Huskers Open Four-Game Stand with Bears

Nebraska returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena on Thursday night to open a four-game home stand by taking on Morgan State. Tip-off between the Huskers (2-0) and the Bears (2-1) is set for 7 p.m., and tickets are available now through the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at Huskers.com.

Live radio coverage (beginning at 6:45 p.m.) can be heard in Lincoln on B107.3 FM, in Omaha on CD 105.9 FM, and across central Nebraska on 1580 AM KAMI in Cozad. Stations across the state will also carry the broadcast on the Learfield-IMG College Husker Sports Network. Free live audio can be found at Huskers.com and the Huskers App.

A live video stream will be provided by BTN+ as part of Nebraska's BTN Student U telecasts.

Thursday night's game will be the 100th regular-season Nebraska women's basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Huskers will be shooting for their 70th home win in the arena.

Nebraska is coming off a thrilling 90-85 OT win at Missouri Sunday. The Huskers did not trail for the game's first 37:53 until the Tigers took control in the final two minutes of regulation. However, Sam Haiby's three-pointer with three seconds left tied the score at 76 and sent the game to overtime.

Haiby scored 18 of her career-high 28 points after halftime, including Nebraska's final field goal in OT and two free throws to seal the win with 13.3 seconds left. Haiby earned a spot on the Big Ten Women's Basketball Weekly Honor Roll for her performance.

Fellow sophomore Leigha Brown added 18 points of her own after halftime to finish with 24 points for the Huskers, who recorded their first road win over an SEC opponent since defeating Texas A&M 74-63 in the second round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament in College Station (March 25, 2013).

Missouri has made four straight NCAA Tournaments and seven straight postseason trips.

Nebraska opened with a 68-46 win over Alabama A&M at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Nov. 6. Senior guard Hannah Whitish led four Huskers in double figures by scoring 12 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting. Junior Kate Cain and sophomores Ashtyn Veerbeek and Leigha Brown each had 10 points.

Whitish, who played an outstanding all-around game at Missouri with 12 points and team highs of seven rebounds, five assists and four steals, needs just 10 points to become the 33rd 1,000-point scorer in Nebraska history. In Sunday's win at Mizzou, she became just the third Husker with 200 career three-pointers. Her next rebound will be the 300th of her career.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0) vs. Morgan State (2-1)
Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, 7 p.m. (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,000) - Lincoln
Live Video: BTN+ (Caelan Debban, Casey Surma)
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (6:45 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln - 107.3 FM; Omaha - CD 105.9 FM; Huskers.com, Huskers App

Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
13 - Ashtyn Veerbeek - 6-2 - So. - F - 9.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg
31 - Kate Cain - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 6.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg
3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - So. - G - 18.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - Sr. - G - 7.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
Off the Bench
32 - Leigha Brown - 6-1 - So. - F - 17.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg
33 - Taylor Kissinger - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 4.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
44 - Kayla Mershon - 6-3 - So. - F - 2.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg
11 - Kristian Hudson - 5-5 - RSr. - G - 2.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg
14 - Grace Mitchell - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 2.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 1.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg
1 - Makenzie Helms - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
2 - Trinity Brady - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Fourth Season at Nebraska (44-49); 13th Season Overall (237-158)

Morgan State Bears (2-1, 0-0 MEAC)
22 - Dahnye Redd - 5-11 - Jr. - F - 14.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg
33 - Dezyree Morales - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 5.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg
2 - Jihayah Chavis - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 9.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg
4 - Ashia McCalla - 5-6 - So. - G - 15.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
15 - Chelsea Mitchell - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 12.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
Off the Bench
0 - Sydney Searcy - 5-6 - Sr. - G - 10.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
3 - Ja'Niah Henson - 5-3 - Fr. - G - 8.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg
20 - Elaija Demeza - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 4.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg
21 - Lana Skripkina - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 4.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg
12 - Maiya Bumbray - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 2.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg
24 - Elizabeth Sherrill - 6-2 - So. - F/C - 1.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg
25 - Taylor Lawhorne - 5-11 - Fr. - F - 1.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg
23 - KaMaree Donald - 5-5 - Fr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Head Coach: Ed Davis Jr. (West Virginia State, 1970)
Fourth Season at Morgan State (36-58); 24th Season Overall: (385-294)

Scouting Morgan State
• Morgan State carries a 2-1 record after posting back-to-back wins over Notre Dame of Maryland (NCAA Division III) on Friday and Washington Adventist (NAIA) on Monday.
• Following Thursday's game, Morgan State heads down I-80 for a Sunday clash with Omaha.
• Ed Davis Jr. is in his fourth season as the head coach at Morgan State, but he has a long track record of success. Davis is in his 24th season as a college head coach and carries a 385-294 record.
• Davis is in charge of a new-look bunch of Bears who return just two starters and four total letterwinners from last year's team that finished with a 10-21 record, including an 8-8 MEAC mark.
• Sophomore Ashia McCalla is MSU's top returning scorer. The 5-6 guard averaged 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds as a part-time starter a year ago. McCalla also hit a team-high 35 threes for a Bears team that hit just 26.4 percent (103-390) from long range. McCalla is averaging a team-high 15.0 points to go along with 5.0 rebounds in 2019-20. She had 31 points on 11-of-14 shooting including 5-of-7 threes in just 19 minutes in a 113-34 win over Notre Dame of Maryland (Nov. 8).
• Senior Jihayah Chavis was Morgan State's No. 3 scorer last season, averaging 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and team-highs of 2.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Chavis is averaging 9.3 points, 5.0 assists and 2.7 steals through three contests this season.
• Dezyree Morales, a 6-1 senior forward, started alongside Chavis for most of last season. Morales finished with 3.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. She also led MSU with 19 blocks. Morales is averaging 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds as a starter through three games this year.
• Chelsea Mitchell led Morgan State's starters in a 70-48 loss at Marquette (Nov. 5) with nine points, seven rebounds and three assists. She added a double-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and six steals in the win over Notre Dame of Maryland. She is averaging 12.0 points and team bests of 7.0 rebounds and 4.7 steals as a senior. Mitchell spent her first two seasons at Morgan State before transferring to NCAA Division II Lander University in Greenwood, S.C. The 5-9 Mitchell averaged 15.3 points and 8.2 rebounds as a junior at Lander, before transferring back to Morgan State and sitting out 2018-19. Lander won the 2019 NCAA Division II title and defeated Clemson 74-72 in an exhibition game a little over two weeks ago (Oct. 29).
• Junior college transfer Lana Skripkina had five points as a starter in Morgan State's season-opening loss at Marquette. She has come off the bench in MSU's last two wins and is averaging 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds. The 6-2 Russian spent the last two seasons at New Mexico JC and Lamar (Colo.) CC. 
• Another JUCO transfer, Dahnye Redd led Morgan State with 13 points, two blocks and two steals in 26 minutes off the bench at Marquette. She had 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting as a starter in the win over Notre Dame of Maryland (Nov. 8). She ranks second on the team in scoring (14.7 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg) through three games
• Ja'Niah Henson, a 5-3 freshman, has pitched in 8.3 points, 1.3 assists and 2.0 steals off the bench.
• Elaija Demeza, a 5-10 junior, has contributed 4.7 points and 4.0 rebounds, including 12 points in the win over Notre Dame of Maryland.
• Senior Sydney Searcy, a transfer from Florida, made her first appearance for the Bears in the 84-52 win over Washington Adventist Monday. The 5-6 guard had 10 points and five steals in 17 minutes. She played 51 games in two seasons at Florida, before sitting out 2018-19 at Morgan State.
• Last season, Morgan State made just 3.3 threes per game, but is averaging 6.0 threes through three games in 2019-20. The Bears were a 63 percent free throw shooting team last year. MSU was out-rebounded by an average of nearly seven boards, but did own a plus-2.1 team turnover margin.
• In 2018-19, Morgan State faced a non-conference schedule that included Maryland, Georgia, Michigan, West Virginia, Western Kentucky and Hartford. The Bears will return to Michigan to face the Wolverines again this season on Dec. 1.
• Thursday's game will be the first-ever meeting between Nebraska and Morgan State.

Huskers to Honor 2010 Champions Sunday
• The Huskers will celebrate Alumni Weekend against the Cougars, while honoring the 10th anniversary of Nebraska's Big 12 Championship team in 2010. That group of Huskers posted the first unbeaten regular-season in school history and the first unbeaten conference season by any school in Big 12 history. 
• The 2010 Huskers were led by first-team All-American, Big 12 Player of the Year, Senior CLASS Award winner and Nebraska Female Student-Athlete of the Year Kelsey Griffin. Griffin, who is currently one of the top professional players in Australia, is expected to attend.
• Other standout members of the 2010 team planning to attend are first-team All-Big 12 forward Cory Montgomery (Barrett), first-round WNBA Draft pick Lindsey Moore, Dominique Kelley (Johnson), Nikki Bober (Marcoe), Kala Kuhlmann (Preister), Jess Periago and Layne Reeves (Mulamba).
• Former Nebraska Head Coach Connie Yori will also be on hand at Pinnacle Bank Arena with her team, alongside former Assistant Coach Tory Verdi, who is now the head coach at UMass. Midland Head Coach Shawn Gilbert, who was the video coordinator for the 2010 team, will also be on hand, along with team managers Cliff Countryman and Kevin Dickens.

Nebraska Streaks
• Kate Cain owns Nebraska's longest streak of consecutive starts (63).
• Nicea Eliely owns Nebraska's second-longest streak of starts (58).
• Eliely was the only Husker to score in all 30 games last season, and the only Husker to score in all of Nebraska's games against Big Ten Conference foes. She has scored in 36 consecutive games overall. She did not score in a win over Penn State on Feb. 22, 2018, the only time in the past three seasons (including 2019-20, 60 games) that Eliely was shut out.
• The Huskers have knocked down at least one three in 344 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 223 consecutive games.

Numbers to Watch 
(1) Hannah Whitish is one rebound away from 300 in her career. 
(1) Kayla Mershon needs one rebound to achieve 100 in her career.
(3) Kristian Hudson is three points away from 1,100 in her collegiate career (1,076 at Florida International prior to Hudson transferring to Nebraska ahead of the 2018-19 season).
(8) Kristian Hudson needs eight assists to reach 400 in her career (383 at FIU).
(8) Sam Haiby is eight rebounds away from 100 in her career.
(9) Leigha Brown is nine rebounds from 100 in her career.
(10) Hannah Whitish needs 10 points to become the 33rd 1,000-point scorer in Nebraska women's basketball history.
(11) Junior Kate Cain is 11 blocks away from 200 in her career. Only three other Huskers in history have achieved 200 career blocks.
(14) Kristian Hudson needs 14 rebounds to reach 400 in her career (372 at FIU).
(29) Hannah Whitish is 29 assists away from becoming just the eighth Husker in history with 400 career assists.