Huskers to Battle for Road Win at Badgers

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Wisconsin Badgers Sunday, January 27, 2019, 2 p.m. (CT) Kohl Center (17,152) - Madison, Wisconsin Live Video: BTN Plus Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (1:45 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln-B107.3 FM; Omaha-ESPN 590 AM Huskers.com, Huskers App, TuneIn

Huskers Battle for Road Win at Badgers Sunday • The Nebraska women’s basketball team shoots for its third Big Ten road win of the season when the Huskers travel to Wisconsin to take on the Badgers Sunday afternoon. • Tip off between Nebraska (9-10, 4-4 Big Ten) and Wisconsin (10-10, 1-7 Big Ten) is set for 2 p.m. (CT) in Madison. Live radio coverage (beginning at 1:45 p.m.) can be heard in Lincoln on B107.3 FM, in Omaha on ESPN 590 AM, in Lexington on KRVN 880 AM, and across the state on the Husker Sports Network. Free live audio can be found at Huskers.com, the Huskers App and on TuneIn.  • A live video stream will be available for subscribers of BTN Plus. • Nebraska is coming off a narrow 58-54 loss to Northwestern in a defensive struggle at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Thursday night. The Huskers trailed by 10 points midway through the third quarter before rallying to take a one-point lead in the final minute. However, Northwestern made the plays in the final 30 seconds to escape with a win. • Wisconsin native Hannah Whitish led the Huskers with 12 points on four three-pointers against the Wildcats. The 5-9 junior guard out of Barneveld High School has scored 12 points in three straight games and owns a team-best 11 double-figure scoring efforts for the Huskers this season. Whitish, who was Wisconsin’s Miss Basketball in 2016, was a Preseason All-Big Ten choice this season after earning second-team all-conference honors for the Huskers a year ago. The four-time first-team All-Wisconsin selection is averaging 8.9 points and a team-best 3.8 assists for Nebraska in 2018-19. • While Whitish has been an experienced leader on the court for the Huskers this season, Nebraska also has seen big production from its freshman class. Nebraska is the only Big Ten team with two freshmen as its top two scorers (Leigha Brown, 10.1 ppg; Sam Haiby 10.0 ppg) and the only team in the conference with its top two scorers coming off the bench. • Freshmen forwards Ashtyn Veerbeek (8.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg) and Kayla Mershon (3.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg) have joined Brown and Haiby in playing in all 19 games for the Huskers this season. Mershon has earned three consecutive Big Ten starts. • Nebraska heads to Wisconsin expecting another tight battle. Last year, the Huskers outlasted the Badgers 51-48 in Lincoln (Feb. 11, 2018), and 11 of the 15 games in the history of the series have been decided by 10 or fewer points. Seven of NU’s 10 losses this year have been by single digits, while four of their wins have been by 10 or fewer points. • Nebraska’s bench is the most productive in the Big Ten, averaging 32.1 points in league play. Wisconsin’s bench ranks in the top five in the Big Ten with 19.9 points per conference game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-10, 4-4 Big Ten) 44 - Kayla Mershon - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 3.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg 31 - Kate Cain - 6-5 - So. - C - 6.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg 3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 8.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg 5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 7.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg 33 - Taylor Kissinger - 6-1 - So. - G - 9.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg Off the Bench 32 - Leigha Brown - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 10.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg 4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 10.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg 13 - Ashtyn Veerbeek - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 8.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg 24 - Maddie Simon - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 7.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg 14 - Grace Mitchell - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 1.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg 11(out) - Kristian Hudson - 5-5 - Sr. - G - 2.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998) Third Season at Nebraska (37-43); 12th Season Overall (230-152)

Wisconsin Badgers (10-10, 1-7 Big Ten) 2 - Kelly Karlis - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 8.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg 11 - Marsha Howard - 6-0 - Sr. - F - 12.4 ppg, 9.3 rpg 34 - Imani Lewis - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 11.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg 10 - Kendra Van Leeuwen - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 4.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg 22 - Niya Beverley - 5-7 - So. - G - 5.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg Off the Bench 14 - Abby Laszewski - 6-2 - Jr. - F/C - 6.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg 44 - Alex Luehring - 6-2 - RFr. - G - 5.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg 3 - Suzanne Gilreath - 5-4 - Jr. - G - 5.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg 23 - Jasmine Hale - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 2.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg 30 - Kara Crowley - 5-10 - So. - G - 1.7 ppg, 0.8 rpg 20 - Diamond Bragg - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 1.1 ppg, 0.9 rpg 13 - Sydney Mathiason - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 0.5 ppg, 0.2 rpg Head Coach: Jonathan Tsipis (North Carolina, 1996) Third Season at Wisconsin (28-53); Seventh Season Overall (121-91)

Scouting The Wisconsin Badgers • Head coach Jonathan Tsipis brings his third Wisconsin team into Sunday’s game against Nebraska trying to snap a six-game losing streak, following Thursday’s 65-59 home loss to Penn State in Madison. Sunday’s game will be Wisconsin’s fourth home game in the past five contests.  • The Badgers opened the season with a 6-0 non-conference record before dropping a 69-68 decision to Arkansas (Nov. 25). The Razorbacks defeated the Huskers 84-80 in Fayetteville (Dec. 18). • Wisconsin entered Big Ten play with a 9-3 record, before losing 74-56 to then-unbeaten Minnesota in Minneapolis (Dec. 28). The Badgers rebounded with an impressive 76-69 home win over Purdue (Dec. 31) to improve to 10-4, but have not found a win yet in 2019. • Wisconsin is led by senior Marsha Howard, who is averaging team highs with 12.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. The 6-0 forward also ranks second on the team with 21 steals on the year.  • Howard is one of many Badgers who have struggled at the free throw line this season. She is shooting just 44 percent (37-84) from the stripe, while Wisconsin is shooting a striking 53.5 percent (220-411). Eight Badgers are shooting less than 60 percent from the line. • Freshman forward Imani Lewis has added an explosive addition alongside Howard by averaging 11.9 points and 7.9 rebounds. The 6-1 Lewis is shooting just 56.5 percent (65-115) at the line. Howard (1-6) and Lewis (0-3) are not regular threats from three-point range. • Senior transfer Kelly Karlis gives Wisconsin size and experience. The 6-2 forward who previously starred at Ohio, is averaging 8.1 points and 4.7 rebounds while knocking down 20-of-64 (.313) threes. She has managed 63.3 percent (31-49) shooting from the free throw line. • Lewis and Karlis have stepped into more prominent roles with an early season loss of junior forward Courtney Fredrickson to injury. Fredrickson averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds for UW in 2017-18. • Junior point guard Kendra Van Leeuwen has averaged 4.5 points and 3.9 rebounds while being UW’s most dangerous distributor with 4.8 assists per game. However, Van Leeuwen is shooting just 28.9 percent from the field, including a 15.8 percent (6-38) from three-point range. Van Leeuwen does lead Wisconsin starters with 72 percent (18-25) shooting at the free throw line, but gets to the line less than any other Badger starter. • Sophomore Niya Beverley has been Wisconsin’s most frequent fifth starter in Big Ten play. The 5-7 guard is averaging 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists with 12 starts on the season, including six in conference play. Beverley has hit 39.1 percent (9-23) of her threes but has hit just 50 percent (15-30) of her free throws. • Junior Suzanne Gilreath has returned from an early season injury and has been gaining minutes in Big Ten play. Gilreath has been one of the league’s most dangerous three-point shooters in her career and has knocked down 34.3 percent (23-67) of her attempts this season. She has made two Big Ten starts, but has hit just 27.8 percent (10-36) of her three-pointers in league play.  • Redshirt freshman Alex Luehring gives Wisconsin size at 6-2, while adding a potent three-point threat (28-94, .298). However, Luehring is shooting just 32.3 percent overall from the field while averaging 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. • Junior forward/center Abby Laszewski has given UW a consistent inside presence off the bench, averaging 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 54.1 percent from the field. Laszewski has not attempted a three and is 17-for-40 (.425) at the free throw line, including 6-of-11 in Thursday’s loss to Penn State. • Freshmen Jasmine Hale (2.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg), Diamond Bragg (1.1 ppg, 0.9 rpg) and Sydney Mathiason have contributed for Wisconsin throughout the season, along with sophomore Kara Crowley (1.7 ppg). • As a team, Wisconsin is averaging 63.8 points per game on the season, but that production has dipped to 59.0 points in Big Ten play. The Badgers have allowed just 60.8 points per game on the year, but that number has ballooned to 71.9 points in conference action. • In Big Ten play, Wisconsin is shooting just 38.2 percent from the field, including just 27 percent (30-111) from three-point range and 52.1 percent (86-165) at the free throw line. The Badgers carry a minus-1.6 rebound margin and a minus-3.0 turnover margin in the Big Ten.

Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Series History • Nebraska leads the all-time series with Wisconsin, 9-6, including a 51-48 win over the Badgers at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Feb. 11, 2018, in the last meeting between the two teams. All nine of Nebraska’s victories over the Badgers have come as Big Ten foes.  • The last time Nebraska journeyed to Madison, the Badgers rolled to an 82-56 win over the Huskers on Feb. 9, 2017, in by far the most lopsided loss for either team in the series.  • The 2017 win by Wisconsin snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Huskers that dated back to Nebraska’s entrance into the Big Ten in 2011-12.  • The Huskers are 9-1 against the Badgers as Big Ten Conference opponents, including 4-1 against Wisconsin at the Kohl Center. Nebraska’s first three wins at the Kohl Center were by a combined nine points, including a 71-70 OT win on Feb. 5, 2014, a 55-53 win on Feb. 28, 2013, and a 75-69 win on Jan. 12, 2012 - the first meeting between the schools as Big Ten foes. • Wisconsin won the first five meetings between the two school as non-conference opponents, including a pair of overtime victories at the Devaney Center in Lincoln and three wins in Madison. All five of the non-conference meetings between the schools were decided by 10 or fewer points. • Overall, 11 of the 15 all-time meetings have been decided by 10 or fewer points.

Husker Nuggets • The Husker bench has outscored opponents in each of NU’s 19 games this year, including double-digit advantages 15 times. • Overall, Nebraska’s bench has outscored opposition benches 614-293 (32.3-15.4 ppg) for a plus-16.9 margin. • Nebraska is the only team in the Big Ten with two players off the bench (Leigha Brown, 10.1 ppg; Sam Haiby, 10.0 ppg) as its top two scorers. • Nebraska is also the only team in the Big Ten with two freshmen as the team’s top two scorers. • Nebraska’s bench outscored the opposition 149-53 over the final four non-conference games, including a season-high 45 points at Arkansas. NU’s bench posted a season-best scoring differential (+37) in its last non-conference home game by outscoring Denver’s bench, 40-3.  • Nebraska’s bench has scored 40 or more points five times, including 45 at Arkansas, 42 points against San Jose State, 41 points against Drake, 40 against Denver and 40 at Illinois. • In Nebraska’s Big Ten-opening win over Michigan (Dec. 28), the Husker bench outscored the Wolverine bench 28-10, including 14-0 in the fourth quarter. • In Big Ten play, NU’s bench has outscored opponent benches 257-133 (32.1-16.6, +15.5 ppg), including a 34-9 edge in a win over No. 23 Minnesota (Jan. 20). • Nebraska’s bench has scored at least 21 points in each of its eight Big Ten games, including 40 at Illinois (Jan. 17) and 35 at Ohio State (Dec. 31). • Against ranked Big Ten teams (Minnesota, 34-9, +25; Iowa, 28-11, +17; Rutgers 34-17, +17; Maryland 28-14, +14), Nebraska’s bench has outscored opponent benches 124-51. • At least one Nebraska freshman has led the Huskers in scoring in 12 of 19 games this season (Haiby-6; Brown-5; Veerbeek-2).

Nebraska Streaks • Sophomore Kate Cain owns the longest streak of consecutive starts by a Husker with 50. • Junior Nicea Eliely owns Nebraska’s second-longest streak of starts with 45. • Nebraska’s bench has outscored the opponent reserves in all 19 games this season. • The Huskers have knocked down at least one three in 331 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 210 consecutive games.

Nebraska Numbers to Watch • (2) Junior Nicea Eliely is two rebounds from 300 in her career. • (4) Sophomore Kate Cain is four blocks away from 50 on the season and 150 in her career. • (8) Taylor Kissinger is eight three-pointers away from 100 in her career. • (8) Freshman Leigha Brown is eight points away from 200 on the season. • (10) Freshman Sam Haiby is 10 points away from 200 on the season. • (75) Nicea Eliely is expected to make her team-high 75th career start on Sunday.

Freshmen Contributing Early for Huskers • Nebraska has received production early and often from its 2018-19 freshman class. The four-player class, which was ranked among the top 20 recruiting classes in the nation by ESPN last season, features Leigha Brown (10.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.2 apg), Sam Haiby (1 0.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.7 apg), Ashtyn Veerbeek (8.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg) and Kayla Mershon (3.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg). • Leigha Brown, who earned Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week honors (Jan. 7), leads Nebraska with 10.1 points per game, including a team-best 12.1 points per Big Ten game. She erupted for a career-high 20 points at No. 19 Iowa (Jan. 3). It was her second straight game leading the Huskers, after scoring a then-career-high 19 points at Ohio State (Dec. 31). She added 18 points and a career-high six rebounds in a narrow loss to nationally ranked Rutgers (Jan. 13). She also had 18 points in the win over San Jose State (Dec. 8), before adding 17 points and a career-high five assists in the win over Denver (Dec. 15).  • Brown, a 6-1 wing from Auburn, Indiana owns eight double-figure scoring efforts and has led the Big Red in scoring five times this season, including three of eight Big Ten games. • Haiby, a 5-9 guard from Moorhead, Minn., ranks second among the Huskers with 10.0 points per game off the bench. Haiby has led Nebraska in scoring in six games, including a win over No. 23 Minnesota (16) and against nationally ranked Drake (13) and Miami (14), while also scoring a career-high 20 points at Washington State and adding 17 points at Creighton. She also had 16 points to lead the Huskers at Arkansas (Dec. 18). She owns eight double-figure scoring efforts overall, including 12 points at No. 5 Louisville (Nov. 29) and 12 more in Nebraska’s Big Ten-opening win over Michigan (Dec. 28). • Haiby also ranks second among the Huskers in assists (2.7 apg). • Ashtyn Veerbeek ranks third among the Husker freshmen in scoring with 8.2 points per game, while leading the freshmen and ranking second on the team with 6.1 rebounds. Veerbeek erupted for a career-high 19 points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds in the win at Illinois (Jan. 17). She produced her first career double-double with 14 points and  a career-high 14 rebounds in a win over San Jose State (Dec. 8). She had 14 points in 14 minutes in the win over Denver (Dec. 15). She added 14 points for the third straight game at Arkansas (Dec. 18). She owns five double-digit scoring efforts on the year. She also ranks second among the Huskers with 20 blocks. • Kayla Mershon has pitched in 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Her production is on the rise in Big Ten play, and she has made three consecutive starts heading to Wisconsin. Mershon scored a career-high eight points against No. 9 Maryland (Jan. 8), before adding seven points against nationally ranked Rutgers (Jan. 13). She had a career-high seven rebounds in a win over Kansas (Dec. 5) and matched that total against Northwestern (Jan. 24). The 6-3 forward from Chanhassen, Minn., also has dished out 15 assists and committed a team-best seven turnovers through 19 games. • The freshmen have combined for 43.2 percent (599-of-1,388) of Nebraska’s points in just 36.5 percent of the team’s total minutes (1,407-of-3,850) on the season. They also have accounted for just 28.6 percent (83-of-290) of Nebraska’s turnovers. • Nebraska’s four freshmen are combining to average 31.5 points and 14.4 rebounds per game.