Huskers Shoot for 20th Win at IllinoisHuskers Shoot for 20th Win at Illinois
Women's Basketball

Huskers Shoot for 20th Win at Illinois

The Nebraska women’s basketball team wraps up Big Ten regular-season play on Sunday when the Huskers travel to Illinois.
 
Tip-off between the Big Red (19-9, 11-6) and the Fighting Illini (13-14, 7-10 Big Ten) at the State Farm Center in Champaign is set for 3 p.m. (CT).
 
Nebraska’s game with Illinois will be televised live by the Big Ten Network with Matt Schumacker and Meghan McKeown on the call.
 
Fans also can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and 105.9 FM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action. Pregame starts at 2:30 p.m. (CT). 
 
Nebraska will take aim at its 20th win of the season, which would give the Huskers their 19th 20-win campaign in school history. It would be the second 20-win season in the past three years under Coach Amy Williams, who also led the Big Red to a 20-win campaign in 2018.
 
The Huskers are searching for their 12th Big Ten win of the year, which would match the second-most conference wins in school history, trailing only a perfect 16-0 Big 12 championship season in 2009-10. NU’s 2013 NCAA Sweet Sixteen team (12-4) and the 2014 Big Ten Tournament champion Huskers (12-4) are the only other teams in Nebraska history to achieve 12-win conference campaigns. 
 
Williams, who was the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year, has led Nebraska to 11 Big Ten wins in three of the past seven years. Prior to that stretch, the Huskers had amassed 11 or more league wins on only five occasions since beginning regular-season Big Eight play in 1982-83 (35 seasons).
 
Nebraska, which has won five of its last six games including a 70-51 win over Minnesota last Saturday, will be shooting for a sweep of Illinois after a 56-48 victory in Lincoln (Jan. 11). Jaz Shelley led Nebraska with 17 points, five rebounds, six assists and five steals, while Alexis Markowski added 14 points and 15 rebounds. 
 
Nebraska sits fourth in the Big Ten and No. 27 in the NCAA NET rankings. The Huskers own 10 wins over current NET Top 75 foes, including No. 6 Iowa, at No. 21 Michigan State, No. 32 Maryland, No. 47 Illinois, a sweep of No. 52 Michigan, No. 61 Minnesota, a sweep of No. 73 Purdue and No. 74 Georgia Tech. Seven of NU’s nine losses have come to NET Top 50 opponents.
 
Preseason first-team All-Big Ten selections Alexis Markowski and Jaz Shelley have fueled Nebraska’s surge in the conference, along with Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year contender Natalie Potts. Markowski, who ranks eighth nationally with 17 double-doubles, produced 20 points and 21 rebounds in Nebraska’s last road game, a 77-65 win at Purdue, which was just the fifth 20/20 effort in Husker history. Shelley added 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists at Purdue, after she was Nebraska’s first AP National Player of the Week (Feb. 13). Shelley earned her first Big Ten Player-of-the-Week honor with 23 points in the win over No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11). Potts, a seven-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, averaged 15.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals in two wins last week.
 
Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten)
at Illinois Fighting Illini (13-14, 7-10 Big Ten)
Sunday, March 3, 2024, 3 p.m. (CT)
State Farm Center - Champaign, Illinois
Television: BTN / FOX Sports App
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (2:30 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
B107.3 FM (Lincoln), 105.9 FM (Omaha), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Live Stats: Huskers.com
 
Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten - NCAA NET 27)
22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 10.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 15.9 ppg, 10.8 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 12.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 6.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 3.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Off the Bench
0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 7.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 6.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 3.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg
42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Eighth Season at Nebraska (133-108); 17th Season Overall (326-217)
 
Illinois Fighting Illini (13-14, 7-10 Big Ten - NCAA NET 47)
44 - Kendall Bostic - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 12.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg
41 - Camille Hobby - 6-3 - 5th - C - 9.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg
1 - Genesis Bryant - 5-6 - Sr. - G - 14.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg
3 - Makira Cook - 5-6 - Sr. - G - 15.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg
24 - Adalia McKenzie - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 11.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg
Off the Bench
5 - Gretchen Dolan - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 4.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg
23 - Brynn Shoup-Hill - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 3.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg
22 - Shay Bollin - 6-3 - So. - F - 2.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg
4 - Kam’Ren Rhodes - 5-6 - So. - G - 1.4 ppg, 0.9 rpg
11 - Jada Peebles (OUT) - 5-10 - 5th - G - 4.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Head Coach: Shauna Green (Canisius, 2002)
Second Season at Illinois (35-24); 10th Season Overall (191-99)
 
Scouting The Illinois Fighting Illini
Coach Shauna Green is in her second season leading the Illini after guiding Illinois to its first 20-win campaign in 15 seasons (2007-08) a year ago. The Fighting Illini finished 22-10 and 11-7 in the Big Ten last season after falling in the NCAA First Four to Mississippi State (70-56).
 
Illinois returned starters Makira Cook, Kendall Bostic, Genesis Bryant, Adalia McKenzie and Brynn Shoup-Hill along with top player off the bench Jada Peebles from a year ago. They also added 6-3 NC State transfer Camille Hobby, who is averaging 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds this year. However, the Illini have struggled to a 13-14 record, including a 56-48 loss at Nebraska (Jan. 11).
 
It was Nebraska’s second straight win in the series, including a 90-57 run past then-No. 25 Illinois on Senior Day (Feb. 22, 2023) at the State Farm Center. Nebraska is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings with Illinois, including five straight wins in Champaign.
 
Makira Cook, a 5-6 senior who spent two seasons at Dayton, was a a first-team All-Big Ten pick in 2023 after averaging 18.3 points per game. She was slowed by injury early in the season but is averaging team bests of 15.3 points and 4.1 assists per game. She averaged 19.0 points in two games against Nebraska last season, but was held to just eight points in this season’s loss in Lincoln.  
 
Returning second-team All-Big Ten players Genesis Bryant (14.0 ppg) and Kendall Bostic (12.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg) add a potent top three scorers for Illinois. Bryant, a transfer from NC State, is the Illini’s top threat from three-point range (54-152, .355) while adding 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals. The 5-6 Bryant is 6-for-28 from the field in three meetings against the Huskers, including nine points on 3-for-15 shooting in Lincoln earlier this season.
 
Bostic, a 6-2 senior forward, is one of the Big Ten’s top rebounders, averaging a double-double. Last season she had 11 points and 10 rebounds in a win in Lincoln, before being held to eight points in Champaign. She had eight points and seven rebounds in this season’s loss in Lincoln. She has hit 12-of-19 shots (.632) over the last three games against the Huskers.
 
Adalia McKenzie, a 5-10 junior, has added 11.1 points and 4.8 rebounds while joining Bostic and Bryant in the starting five for all 27 games this season. McKenzie scored in double digits in both meetings with NU last season, but was held to just one point in 15 minutes in this year’s loss in Lincoln.
 
Dayton transfer Brynn Shoup-Hill was a regular in the Illinois starting five heading into Nebraska’s first meeting this season. However, the 6-3 junior forward came off the bench in Lincoln to lead Illinois with 14 points and six rebounds as the only Illini in double figures. She has not kept up her contributions off the bench, as her season averages have dipped to 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game. In fact, Shoup-Hill had gone scoreless in seven straight games, before getting six points in five minutes in Thursday’s 87-70 loss at Michigan State. The Illini trailed 56-26 at halftime.
 
Fifth-year guard Jada Peebles was lost for the remainder of the season with an Achilles injury at Northwestern (Jan. 14). Peebles, who had six points, three assists and two steals for the Illini in the loss in Lincoln (Jan. 11), scored six big points in the Illini’s win last season at Pinnacle Bank Arena, before playing the full 40 minutes in last year’s loss in Champaign.
 
Freshman Gretchen Dolan has stepped up her production in Peebles’ absence, including back-to-back career-high 11-point efforts against Penn State (Feb. 15) and Indiana (Feb. 19). In fact, since being held scoreless at Nebraska (Jan. 11), Dolan has averaged 6.8 points and hit 11 of her 13 made three-pointers on the season. She is 11-for-31 (.355) during that stretch.
 
As a team, Illinois is hitting 43.9 percent of its shots from the field, including 30.7 percent from three-point range in conference action. Illinois has hit 85 percent of its free throws in Big Ten play. The Illini own a minus-0.2 rebound margin, but a plus-1.6 turnover margin in conference action.
 
Nebraska vs. Illinois Series History
Nebraska leads the all-time series with Illinois 20-6, including a 56-48 win over the Illini on Jan. 11, 2024 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. Jaz Shelley scored a game-high 17 points on 4-of-7 three-point shooting, while Alexis Markowski added a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Nebraska jumped to an 18-4 lead but led just 30-29 at halftime, as NU missed 14-of-15 shots to end the first half. The Huskers rebuilt the lead to 12 points with 45 seconds left in the third quarter, then went 10 minutes without a field goal. However, NU allowed just one Illinois field goal in the final 5:45.
 
In the last meeting in Champaign, Nebraska ran to a 90-57 win at No. 25 Illinois (Feb. 22, 2023). Shelley led five Husker starters in double figures with 26 points on 6-of-11 three-point shooting,  while Markowski and Maddie Krull each contributed 11 points. Nebraska hit 10-of-24 threes and connected on 59 percent of its shots overall, while also dominating the boards, 44-24.
 
In five career games against Illinois, Shelley has averaged 21.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.2 steals, while hitting 24-of-44 three-pointers (.545). Markowski has averaged 14.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in five games against the Illini.
 
In the 2022 Big Ten Tournament, Shelley led Nebraska with a then-career-high-tying 32 points and a school-record nine three-pointers in a 92-74 win over Illinois in Indianapolis. Shelley added seven assists in a spectacular effort, hitting 11-of-16 shots (9-of-13 3FG) from the field. Markowski added 22 points and nine rebounds in Coach Nancy Fahey’s last game leading the Illini.
 
Shelley has averaged 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists on 11-of-24 three-point shooting in two career games in Champaign. 
 
Nebraska is 17-4 against Illinois as Big Ten Conference foes, including 15-3 in Big Ten regular-season conference games. 
 
Nebraska is 9-2 in Champaign and owns five straight road wins over the Illini. NU is 9-2 against the Illini in Lincoln. 
 
The series dates back to an 89-86 Nebraska win over the Illini on March 3, 1982 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
 
Markowski Makes Mark with 20-20 Game at Purdue
Alexis Markowski earned her seventh spot on the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll this season with her monster 20-point, 21-rebound performance in Nebraska’s last road game in a win at Purdue (Feb. 17).
 
The 21 rebounds were not only a career high, but matched the fourth-highest total by a Husker in history. They were the most rebounds in a game by a Nebraska player since Kelly Hubert pulled down 23 boards against Wisconsin on Dec. 7, 1990. It was just the 11th 20-rebound performance in Husker women’s basketball history.
 
Markowski’s effort at Purdue was just the fifth 20-point, 20-rebound game by a women’s basketball player in Husker history.
 
Markowski Climbing Husker Double-Double List
Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski is producing double-doubles at one of the top rates in the nation through 28 games in 2023-24. The 6-3 junior center from Lincoln, Neb., is tied for eighth nationally and ranks second in the Big Ten with 17 double-doubles on the year, including 11 through the first 17 conference games for the Big Red.
 
Markowski, who earned her second appearance on the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List, ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding at 10.8 boards per game, including 11.8 in conference play. She also ranks seventh in the league in scoring at 15.9 points per game.
 
She produced the biggest double-double of her career with 20 points and 21 rebounds in a 77-65 road win at Purdue (Feb. 17). It was just the fifth 20-point, 20-rebound performance in Husker history. She added 12 points and 10 boards in a win over Northwestern (Feb. 20), before contributing 10 points and 12 boards in a win over Minnesota (Feb. 24).
 
Over her last 75 minutes of game action covering the last three games, Markowski has totaled 42 points and 43 rebounds.
 
Markowski owns 38 career double-doubles, trailing only first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2010) and Jordan Hooper (2014) who share the Nebraska school record with 40 career double-doubles.
 
Markowski has scored in double figures 27 times in 28 games this season, including six 20-point performances. She was held to nine points and 16 rebounds at No. 2 Ohio State (Feb. 14).
 
The 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Markowski earned her second straight appearance on the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List this year. Last season, as the only sophomore on the list, she advanced to the Midseason Top 10 for the award.
 
Markowski ranks sixth on the Nebraska career rebound list with 889.
 
Shelley Named AP National Player of the Week (Feb. 13)
Jaz Shelley was named the Associated Press National Player of the Week (Feb. 13) following Nebraska’s 82-79 upset of No. 2 Iowa at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Feb. 11). Shelley scored a team-high 23 points, including 10 in Nebraska’s decisive 27-10 fourth quarter, to help the Huskers rally from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit over the Hawkeyes.
 
Shelley’s three-pointer with 31 seconds gave Nebraska its first lead of the game against Iowa. Her fifth three-pointer preceeded four straight free throws in the final 20 seconds to seal the win that matched the highest-ranked opponent the Huskers had ever defeated (Baylor, 103-99 3OT, Jan. 12, 2005). 
 
Shelley also earned the first Big Ten Player-of-the-Week award of her career (Feb. 12).
 
Shelley, Markowski Named Preseason All-Big Ten
Jaz Shelley and Alexis Markowski captured preseason All-Big Ten honors from both coaches and media when the conference announced its honors on Oct. 4.
 
Nebraska joined Ohio State (Cotie McMahon, Jacy Sheldon) as the only schools in the conference to place two players on the Preseason All-Big Ten teams.
 
Shelley, a 2023 first-team All-Big Ten selection, averaged 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and a team-leading 6.2 assists while also ranking among Big Ten leaders with 79 three-pointers last season.
 
The 5-9 guard from Moe, Australia (pronounced MO-ee) was a second-team All-Big Ten choice in her first season with the Huskers in 2021-22. She was also a member of the media’s Big Ten All-Defensive Team, helping Nebraska to a 2022 NCAA Tournament berth. She was the only Big Ten player to rank among the top 20 in all five major statistical categories - scoring (13.1 ppg), rebounding (6.3 rpg), assists (5.0 apg), steals (1.8 spg) and blocked shots (0.9 bpg) in 2021-22.
 
Markowski claimed Preseason All-Big Ten honors for the second consecutive season. The two-time second-team All-Big Ten choice averaged 11.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore for the Huskers in 2022-23. 
 
The 6-3 center led the Big Ten with 322 total rebounds and was the only conference player to average a double-double (12.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg) during regular-season Big Ten action a year ago. She also led all league post players with 15 double-doubles.
 
The 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Markowski averaged 12.8 points and 8.0 rebounds while becoming a starter during the conference season. She helped the Huskers to three wins over AP Top 10 teams and a trip to the Big Ten semifinals before advancing to the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
 
Shelley and Markowski were both among the preseason candidates for the 2024 Naismith and Wooden national player-of-the-year awards.
 
Potts Leads Freshmen with Seven Big Ten Weekly Awards
Two-time Missouri MaxPreps High School Player of the Year Natalie Potts has made an instant impact on Nebraska’s lineup. The 6-2 forward from O’Fallon, Mo., has claimed seven Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards after capturing her most recent honor on Feb. 26.
 
Potts averaged 15.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals last week to help power Nebraska to home wins over Northwestern (Feb. 20) and Minnesota (Feb. 24). In the win over Northwestern, Potts put up her fourth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds to go along with three steals. She hit 11-of-16 shots (.688) for the week, including her only three-point attempt, while going 7-for-7 at the free throw line.
 
In addition to her conference honors, Potts was named the No. 14 impact freshman in the nation by ESPN on Dec. 22. She ranks second among all Big Ten freshmen in scoring (10.4 ppg), while leading league freshmen in rebounding (5.4 rpg), field goal percentage (.526) and free throw percentage (.859). She also leads the Huskers with 17 blocked shots through 28 games. 
 
Potts owns 17 double-figure scoring games on the season.
 
She earned her sixth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award with 14 points and six rebounds in Nebraska’s 82-79 upset of No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11). She produced eight points and five rebounds in helping the Huskers outscore the Hawkeyes 27-10 in the decisive fourth quarter. It followed a 12-point performance in a huge road win at Michigan (Feb. 6). 
 
Potts had 11 points, six rebounds and a career-high four steals in a win over Purdue (Jan. 31). In a head-to-head matchup with Purdue’s Mary Ashley Stevenson, the Boilermaker starting freshman managed just two points and one rebound before fouling out. Purdue’s Rashunda Jones managed four points and five rebounds, as Potts matched their rebounding production and nearly doubled their scoring in approximately half their total minutes.
 
Potts produced her third career double-double with game highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Michigan (Jan. 17).
 
She posted her second double-double with 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in NU’s win over Maryland (Dec. 31), including 13 points and 12 boards in the second half. 
 
Potts scored all 16 of her points in the second half in a win at Wisconsin (Jan. 4). She opened league play with 10 points, five boards and two blocks in a win at Michigan State (Dec. 9). 
 
Potts produced 10 points and six rebounds at Minnesota (Jan. 14), while Gopher freshman Grace Grochalski was held scoreless while managing just two rebounds. Potts outdueled Grochalski in NU’s win in Lincoln (Feb. 24), producing 12 points and seven rebounds.
 
Potts had 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes in a win over UNCW (Dec. 5). 
 
Potts won her second Big Ten Freshman award (Nov. 22) after averaging 14.0 points in two games at the St. Pete Showcase. She opened the week with a career-high 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field, including a three-pointer, in a 75-61 win over Lamar.
 
She opened another strong week by notching her first double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in a win over Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29). She followed with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in a win over Georgia Tech (Dec. 2).
 
Potts averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 block to earn her first Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Nov. 13).
 
In Nebraska’s 71-52 road win at Wyoming, Potts was a catalyst at both ends of the court, erupting for 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, while adding two steals and a blocked shot. She was a menace defensively, creating easy offensive opportunities with deflections at the front of Nebraska’s press to help turn an early Husker deficit into a double-digit road victory over the Cowgirls.
 
In her regular-season collegiate debut, Potts had 10 points, five rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block while hitting 5-of-7 shots from the field in a 90-42 win over Northwestern State (Nov. 6).
 
She backed up her opening week with 11.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in her second week, including 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting against No. 22 Creighton (Nov. 19). She had seven points, 11 rebounds and a career-high three blocks in a win over Alcorn State (Nov. 14).
 
Through 28 games, Potts has hit 101-of-162 (.623) two-point field goal attempts.
 
Nissley Joins Potts in Hunt for Big Ten Honors
Nebraska freshman Logan Nissley has made a late-season push for Big Ten All-Freshman honors. The 6-0 guard from Bismarck, N.D., played a major role in NU’s success in February, averaging 9.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists over the last seven games.
 
Nissley has joined the starting lineup the last three games, and is averaging 10.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 22 minutes per game as a starter. Nebraska is 3-0 in that stretch.
 
In her first career start, Nissley tied a career high with 18 points to help the Huskers to a road win at Purdue (Feb. 17). She helped NU rally from a 10-point first-quarter deficit by scoring 11 first-half points and the first six points of the second half.
 
She added 12 points in her second start by tying her career high with four three-pointers while dishing out a career-high six assists in a win over Northwestern (Feb. 20).
 
Nissley’s efforts in her first two starts followed a breakout performance with 15 points and a career-high seven rebounds in a career-high 24 minutes in Nebraska’s 82-79 win over No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11).
 
She owns nine double-figure scoring efforts on the season, including three in the past five games. For the season, Nissley is averaging 6.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists while playing in all 28 games. 
 
Nissley, who has hit 45-of-112 three-pointers will join Nebraska’s top five freshmen in history with her next made three. Two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge ranks fifth among all-time Husker freshmen with 46 threes (1994-95). Nissley enters the Illinois game ranked fourth among Husker freshmen in history with her 40.2 three-point percentage.
 
Nebraska’s 20-Win Seasons
Nebraska shoots for its third 20-win season under Coach Amy Williams and its second in the past three years when the Huskers travel to Illinois Sunday.
 
The Huskers own 18 20-win seasons in school history, including a top victory total of 32 in 2009-10. Nebraska owns seven 20-win campaigns from 2009-10 to 2022-23.
 
The Nebraska men’s basketball program already owns a 20-win season in 2023-24, and a win for the women would give the two teams 20-win seasons in the same year for the first time since 2017-18, when the men finished 22-11, and the women went 21-11.
 
Huskers Shoot for Top-Four Big Ten Seed
A win for Nebraska at Illinois would lock up the No. 4 seed and a double-bye at next week’s Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis (March 6-10). 
 
It would be Nebraska’s fourth top-four seed at the Big Ten Tournament since joining the conference in 2011-12.
 
A top-four seed would be Nebraska’s first since tying for third in the regular-season Big Ten standings in 2017-18. It was Coach Amy Williams’ second season at Nebraska, and she was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading the Huskers to an 11-5 league mark.
 
Nebraska claimed its highest seed (No. 2) at the 2013 Big Ten Tournament, after going 12-4 during the regular season. The Huskers followed with a No. 3 seed at the 2014 tournament with an identical 12-4 mark, before rolling to the Big Ten Tournament championship.
 
White Shines in Various Roles for Huskers
Nebraska has received an immediate boost in the backcourt from three-time first-team All-Big Sky guard Darian White.
 
White is averaging 7.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists with 23 starts in 27 games. She missed Nebraska’s win at Michigan (Feb. 6) with a leg injury, but returned to score four points off the bench in NU’s 82-79 win over No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11). 
 
She aggravated the injury in practice Friday, Feb. 23, and the Huskers held her out of the first 39 minutes on Senior Day against Minnesota (Feb. 24). White entered the game with a minute left. 
 
White suffered the injury in the closing seconds of Nebraska’s loss to Rutgers (Feb. 3), after producing 14 points, four rebounds and four assists in a win over Purdue (Jan. 31). It was her eighth double-figure scoring effort of the season.
 
She scored a season-high 16 points against TCU (Nov. 25). 
 
White had 13 points and five rebounds in a win over Michigan (Jan. 17). She added 12 points and three assists at Penn State (Jan. 21), before getting seven points, four rebounds and three assists in just 14 minutes at No. 5 Iowa (Jan. 27). 
 
The 5-6 graduate student transferred into the Husker program during the summer after averaging 14.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals over 120 starts in four seasons at Montana State. 
 
The No. 2 scorer in Montana State history, White finished with 1,716 points, 612 rebounds, 449 assists and 260 steals.
 
White was the 2022 Big Sky Tournament MVP, leading the Bobcats to the conference title and a trip to the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
 
She was also a two-time Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year (2021, 2022) and the 2020 Big Sky Freshman of the Year.
 
White was the 2019 Idaho Gatorade High School Player of the Year and joins three-time North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year Logan Nissley, two-time Missouri MaxPreps Player of the Year Natalie Potts and Australian National Program forward Jessica Petrie in Nebraska’s group of four newcomers for 2023-24.
 
White produced her first Husker double-double with season highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds against No. 22 Creighton (Nov. 19).
 
In her Nebraska regular-season debut, White scored 13 points, including six in a 16-0 run to start the game, while adding game highs of nine rebounds and three steals to go along with four assists in Nebraska’s 90-42 win over Northwestern State (Nov. 6).
 
She was strong in all phases of her first road game as a Husker, contributing 11 points, four rebounds and two assists in a 71-52 victory at Wyoming.
 
White had 11 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals in 20 minutes in the win over UNCW (Dec. 5). 
 
She made her Big Ten debut with nine points, six rebounds, five assists and her first blocked shot of the season in an 80-74 win at NCAA NET No. 8 Michigan State (Dec. 9).
 
White took the court for the first time at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Nebraska’s exhibition win over Dakota Wesleyan (Oct. 29), producing 13 points, seven rebounds and game highs of eight assists and four steals.
 
Husker Numbers to Watch
• Alexis Markowski (302) will move into Nebraska’s top 10 list for season rebounds with her next rebound, and she is just five rebounds away from moving ahead of Jordan Hooper (2011-12) at No. 8 on Nebraska’s season list. Last year, Markowski produced the No. 5 total rebound season in Husker history with 322. She is one of five Huskers in history to record two 300-rebound seasons.
 
• Markowski’s next double-double will be the 39th of her career, which would move her within one of Nebraska’s school record of 40 shared by first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2006-10) and Jordan Hooper (2011-14).
 
• Markowski is 11 rebounds from 900 in her career. Only five players in Husker history have recorded 900 career rebounds: Janet Smith (1,280, 1979-82), Emily Cady (1,114, 2012-15), Jordan Hooper (1,110, 2011-14), Kelsey Griffin (1,019, 2006-10) and Karen Jennings (1,000, 1990-93).
 
• Freshman Natalie Potts is 10 points away from 300 on the season, while fellow freshman Logan Nissley is 16 points away from 200 on the year.
 
• With her next three-pointer, Nissley will move into Nebraska’s freshman top five for three-pointers made at 46, tying two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge (1994-95).
 
• Jaz Shelley is expected to play in her 149th career collegiate game on Sunday.
 
• Kendall Coley is expected to play in her 99th career collegiate game on Sunday.
 
Nebraska Notables
•  Jaz Shelley (602) and Darian White (526) both own 500 assists in their college careers. Only five previous Huskers in history had totaled 500 collegiate assists (Lindsey Moore, Meggan Yedsena, Rachel Theriot, Jina Johansen, Nicole Kubik). 
 
• Darian White is 86 points away from 2,000 in her college career.
 
• Darian White has scored in double figures 105 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 8, Nebraska). She scored a season-high 16 points against TCU (Nov. 25).
 
• Nebraska features one of the Big Ten’s best freshman classes with Natalie Potts (290/151), Logan Nissley (184/57) and Jessica Petrie (118/62) combining for 592 points and 270 rebounds. All three freshmen have played in all 28 games for the Big Red and all three are averaging double-figure minutes. 

Husker Nuggets
• Natalie Potts earned her conference-leading seventh Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award on Feb. 26. No other league freshman has won more than three awards. Potts won the first weekly honor Nov. 13, before adding awards Nov. 27, Dec. 11, Jan. 8, Jan. 15 and Feb. 12. She leads all Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (5.4 rpg), field goal percentage (.526) and free throw percentage (.859) while ranking second in scoring (10.4 ppg). 

• Alexis Markowski has been named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll seven times in 2023-24. She also earned a spot on the St. Pete Showcase All-Tournament Team (Nov. 25). She ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding (10.8 rpg) and seventh in scoring (15.9 ppg).

• The Huskers had seven players produce double figures in points against UNCW, which is believed to be the first time that has been accomplished in school history. It is the second time this season the Huskers have had six players score in double figures in a game (Northwestern State, Nov. 6).

• Three Huskers (Alexis Markowski, Natalie Potts, Jaz Shelley) recorded double-doubles in the win over Maryland (Dec. 31), which is the first time a Husker trio notched doubles in the same game since Jordan Hooper (23 points, 11 rebounds), Emily Cady (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Rachel Theriot (10 points, 12 assists) did it in an NCAA first-round win over Fresno State in Los Angeles on March 22, 2014.
 
• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 492 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 371 consecutive games.

• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 37 times in the last 100 games, including 10 times in 2023-24. The Huskers hit a season-high 16 threes against UNCW (Dec. 5), and sank 12 triples vs. Southern (Dec. 17). NU hit 11 threes vs. Minnesota (Feb. 24), along with 10 threes vs. Northwestern State (Nov. 6), Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29), Georgia Tech (Dec. 2), Michigan State (Dec. 9), Maryland (Dec. 31) and both games vs. Iowa (Jan. 27/Feb. 11).

• 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 (591 games).