The Nebraska women’s basketball team opens play in the 2015 Big Ten Tournament by taking on Illinois on Thursday in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Tip-off between the No. 7 seed Huskers (20-9, 10-8 Big Ten) and the 10th-seeded Fighting Illini (15-15, 6-12 Big Ten) at Sears Centre Arena is set for 6 p.m. (CT), as Nebraska shoots for its third win of the season against Illinois.
Eric Collins and Christy Winters Scott will be on the television call for the Big Ten Network, while Lisa Byington will provide sideline reports. Live radio coverage from the Husker Sports Network is available with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on stations across the network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln, 93.3 FM in Omaha and 880 AM KRVN in Lexington. Free live audio is available on Huskers.com.
Nebraska closed the Big Ten regular season by winning three of its last five games, including its most complete effort of the year with a 74-50 run past Minnesota on Feb. 24. The Huskers suffered a 78-60 loss to Big Ten Tournament No. 3 seed Ohio State on Senior Day in Lincoln on Sunday. Nebraska’s four seniors combined for 48 points and 33 rebounds, but Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Year Kelsey Mitchell answered with 28 points and 10 boards for the Buckeyes. Fellow freshmen Shayla Cooper (13 points, 18 rebounds) and Asia Doss (14 points) helped OSU end a five-game losing streak to the Huskers.
Emily Cady and Brandi Jeffery closed their home careers at Nebraska with double-doubles, including 21 points and 13 rebounds for Cady. It was Cady’s 11th double-double of the season and 33rd of her career. She earned second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season by averaging 12.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game on the year.
Jeffery notched the first double-double of her career with 10 points and 13 rebounds to go along with four assists. The 5-7 guard from Vacherie, La., has more rebounds this season (186) than in her three previous seasons combined (184) for the Big Red. She is averaging 7.7 points and 6.6 rebounds.
Senior Tear’a Laudermill added honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades for the Huskers, while Hailie Sample was named Nebraska’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (20-9, 10-8 Big Ten)
3 – Hailie Sample – 6-1 – Sr. – F – 7.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg
23 – Emily Cady – 6-2 – Sr. – F – 12.5 ppg, 10.4 rpg
1 – Tear’a Laudermill – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 13.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg
5 – Natalie Romeo – 5-7 – Fr. – G – 7.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg
13 – Brandi Jeffery – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 7.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg
Off the Bench
33 – Rachel Theriot (OUT) – 6-0 – Jr. – G – 16.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg
22 – Allie Havers – 6-5 – So. – C – 4.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg
31 – Anya Kalenta – 6-3 – Jr. – F – 3.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg
30 – Chandler Smith – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 1.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg
34 – Jasmine Cincore – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 1.5 ppg, 0.2 rpg
12 – Emily Wood – 5-5 – Fr. – G – 0.3 ppg, 0.6 rpg
11 – Esther Ramacieri – 5-8 – So. – G – 0.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg
50 – Darrien Washington – 6-2 – Fr. – F – Redshirting
Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986)
13th Season at NU (261-151); 25th Season Overall (456-291)
Illinois Fighting Illini (15-15, 6-12 Big Ten)
34 – Jacqui Grant – 6-3 – So. – F – 9.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg
32 – Chatrice White – 6-3 – Fr. – C – 14.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg
15 – Kyley Simmons – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 9.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg
20 – Brittany Carter – 6-0 – Sr. – G – 8.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg
22 – Ivory Crawford – 5-10 – Sr. – G – 15.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg
Off the Bench
10 – Amarah Coleman – 5-11 – Fr. – G – 7.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg
3 – Taylor Tuck – 6-0 – Sr. – G/F – 2.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg
21 – Brooke Kissinger – 5-7 – Fr. – G – 1.4 ppg, 0.6 rpg
12 – Ashley McConnell – 5-9 – So. – G – 1.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg
25 – Kennedy Cattenhead – 5-10 – RFr. – G – 0.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg
5 – Nia Oden – 5-10 – Sr. – F – 0.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg
00 – Sarah Hartwell – 5-10 – Jr. – G – 0.8 ppg, 0.5 rpg
2 – Taylor Gleason – 5-8 – So. – G – 0.7 ppg, 1.1 rpg
Head Coach: Matt Bollant (Winona State, 1994)
3rd Season at Illinois (43-50); 13th Season Overall (325-105)
