Huskers Set for Sunday Showdown with OSU

The Nebraska women's basketball team returns home hoping to get back on the winning track against a young and talented Ohio State team on Sunday afternoon. Tip-off between the Huskers (15-6, 5-5 Big Ten) and the Buckeyes (11-9, 4-5 Big Ten) is set for 2 p.m. (CT) at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Live radio coverage for Sunday's game can be heard on B107.3 FM in Lincoln and ESPN 590 AM in Omaha beginning at 1:45 p.m. (CT). 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, the Huskers App and on TuneIn.

Live television coverage will be provided in Nebraska on NET-2 with Ryan Mix and Jami Hagedorn on the call. The NET-2 production will be streamed live for BTN+ subscribers.

Although Ohio State is hovering around .500 on the season and in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes were ranked No. 30 in the official NCAA RPI following a home loss to RPI No. 6 Maryland on Thursday in Columbus.

Nebraska enters Sunday's game at RPI No. 56 following a road loss at Minnesota on Thursday night. The Huskers used a 12-0 run to build a short-lived double-digit lead late in the first half against the Golden Gophers, before Minnesota answered with a 13-0 run to regain the lead in what was a possession game throughout. Nebraska mustered just 22 points in the second half to suffer its fifth loss by eight points or less this season.

Although Ohio State is 11-9, six of those nine losses have come at the hands of current top-25 teams, including back-to-back losses to No. 18 Iowa and No. 17 Maryland. The Buckeyes also have won five of the last six games in the series with Nebraska, and the Huskers have not beaten Ohio State at Pinnacle Bank Arena since Feb. 14, 2013.

Junior center Kate Cain provided a bright spot for the Huskers at Minnesota by recording six blocked shots to take over the Nebraska career record in that category with 241. Cain, who owns 62 blocks on the year, is just one block away from tying the Nebraska junior class record of 63, set by Catheryn Redmon (2009-10). Cain's next block will also set the Nebraska basketball (men's or women's) career block mark of 241, set by Venson Hamilton (1996-99).

Nebraska Cornhuskers  vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, 2 p.m. (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,000) - Lincoln, Nebraska
Halftime: The Amazing Sladek
Live TV: NET-2 (Ryan Mix, Jami Hagedorn)
Live Video: BTN+ (NET-2 Production)
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

Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-6, 5-5 Big Ten)
13 - Ashtyn Veerbeek - 6-2 - So. - F - 8.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg
31 - Kate Cain - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 9.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg
3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 9.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - So. - G - 11.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - Sr. - G - 9.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg
Off the Bench
32 - Leigha Brown - 6-1 - So. - F - 13.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 5.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg
2 - Trinity Brady - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 1.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg
14 - Grace Mitchell - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 1.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg
44 - Kayla Mershon - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg
11 - Kristian Hudson - 5-5 - RSr. - G - 1.2 ppg, 0.8 rpg
1 - Makenzie Helms - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 0.3 ppg, 0.5 rpg
Out for Season
33 - Taylor Kissinger - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 8.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Fourth Season at Nebraska (57-55); 13th Season Overall (250-164)

Ohio State Buckeyes (11-9, 4-5 Big Ten)
14 - Dorka Juhasz - 6-4 - So. - F - 13.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg
32 - Aaliyah Patty - 6-3 - So. - F - 7.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg
0 - Madison Greene - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 6.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg
4 - Jacy Sheldon - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 8.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg
10 - Braxtin Miller - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 7.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg
Off the Bench
24 - Kierstan Bell - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 10.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg
3 - Janai Crooms - 5-10 - So. - G - 7.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg
23 - Rebeka Mikulasikova - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 6.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg
5 - Kaelynn Satterfield - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg
11 - Aixa Wone Aranaz - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 2.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg
Head Coach: Kevin McGuff (St. Joseph's College, 1992)
Seventh Season at Ohio State (148-74); 18th Season Overall (403-174)

Scouting the Ohio State Buckeyes
• A young and talented Ohio State team comes to Lincoln today looking to climb back to .500 in the Big Ten after an 85-65 loss to No. 17 Maryland in Columbus, Ohio, Thursday night.
• Although the Buckeyes slipped to 11-9 on the year and 4-5 in the Big Ten, they are squarely in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament bid.
• The young Buckeyes have played an impressive schedule with six of their nine losses coming to current top-25 teams, including UConn, Stanford, Maryland (2), Iowa and South Dakota. OSU owns three wins over top-25 foes at game time, including No. 24 Minnesota and Michigan, along with a 67-60 win over then-No. 2 Louisville. It is the only loss for the Cardinals this season.
• Ohio State's 10 active players include six freshmen, three sophomores and one junior transfer in her first year with the program.
• Sophomore Dorka Juhasz leads the Buckeyes with 13.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The 6-4 forward from Pecs, Hungary, was a Big Ten All-Freshman selection a year ago. Juhasz can stretch the floor inside-out, knocking down 20 threes on the year. However, she has struggled at the free throw line, hitting just 46.8 percent (29-62) of her attempts, but she has improved to 14-for-22 (.636) in Big Ten play at the line. Juhasz had 14 points and nine rebounds against Maryland Thursday.
• Fellow sophomore Aaliyah Patty joins Juhasz on the Buckeye starting front line. The 6-3 Patty is averaging 7.0 points and 5.6 boards per game.
• Three-time Ohio High School Player-of-the-Year Kierstan Bell ranks second on the team in scoring at 10.3 points. Bell, a 6-1 guard from Canton, has increased her production to 11.8 points in Big Ten play, while coming off the bench. She managed six points and six rebounds in 15 minutes against Maryland on Thursday, but fouled out and committed four turnovers.
• Madison Greene, a 5-8 freshman guard from Pickerington, Ohio, has moved into the starting five and is averaging 8.7 points in league action. She had four points and two assists against Maryland Thursday, but went 0-for-4 from the field.
• Freshman Jacy Sheldon has also joined the starting five throughout Big Ten action and is averaging 8.1 points in league play. The 5-10 Sheldon was a three-time finalist for Ohio High School Player of the Year. She had nine points but five turnovers in the loss to Maryland Thursday.
• Junior Braxtin Miller is the most experienced Buckeye, even though she is in her first year in Columbus. The 5-10 guard from Dayton is averaging 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds after averaging 13.1 points in 62 games at Oklahoma State the past two seasons. She led the Buckeyes with 15 in Thursday's loss to Maryland.
• Other significant contributors for a balanced and deep Ohio State squad include sophomore guard Janai Crooms (7.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg), who was a starter early for the Buckeyes. Freshman Rebeka Mikulasikova has added 6.9 points per game, as a 6-4 forward from Nitra, Slovakia.
• Kaelynn Satterfield (2.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg) and Aixa Wone Aranaz (2.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg) round out the Buckeye roster.
• In Big Ten play, Ohio State is averaging 67.9 points, while allowing 68.6 per game. OSU is shooting 40.7 percent, including 32.4 percent from three-point range. The Buckeyes have struggled to hit just 66.9 percent of their free throws. Opponents are shooting 44.4 percent against OSU, but just 28.2 percent from long range, despite hitting 71.6 percent of their free throws. OSU has been outworked on the glass (-3.1 rpg) but carries a plus-1.8 turnover margin.
• Ohio State has played Maryland twice and Iowa once in league play, but the Buckeyes have not faced Indiana, Northwestern or Rutgers. They have one game apiece against those three teams near the top of the Big Ten standings, one game left against Purdue and two against Nebraska.

Nebraska vs. Ohio State Series History
• Ohio State leads the all-time series with Nebraska 9-8, but the Huskers snapped OSU's five-game series winning streak with a 78-69 victory at Value City Arena in Columbus on Dec. 31, 2018.
• Leigha Brown led the Huskers in the only meeting with the Buckeyes last season, scoring 19 points in 18 minutes off the bench, including 9-of-12 free throw shooting. Nicea Eliely added 14 points and a team-high six rebounds, while Hannah Whitish pitched in 11 points on three threes. Graduated senior Maddie Simon contributed 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Dorka Juhasz led Ohio State with 14 points and seven rebounds. Aaliyah Patty added nine points on 4-of-5 shooting for the Buckeyes.
• Ohio State had won each of the previous five games in the series - all by double figures.
• Prior to Ohio State's five-game series win streak, Nebraska reeled off five straight series wins - all by at least eight points - capped by a 67-59 victory over the Buckeyes in Columbus on Feb. 20, 2014.
• Nebraska and Ohio State met five times before the Huskers joined the Big Ten, with the Buckeyes owning a 3-2 edge as non-conference opponents. NU won the first-ever meeting between the two teams, a 63-54 Husker win in Columbus on Dec. 2, 1990. The Huskers also defeated OSU 60-55 at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Dec. 12, 2003, in the second meeting.
• NU dropped four straight games to Ohio State, including three in Columbus, capped by an 82-68 loss at Value City Arena on Jan. 19, 2012 - the first meeting between the two teams as Big Ten foes.
• The series is tied 6-6 as Big Ten foes. Nebraska is 4-5 all-time against Ohio State in Columbus.
• Nebraska and Ohio State will meet again this season at Columbus on Feb. 19.

Nebraska Streaks
• Kate Cain owns Nebraska's longest streak of consecutive starts (82).
• Nicea Eliely owns Nebraska's second-longest streak of starts (77).
• Nicea Eliely and Leigha Brown are the only Huskers to score points in each of Nebraska's first 21 games this season.
• Kate Cain and Isabelle Bourne are the only Huskers to record at least one rebound for Nebraska in all 21 games this season.
• 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 55 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, 75 games) that Eliely was shut out.
• The Huskers have knocked down at least one three in 363 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 242 consecutive games.

Numbers to Watch 
(1) Kate Cain's next block will establish a new Nebraska basketball (men's or women's) record at 242. Venson Hamilton (241, 1996-99, 129 games) owns the Husker men's record, while Cain established a new Nebraska women's record (241, 83 games) at Minnesota on Thursday night.
(1) With her next block, Cain will tie Catheryn Redmon (63, 2009-10, 34 games) for the Nebraska junior season blocked shot record. Cain owns the Nebraska freshman (100) and sophomore (79) records.
(2) Kristian Hudson needs two assists to reach 400 in her career (383 at FIU).
(7) Hannah Whitish is seven assists away from No. 6 on the Nebraska career assist list (444, Amy Stephens, 1986-89).
(9) Nicea Eliely is nine points away from 900 in her career.
(23) Leigha Brown is 23 points away from 600 in her career.
(100) Hannah Whitish is expected to start her 100th career game at Nebraska. Grace Mitchell's next appearance will be the 100th game of her Husker career.

Husker Nuggets
• Nebraska ranks No. 17 nationally in total home attendance (55,450).
• In the official NCAA RPI (Jan. 31), Nebraska is one of 10 Big Ten teams in the top 64: Maryland (6), Iowa (7), Northwestern (12), Indiana (14), Purdue (26), Ohio State (30), Rutgers (39), Michigan (46), Nebraska (56), Minnesota (63)
• Nebraska is No. 39 in the Massey Ratings (Jan. 31),  with 11 Big Ten teams in the top 64: Maryland (8), Northwestern (11), Indiana (17), Iowa (18), Purdue (32), Rutgers (33), Michigan (37), Ohio State (42), Minnesota (51) and Michigan State (62).
• Through 21 games, Nebraska is allowing an average of 64.2 points per game, after allowing 70.1 points per game last season. NU's 2018 NCAA Tournament team allowed 63.6.
• Opponents are shooting 37.3 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from three-point range against NU. Last year, Husker foes hit 41.1 percent, including 33.4 percent from three. In 2017-18, Nebraska led the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense (.371) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.299).
• Nebraska has held eight opponents to 55 points or less this season. Last year, NU held only two foes (Radford-39, Kansas-52) to 55 or less. NU held 11 opponents to 55 or less in 2017-18.
• NU's bench has outscored opponent reserves in 18 of 21 games in 2019-20. The Husker bench has outscored opposing benches in 46 of the last 51 games, including double-digit edges 33 times.
• This season, NU's bench has outscored opposing benches 535-321 (25.5-15.3 ppg).
• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 19 times in the last three seasons (83 games), including four times in the last 12 contests. Through the first 20 seasons with the three-point shot in women's basketball (1988-2007), Nebraska hit 10 threes in a game just six times (311 games).