Huskers Open Big Ten Play at Home Against Cats

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Northwestern Wildcats
Wednesday, Dec. 28, 7 p.m. (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Neb.)
Live Video: BTN Plus
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln - B107.3 FM, Omaha - CD 105.9 FM
Free Live Audio: Huskers.com/Huskers App

Huskers Open Big Ten Play at Home Against Wildcats
The Nebraska women’s basketball team opens Big Ten Conference action by taking on a talented, experienced and deep Northwestern Wildcats team on Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.

Tip-off between the Huskers (4-8) and the Wildcats (11-2) is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now at Huskers.com. Tickets also will be available Wednesday night at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Box Office beginning 90 minutes prior to tip-off.

A live radio broadcast will be available from the Husker Sports Network with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action on B107.3 FM in Lincoln and CD 105.9 FM in Omaha. Free audio also can be found on Huskers.com and the Huskers App. A live video stream will be available to premium subscribers of BTN Plus with the radio call joining the in-arena video production.

Nebraska closed its toughest non-conference schedule in school history with a 4-8 record and the No. 12 strength of schedule in the nation. The Huskers’ schedule strength was the second strongest in the Big Ten this season, trailing only Minnesota’s No. 4 strength of schedule. The Big Red faced three unbeaten teams in non-conference play, including USA Today Coaches No. 1 and four-time defending national champion UConn (11-0), No. 18 California (12-0) and No. 20 Virginia Tech (12-0).

The Huskers enter Big Ten play with a higher RPI (136) than 14 teams across the nation with eight or more wins, including Purdue (9-5, RPI 146). Overall, Nebraska’s non-conference opponents have amassed a cumulative record of 97-45, with seven foes winning eight or more games.

Preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection Jessica Shepard has led the Huskers by averaging 18.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. The 2016 Big Ten Freshman of the Year owns six double-doubles this season.

Along with the play of the sophomore Shepard, the Huskers have been bolstered by the performance of freshman Nicea Eliely. The 6-1 guard has started all 12 games while averaging 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Eliely leads the Huskers in steals, field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage, while ranking second on the team in scoring and assists.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-8, 0-0 Big Ten)
32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - So. - F - 18.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg
22 - Allie Havers - 6-5 - Sr. - C - 6.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 8.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg
11 - Esther Ramacieri - 5-8 - Sr. - G - 3.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 5.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg
Off the Bench
3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 5.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg
24 - Maddie Simon - 6-2 - So. - G - 4.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg
12 - Emily Wood - 5-5 - Jr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg
50 - Darrien Washington - 6-2 - So. - F - 2.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg
2 - Rylie Cascio Jensen - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 2.2 ppg, 1.0 rpg
14 - Grace Mitchell - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 2.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
First Season at Nebraska (4-8); 10th Season Overall (197-117)

Northwestern Wildcats (11-2, 0-0 Big Ten)
10 - Nia Coffey - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 20.6 ppg, 12.2 rpg 
34 - Oceana Hamilton - 6-4 - Jr. - C - 2.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg
3 - Ashley Deary - 5-4 - Sr. - G - 11.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg
12 - Lydia Rohde - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 6.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg
24 - Christen Inman - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 13.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg 
Off the Bench
11 - Lauren Douglas - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 7.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg
5 - Jordan Hankins - 5-8 - So. - G - 4.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg
44 - Abi Scheid - 6-2 - Fr. - F/C - 3.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg
21 - Abbie Wolf - 6-4 - Fr. - F/C - 2.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg
32 - Amber Jamison - 6-0 - So. - G - 2.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg
4 - Bryana Hopkins - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 2.6 ppg, 0.6 rpg
30 - Allie Tuttle - 6-4 - Sr. - F/C - 1.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg
35 - Maya Jonas - 6-2 - Jr. - G - 1.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg
14 - Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah - 6-2 - So. - F - 1.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg
22 - Byrdy Galernik - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 1.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Head Coach: Joe McKeown (Kent State, 1979)
Ninth Season at Northwestern (140-129); 31st Season Overall (649-303)

Husker Nuggets
• Jessica Shepard needs 10 points to reach 800 in her Husker career. Shepard enters the Northwestern game with 790 points in 43 career games. She needs eight rebounds to reach 400 in her career. Last season in two games against Northwestern, Shepard averaged 12.5 points and 11.0 rebounds.
• Shepard leads the Huskers with averages of 18.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She produced her 16th career double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds at Creighton (Dec. 18). Shepard ranks 10th in school history with 16 double-doubles.
• Shepard owns six double-doubles this season, including a season-high 28 points and 14 rebounds against San Jose State (Dec. 9). She had 23 points and a season-high 16 rebounds against Drake (Dec. 6), 25 points and 14 rebounds at Virginia Tech (Dec. 1), 24 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Colorado State (Nov. 17), and 17 points and 15 rebounds in a win over UTRGV (Nov. 12).
• Shepard owns six 20-point scoring efforts through 12 games, including a season-high 28 points against San Jose State (Dec. 9). She owns 22 career 20-plus scoring games in 43 career contests.
• Shepard ranks second among the Huskers in three-point field goals made (14), including a game-clinching three with one minute left in the win over Colorado State on Nov. 14, and a 60-foot heave at the first-half buzzer in the win over UTRGV on Nov. 12. She also beat the first-half buzzer with a three at Creighton (Dec. 18).
• Nebraska freshman Nicea Eliely ranks second on the team in scoring (8.5 ppg), third in rebounding (4.3 rpg), second in assists (2.8 apg) and first in steals (1.6 spg), field goal percentage (.513) and three-point field goal percentage (.429) through the first 12 games of her collegiate career.

Scouting Northwestern
Arguably the Big Ten’s most experienced team, Northwestern comes to Lincoln with an 11-2 non-conference record to its credit to open conference play against the Huskers. The Wildcats feature a trio of four-year senior starters in All-Big Ten-caliber performers Nia Coffey, Ashley Deary and Christen Inman.

Coffey, a 6-1 forward from Minneapolis, was an honorable-mention WBCA All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten choice as a junior when she averaged 20.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Coffey, who is averaging 20.6 points and 12.2 boards per game as a senior, is closing in on 2,000 career points. She enters Big Ten play with 1,933 points in 110 career games. She has already amassed more than 1,000 rebounds, entering conference play with 1,015 in her career. Coffey also fills up several other statistical categories, including assists (234), blocks (211) and steals (160) in her career.

Deary, who has started 113 games in her Northwestern career, also has filled up the stat sheet with more than just points. The 5-4 senior point guard has played a whopping 3,728 minutes as a Wildcat - an average of 33 minutes per game in her career. With 370 career steals she needs just three steals against the Huskers to become the Big Ten’s all-time steals leader (current record 372, Stacey Thomas, Michigan, 1997-2000).

Last season in two games against the Big Red, Deary nabbed 10 steals, including eight in an 85-62 win over the Huskers in Evanston on Jan. 3. Nebraska did limit Deary to two steals in a 76-67 win over the Wildcats to close Big Ten regular-season play in 2016. In five career games against the Huskers, Deary owns 17 steals.

The diminutive guard also has piled up 1,130 points and 675 career assists. Her assist total ranks eighth in Big Ten history, immediately behind Nebraska All-American Lindsey Moore, who set the Husker record with 699 from 2010 to 2013.

Deary is averaging 11.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 4.5 steals per game this season.

Four-year starter Christen Inman ranks second among the Cats in scoring this season with 13.3 points per game, after pouring in 14.5 points per game as a junior. The 5-10 guard owns 1,297 career points, 341 rebounds, 248 assists and 152 steals in a 107 career games.

In addition to the trio of 1,000-point scorers the Wildcats have in their starting lineup, fifth-year senior Lauren Douglas has produced 1,046 points in 103 career games. A starter as a freshman, Douglas has battled injury the last several years but has continued to provide big production on the offensive end. She leads the Cat bench with 7.8 points and 3.5 rebounds this season, while averaging 10.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in her career. Douglas was a high school teammate of Nebraska junior Jasmine Cincore at Briarcrest Christian High School in Tennessee.

Juniors Lydia Rohde (6.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg) and Oceana Hamilton (2.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg) round out Northwestern’s starting five, while senior Allie Tuttle (1.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and sophomores Jordan Hankins (4.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah (1.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg) give the Cats more athleticism and experience.

Northwestern also has been bolstered by freshmen Abi Scheid (3.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg), Abbie Wolf (2.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg) and Byrdy Galernik (1.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg) this season.

As a team, Northwestern is averaging 73.5 points while holding the opposition to 60.6 points per game. The Wildcats are plus-3.4 on the glass (40.8-37.4) and carry a plus-3.3 team turnover margin.

Northwestern is shooting a solid 44.4 percent as a team from the field, including 33.5 percent from three-point range. The Cats also have been solid at the free throw line, hitting 71.5 percent of their attempts. Coffey and Deary have combined to hit 101 of Northwestern’s 181 made free throws this season. Nebraska has hit 110 as a team.

Northwestern, which finished 18-17 overall and 4-14 in the Big Ten last season, enters Big Ten play at No. 45 in the RPI after managing a strength of schedule of 167 in non-conference play this season. The Wildcats own solid wins over Florida (73-68) and Virginia (69-60) in Evanston, but suffered losses at DePaul (89-66) and Gonzaga (67-56).

Northwestern is 9-0 in Evanston this season and 2-2 on the road with wins at Santa Clara (RPI 87) and Milwaukee (RPI 145).

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Northwestern 8-5, although the series is tied 4-4 as Big Ten foes. The current senior classes are 3-3 against each other, but the Wildcat senior starters (Coffey, Deary and Inman) have not won in Lincoln.

In addition to Nebraska’s 76-67 win last season at Pinnacle Bank Arena, the Huskers defeated the Cats 66-65 on Jan. 2, 2014. Inman (19 points, 5 rebounds) and Coffey (16 points, 9 rebounds) led the Wildcats as true freshmen, while sophomore Lauren Douglas added 13 points off the bench in the loss.

Shepard Leads Big Red on B1G Stage
• Sophomore Jessica Shepard owns 16 career double-doubles, including six this season. Her most recent double-double came with 22 points and 11 rebounds at Creighton on Dec. 18. She had a season-high 28 points and 14 rebounds in a win over San Jose State on Dec. 9. She added 23 points and a season-high 16 rebounds against Drake on Dec. 6. It followed a 25-point, 14-rebound performance in a loss at unbeaten Virginia Tech on Dec. 1. She also had 24 points and 13 rebounds in Nebraska’s 62-59 win over Colorado State on Nov. 17. She opened the season with 17 points and 15 rebounds in a win over UTRGV on Nov. 12.
• Through 12 games, Shepard is averaging team bests of 18.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She also ranks second on the team with 14 three-pointers, including a game-clinching three with one minute left against Colorado State and a 60-footer at the first-half buzzer in the win over UTRGV. She added a first-half buzzer-beater at Creighton. The 6-4 sophomore forward had not hit a collegiate three-pointer prior to this season.
• Shepard earned Preseason All-Big Ten honors when the conference announced its preseason awards on Oct. 24. Shepard was one of two sophomores on the coaches preseason all-conference team, joining Penn State guard Teniya Page. Shepard was the lone sophomore honored by the media on its 10-player preseason team.
• Shepard became the first freshman in Nebraska history to earn first-team all-conference honors. She produced school freshman-record averages of 18.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in 2015-16.
• Shepard became the first Husker in history to earn conference freshman-of-the-year accolades. The 6-4 forward from Fremont, Neb., joined Emily Cady (2012) and Rachel Theriot (2013) as Huskers who earned spots on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in Nebraska’s first five seasons in the conference.
• Shepard set a conference record by winning 10 Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards.

Nebraska Ranks Near Top in Attendance
• Nebraska closed the 2015-16 season ranked No. 9 nationally in total attendance (102,682) and No. 12 in NCAA Division I in average home attendance (5,404). It marked the third consecutive season inside Pinnacle Bank Arena that the Big Red have ranked among the top 12 nationally in both categories.
• In 60 all-time home games at Pinnacle Bank Arena, the Huskers own an impressive 47-13 record (.783 winning percentage) while averaging 5,713 fans per game (342,751 total fans/60 games).
• Nebraska attracted a non-conference school-record crowd of 9,750 to open its stay in the building with a win over UCLA on Nov. 8, 2013.

Big Red To Battle One of Nation’s Best Schedules
• Nebraska will likely face the toughest overall schedule in school history in 2016-17. The Huskers will play 10 games against NCAA Tournament teams and 11 more regular-season games against Postseason WNIT teams in 2016-17.
• Through Monday’s games, Nebraska’s 12 non-conference opponents owned a cumulative record of 97-45 (.683 winning percentage), including unbeaten records for No. 1 UConn (11-0), No. 18 California (12-0) and No. 20 Virginia Tech (12-0).
• Through Monday’s games, Nebraska’s Strength of Schedule ranked No. 12 by RPIRatings.com. NU’s schedule strength was No. 2 in the Big Ten, trailing only Minnesota. Nebraska, Minnesota and Rutgers were the only three Big Ten teams to enter conference play with a top-25 strength of schedule. Six Big Ten teams entered league play with strength of schedules below 100, including Purdue (204), Maryland (203), Indiana (176), Northwestern (167), Ohio State (155) and Wisconsin (114).
• Nebraska’s appearance in the 2016 Preseason WNIT to open the year featured three games against postseason foes, including NCAA Tournament teams Missouri and Colorado State.
• Virginia, Virginia Tech, Drake and Creighton all competed in the 2016 WNIT and the Huskers will play three of those games on the road. Nebraska closes non-conference play at home against UConn, which has won four consecutive NCAA titles.
• A total of 13 of Nebraska’s 16 Big Ten Conference games will come against postseason foes, including seven games against NCAA qualifiers and six more against WNIT teams from a year ago.
• Nebraska’s 16-game regular-season home schedule will feature 13 games against postseason teams, including all eight Big Ten Conference home games.

Nebraska Streaks
• Nebraska senior Allie Havers has competed in 108 consecutive games since the first game of her freshman season in 2013-14. The Huskers own a 69-39 record in those contests over the last four years.
• Junior Jasmine Cincore owns the longest streak of consecutive starts among the Huskers with 17. Havers has made 15 straight starts, while Esther Ramacieri has started 13 consecutive games dating back to the end of last season.
• The Huskers have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 263 straight regular-season games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008.
• Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 142 consecutive games.
• Nebraska has had at least two players earn first- or second-team All-Big Ten honors in each of its first five seasons in the Big Ten.
• Nebraska finished with a 9-9 Big Ten record to mark the fifth consecutive season the Huskers have posted a .500 or better Big Ten record. Nebraska is the only Big Ten team with a .500 or better record in each of the last five seasons. In fact, no other Big Ten team has had four straight .500 marks. The only other team with three straight .500 or better Big Ten seasons is Minnesota, which went 11-7 in both 2015 and 2016 after going 8-8 in 2014.

Pump Up the Program
• Nebraska earned its fifth straight postseason tournament bid with a trip to the 2016 WNIT. The Huskers were one of only 21 Division I teams to earn four consecutive NCAA Tournament bids from 2012 through 2015.
• The Huskers have produced seven 20-win seasons in the last 10 years. Nebraska owns 16 20-win seasons in program history.
• Nebraska is the only team in the Big Ten to post a .500 or better conference mark in each of the last five years. Minnesota is the only other Big Ten team to do it each of the last three seasons.
• The Huskers, who joined the Big Ten in 2011-12, have averaged 10.6 conference wins per season since joining the conference. The Big Red have added eight Big Ten Tournament wins for 61 total victories over Big Ten foes during the past five years (12.2 wins per season).
• Nebraska has ranked among the top 12 schools nationally in average home attendance in each of the Huskers’ first three seasons at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Big Red have ranked among the top 10 nationally in total home attendance in each of the first three seasons at the arena, including 102,682 fans in 2015-16.
• Nebraska set a season ticket sales record with 4,032 season tickets sold as of Jan. 31, 2016. It marked the first time in school history the Huskers sold 4,000 season tickets. Nebraska’s season ticket number for 2016-17 was 3,980 as of Dec. 21, 2016.
• Nebraska featured six first-team academic All-Big Ten selections in 2015-16, including returning Huskers Jasmine Cincore, Allie Havers and Emily Wood.

Shepard Shoots for More as Sophomore
• Jessica Shepard has her sophomore season off to a strong start averaging 18.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She has produced six double-doubles, including 22 points and 11 rebounds against Creighton (Dec. 18). That followed a season-high 28 points and 14 rebounds against San Jose State (Dec. 9), 23 points and a season-high 16 rebounds against Drake (Dec. 6), 25 points and 14 rebounds at Virginia Tech (Dec. 1), 24 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Colorado State (Nov. 17), and 17 points and 15 boards in a win over UTRGV (Nov. 12).
• Shepard owns 16 career double-doubles to rank 10th on Nebraska’s career chart in that category.
• Shepard has six 20-point efforts this season, including a season-high 28 points in the win over San Jose State (Dec. 9). She had 25 points at Virginia Tech (Dec. 1) and against Washington State (Nov. 25). She scored 24 points against Colorado State (Nov. 17), before going for 23 points, including 22 in the second half, against Drake (Dec. 6). Shepard owns 22 career 20-point games in her first 43 games as a Husker.
• Shepard ranks second among the Huskers with 14 three-pointers on the season, including a game-clinching three in the win over Colorado State and a buzzer-beating 60-footer to close the first half in the win over UTRGV. She also hit a first-half buzzer-beater at Creighton. Shepard did not hit a three-pointer as a freshman.
• Nebraska’s first Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Shepard became the first Husker in history to earn first-team all-conference honors as a freshman in 2015-16. During the season, she set a conference record by winning 10 Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards. She was also a two-time Big Ten Player of the Week (Dec. 21, Jan. 25).
• One of only two freshmen on the Naismith Trophy Midseason Top 30 in 2015-16 (joining Cal’s Kristine Anigwe), Shepard was the USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Dec. 22, 2015; Jan. 26, 2016). Shepard was the espnW and College Sports Madness National Player of the Week (Jan. 25).
• Shepard finished 10th overall in the Big Ten in scoring (18.5 ppg) and fifth in rebounding (8.6 rpg), including fourth on the offensive glass (3.1 rpg) and 10th on the defensive boards (5.5 rpg). She ranked 13th in conference field goal percentage (.510).
• The 6-4 forward from Fremont, Neb., finished with Nebraska freshman record averages of 18.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Her 574 total points were a Nebraska freshman record, while her 266 rebounds ranked second among freshmen in Husker history.
• She amassed 16 games with 20 or more points as a freshman, including 11 in Big Ten play. She produced the first of two 35-point performances against Northern Arizona Dec. 19, 2015. She added 35 points at Michigan, Jan. 24. She scored in double figures 25 times.
• Shepard averaged just 4.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 20 minutes per game over the final two games of 2015-16 as she battled a stress reaction in her foot. She did not practice March 1-17, while she rested the injury.
• Shepard was not cleared for her first full practice until Oct. 27, 2015, after suffering an ACL tear as a high school senior on Dec. 29, 2014. On Nov. 1, she had 29 points and 12 rebounds against Nebraska-Kearney in NU’s exhibition opener. She added 42 points and 12 rebounds in just 25 minutes in a second exhibition against Winona State on Nov. 8.
• She was the top recruit in Nebraska history, as the No. 1 post and No. 3 overall recruit in the nation by ESPN. A first-team Parade All-American as a high school senior despite missing nearly all of her final year (ACL tear, Dec. 29, 2014), Shepard was the 2013 and 2014 Nebraska High School Player of the Year. Shepard averaged 12.8 points and 3.8 rebounds while helping the USA Basketball U18 Team to a 5-0 record and a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas Championship.

Freshmen Contributing Early
Rylie Cascio Jensen, 5-10, Guard, Fremont, Neb.
• Nebraska’s four-player freshman class of Rylie Cascio Jensen, Nicea Eliely, Grace Mitchell and Hannah Whitish have been looked to for immediate contributions on the Huskers’ 11-player active roster.
• Cascio Jensen, a 5-10 guard from Fremont High School, was the 2016 Nebraska High School Player of the Year. She averaged 22.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.6 steals per game for the Tigers.
• She is averaging 2.2 points and 1.8 assists in 14.3 minutes per game this season.
• Cascio Jensen had season highs with six points and two three-pointers in wins over both Omaha (Nov. 22) and San Jose State (Dec. 9).

Nicea Eliely, 6-1, Guard, Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Eliely, a 6-1 guard out of Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, has started all 12 games and is averaging 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
• Eliely produced a career-high 19-point performance in a loss to California on Dec. 4. She hit 8-of-13 shots from the field including 2-of-3 three-pointers against the Bears. She added two rebounds, two assists and two steals.
• She added her second career double-figure scoring effort with 13 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block in a win over San Jose State on Dec. 9. She hit 6-of-9 shots from the field against the Spartans.
• She earned her first career start in Nebraska’s season-opening win over UTRGV on Nov. 12. Eliely performed well with nine points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals against the Vaqueros, while also drawing the primary defensive assignment on 2016 WAC Player-of-the-Year Shawnte’ Goff.
• Eliely played Nebraska’s best all-around game in the loss to No. 25 Missouri on Nov. 14. She finished with eight points, eight rebounds, two assists and a steal against the Tigers. She also hit her first career three-pointer against the Tigers.
• She was even better in Nebraska’s win over Colorado State, contributing six points, six rebounds and a career-high six assists to go along with three steals. She also helped frustrate and foul out 2016 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Ellen Nystrom.
• She had one of Nebraska’s best all-around games with seven points, five rebounds, four assists and a block in the loss to No. 1 UConn on Dec. 21.
• Eliely added nine points, six rebounds, two assists and a career-high four steals in Nebraska’s win over Omaha on Nov. 22. She scored nine more points while adding three rebounds, a block and a steal at Virginia Tech on Dec. 1.
• Eliely was a Colorado Class 5A performer as a senior in 2015-16. Ranked as the No. 25 guard in the nation by ESPN and the No. 143 player in the nation by Blue Star, Eliely averaged 21.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 3.4 steals and 2.0 blocks per game as a senior for the Rams.

Hannah Whitish, 5-9, Guard, Barneveld, Wis.
• Whitish, a 5-9 guard from Barneveld, Wis., was the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 24.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.5 steals as a senior. The five-time first-team All-Wisconsin selection led Barneveld High School to four consecutive state championship game appearances including a pair of state titles. She led her team to a 110-4 record in her career, while ranking among the top 10 in Wisconsin High School history in career points with well over 2,000.
• Whitish has been Nebraska’s top contributor off the bench through 12 games with 5.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 16.9 minutes per contest. Whitish also leads the Huskers with 15 three-pointers this season (15-42, .357).
• She played arguably Nebraska’s best individual game with nine points on a career-high three three-pointers, while adding two rebounds, two assists, no turnovers and a steal in 19 minutes against No. 1 UConn on Dec. 21.
• In her Husker debut, Whitish scored seven points on 3-of-4 shooting with a three-pointer, while adding two assists, one steal and no turnovers in the win over UTRGV on Nov. 12.
• After struggling against Missouri, Whitish played a huge role in Nebraska’s win over Colorado State, finishing with her first career double-figure scoring performance. Her 10-point effort in the win over the Rams included a career-high three three-pointers with the final triple coming on a cast from the deep left wing with one second on the shot clock to give Nebraska a 58-55 lead with 1:48 left. She added a free throw with 18 seconds left to seal the 62-59 win.
• Whitish added her second straight double-figure scoring performance with 10 points and career highs of five assists and two steals in Nebraska’s win over Omaha on Nov. 22.

Grace Mitchell, 6-2, Forward/Guard, Wellington, Kan.
• Mitchell, a 6-2 forward/guard, was the Kansas Player of the Year as selected by USA Today High School Sports. She averaged 21.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks as a senior at Wellington High School. She also hit 48 percent of her three-pointers while setting a single-season school record with 533 points on her way to Kansas Class 4A Player-of-the-Year honors. She was ranked as the No. 51 wing in the nation by ESPN.
• Mitchell has averaged 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game this season. She produced a career-high seven-point effort against Drake on Dec. 6. Mitchell scored five points and had the first two steals of her career during a 15-5 Husker surge in the second quarter that helped send the Big Red to halftime with a 33-32 lead over the Bulldogs.
• She played well off the bench with five points on 2-of-2 shooting, including a three-pointer, while adding three rebounds against No. 1 UConn on Dec. 21.
• Mitchell hit the first three-pointer of her career in the second quarter against Drake.
• She scored two points and grabbed two rebounds off the bench in her Husker debut against UTRGV, and added an important putback in Nebraska’s 62-59 win over Colorado State on Nov. 17.

Nebraska’s History of Home Success
• Nebraska opened 2016-17 with a 71-53 win over UTRGV for its 11th consecutive season-opening win at home. The Huskers went 15-4 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2015-16 after going 12-3 (13-3 at home) in 2014-15. The Huskers are 47-13 (.783) all-time at Pinnacle Bank Arena since the building opened for the 2013-14 campaign. The Big Red went 16-2 at home in 2013-14, suffering their only Big Ten loss to Purdue, 77-75, on Jan. 19, 2014. Nebraska’s 16 home wins in 2013-14 tied the school record for single-season home victories.
• The Huskers played the first regular-season basketball game in the history of the arena against USA Today No. 25 UCLA (Nov. 8, 2013) and rolled to a 77-49 win over the Bruins. NU’s first win over an AP Top 25 team came with a 76-56 win over No. 24 Michigan State on Feb. 8, 2014. The Huskers added their first-ever win over an AP Top 10 team at the arena with a 94-74 victory over No. 8 Penn State on Feb. 24, 2014
• NU won its first-ever Big Ten home game with a 66-65 thriller over Northwestern Jan. 2, 2014, before an 88-85 win over Minnesota on Jan. 16, 2014, marked the first overtime game in Pinnacle Bank Arena history.
• NU suffered its first loss at the arena to Washington State (76-72) on Nov. 30, 2013.
• The Huskers are 436-143 (.753) all-time at home. The Huskers have gone 172-47 (.785) over the last 14 seasons, posting double-figure home victory totals in each of the last 13 years.
• Nebraska played in the Devaney Center from 1976-77 through 2012-13, and added one appearance at Devaney against Utah on Nov. 23, 2014. The Huskers own a 389-130 record at the Devaney Center, including 146-88 (.624) mark in conference play.