Huskers Clash with Clemson in Challenge

Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-2) vs. Clemson Tigers (4-2)
Thursday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m. (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Live Video: BTN Plus
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln - 107.3 FM; Omaha - CD 105.9 FM
Free Live Audio: Huskers.com/Huskers App
Live Stats

Huskers Clash with Clemson in Big Ten/ACC Challenge
• The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns home to take on Clemson in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tip-off between the Huskers (4-2) and the Tigers (4-2) is set for 7 p.m.

• A live radio broadcast will be produced by the Husker Sports Network, with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch teaming up for their 17th season together on the call. The games will be carried live for free on Huskers.com and over the air on select Husker Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM 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 subscribers of BTN Plus.

• Nebraska is coming off a 55-47 win over Coastal Carolina in NU’s final game of the San Juan Shootout in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Nov. 24. The 47 points allowed by the Huskers in the win over the Chanticleers marked the fewest points scored against an Amy Williams-coached Nebraska team. The last time a Nebraska team held a foe in the 40s came against Evansville on Dec. 8, 2015 (86-40) at Pinnacle Bank.

• Nebraska is 2-0 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge with wins over N.C. State (88-67, Dec. 3, 2015) and Duke (60-54, Dec. 3, 2014).

• Clemson comes to Nebraska after the two teams saw each other at the San Juan Shootout in Daytona Beach, Nov. 23-24. The Tigers defeated Detroit Mercy (72-44) on Nov. 23, before falling to Buffalo (61-41) on Nov. 24. The Huskers suffered a 10-point loss to the Bulls the previous day.

• A pair of Husker freshmen find themselves atop Nebraska’s offensive statistics early in the season. Taylor Kissinger, a 6-1 guard from Minden, Neb., is averaging a team-high 13.5 points per game while leading the Big Red with 18 three-pointers on 38.3 percent (18-47) shooting from long range. Kissinger averaged 14.0 points and buried nine threes in two games at the San Juan Shootout.

• Kate Cain, a 6-5 freshman center from Middletown, N.Y., ranks second among the Huskers in scoring (9.7 ppg) and third in rebounding (5.2 rpg) while leading the Huskers in blocked shots (2.7 bpg). Cain, who has 16 blocks, needs four more to join the top 10 freshman block totals (20) in NU history.

• Nebraska junior forward Maddie Simon has missed the last three games for the Huskers with a severely sprained ankle. Simon is averaging 6.7 points and a team-best 9.3 rebounds per game.

• Husker sophomore Nicea Eliely has returned to the lineup the past three games, averaging 5.3 points and 6.3 rebounds during that span.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-2, 0-0 Big Ten)
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 7.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg
31 - Kate Cain - 6-5 - Fr. - C - 9.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg
3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - So. - G - 8.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg
12 - Emily Wood - 5-5 - Sr. - G - 5.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg
33 - Taylor Kissinger - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg
Off the Bench
13 - Bria Stallworth - 5-6 - So. - G - 7.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg
24 - Maddie Simon - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 6.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - So. - G - 5.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg
14 - Grace Mitchell - 6-2 - So. - F - 4.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg
43 - Rachel Blackburn - 6-3 - So. - F - 2.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg
50 - Darrien Washington - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 1.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Injured
13 - Janay Morton - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Second Season at Nebraska (11-24)
11th Season Overall (204-133)

Clemson Tigers (4-2, 0-0 ACC)
24 - Ivy Atkism - 6-2 - Sr. - P - 3.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg
44 - Kobi Thornton - 6-2 - So. - P - 8.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg
1 - Destiny Thomas - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 3.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg
5 - Danielle Edwards - 5-7 - Jr. - G - 8.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg
10 - Francesca Tagliapietra - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 4.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Off the Bench
15 - Jaia Alexander - 5-9 - So. - G - 7.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg
12 - Aliyah Collier - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 5.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg
55 - Tylar Bennett - 6-4 - Fr. - P - 4.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg
33 - Alexis Carter - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 3.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg
2 - Jenise Strover - 6-1 - Fr. - P - 2.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg
20 - Sirah Diarra - 6-2 - Jr. - P - 1.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg
11 - Siana Fields - 5-8 - So. - G - 0.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg
22 - Keniece Purvis - 5-7 - Jr. - G - 0.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg
32 - Chyna Cotton - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 0.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Head Coach: Audra Smith (Virginia, 1992)
Fifth Season at Clemson (45-84)
14th Season Overall (183-222)

Scouting the Clemson Tigers
• Coach Audra Smith is in her fifth season leading Clemson. The Tigers come to Lincoln with a 4-2 record after splitting a pair of games with Detroit Mercy (W, 72-44) and Buffalo (L, 41-61) at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach as part of the San Juan Shootout last week.

• Clemson has struggled offensively early in the season, averaging just 50.5 points per game while shooting just 32.8 percent from the field, including 19.4 percent (12-for-62) from three-point range through six games on the season. 

• The Tigers have missed senior Nelly Perry after she underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in mid-October. Perry, a 5-10 wing, was Clemson’s leading scorer last year after averaging 12.7 points per game. She also tied for the team lead with 2.9 assists per game, while adding 4.2 boards per contest.

• Junior Aliyah Collier has also struggled early in the season. The 5-10 guard was Clemson’s leading rebounder a year ago (7.9 rpg) while adding 10.0 points per game. Collier, who was the only Tiger to start every game her freshman season in 2015-16, provided a dynamic presence on the perimeter alongside Perry last season, but has only played three of Clemson’s first six games and has not started. She has managed 5.3 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds in limited action. She is coming off her best game of the season with 11 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes against Buffalo (Nov. 24).

• Clemson has featured the same starting lineup through its first six games, led by 6-2 sophomore post Kobi Thornton, who has averaged a team-high 8.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

• Danielle Edwards, a 5-7 junior guard, ranks second on the team in scoring with 8.5 points to go along with 3.3 rebounds. Edwards averaged 9.7 points and 4.1 boards per game a year ago.

• Junior Francesca Tagliapietra has started in place of Collier. The 5-9 junior has missed the last two seasons because of injury after appearing in 21 games as a true freshman in 2014-15.

• Destiny Thomas, a 5-10 freshman guard, has started in place of Perry, managing 3.7 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

• Jaia Alexander, a 5-9 sophomore guard, has provided significant contributions off the bench with 7.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, while 6-4 freshman post Tylar Bennett has pitched in 4.0 points and 4.0 rebounds while playing a major role inside.

• So far this season, Clemson has just 44 assists on 107 made baskets, including just four assists on 15 made field goals against Buffalo in its last game. The Tigers’ 44 assists have come against 104 turnovers.

• Clemson leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 1-0, with the only previous meeting coming on Nov. 24, 1984. The Tigers defeated the Huskers at the Devaney Center, 99-84.

Nebraska Streaks 
• Senior guard Jasmine Cincore had her streak of 39 consecutive starts come to an end against Coastal Carolina on Nov. 24. Sophomore guard Hannah Whitish (23) now owns the longest streak of consecutive starts by a Husker. Nebraska’s second-longest streak is six games by freshman Taylor Kissinger (6). 

• Whitish and Kissinger have joined each other in the Husker starting five for each of Nebraska’s first six games - the only two Huskers to start all six games this season.

• The Huskers have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 286 straight regular-season games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008.

• Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 165 consecutive games. 

• Nebraska snapped its 19-game road losing streak with its 55-47 win over Coastal Carolina in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Nov. 24. The Huskers’ last win in a true away game came at Michigan (93-81) on Jan. 24, 2016.

• Kate Cain has blocked at least one shot in each of the first six games of her career. She has five games with two or more blocks.

• Jasmine Cincore has recorded at least one steal in six consecutive games. She had two or more steals in each of her first five games (all starts).

• Cincore has notched at least one assist in 15 consecutive games dating back to a game at Purdue on Jan. 26, 2017. The last game Cincore went without an assist was against Michigan (Jan. 22, 2017).

• Hannah Whitish has posted at least one assist in eight consecutive games, and has three or more assists in five games this season.

• Taylor Kissinger and Emily Wood each have knocked down at least one three-pointer in five consecutive games.

• Kissinger has at least three rebounds in all six games this season. • Maddie Simon has grabbed at least eight rebounds in three consecutive games. • Nicea Eliely has at least five rebounds in five straight games.

• Bria Stallworth has at least one assist in all six games this season.