The No. 15 Nebraska women’s basketball team hopes to get back on the winning track at home when the Huskers take on Illinois Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Tip-off between the Huskers (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten) and the Fighting Illini (11-9, 2-6 Big Ten) is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone in advance of the game by calling the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-8-BIG-RED, or in-person on game day beginning two hours prior to tip-off at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Box Office.
Live radio coverage will be provided by the Husker Sports Network, with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on the call on stations across the network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln, 93.3 FM in Omaha and 880 AM in Lexington. Live premium video will be available on BTN Plus.
Nebraska had its five-game winning streak snapped with a 78-72 overtime loss at No. 20 Iowa on Monday night. The Huskers led 61-60 after a clutch Rachel Theriot jumper with 4.5 seconds left, but the Hawkeyes got a Whitney Jennings free throw with 1.3 seconds left to send the game to overtime. Iowa scored on each of its overtime possessions to get its first Big Ten win against the Huskers in nine tries.
Senior Emily Cady led the Huskers with 19 points and a career-high 18 rebounds to notch the 30th double-double of her career and eighth of the season. The 6-2 forward from Seward, Neb., increased her season averages to 13.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. She is averaging 12.3 points and 11.6 rebounds in Big Ten play, including 19 points and 15 rebounds per contest over the last two games.
Theriot continues to lead the Huskers with 16.9 points and 5.0 assists per game, while senior Tear’a Laudermill is coming on strong in conference play. Laudermill has produced double figures in four straight games to increase her season averages to 12.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, including 13.4 points and 4.1 boards in league play. The 5-9 guard from Moreno Valley, Calif., is averaging 21.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals the past two games.
Illinois comes to Lincoln hoping to snap a five-game losing streak since handing Iowa its only Big Ten loss this season on Jan. 8. The Fighting Illini are coming off a 70-57 loss at Michigan on Monday night.
#15 Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten)
3 – Hailie Sample – 6-1 – Sr. – F – 7.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg
23 – Emily Cady – 6-2 – Sr. – F – 13.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg
1 – Tear’a Laudermill – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 12.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg
13 – Brandi Jeffery – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 8.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg
33 – Rachel Theriot – 6-0 – Jr. – G – 16.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg
Off the Bench
5 – Natalie Romeo – 5-7 – Fr. – G – 6.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
31 – Anya Kalenta – 6-3 – Jr. – F – 5.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg
22 – Allie Havers – 6-5 – So. – C – 4.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg
34 – Jasmine Cincore – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 2.1 ppg, 0.3 rpg
30 – Chandler Smith – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 2.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg
12 – Emily Wood – 5-5 – Fr. – G – 0.3 ppg, 0.6 rpg
11 – Esther Ramacieri – 5-8 – So. – G – 0.1 ppg, 0.6 rpg
50 – Darrien Washington – 6-2 – Fr. – F – Redshirting
Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986)
13th Season at NU (256-146); 25th Season Overall (451-286)
Illinois Fighting Illini (11-9, 2-6 Big Ten)
22 – Ivory Crawford – 5-10 – Sr. – F – 15.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg
or 10 – Amarah Coleman – 5-11 – Fr. – G – 8.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg
32 – Chatrice White – 6-3 – Fr. – C – 14.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg
34 – Jacqui Grant – 6-3 – So. – F – 9.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg
15 – Kyley Simmons – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 9.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg
20 – Brittany Carter – 6-0 – Sr. – G – 8.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg
Off the Bench
3 – Taylor Tuck – 6-0 – Sr. – G/F – 3.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg
21 – Brooke Kissinger – 5-7 – Fr. – G – 1.9 ppg, 0.6 rpg
25 – Kennedy Cattenhead – 5-10 – RFr. – G – 1.1 ppg, 1.0 rpg
12 – Ashley McConnell – 5-9 – So. – G – 1.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg
2 – Taylor Gleason – 5-8 – So. – G – 0.7 ppg, 1.1 rpg
00 – Sarah Hartwell – 5-10 – Jr. – G – 0.6 ppg, 0.6 rpg
5 – Nia Oden – 5-10 – Sr.- F – 0.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Head Coach: Matt Bollant (Winona State, 1994)
3rd Season at Illinois (39-44); 13th Season Overall (321-99)