Huskers Face Hoosiers in Annual Pink Game

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Indiana Hoosiers
Sunday, Feb. 19, 2 p.m. (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Tickets: Huskers.com
Promotion: Play4Kay (Wear Pink/Cancer Awareness)
Runza: 5,000 Free Vouchers to Promote Play4Kay
Live Video Stream: BTN Plus
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln - B107.3 FM, Omaha - ESPN 590 AM
Free Live Audio: Huskers.com/Huskers App/TuneIn App

Huskers Face Hoosiers in Annual Pink Game
  • The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday to battle Indiana on Play4Kay Day. Tip-off between the Huskers (5-20, 1-12 Big Ten) and the Hoosiers (18-8, 8-5 Big Ten) in Lincoln is set for 2 p.m. (CT).
 • Tickets are available now at Huskers.com and doors open 90 minutes prior to tip-off. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to promote cancer awareness. Runza has distributed 5,000 free vouchers at its stores throughout Lincoln to promote Nebraska’s Play4Kay game.
  • A live radio broadcast will be produced by the Husker Sports Network. Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will call the action on B107.3 FM in Lincoln and ESPN 590 AM in Omaha. Free audio also can be found on Huskers.com, the Huskers App and the TuneIn App.
  • The Huskers are led by 6-4 sophomore forward Jessica Shepard, who is averaging a double-double with 18.6 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. She owns 22 career double-doubles, including 12 this season. She has six double-doubles in Big Ten play this season.
 • Shepard is just the fourth Husker in history to produce double-digit double-doubles in two seasons in her career, joining first-team All-Americans Jordan Hooper (2011-12, 2013-14) and Karen Jennings (1990-91, 1992-93) and four-time All-Big Ten choice Emily Cady (2013-14, 2014-15).
23• At Wisconsin (Feb. 9), Shepard became the 32nd player in Husker history to reach 1,000 career points. She became just the second sophomore to accomplish the feat, joining All-American and current WNBA forward Jordan Hooper (1,078, 2010-11/2011-12).
 • Nebraska freshmen Nicea Eliely (7.8 ppg) and Hannah Whitish (7.6 ppg) could become the first pair of Husker freshmen to both average more than 7.0 points per game since 1983-84. Whitish was the 2016 Wisconsin Gatorade High School Player of the Year.
 • Junior guard Jasmine Cincore has produced double figures in three of the last four games. She had just four double-figure scoring efforts in her first 72 career games prior to the stretch.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-20, 1-12 Big Ten)
32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - So. - F - 18.6 ppg, 9.9 rpg
22 - Allie Havers - 6-5 - Sr. - C - 6.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg
3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 7.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 7.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 6.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Off the Bench
24 - Maddie Simon - 6-2 - So. - G - 4.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg
11 - Esther Ramacieri - 5-8 - Sr. - G - 2.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg
2 - Rylie Cascio Jensen - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 0.8 rpg
50 - Darrien Washington - 6-2 - So. - F - 2.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg
12 - Emily Wood - 5-5 - Jr. - G - 2.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg
14 - Grace Mitchell - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 1.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
First Season at Nebraska (5-20); 10th Season Overall (198-129)

Indiana Hoosiers (18-8, 8-5 Big Ten)
33 - Amanda Cahill - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 15.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg
43 - Jenn Anderson - 6-3 - Sr. - C - 9.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg
3 - Tyra Buss - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 18.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg
21 - Karlee McBride - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 5.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg
23 - Alexis Gassion - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 13.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg
Off the Bench
11 - Kym Royster - 6-2 - So. - F - 4.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg
5 - Ria Gulley - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 3.4 ppg, 1.0 rpg
2 - Amber Deane - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 2.3 ppg, 0.5 rpg
22 - Tia Elbert - 5-7 - So. - G - 1.9 ppg, 0.8 rpg
13 - Darby Foresman - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 2.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg
24 - Tyshee Towner - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 1.4 ppg, 0.7 rpg
31 - Bre Wickware - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 1.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg
Head Coach: Teri Moren (Purdue, 1992)
Third Season at Indiana (54-36); 14th Season Overall (253-166)
Scouting Indiana
 • Coach Teri Moren leads her third Indiana team against the Huskers. Moren guided the Hoosiers to the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament after producing a 21-12 overall record that included a 12-6 Big Ten mark that was good for fourth in the final conference standings.
 • The Hoosiers come to Lincoln for their only meeting against the Huskers this season with an 18-8 overall record that includes an 8-5 Big Ten mark. Indiana has won six of its last eight games.
 • Indiana returns all five starters from last season’s squad, including first-team All-Big Ten guard Tyra Buss and honorable-mention All-Big Ten forward Amanda Cahill. Indiana’s five starters have combined for 413 career starts as Hoosiers, while the active roster features 436 starts at Indiana and 93 additional starts at other NCAA Division I schools (529 total Division I starts).
 • Five Indiana players have started 70 or more Division I games, led by Alexis Gassion (107), Amanda Cahill (92), Tyra Buss (90), Jenn Anderson (77) and Amber Deane (72). No Husker has made as many as 60 career starts.
 • Buss, a 5-8 junior point guard, leads Indiana with 18.5 points, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Her 44 three-pointers also lead the Hoosiers, as does her 136-of-168 free throw shooting (.810).
 • Cahill, a 6-2 junior forward, ranks second on the team in scoring with 15.0 points per game while adding a team-best 9.0 rebounds per contest. Cahill is shooting a team-best 39.4 percent (41-104) from three-point range while hitting 78.5 percent (62-79) of her free throws. She also ranks second on the team in steals (40) and third in assists (76).
 • One of the most underappreciated players in the Big Ten, senior Alexis Gassion has added 13.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. The 5-11 guard is an outstanding defender who can also drive to the rim, knock down the mid-range jumpshot, and stretch the defense with an occasional three-pointer. Gassion is also an outstanding passer, ranking second among the Hoosiers with 4.3 assists per game while carrying a sparkling 2.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
 • Jenn Anderson, a 6-3 senior center, gives Indiana a strong, big-bodied post at both ends of the court. Anderson is averaging 9.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting a team-best 63.3 percent from the field and 77.1 percent at the free throw line.
 • Senior guard Karlee McBride rounds out one of the most experienced starting fives in the Big Ten with 5.9 points per game. McBride can stretch a defense with deep threes, but is shooting just 29.8 percent (37-125) from long range so far this season.
 • Sophomore forward Kym Royster (4.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg), freshman guard Ria Gulley (3.4 ppg, 1.0 rpg) and senior Amber Deane (2.3 ppg) have given Indiana reliable contributions off the bench.
 • Indiana has produced solid numbers across the board throughout the season, averaging 77.2 points per game, while shooting 46 percent from the field, including 33.6 percent from three-point range. The Hoosiers have also hit 73 percent of their free throws. Indiana owns a plus-3.9 team rebounding margin and a plus-3.5 team turnover margin.
 • Defensively, Indiana is allowing just 65.8 points per game, while holding opponents to 42.7 percent shooting, including 30.8 percent from long range.
 • However, in Big Ten play, Indiana has averaged just 71.6 points while allowing 67.2 points per game. The Hoosiers are shooting just 42 percent from the field, including just 30.7 percent from three-point range, while opponents have hit 44.1 percent of their shots, including 31.9 percent of their threes. Indiana also has been outrebounded, 37.0-35.2 in conference play. The Hoosiers have posted a plus-4.1 turnover margin in league games.

Nebraska vs. Indiana Series History
 • Nebraska and Indiana are tied at 4-4 in the all-time series, but the Hoosiers have won back-to-back games, including a 79-68 win over the Huskers in Lincoln on Feb. 24, 2016.
 • Indiana swept the season series with Nebraska last year, including a 59-47 win over the Huskers in Bloomington on Feb. 7, 2014
 • Jessica Shepard recorded double-doubles in both games with the Hoosiers last season, including 18 points and 13 rebounds in Bloomington, and 16 points and 11 boards in Lincoln.
 • Indiana’s Amanda Cahill and Tyra Buss both had double-doubles for the Hoosiers in Bloomington a year ago. Buss led Indiana with 17 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and seven steals, before adding 22 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals in Lincoln.
 • Jasmine Cincore (16) and Allie Havers (14) combined for 30 points on 13-of-17 shooting against the Hoosiers in last season’s loss in Lincoln.
 • The Huskers are 2-2 all-time against the Hoosiers in Lincoln, and 1-1 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
 • The two teams have never met at a neutral site.
 • The only time that either team in the series has reached 80 points was in the first meeting between the schools on Nov. 26, 1994, when Indiana managed an 83-80 overtime win at the Devaney Center in Lincoln.
 • Nebraska was 0-2 against Indiana as non-conference opponents, but won the first four games against the Hoosiers as Big Ten foes.
 • Only one of the last six games in the series has been decided by single digits - a 67-64 Nebraska win in Bloomington on Feb. 21, 2015.

Husker Nuggets
• Jessica Shepard is the second Husker in history to record 10 or more double-doubles in back-to-back seasons. She owns 12 double-doubles in 2016-17, including 28 points and 10 rebounds against No. 12 Ohio State (Feb. 16). • Shepard leads the Huskers with averages of 18.6 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. She has 22 career double-doubles, which is tied for sixth in Husker history. • Shepard became the 32nd Husker in history to score 1,000 career points (at Wisconsin, Feb. 9) and just the second to achieve the milestone as a sophomore, joining All-American Jordan Hooper (1,078, 2010-11, 2011-12). • Shepard reached the 1,000-point milestone in fewer games (55) than any Husker in history. • Shepard owns 13 20-point scoring efforts in 25 games, including season highs of 28 points vs. No. 12 Ohio State (Feb. 16), at No. 15 Ohio State (Jan. 29), at Iowa (Dec. 31) and San Jose State (Dec. 9). She owns 29 career 20-plus scoring games in 56 career contests. • Shepard ranks second among the Huskers in three-point field goals made (24), 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. • Nebraska freshman Nicea Eliely leads the Huskers in steals (39), blocks (15) and field goal percentage (.449), while ranking second in scoring (7.8 ppg). Eliely has started all 25 games this season as a true freshman. • Freshman Hannah Whitish is averaging 9.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 13 Big Ten games as a starter. Whitish also leads the Huskers with 41 three-pointers on the season to rank fourth among freshmen in Husker history. She needs five more to catch Anna DeForge in third (46, 1994-95).

Huskers Establishing Solid Starting Five
  • One of Coach Amy Williams’ primary objectives early in the season was to find a starting five from a relatively inexperienced group of Huskers. Only seven players on Nebraska’s active roster have ever started a game for the Huskers, with five of them starting 30 or fewer contests.
  • Although Jessica Shepard is just a sophomore, she owns a team-high 54 career starts, including 29 in 31 games as a freshman.
  • A three-year contributor on the court, 6-5 senior Allie Havers adds 46 career starts to Nebraska’s level of experience in 2016-17.
  • Only three other returning Huskers had ever started a game for Nebraska before this season, including Jasmine Cincore (31 career), Esther Ramacieri (16) and Maddie Simon (5), while true freshmen Nicea Eliely (25) and Hannah Whitish (13) have made their first career starts this season.
 • Overall, Nebraska owns just 190 career starts. Indiana is one of the Big Ten’s most experienced teams with 436 career starts at Indiana and 93 additional starts from players on its active roster that played previously at other NCAA Division I schools.
 • Nebraska sent nine different starting lineups onto the floor in 2015-16.
 • Three times (2003-04, 2006-07, 2011-12) in the last 14 seasons, Nebraska’s starting five has hit the floor for every game together, and five more times the Huskers have only featured six different starters in a season (2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14).

Shepard Leads Big Red on B1G Stage
  • Sophomore Jessica Shepard owns 22 career double-doubles, including 12 this season. Her most recent double-double came with a season-high-tying 28 points and 10 rebounds against No. 12 Ohio State on Thursday. She also had 28 points and 13 rebounds at No. 15 Ohio State (Jan. 29). She had 20 points and 12 rebounds at Penn State (Jan. 19). She had 22 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Rutgers (Jan. 10), which followed 15 points and 12 rebounds at Michigan State (Jan. 7). She also had 17 points and 15 rebounds against Northwestern (Dec. 28). She had 22 points and 11 rebounds at Creighton (Dec. 18). She had a season-high 28 points and 14 rebounds in a win over San Jose State (Dec. 9). She added 23 points and a season-high 16 rebounds against Drake (Dec. 6). It followed a 25-point, 14-rebound performance in a loss at then-unbeaten Virginia Tech (Dec. 1). She had 24 points and 13 rebounds in Nebraska’s 62-59 win over Colorado State (Nov. 17). She opened the season with 17 points and 15 rebounds in a win over UTRGV (Nov. 12).
  • Through 25 games, Shepard is averaging team bests of 18.6 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. She also ranks second on the team with 24 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.
  • 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 66 all-time home games at Pinnacle Bank Arena, the Huskers own a 48-18 record (.727 winning percentage) while averaging 5,602 fans per game (369,746 total fans/66 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 Battling one of Nation’s Best Schedules
  • Nebraska is facing 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.
 • Nebraska’s strength of schedule has ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation throughout the season, coming in at No. 20 after Thursday’s game against Ohio State. Each of Nebraska’s final three regular-season games will come against teams currently in the top 55 in the RPI, including No. 40 Indiana, No. 35 Michigan and No. 52 Michigan State.
  • Through games Feb. 16, NU’s 24 opponents owned a combined record of 387-240 (.617 winning percentage), including current top-25 opponents  No. 1 UConn (25-0), No. 2 Maryland (26-1), No. 12 Ohio State (23-5), No. 20 Michigan (21-6) and No. 25 Drake (20-4). Colorado State (20-6), Creighton (18-6), Penn State (18-8), Missouri (18-9), Northwestern (17-9),  California (17-10), Michigan State (17-9), Virginia (17-9), Virginia Tech (16-10), UTRGV (16-10), Iowa (16-10) and Purdue (16-11) give Nebraska 17 opponents (18 games) with 16 or more victories in 2016-17.
  • Minnesota (14-13), Omaha (13-13), Washington State (10-15), San Jose State (9-16), Illinois (8-18), Rutgers (6-20) and Wisconsin (6-20) are the only Husker opponents with fewer than 15 wins this season.
  • Nebraska’s game Sunday against Indiana will be the Huskers’ 21st game this season against a top 100 RPI opponent and its 16th against an RPI Top 60 foe.
 • Nebraska’s non-conference Strength of Schedule was ranked No. 8 by the NCAA (Jan. 1). NU’s non-conference schedule strength trailed only Minnesota in the Big Ten. 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.

Freshmen Eliely, Whitish Give Huskers Hope
   • Nebraska freshmen Nicea Eliely and Hannah Whitish have helped solidify the Huskers’ starting five, while providing hope for the future for a young Husker roster.
   • Eliely, a 6-1 guard from Colorado Springs, Colo., has started all 25 games and ranks second on the team in scoring with 7.8 points per game. She also leads the Huskers in steals (39) and blocked shots (15) and field goal percentage (.449). She ranks second in minutes per game (26.6).
   • Eliely has produced six double-figure scoring efforts, including 13 points against No. 12 Ohio State (Feb. 16), 12 points at Wisconsin (Feb. 9) and 10 points along with a career-high-tying four steals against Michigan (Jan. 22). She had a career-high 19 points against California (Dec. 4).
   • Whitish, 2016 Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year at Barneveld High School, ranks third on the team in scoring (7.6 ppg), including 9.5 points per game in Big Ten play. She leads the Huskers with 41 threes, which ranks as the fourth-best total by a freshman in school history. Whitish also leads the Huskers in assists (67) and ranks third in steals (23), despite ranking fifth in minutes per game (23.2).
   • In Big Ten play, Whitish leads the Huskers in assists (50) and three-pointers (26), while ranking second on the team in scoring (9.5 ppg), steals (17) and three-point percentage (.371). She has produced double figures seven times in Big Ten play and nine times overall this season. She had career highs of 16 points and four three-pointers at Illinois (Jan. 15). She added 13 points and tied a career best with four threes at Wisconsin (Feb. 9).
   • Eliely and Whitish have a chance to become the first pair of Husker freshmen since 1983-84 to both average better than 7.0 points per game. The last two Husker freshmen to each average better than 7.0 points per game were Angie Miller (14.6 ppg) and Stacy Imming (9.9 ppg) in 1983-84.
   • Since 2010, Nebraska has had five freshmen earn spots on conference all-freshman teams, including Lindsey Moore (Big 12, 2010), Jordan Hooper (Big 12, 2011), Emily Cady (Big Ten, 2012), Rachel Theriot (Big Ten, 2013) and Jessica Shepard (Big Ten, 2016).

Freshmen Leading Huskers at Free Throw Line
  • Traditionally one of the Big Ten’s best free throw shooting teams, Nebraska has struggled this season at the line. However, NU’s free throw numbers are on the way up thanks to solid shooting by the Husker freshmen.
  • Nebraska’s freshmen are 51-of-65 (.785) at the free throw line in Big Ten play, while the Huskers as a team are shooting 64.8 percent.
  • Rylie Cascio Jensen has hit 11 consecutive free throws, including 9-for-9 in Big Ten play and 7-for-7 at Penn State (Jan. 19).
  • Nicea Eliely had hit 14 consecutive free throws, dating back to a miss against Maryland on Jan. 4, before missing a pair late against Minnesota. She hit four free throws in the final 37 seconds in the win over Rutgers (Jan. 10).

Nebraska Streaks
   • Nebraska senior Allie Havers has competed in 121 consecutive games since the first game of her freshman season in 2013-14. The Huskers own a 70-51 record in those contests over the last four years.
   • Junior Jasmine Cincore owns the longest streak of consecutive starts among the Huskers with 30. Havers has made 28 straight starts, while freshman Nicea Eliely and sophomore Jessica Shepard have each started 25 straight games this season. Hannah Whitish has made 13 straight starts.
  • The Huskers have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 276 straight regular-season games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008.
  • Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 155 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.

Shepard Shoots For More as Sophomore
 • Jessica Shepard is averaging 18.6 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. She has produced 12 double-doubles, including six in Big Ten play after her 28-point, 10-rebound effort against No. 12 Ohio State (Feb. 16). She also had a 28-point, 13-rebound performance at No. 15 Ohio State (Jan. 29). She had 20 points and 12 rebounds at Penn State (Jan. 19), after going for 22 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and a season-high three steals in a win over Rutgers (Jan. 10). That followed 15 points and 12 rebounds at Michigan State (Jan. 7). She had 17 points and 15 rebounds in Nebraska’s Big Ten opener against Northwestern (Dec. 28). She had 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 22 career double-doubles to tie for sixth on Nebraska’s career chart in that category.
 • She heads into the Indiana game with 1,038 points and 513 rebounds in her career.
 • Shepard has 13 20-point efforts this season, including season highs of 28 points against San Jose State (Dec. 9), at Iowa (Dec. 31) and twice against top-15 Ohio State (Jan. 29, Feb. 16). She had 25 points at Illinois (Jan. 15), 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). She had 21 points and Purdue (Jan. 26) and 20 points at Penn State (Jan. 19). Shepard owns 29 career 20-point games in her first 56 games as a Husker.
 • Shepard ranks second among the Huskers with 24 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).
 • Shepard was one of 28 players nationally named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year Midseason Watch List by the USBWA on Jan. 24, 2017.
 • 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.
 • 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.