tear’a Laudermill (11.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.0 spg) and Brandi Jeffery (9.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.1 spg) have solidifid a Nebraska starting five that has combined for 335 career starts.
#12 Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
3 – Hailie Sample – 6-1 – Sr. – F – 7.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg
23 – Emily Cady – 6-2 – Sr. – F – 14.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg
1 – Tear’a Laudermill – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 11.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg
13 – Brandi Jeffery – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 9.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg
33 – Rachel Theriot – 6-0 – Jr. – G – 19.1 ppg, 5.0 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 – 4.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg
34 – Jasmine Cincore – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 1.8 ppg, 0.5 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 (248-142); 25th Season Overall (443-282)
Alabama Crimson Tide (7-3, 0-0 SEC)
13 – Nikki Hegstetter – 6-2 – Jr. – F – 5.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg
20 – Ashley Williams – 6-0 – So. – F – 17.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg
25 – Briana Hutchen – 6-1 – Sr. – F – 8.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg
11 – Hannah Cook – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 12.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg
22 – Karyla Middlebrook – 5-7 – RFr. – G – 5.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg
Off the Bench
15 – Meoshonti Knight – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 7.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg
33 – Sharin Rivers – 5-3 – Sr. – G – 3.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg
34 – Oceania Hamilton – 6-4 – So. – F/C – 3.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
1 – Quanetria Bolton – 6-0 – Fr. – F – 2.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg
3 – Khadijah Carter – 6-1 – Jr. – G – 1.0 ppg, 0.4 rpg
35 – Diamante Martinez – 6-3 – Fr. – F – 0.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg
Head Coach: Kristy Curry (NE Louisiana, 1988)
2nd Season at Alabama (21-19); 16th Season Overall (330-168)