Lincoln – Nebraska freshman Jessica Shepard continued her early season hardware haul on Monday when she was named College Sports Madness Big Ten Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, while adding her second straight Big Ten Conference Freshman-of-the-Week award.

Shepard, a 6-4 forward from Fremont, Neb., produced a pair of 20-point performances last week, while adding a pair of double-doubles in two Nebraska victories.

She opened the week with 27 points on 13-of-16 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds, an assist, a block and two steals in just 21 minutes against North Florida on Nov. 16. Shepard capped the week with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting along with 10 rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes against North Carolina Central on Saturday.

Along the way, Shepard became the first Husker freshman in history to open her career with three consecutive 20-point performances. She’s also the first Nebraska freshman to post three straight double-doubles to start a season.

Shepard will be back in action tonight at Pinnacle Bank Arena, when the Huskers take on 2-1 Southern. The Jaguars won 19 games a year ago and just missed a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Shepard enters tonight’s game needing 29 points to reach 100 in her fourth career game. No Husker freshman has ever achieved 100 points in fewer than six games (Jordan Hooper, 2010-11; Debra Powell, 1981-82).