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Analysts Say They Like Nebraska’s Lineman Recruits

nebraska_helmetLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska coach Bo Pelini is set to sign a football recruiting class of 25 players on Wednesday.

Recruiting analysts say the strengths of the Cornhuskers’ class are the offensive and defensive lines. D.J. Foster out of Lincoln Southeast, Tanner Farmer of Highland, Ill., and Nick Gates of Las Vegas are the most heralded of the offensive linemen. Joe Keels, a transfer from Highland Community College in Kansas, is the best of the defensive linemen.

Defensive line recruit Blake McClain of Jacksonville, Fla., said Tuesday he was wavering on his verbal commitment to Nebraska. The Huskers are awaiting decisions from offensive lineman Kenyon Frison of West Valley City, Utah, and receiver DeSean Blair of Jacksonville.

Pelini will discuss the recruits at an afternoon news conference.

Huskers Look to Knock Off No. 10 Michigan

Nebraska-Huskers-BasketballAfter winning three of its last four games, the Nebraska basketball team travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a matchup with the No. 10 Michigan Wolverines on Wednesday night.

Tipoff at the Crisler Center is set for 5:31 p.m. (CT) and the game will be carried nationally on BTN (Ch. 610 on DirecTV, Chs. 439 and 9500 on Dish; Chs. 2, 1333 on Time Warner Cable) with Eric Collins and Stephen Bardo on the call. The game will also be available online and on mobile devices on BTN2Go.

Wednesday’s game will also be carried across the state on the 27-station Husker Sports Network with Kent Pavelka and Matt Davison calling all of the action, including flagship stations KLIN (1400 AM/94.5 FM) in Lincoln and KFAB (1110 AM) in Omaha (complete list of affiliates is on page five of the game notes). The game can also be heard on Huskers.com and is available on the Huskers’ app on iOS or android devices, as well as Sirius and XM Radio.

The Huskers (11-9, 3-5 B1G) have been off since a 60-55 win over Indiana on Thursday night. In that game, the Huskers overcame a 16-point first-half deficit, outscoring Indiana, 41-23 in the second half to improve to 10-1 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Sophomore Terran Petteway led the Huskers with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting and added three assists to pace four Huskers in double figures. Nebraska’s 16-point deficit was the largest the Huskers had overcome this season and second-largest during Tim Miles’ tenure in Lincoln.

Petteway has played some of his best basketball during the Huskers’ surge over the last two weeks, averaging 21.5 points per game over the last four games, while shooting 61 percent from the field in that span. On the season, Petteway is now second in the Big Ten in scoring at 18.2 points per game.

Nebraska now closes the first half of Big Ten play looking for their first road win of the season. The Huskers had chances to pick up victories in each of their two road games, as they led in the final six minutes at both Purdue and Penn State, but were unable to hang on down the stretch.

Michigan (16-5, 8-1 B1G) looks to rebound after its first loss in Big Ten play, a 63-52 setback at Indiana on Sunday. The Hoosiers held Nik Stauskas to just six points on a 1-of-6 shooting, as he entered the game second in the Big Ten in scoring at 18.4 points per game. Michigan’s loss snapped a 10-game win streak dating back to a loss to then-No. 1 Arizona on Dec. 15.

In the first meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska suffered a 71-70 loss to the Wolverines on Jan. 9. The Huskers had two chances to win in the final seconds but a missed shot by Terran Petteway and a missed tip-in by Leslee Smith allowed Michigan to escape with the one-point win.

Hooper Wins Big Ten Weekly Award

jordan-hooperLincoln – Nebraska senior Jordan Hooper captured her second Big Ten Women’s Basketball Player-of-the-Week award of the season after averaging 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in a pair of Husker victories last week, the conference office announced on Monday.

The 6-2 forward from Alliance, Neb., produced a truly historic week, becoming just the third Husker and fifth Big Ten player to achieve the combined career milestones of 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Hooper reached those combined marks when she finished with 25 points and 10 boards to power Nebraska to an 84-51 win over Michigan on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Hooper hit 9-of-13 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 three-pointers against the Wolverines.

Hooper added her Big Ten-leading 10th double-double of the season with 25 points and 13 rebounds in NU’s run past Iowaon Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. She added three assists, two steals and a blocked shot at Iowa. With 12 defensive rebounds, Hooper individually accounted for 15 defensive stops against the Hawkeyes.

For the week, Hooper hit 20-of-35 (.571) of her shots from the floor, including 7-of-14 three-pointers and all three of her free throw attempts. For the season, Hooper is averaging 19.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

Hooper enters the week with 36 career double-doubles and will move past 1993 Wade Trophy winner Karen Jennings into sole possession of second on the Nebraska career list with her next double-double.

Hooper is also in position to move into the Big Ten’s all-time top 15 in both scoring and rebounding this week. She enters the week with 2,078 points and 1,013 career rebounds. Hooper needs 53 points and six rebounds to move into the No. 2 spots on Nebraska’s career scoring and rebounding charts.

Hooper owns eight career Big Ten Player-of-the-Week awards in three seasons. The award marks the third by a Husker this year, joining Hooper’s award on Dec. 31, and Rachel Theriot’s first career honor on Jan. 20.

Nebraska (15-5, 5-3 Big Ten) returns to Big Ten road action on Wednesday when the Huskers take on Wisconsin. Tip-off from the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., is set for 7 p.m. (CT), with free live audio provided by the Husker Sports Network on Huskers.com.

Nebraska 2013-14 Big Ten Players of the Week

  • Jordan Hooper (Feb. 3)
  • Rachel Theriot (Jan. 20)
  • Jordan Hooper (Dec. 31)

Huskers Outlast Illinois, 22-13

UNLChampaign, Ill. – No. 8 Nebraska (11-1, 5-1 Big Ten) built a 15-4 lead at the halfway point and held off an Illinois comeback in a 22-13 triumph at Huff Hall on Saturday evening.

The dual started at 149 pounds, where junior Jake Sueflohn came from behind to defeat Illinois’ Caleb Ervin. Sueflohn, the fifth-ranked wrestler by InterMat, gave up a first-period takedown before earning an escape later in the opening stanza. In the second period, Ervin earned an escape after starting in the down position. Entering the third period trailing 3-1, Sueflohn earned a takedown and tacked on a point for riding time in a 4-3 decision.

No. 1 James Green (157) continued his undefeated season in the second bout of the dual, notching a 10-3 decision over No. 13 Zac Brunson. Green managed four takedowns in the match and added an additional point for riding time. The two-time All-American picked up his 25th win of the season.

Nebraska suffered its first loss of the dual at 165 pounds as sophomore Austin Wilson fell to No. 13 Jackson Morse by a 17-4 major decision. Wilson drops to 17-9 on the season, with a 6-6 record in duals.

At 174 pounds, No. 4 Robert Kokesh won his 13th consecutive match and earned his fourth technical fall with an 18-2 triumph over Tony Dallago. Kokesh, a junior, earned three takedowns in the match to give Nebraska an 11-4 lead.

No. 9 TJ Dudley (184) continued the momentum for the Huskers heading into the halfway break with a 10-1 major decision over Nikko Reyes. In the first period, Dudley managed a last-second takedown to build a 2-0 lead. He added an additional takedown in the second period before a late one in the third period and added near fall points at the end.

At 197 pounds, Caleb Kolb battled No. 4 Mario Gonzalez to extra time before falling by a 3-2 margin. After a scoreless first period, the pair traded escapes in the second and third periods. After a scoreless minute of sudden victory, Gonzalez earned a reversal in the first 30-second overtime period to take a 3-1 advantage. Kolb managed an escape in the second 30-second period but it wasn’t enough.

Heavyweight Collin Jensen responded in the next match with a 3-1 decision over Chris Lopez. After a scoreless opening stanza, Lopez earned a second-period escape before Jensen answered with one of his own in the third period. With time winding down, Jensen took down Lopez at the buzzer to emerge with a victory and give NU an 18-7 lead.

Nebraska suffered back-to-back losses in the next two matches before 141-pounder Colton McCrystal closed out the dual with a victory. At 125 pounds, No. 9 Tim Lambert lost to defending national champion Jesse Delgado in overtime, 3-1. In the following bout, senior Shawn Nagel (133) fell by a 4-2 margin to No. 11 Zane Richards.

At 141 pounds, McCrystal took down John Fahy by a 12-3 major decision to cap the Husker victory.

The Huskers return home next weekend for their final dual of the season at the Devaney Center. Nebraska will honor Caleb Kolb, Shawn Nagel and Adam Joseph as part of its Senior Night activities prior to its dual against Michigan at 7 p.m. CT. The matchup will be streamed on the Big Ten Digital Network.

Results
149: #5 Jake Sueflohn (NEB) by dec. over Caleb Ervin (ILL), 4-3 (NEB 3, ILL 0)
157: #1 James Green (NEB) by dec. over #13 Zac Brunson (ILL), 10-3 (NEB 6, ILL 0)
165: #13 Jackson Morse (ILL) by major dec. over Austin Wilson (NEB), 17-4 (NEB 6, ILL 4)
174: #4 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by tech. fall over Tony Dallago (ILL), 18-2 (NEB 11, ILL 4)
184: #9 TJ Dudley (NEB) by major dec. over Nikko Reyes (ILL), 10-1 (NEB 15, ILL 4)
197: #4 Mario Gonzalez (ILL) by overtime dec. over #20 Caleb Kolb (NEB), 3-2 (NEB 15, ILL 7)
HWT: Collin Jensen (NEB) by dec. over Chris Lopez (ILL), 3-1 (NEB 18, ILL 7)
125: #3 Jesse Delgado (ILL) by overtime dec. over #9 Tim Lambert (NEB), 3-1 (NEB 18, ILL 10)
133: #11 Zane Richards (ILL) by dec. over Shawn Nagel (NEB), 4-2 (NEB 18, ILL 13)
141: Colton McCrystal (NEB) by major dec. over John Fahy (ILL), 12-3 (NEB 22, ILL 13)

Huskers Soar Past Iowa, 80-67

Nebraska-Huskers-BasketballIowa City, Iowa – Tear’a Laudermill scored a career-high 26 points and Jordan Hooper added 25 points and 13 rebounds to power Nebraska to an 80-67 women’s basketball win at Iowa on Saturday afternoon.

The Huskers improved to 15-5 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten while notching their seventh consecutive victory in the series with the Hawkeyes over the last three seasons. Iowa slipped to 17-6 overall and 5-4 in the conference, as the Huskers snapped Iowa’s three-game winning streak.

In the best all-around performance of her career, Laudermill erupted for 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point range to tie her career high with four threes. She also went a perfect 4-for-4 at thre free throw line, while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists in 33 minutes. Laudermill scored Nebraska’s final six points to close out the win, after starting point guard Rachel Theriot fouled out with 3:33 left. Theriot finished with 10 points and four assists.

“It is so much fun to see a player mature as both a player and a person,” Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. “T is definitely doing that right in front of our eyes. She is playing great basketball and having a lot of fun doing it. She was huge for us today.”

Hooper produced her second straight 25-point performance, while adding a game-high 13 rebounds. Hooper added three assists, two steals and a block. She produced her Big Ten-leading 10th double-double while tying 1993 Wade Trophy winner Karen Jennings for second in career double-doubles at NU with 36. Hooper hit 11-of-22 shots from the field, including 3-of-8 three-pointers.

Junior forward Hailie Sample added a strong floor game with 10 points – all in the second half – while adding six rebounds, two assists and a block. Sample went 3-for-5 from the field and 4-of-4 at the free throw line.

In their second straight 80-plus point performance, the Huskers hit 50 percent (31-62) of their shots from the field, including 7-of-18 three-pointers (.389). The Huskers were also a sizzling 11-of-12 from the free throw line. Nebraska outrebounded Iowa 39-30, while matching Iowa with 11 turnovers for the game. The Huskers committed just three turnovers in the second half, after taking a 38-27 lead to the locker room at halftime.

Iowa hit 44.3 percent (27-61) of its shots, including 7-of-19 three-pointers. The Hawkeyes were also 6-of-10 at the free throw line. Samantha Logic, who hit 5-of-7 threes, led Iowa with 22 points, six rebounds and eight assists.

Bethany Doolittle pitched in 16 points and five blocked shots, while Theairra Taylor contributed 15 points and six rebounds. Ally Disterhoft gave Iowa four players in double figures with 12 points, the rest of the Hawkeyes contributed just two points.

Nebraska got huge first halves from Laudermill and Hooper to take a 38-27 halftime lead. Laudermill, who was coming off back-to-back career-best 18-point efforts, erupted for 15 points in the first half on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Laudermill added three rebounds and a pair of assists despite being challenged by a pair of early foul calls.

Laudermill’s explosiveness created space for Hooper to go to work. With the two teams tied at 19 with eight minutes left in the half, Hooper scored seven straight points to ignite a 14-0 run over the next five-plus minutes. Hooper capped the run with a jumper with 2:28 left to put NU up 33-19, before Doolittle scored to end a six-minute scoreless drought for the Hawkeyes.

Hooper hit two more jumers to end the half with 14 points, including a pair of threes, while adding five rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. Hooper went 6-of-13 from the field in the half, including 2-of-4 from long range.

Laudermill and Hooper combined for 12 of NU’s 16 first-half field goals, as the Huskers hit 45.7 percent (16-35) of their first-half shots. They also combined to hit 5-of-8 threes, while NU went 5-of-11 from long range. Sadie Murren closed the half by hitting 1-of-2 free throws with 3.8 seconds left to end the first-half scoring.

Taylor kept Iowa in it in the first half, scoring 10 of Iowa’s first 19 while going 4-of-7 from the field, including 2-of-3 threes. Samantha Logic and Doolittle each added three field goals, but the Hawkeyes went just 11-of-27 from the floor in the half, including 3-of-8 from long range. Disterhoft hit 2-of-3 free throws to account for all of Iowa’s points at the line.

Nebraska outrebounded the Hawkeyes 22-15 in the first half, but lost the turnover battle 8-7.

Hooper, Laudermill, Theriot and Sample made sure the Hawkeyes didn’t get any closer in the second half. Hooper scored the first seven points in the first two minutes of the second half to push NU’s lead to 18 points and force and Iowa timeout. The Big Red lead grew as large as 19 points, and the Huskers never allowed the Hawkeyes to trim it closer than 11 points the rest of the day.

The Huskers continue their two-game Big Ten road swing when they travel to Madison to take on Wisconsin on Wednesday. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Badgers is set for 7 p.m. (CT) with free live audio on Huskers.com provided by the Husker Sports Network.

Legends Weekend Set for Feb. 28-March 1, Nebrasketball Notes

Nebraska-Huskers-BasketballLincoln – Nebraska basketball Coach Tim Miles is welcoming all former Huskers back for the 2014 Legends Weekend.  The two-day event is from Feb. 28 to March 1 and is open to all former Husker basketball players, coaches and team managers.

The second-annual event includes a private reception on Friday evening, tours of Nebraska’s facilities, including the Hendricks Training Complex and Pinnacle Bank Arena, a chance to watch the Huskers’ game-day shoot-around, as well as tickets to

Nebraska’s game against Northwestern on Saturday, March 1.

All of the former players in attendance will be recognized during a special halftime ceremony and receive a special gift.

To sign up for Legends Weekend and for a special group rate, contact Teddy Owens in the Nebraska Basketball Office attowens@Huskers.com or by phone at (918) 906-4229 by Feb. 12.

Feb. 23 Game Time vs. Purdue Set
The Big Ten Conference announced that Nebraska’s game against Purdue on Sunday, Feb. 23, will tip off at 3:15 p.m. (CT). The game was part of a Big Ten Wildcard weekend, and the start time and television network was TBA.  The only remaining game with a TBA start is Senior Day against Wisconsin on March 9.

Shields Named Academic All-District
Nebraska forward Shavon Shields was named first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District VII this morning. Shields is a sophomore microbiology major who carries a 3.77 GPA and will move on to the national ballot to contend for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. On the season, he ranks second on the team in scoring (11.0 ppg), rebounding (5.7 rpg) and assists (1.8 apg). The Huskers are 11-9 on the season heading into a match-up with No. 10 Michigan on Feb. 5.

Huskers Hope to Slow Red Hot Hawkeyes

Nebraska-Huskers-BasketballThe Nebraska women’s basketball team closes its first half of Big Ten Conference play by traveling to Iowa on Saturdayafternoon.

Tip-off between the Huskers (14-5, 4-3 Big Ten) and the Hawkeyes (17-5, 5-3 Big Ten) is set for 2 p.m. (CT) with live radio coverage provided by the Husker Sports Network. Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will be on the call on flagships B107.3 FM in Lincoln, the Wolf 93.3 FM in Omaha and 880 AM KRVN in Lexington. Free live audio is available on Huskers.com.

Live premium video also will be provided by subscribers of BTN.com All-Access.

The Huskers head to Iowa after producing their best all-around performance with an 84-51 win over Michigan at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Wednesday night. All-American Jordan Hooper led the Big Red with 25 points and 10 rebounds while etching her name in Nebraska and Big Ten history. Hooper moved past 2010 All-American Kelsey Griffin into No. 3 on the Husker career scoring list with 2,053 points. Hooper also pulled down the 1,000th rebound of her career to tie 1993 Wade Trophy winner Karen Jennings at No. 3 on the NU career rebound list, while joining Griffin and Jennings as the only Huskers in history to reach the combined milestones of 2,000 points and 1,000 boards. Hooper became just the fifth player in Big Ten history to achieve those marks.

Hooper made history with Griffin sitting on the Husker bench after having her No. 23 jersey retired in pregame ceremonies. Griffin, a four-year WNBA veteran with the Connecticut Sun, made the trip back to Lincoln from her professional season in Australia to watch her first Nebraska game since her historic Husker career came to a close in March of 2010.

Hooper heads to Carver-Hawkeye arena averaging 19.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Junior forward Emily Cady has matched Hooper with a Big Ten-best nine double-doubles on the year, averaging 14.1 points and 9.4 boards per contest, including 15.1 points and 11.0 boards in Big Ten play. Sophomore point guard Rachel Theriot has added 13.0 points and 6.2 assists on the season, after producing her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 11 assists against the Wolverines.

Nebraska Rallies From 16 Down to Top Indiana 60-55

Nebraska-Huskers-BasketballLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Terran Petteway scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half, and Nebraska came back from a 16-point deficit to defeat Indiana 60-55 on Thursday night.

The Cornhuskers (11-9, 3-5 Big Ten) won for the third time in four games and back-to-back conference games for the first time in their three years in the Big Ten. They also improved to 10-1 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The Hoosiers (13-8, 3-5) have lost three of their last four.

Shavon Shields and Walter Pitchford scored 11 points apiece and Ray Gallegos added 10 for Nebraska.

Yogi Ferrell, who made 4 of 7 3-pointers, led the Hoosiers with 14 points. Will Sheehey and Stanford Robinson had 12 apiece. Noah Vonleh, the Hoosiers’ freshman sensation and the Big Ten’s top rebounder, was held to seven points and three boards.

Spring Game Tickets on Sale on Feb. 5

nebraska_helmetNebraska fans can secure their ticket to get their first glimpse of the 2014 Huskers when Red-White Spring Game tickets go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 8 a.m. The 2014 spring game is set for Saturday, April 12 at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska fans may purchase tickets online at Huskers.com, by phone at 1-800-8-BIG-RED or in person at the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office, located in the Stadium Drive Parking Garage (8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays).

All tickets for the Red-White Spring Game are reserved and cost $10 each. All individuals must have a ticket for the game. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early to ensure good seats for the contest. Each of the past several years, more than 20,000 tickets were sold by the end of the first day of sales.

Nebraska has drawn more than 54,000 fans for the Red-White game every year since 2004, with the exception of 2012 when weather forced the cancellation of the game.

Nebraska will once again conduct the Drug Free Pledge at halftime of this year’s game. Youth (eighth grade or younger) are encouraged to take part in the Drug Free Pledge on the field, and those who do will be admitted to the game for free. Drug Free pledge participants must secure a ticket in advance of the contest by calling or visiting the Ticket Office. Parents or sponsors of the youth taking part in the pledge will need to buy a reserved ticket ($10).

A limited number of $15 club seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. UNL faculty and staff will be able to purchase reserved tickets to the spring game for $5. Faculty and staff should purchase their tickets in person at the Ticket Office or over the phone, and will also be asked to show their staff ID at the gate on game day. UNL students will be admitted free to the game, but will need to have a ticket in hand for admittance. UNL students may also visit Huskers.com beginning Feb. 5 to secure their ticket.

2014 Red-White Spring Game
Date: Saturday, April 12
Kickoff: TBD
Tickets: $15 club seats (limited availability); $10 reserved tickets, UNL Faculty & Staff, $5; UNL Students, Free (must secure a ticket) all tickets on sale Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 8 a.m.
Drug Free Pledge: Youth 8th grade and younger are encouraged to take Drug Free Pledge at halftime (admitted for free, but must have  a ticket)
Radio/Internet: Husker Sports Network/Huskers.com

Season Ticket Prices Set for 2014 Football Season
Season ticket prices for the 2014 football season have been set. Season ticket holders and UNL faculty and staff will pay the same price per game for their tickets in 2014 as they did each of the past three seasons.

Public season ticket holders will pay $56 per game for seven home games in 2014 ($392 total) and UNL faculty and staff will be charged $53 per game ($371 total). Nebraska students will pay $161 ($23 per game) in 2014.

Single-game tickets prices for 2014 will be $65 each for non-conference contests against Florida Atlantic and McNeese State. Nebraska’s final non-conference game against Miami, and Big Ten home contests with Illinois (Homecoming), Rutgers, Purdue and Minnesota will all be priced at $75 each.

The matchup between Miami and Nebraska is the Hurricanes’ first visit to Memorial Stadium since 1976, while Rutgers and Purdue will both be visiting Lincoln for the first time. Nebraska will enter the 2014 season with an NCAA-record 333 consecutive sellouts.


Renewal Period Begins for Season Tickets 

Football season ticket renewal information will be sent to Nebraska fans via e-mail and mail this week. Fans are encouraged to renew their tickets on-line before the initial deadline of Feb. 19. Those who pay by e-check during this renewal period will receive a $25 savings on their total bill.

All fans who renew by Feb. 19 will also be eligible for season ticket renewal prizes that will be given away daily during the month of February. Prizes that will be available will include two free football season tickets, autographed items, Husker apparel and gift certificates from local restaurants and sponsors. Top prizes include a football helmet signed by Nebraska’s three Heisman winners, and viewing the Tunnel Walk from the sidelines.

Fans can check out the full list of prizes at Huskers.com/Memorial Stadium.

New options for season ticket holders in 2014 include FedEx delivery of season tickets for an additional $10 charge, and those that renew on-line will have the option of paying for their season tickets in three installments.

Season Ticket Request List Available at Huskers.com
In addition to purchasing spring game tickets, Nebraska fans now also have the ability to secure their place on the football season ticket request list.

Fans interested in becoming a football season ticket holder for the 2014 season should add their name to the request list by visiting Huskers.com/MemorialStadium. Those who add their name to the request list and pay a $25 charge will get the first opportunity to purchase any tickets that may become available.

The availability of tickets will be determined following Nebraska’s season ticket renewal period. After that time, those on the request list will receive e-mail information from Nebraska Athletics regarding their opportunity to purchase tickets through Nebraska’s new Seat Yourself on-line ticketing option.

Full information on the process is available on-line at Huskers.com.

Huskers Storm Past Michigan, 84-51

jordan-hooperLincoln – All-American Jordan Hooper erupted for 25 points and 10 rebounds to join an elite trio of Nebraska legends with 2,000 points and 1,000 boards, as the Huskers rolled to an 84-51 win over Michigan Wednesday.

On a night when Nebraska honored 2010 All-American Kelsey Griffin with her jersey retirement, Hooper joined Griffin and Karen Jennings as the only Huskers in history with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Hooper notched her ninth double-double of the season, grabbing her 10th rebound with just over four minutes left in the game to reach 1,000 for her career.

She exited the game soon after, finishing the night with 2,053 points, passing Griffin on NU’s all-time scoring list with her second three-pointer in the first half. Hooper moved into No. 3 on the Husker career scoring list and is tied with the 1993 Wade Trophy winner Jennings at No. 3 on the career rebounding chart. Hooper also became just the fifth Big Ten player in history to achieve the 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound combined milestones.

As momentous as the historic night by Griffin and Hooper was, it was secondary to the performance of the Big Red. Nebraska improved to 14-5 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten by putting together its best overall effort of the season. Michigan slipped to 14-7 overall and 5-3 in the conference with their first true road loss of the season.

“That was really fun,” Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. “We played really well at both ends. I thought we attacked really well and passed the ball extremely well. I’m not sure how much better we can play, but we’re going to try.”

Hooper hit 9-of-13 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 three-pointers. Tear’a Laudermill matched her career high with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including three straight threes to open the second half to put Michigan away, after Nebraska led 44-26 at the half.

Sophomore point guard Rachel Theriot produced her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 11 assists. Junior forward Emily Cady had her streak of five straight double-doubles snapped with 12 points and seven rebounds, but added six assists while going 5-of-10 from the field.

Junior Hailie Sample completed a strong defensive performance with eight points on 4-of-4 shooting, while pulling down six boards and dishing out two assists. As a team, Nebraska shot a sizzling 53.3 percent from the field, including 11-of-29 from three-point range. NU was also 9-of-10 from the free throw line. NU’s starters went 30-of-47 from the floor.

Nebraska’s offensive success started with its attack mentality and precision passing. The Big Red dished out a season-high 27 assists while committing just seven turnovers – NU’s second-best turnover mark of the year. The Huskers had 27 assists on 32 made baskets.

Nebraska’s 84 points were the second-most allowed by Michigan, trailing only the 86 scored by No. 2 Notre Dame on Dec. 14. The Wolverines had been allowing just 57.7 points per game in Big Ten play.

On the flip side, Nebraska held Michigan to just 36.4 percent (20-55) from the field, including 5-of-12 from three-point range. The Wolverines were 6-of-9 at the line. Nebraska dominated the boards, 38-28, against a Michigan team that entered the game with better than a plus-nine rebound margin per game on the season. The Wolverines also managed just seven assists, while committing 11 turnovers.

Nicole Elmblad led Michigan with 16 points, while Siera Thompson and Shannon Smith each managed 10 points.

Michigan led 6-5 early, but a Theriot three gave Nebraska the lead for good with 16:21 to play in the first half. The Wolverines trailed 10-8 with 13:45 left after a jumper by Elmblad, but Theriot hit another three to spark a 9-0 Husker run that included a jumper by Hooper to give NU its first double-digit lead at 19-8.

Hooper finished with 15 in the first half, while Theriot had all 10 of her points before the break to stake NU to a 44-26 halftime edge.

Laudermill opened the second half by giving NU its first 20-point edge with her first three of the game just 31 seconds after halftime. The lead hovered between 20 and 26 the rest of the game, until a Laudermill layup pushed it to 77-49 with 4:12 left. A pair of Brandi Jeffery free throws pushed it to 30 for the first time at 79-49 with 3:27 remaining and grew as large as 35 on the first Big Ten points of Hannah Tvrdy’s career on a layup with 28 seconds left made it 84-49.

Nebraska returns to Big Ten road action on Saturday at Iowa. Tip-off with a hot Hawkeyes squad is set for 2 p.m. with live radio coverage on the Husker Sports Network and free live audio on Huskers.com. Iowa improved to 17-5 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten with a win at Minnesota on Wednesday. The Hawkeyes have won three straight games and five of their last six in the Big Ten.

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