Huskers Set for Strong Big Ten ScheduleHuskers Set for Strong Big Ten Schedule
Scott Bruhn/Nebraska Communications

Isabelle Bourne (34) and Sam Haiby return to lead the Huskers in 2021-22.

Women's Basketball

Huskers Set for Strong Big Ten Schedule

The Nebraska women's basketball team will take on a strong 18-game Big Ten schedule that will feature nine home games from Jan. 4 to Feb. 27 in 2022. The Huskers, who will play five of their nine Big Ten home games against 2021 NCAA Tournament teams, learned their conference schedule on Wednesday afternoon, when the league made a full announcement of its men's and women's basketball schedules live on the Big Ten Network.

Nebraska will open its Big Ten home schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 4, by playing host to Michigan, before battling Iowa at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday, Jan. 9. Both the Wolverines and Hawkeyes return the core of their teams that advanced to the 2021 NCAA Sweet Sixteen.

NU's home Big Ten games will follow a pair of road contests to open its 2021-22 conference season, beginning with a trip to Minnesota to face the Golden Gophers on Monday, Dec. 6. Nebraska will be back on the road to continue Big Ten action at Michigan State heading into the new year in a game that may be played on either Dec. 30 or Dec. 31. The Spartans claimed a bid to the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

The Big Red will be back on the road in Big Ten play following its two-game conference stand against Michigan and Iowa, traveling to Indiana (Jan. 13). The Hoosiers return a majority of their roster from a team that advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight.

The Huskers cap the road swing by completing their season series at Iowa (Jan. 16), concluding a stretch of four consecutive games against NCAA Sweet Sixteen teams.

Nebraska will extend a string of six straight contests against 2021 NCAA Tournament teams when the Huskers return to Pinnacle Bank Arena to take on Rutgers (Jan. 20).

Following the game with the Scarlet Knights, the Huskers make a quick trip to Champaign to face the Fighting Illini of Illinois (Jan. 23), before returning home to open a three-game Big Ten home stand against Wisconsin (Jan. 27).

Nebraska's three-game stand at Pinnacle Bank Arena will continue with Purdue (Jan. 30), before wrapping up against Penn State (Feb. 3).

After playing four of five games at home, the Huskers will play three of their next four on the road, beginning with a trip to 2021 NCAA Sweet Sixteen participant and defending Big Ten champion Maryland (Feb. 6). Nebraska travels to Ohio State (Feb. 10), before returning home to complete its Big Ten season series with Indiana on Valentine's Day at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Nebraska will alternate home and road games to close conference play, starting with a trip to Penn State (Feb. 17) to wrap up its season series with the Lady Lions. The Huskers will close their season series with Minnesota (Feb. 20) at Pinnacle Bank Arena, before capping their season series at Wisconsin (Feb. 23).

The Big Red will close its 2021-22 regular-season home schedule by battling Northwestern (Feb. 27) on Senior Day at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Wildcats advanced to the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

No game times or television information were announced for any conference games. Those designations will come from the Big Ten Conference and Big Ten Network at a later date.

Season tickets for Nebraska women's basketball are on sale now at Huskers.com/Tickets and by calling 800-8-BIG-RED during regular business hours Monday-Friday at the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office. Reserved season tickets are just $180 for the Huskers' 18-game home schedule (includes exhibition game).

The Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament returns to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (March 2-6).

Coach Amy Williams, who enters her sixth season at the helm of the Huskers, returns four starters and all but one player from Nebraska's 2020-21 roster, including leading scorers Sam Haiby (16.8 ppg) and Isabelle Bourne (13.6 ppg). Last season, the Big Red advanced to the round of 16 in the 2021 Postseason WNIT. Nebraska adds a top-25 national recruiting class according to ESPN, including 2021 Nebraska Gatorade High School Player of the Year Alexis Markowski (Lincoln Pius X) and fellow Nebraska high school star Allison Weidner (Humphrey St. Francis). The Huskers will also be bolstered by Australian National Team member and Oregon transfer Jaz Shelley and a full season with top-50 national recruit Kendall Coley, who enrolled early at Nebraska last January and appeared in 12 games.

Nebraska Women's Basketball 2021-22 Schedule
Nov. 1 - Midland University (exhibition) - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Nov. 9 - Maine - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Nov. 11 - Prairie View A&M - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Nov. 14 - Alabama A&M - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Nov. 17 - Creighton - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Nov. 20 - North Carolina Central - Pinnacle Bank Arena

Nov. 26 - vs. Drexel (San Diego Thanksgiving Tournament)
Nov. 27 - at San Diego OR vs. Fresno State (San Diego Thanksgiving Tournament)
Dec. 1 - at Wake Forest (Big Ten/ACC Challenge) - Winston-Salem, N.C.
Dec. 6 - at Minnesota* - Minneapolis, Minn.
Dec. 11 - Indiana State - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Dec. 19 - Drake - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Dec. 22 - Wyoming - Pinnacle Bank Arena

Dec. 30/31 - at Michigan State* - East Lansing, Mich.
Jan. 4 - Michigan* - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Jan. 9 - Iowa* - Pinnacle Bank Arena

Jan. 13 - at Indiana* - Bloomington, Ind.
Jan. 16 - at Iowa* - Iowa City, Iowa
Jan. 20 - Rutgers* - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Jan. 23 - at Illinois* - Champaign, Ill.
Jan. 27 - Wisconsin* - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Jan. 30 - Purdue* - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Feb. 3 - Penn State* - Pinnacle Bank Arena

Feb. 6 - at Maryland* - College Park, Md.
Feb. 10 - at Ohio State* - Columbus, Ohio
Feb. 14 - Indiana* - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Feb. 17 - at Penn State* - University Park, Pa.
Feb. 20 - Minnesota* - Pinnacle Bank Arena
Feb. 23 - at Wisconsin* - Madison, Wis.
Feb. 27 - Northwestern* - Pinnacle Bank Arena
March 2-6 - Big Ten Tournament - Indianapolis, Ind. (Bankers Life Fieldhouse)
March 14 - NCAA Tournament Selection Show
March 18-21 - NCAA First & Second Rounds - Sites TBA
March 25-28 - NCAA Regionals - Bridgeport, Conn.; Greensboro, N.C.; Spokane, Wash.; Wichita, Kan.
April 1 & 3 - NCAA Women's Final Four - Minneapolis, Minn. (Target Center)
Home games in bold; * denotes Big Ten Conference game