The No. 17 Nebraska women’s basketball team takes aim at its fourth straight Big Ten win when the Huskers play host to Purdue on Monday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Tip-off between the Big Red (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten) and the Boilermakers (9-8, 2-4 Big Ten) on Martin Luther King Jr. Day is set for 6 p.m. (central) with live national television coverage by the Big Ten Network with Kevin Kugler and Debbie Antonelli on the call.
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. Free live audio also will be available on Huskers.com.
Nebraska is coming off an impressive 73-45 win over Penn State on Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Huskers, who had all 12 players in uniform and available to play for the first time all season, got career highs of 18 points and six three-pointers from freshman Natalie Romeo. The 5-7 guard from Martinez, Calif., played a career-high 26 minutes while making her first career start. She added three rebounds and three assists in a tremendous all-around effort.
Romeo’s outburst from long range allowed the Huskers to hit a season-high 11 three-pointers against the Lady Lions. Romeo led four Huskers in double figures, including 12 points from Tear’a Laudermill, 11 from Allie Havers and 10 from Brandi Jeffery.
Junior Rachel Theriot continues to lead the Big Red with 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. The 6-0 point guard from Middleburg Heights, Ohio is shooting 41 percent from three-point range and 92.6 percent at the free throw line.
Senior forward Emily Cady has added 12.8 points, a team-best 9.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game as one of the Big Ten’s most versatile players.
Purdue comes to Lincoln with a 9-8 overall and a 2-4 Big Ten mark trying to avoid its fourth consecutive loss. The Boilermakers are coming off a 65-56 home loss to Wisconsin, which followed a 24-point loss at Maryland on Jan. 8 and a 14-point setback at Iowa on Jan. 11.
#17 Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten)
3 – Hailie Sample – 6-1 – Sr. – F – 6.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg
23 – Emily Cady – 6-2 – Sr. – F – 12.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg
1 – Tear’a Laudermill – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 11.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg
13 – Brandi Jeffery – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 8.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg
33 – Rachel Theriot – 6-0 – Jr. – G – 17.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg
Off the Bench
31 – Anya Kalenta – 6-3 – Jr. – F – 6.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg
5 – Natalie Romeo – 5-7 – Fr. – G – 6.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg
22 – Allie Havers – 6-5 – So. – C – 4.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg
34 – Jasmine Cincore – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 1.6 ppg, 0.4 rpg
30 – Chandler Smith – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 0.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg
12 – Emily Wood – 5-5 – Fr. – G – 0.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg
11 – Esther Ramacieri – 5-8 – So. – G – 0.1 ppg, 0.6 rpg
50 – Darrien Washington – 6-2 – Fr. – F – High School
Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986)
13th Season at NU (254-145); 25th Season Overall (449-285)
Purdue Boilermakers (9-8, 2-4 Big Ten)
32 – Whitney Bays – 6-2 – RSr. – F – 15.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg
23 – Liza Clemons – 6-2 – Sr. – F – 8.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg
1 – Ashley Morrissette – 5-9 – So. – G – 11.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg
24 – Andreona Keys – 5-10 – Fr. – G – 5.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg
25 – April Wilson – 5-7 – Jr. – G – 8.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg
Off the Bench
13 – Bridget Perry – 6-2 – So. – G – 9.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg
10 – Hayden Hamby – 5-7 – Jr. – G – 4.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg
4 – Torrie Thornton – 6-0 – Jr. – F – 3.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg
22 – Bree Horrocks – 6-5 – Fr. – C – 2.0 ppg, 1.1 rpg
21 – Erica Moore – 6-2 – Fr. – F – 0.8 ppg, 0.5 rpg
5 – Justine Hall – 5-10 – Fr. – G – 0.4 ppg, 0.4 rpg
Head Coach: Sharon Versyp (Purdue, 1989)
9th Season at Purdue (192-96); 15th Season Overall (309-161)
