Huskers Hit Road to Face Hot Hoosiers

Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-7, 10-3 Big Ten)
at Indiana Hoosiers (14-12, 7-6 Big Ten)
Saturday, Feb. 17, 11 a.m. (CT)
Assembly Hall (Bloomington, Indiana)
Television: BTN/BTN2Go (Mike Monaco, Brenda VanLengen)
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 & TuneIn Apps
Live Stats

Huskers Hit Road Again to Face Hot Hoosiers
• The Nebraska women’s basketball road warriors will face one of their toughest tests of the season when the Huskers conclude a two-game Big Ten road swing by colliding with red-hot Indiana in Bloomington on Saturday. Tip-off between the Huskers (19-7, 10-3 Big Ten) and Hoosiers (14-12, 7-6 Big Ten) at Assembly Hall is set for 11 a.m. (CT).

• 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 game will be carried for free on Huskers.com and over the air on B107.3 FM in Lincoln and ESPN 590 AM in Omaha. Free audio also can be found on the Huskers App and the TuneIn App. 

• A live telecast will be provided by the Big Ten Network with Mike Monaco and former Nebraska assistant coach Brenda VanLengen on the call.

• The Huskers will shoot for their 11th Big Ten victory of the season, while taking aim at their 11th consecutive road win this year. NU is 9-0 in true road games, including 6-0 in Big Ten road contests.

• Nebraska is one of only four NCAA Division I teams that is unbeaten in true road games this year joining UConn (11-0), Mercer (11-0) and Mississippi State (7-0). On the men’s side, only Ohio State (5-0) and Saint Mary’s [Calif.] (9-0) are undefeated in true road games this season.

• Six of Nebraska’s 10 Big Ten wins have come against NCAA RPI Top 65 teams (through games Feb. 14), including Iowa (21) twice, at Rutgers (26), at Minnesota (40), Purdue (53) and at Michigan State (63). Indiana was RPI 66 through games Feb. 14. 

• Overall, Nebraska has eight top 100 RPI wins, including five on the road. • Nebraska is 18-4 with Maddie Simon on the court this season. Simon missed four games (Creighton, Buffalo, Coastal Carolina, Clemson) with a significant ankle sprain suffered in warm-ups before the game with Creighton (Nov. 19). Simon missed the rest of NU’s games in November and the Huskers went 1-3.

• The Huskers played without senior Janay Morton in the losses to Creighton and Buffalo while she recovered from offseason ankle surgery. Morton played just one minute in the loss to Washington State after aggravating her ankle, while NU’s leading scoring in non-conference play (Taylor Kissinger, 14.0 ppg) did not play at all in the loss to WSU because of a knee injury suffered late in the loss to Clemson.

• In the last six games, Kissinger is averaging 18.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks per 40 minutes, while Morton has added 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.0 steals per 40.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-7, 10-3 Big Ten)
24 - Maddie Simon - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 10.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg
31 - Kate Cain - 6-5 - Fr. - C - 10.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg
3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - So. - G - 12.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - So. - G - 8.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - Sr. - F - 6.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg
Off the Bench
33- Taylor Kissinger - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 10.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg
12 - Emily Wood - 5-5 - Sr. - G - 4.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg
13 - Janay Morton - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 4.2 ppg, 1.2 rpg
15 - Bria Stallworth - 5-6 - So. - G - 3.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg
14 - Grace Mitchell - 6-2 - So. - F - 2.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg
50 - Darrien Washington - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 1.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg
43 - Rachel Blackburn - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Second Season at Nebraska (26-29)
11th Season Overall (219-138)

Indiana Hoosiers (14-12, 7-6 Big Ten)
11 - Kym Royster - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 11.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg
33 - Amanda Cahill - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 14.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg 
1 - Bendu Yeaney - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 7.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg
3 - Tyra Buss - 5-8 - Sr. - G - 19.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg
13 - Jaelynn Penn - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 9.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg
Off the Bench
2 - Keyanna Warthen - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 2.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg
12 - Linsey Marchese - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg
31 - Bre Wickware - 6-2 - So. - F - 1.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg
23 - Alexis Johnson - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 0.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg
5 - Grace Withrow - 5-6 - Jr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 0.3 rpg
Head Coach: Teri Moren (Purdue, 1992)
Fourth Season at Indiana (73-51)
15th Season Overall (259-176)

Scouting the Indiana Hoosiers
• Coach Teri Moren brings a surging Hoosier team into Saturday’s game with the Huskers. After opening Big Ten play with a 1-6 record, the Hoosiers have reeled off six straight wins, including Monday night’s 52-44 victory at Purdue to complete a season sweep of the in-state rival Boilermakers.

• During IU’s six-game winning streak, the Hoosiers are averaging 67 points while allowing just 58.1 points per contest. In their previous six league games, the Hoosiers scored 71.2 points and allowed 75.2 points per game.

• After a narrow 74-70 loss at Maryland on Jan. 16, Indiana sat 8-12 overall and 1-6 in the Big Ten.

• The Hoosiers are led by All-Big Ten guard Tyra Buss, who is averaging 19.9 points and 4.7 assists per game. She has added 2.0 steals per contest. The 5-8 senior is shooting 42.8 percent from the field including 34 percent (51-150) from three-point range. An aggressive penetrator, Buss has hit 121-of-178 free throws (.680).

• Buss has joined fellow senior Amanda Cahill, junior Kym Royster and freshman Jaelynn Penn in Indiana’s starting five for all 26 games, while freshman Bendu Yeaney has started 25 contests. Those five players have started all 13 conference games for the Hoosiers.

• Cahill, a 6-2 forward, has added 14.8 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game. The stretch four leads IU from long range, hitting 52-of-130 threes (.400). She ranks second on the team in assists (2.7 apg) and steals (1.2 spg) while leading the Hoosiers with 31 blocks.

• Buss and Cahill form one of the Big Ten’s most productive duos over the past four years, combining for 3,825 points, 1,484 rebounds and 820 assists. In comparison, Nebraska’s entire roster has combined for 3,193 points as Huskers, while adding 1,674 rebounds and 826 assists.

• Kym Royster, a 6-2 junior forward, adds size and athleticism for the Hoosiers. She is contributing 11.3 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting a team-best 56.6 percent from the floor. Royster has not attempted a three, but she is shooting 67.9 percent (53-78) at the free throw line. Royster has scored more points (293) this year than she scored in her first two seasons in 66 games combined (287). In her career, Royster has 27 assists and 132 turnovers.

• Alongside Indiana’s three veterans are freshmen Jaelynn Penn and Bendu Yeaney. The 5-10 guards have combined to average nearly 17 points and 10 rebounds per game. Penn is a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week who is averaging 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists. She is IU’s No. 3 three-point shooter (29-93, .312) while shooting a team-best 81.5 percent (53-65) at the line. Yeaney has pitched in 7.4 points and 5.0 rebounds, while adding 2.2 assists. She has hit 19-of-53 (.358) threes.

• While Indiana’s starters have been consistently productive, their bench has been one of the thinnest in the Big Ten. Reserves Linsey Marchese, Bre Wickware, Keyanna Warthen, Alexis Johnson and Grace Withrow have combined for just 46 total points through 13 league games (3.5 ppg).

• In comparison, Nebraska’s seven reserves have combined for 275 points through 13 conference contests (21.2 ppg). In NU’s last six games (5-1), the Husker reserves are averaging 27.2 points per game. In Indiana’s last six games (6-0), the Hoosier reserves have averaged 2.0 points (163-12 total).

Nebraska vs. Indiana Series History
• Nebraska leads the all-time series against the Hoosiers, 5-4, including a 67-64 victory over Indiana on Feb. 19, 2017 - one of NU’s three Big Ten victories last season.

• Last year’s victory snapped a two-game losing streak to the Hoosiers that included a 59-47 loss in the last meeting at Assembly Hall on Feb. 7, 2016.

• The Huskers are 2-2 all-time against the Hoosiers in Bloomington, including a 67-64 win on Feb. 21, 2015 and a 67-38 victory on Jan. 10, 2013. 

• In the first meeting at Assembly Hall between the two teams in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge on Dec. 5, 2010, Indiana defeated Nebraska, 67-61.

• The Hoosiers also won the first-ever meeting between the two teams with an 83-80 overtime victory at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln on Nov. 26, 1994. That was the highest scoring game in series history.

• Since joining the Big Ten for the 2011-12 season, Nebraska is 5-2 against the Hoosiers in a series of low-scoring games. The Huskers have achieved 70 points just once (76, Feb. 16, 2014) and Indiana has reached 70 points just once (79, Feb. 24, 2016).

Husker Nuggets
• A win for Nebraska at Indiana would be the Huskers’ 20th victory of the season, which would be a plus-13-win improvement from last season (7).

• At 9-0 in true road games, Nebraska is one of only four women’s teams in NCAA Division I (349 teams) unbeaten in true road contests, joining UConn, Mississippi State and Mercer. The only men’s teams unbeaten on the road are Ohio State (5-0) and Saint Mary’s [Calif.] (9-0).

• Kate Cain owns the Nebraska record for blocks in a season with 84, surpassing the previous mark held by Olympic bronze medalist Danielle Page (78, 2007-08). Cain has at least one blocked shot in all 26 games this season.

• Cain’s 84 blocks rank No. 6 in the nation while her 3.2 blocks per game rank seventh in the country through games Feb. 11. No Nebraska individual has ever averaged 2.0 blocks per game in a career, and only two Huskers (Danielle Page, 2.4 bpg, 2007-08; Catheryn Redmon, 2.5 bpg, 2010-11) have ever averaged 2.0 blocks per game in a single season.

• Nebraska freshman Taylor Kissinger has come off the bench in the first 13 Big Ten games. The 6-1 guard from Minden, Neb., is averaging 10.8 points per game on the year. Kissinger averaged a team-best 14.0 points per game over the first seven games this season as a starter before missing Nebraska’s final six non-conference contests with a knee injury.

• Kissinger (10.8 ppg) and Cain (10.3 ppg) have a chance to become just the second freshman duo and the first since 1982-83 to each average double figures in the same season, joining Debra Powell (15.4 ppg) and Crystal Coleman (12.3 ppg).

• Junior Maddie Simon (+6.3 ppg) is one of the Big Ten’s most improved players in 2017-18. Simon, a 6-2 forward, is averaging 10.4 points per game after averaging 4.1 points through all 29 games a year ago.

Big Red Locking Down on Defense in Big Ten 
• Nebraska is showing drastic improvement on defense in 2017-18. Last season, Nebraska ranked 14th in the Big Ten by allowing 76.3 points, including 80.4 points per game in league play. Prior to 2015-16, the Huskers had not allowed 65 points per game since 2004-05.

• This season, Nebraska is allowing 62.7 points per game, including 62.1 in Big Ten play.

• Over the last seven games, the Huskers are allowing just 56.4 points per game, despite playing three top-25 opponents at game time.

• Nebraska leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense (.369) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.299). 

• Last season, Nebraska allowed 82.8 points per game to go 0-13 away from home. This year, Nebraska is allowing just 64.3 points per game while going 10-1 away from Pinnacle Bank Arena.

• Compared to last season, Nebraska is 7.0 points per game better offensively (69.8-62.8 ppg) and 13.6 points per game better defensively (62.7-76.3 ppg).

• Nebraska allowed just 42 points at No. 25 Rutgers, the lowest point total by an opponent in Coach Amy Williams’ two seasons at NU and the fewest points surrendered by the Huskers since holding Creighton to 38 on Dec. 14, 2013. It was also the fewest points allowed by the Huskers in a road game since holding Michigan to 39 points on Feb. 21, 2013, in Ann Arbor.

• Nebraska has held nine foes to 55 points or less, including 42 at No. 25 Rutgers, 47 to Illinois (Feb. 1) and Coastal Carolina (Nov. 24), 48 to Wisconsin (Feb. 11), 49 at Kansas (Dec. 6), 51 to Purdue (Jan. 24), 52 to Arkansas Pine Bluff (Dec. 2), 53 to SIUE (Nov. 11) and 55 at San Jose State (Dec. 17).

• Last season, the Huskers held just two foes to 55 or less.

• The Huskers have held two opponents (Illinois, 2nd, 0-12, Feb. 1; at Kansas, 4th, 0-14, Dec. 6) without a field goal in a quarter this season. They are the only two times Nebraska has held an opponent without a field goal since the advent of the quarter system. 

• Nebraska held Illinois (Feb. 1) to just 10 points in the first half - the lowest total by an opponent in a first half in school history. Illinois managed just one point in the second quarter.

• Nebraska held Kansas (Dec. 6) to just 13 points in the second half, the fewest points ever scored in a half by a Husker road opponent on their homecourt.

• The Huskers limited a potent Michigan offense to just 14 second-half points (4 field goals), including five points in the third quarter, to take the No. 23 Wolverines to overtime (Jan. 13).

• Since accomplishing it the first time in the first quarter (8 points) against Coastal Carolina (Nov. 24), Nebraska has held opponents to single digits in a quarter a total of 13 times, including seven times in 12 Big Ten Conference games. The Huskers held Michigan (3rd, 4th), Rutgers (1st, 4th) and Illinois (1st, 2nd) to single digits twice in the same game.

• The Huskers have held each of the Big Ten’s top five scoring offenses to double digits less (in regulation) than their current season scoring averages, including Ohio State (85.4 ppg - 73, Lincoln, Dec. 28), Minnesota (84.9 ppg - 74, Minneapolis, Dec. 31), Maryland (84.0 ppg - 64, Lincoln, Feb. 4), Iowa (79.4 ppg, 65, Lincoln, Jan. 13) and Michigan (76.5 ppg - 62, Lincoln, Jan. 13). 

• In a season sweep of Iowa, the Huskers held the high-scoring Hawkeyes to just 1-for-19 from three-point range combined. In the first first meeting, Iowa went 0-for-7 with multiple air balls and had two attempts blocked by Huskers. 

Nebraska Streaks
• The Huskers have won 10 consecutive games away from Pinnacle Bank Arena, including nine straight true road games and a school-record six consecutive Big Ten road games.

• Sophomore guard Hannah Whitish (43) owns the longest current streak of consecutive starts by a Husker. Nebraska’s second-longest streak is 25 games by freshman Kate Cain. 

• Whitish is the only Husker to start all 26 games this season. 

• Nebraska has featured the same starting lineup in 18 consecutive games (14-4 record). 

• Whitish has posted at least one assist in 28 consecutive games, and has three or more assists in 24 games this season.

• Kate Cain has blocked at least one shot in each of the first 26 games of her career. She has 22 games with two or more blocks.

• Cain has at least two rebounds every game this season.

• Maddie Simon has at least three rebounds in all 22 of her games this season.

• Taylor Kissinger has dished out an assist in 12 consecutive games off the bench.

• The Huskers have knocked down at least one three-pointer in 306 straight regular-season games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008.

• Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 185 consecutive games.