Huskers Take on No. 3 Iowa for Big Ten Title

The No. 5 seed Nebraska women’s basketball team takes on second-seeded and national No. 3 Iowa in the championship game of the TIAA Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis on Sunday.

 

Nebraska (22-10, 11-7 Big Ten) improved to 3-0 in the tournament with a 78-68 win over No. 8 seed Maryland in Saturday’s first semifinal game. It followed a 73-61 victory over fourth-seeded Michigan State on Friday and a 64-56 win over 12th-seeded Purdue in Thursday’s second round. 

 

No. 3 Iowa (28-4, 15-3 Big Ten) flew into the championship game for the fourth consecutive season, running past sixth-seeded Michigan, 95-68. The Hawkeyes shoot for their third straight tournament title in a game that will tip off at 11 a.m. (CT) at the Target Center. CBS will televise the game nationally with Lisa Byington, Julianne Viani and AJ Ross on the call. Doors to the sold-out Target Center will open at 9 a.m. 

 

Fans also can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action. Pregame will start at 10:30 a.m. (CT). 

 

All-Big Ten guard Jaz Shelley has made a strong case for all-tournament honors by averaging 22.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists through three games, including a 30-point, nine-assist effort in Nebraska’s semifinal win over Maryland. Shelley has hit 13-of-30 threes (.433) in the tournament, while knocking down 53.7 percent of her shots overall and 90 percent of her free throws. Shelley’s previous season high came with 23 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, in Nebraska’s 82-79 win over then-No. 2 Iowa at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln (Feb. 11).

 

First-team All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski has averaged a double-double through three tournament games with 14.3 points and 10.7 rebounds to go along with 3.3 assists. She notched her 18th double-double of the year with 22 points and 12 rebounds to go with four assists in Friday’s quarterfinal win over No. 4 seed Michigan State. The 6-3 junior from Lincoln, Neb., posted a double-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three steals in NU’s win over Iowa (Feb. 11).

 

Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year Natalie Potts has been solid in her first tournament appearance, averaging 8.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. She put up her fifth double-double of the year with 15 points and 11 rebounds while tying her career high for the second straight game with three blocks in the win over Michigan State. The 6-2 forward from O’Fallon, Mo., had 14 points and six rebounds in Nebraska’s win over Iowa (Feb. 11).

 

Nebraska Cornhuskers (22-10, 11-7 Big Ten)
vs. 3/3 Iowa Hawkeyes (28-4, 15-3 Big Ten)
Sunday, March 10, 2024, 11 a.m. (CT)
Target Center - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Television: CBS (Paramount+)
Lisa Byington (PBP), Julianne Viani (Analyst), AJ Ross (Sideline)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (10:30 a.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
B107.3 FM (Lincoln), 590 AM (Omaha), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Live Stats: Huskers.com

 

Nebraska Cornhuskers (22-10, 11-7 Big Ten - NCAA NET 28)
22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 10.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 15.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 13.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 6.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 3.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Off the Bench
0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 6.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 6.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 3.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg
42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.2 ppg, 1.7 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Eighth Season at Nebraska (136-109); 17th Season Overall (329-218)

 

3/3 Iowa Hawkeyes (28-4, 15-3 Big Ten - NCAA NET 5)
45 - Hannah Stuelke - 6-2 - So. - F - 14.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg
3 - Sydney Affolter - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 7.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg
20 - Kate Martin - 6-0 - Gr. - G - 12.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg
22 - Caitlin Clark - 6-0 - Sr. - G - 31.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg
24 - Gabbie Marshall - 5-9 - 5th - G - 6.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Off the Bench
1 - Molly Davis - 5-7 - 5th - G - 6.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg
40 - Sharon Goodman - 6-3 - RJr. - C - 4.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg
44 - Addison O’Grady - 6-3 - Jr. - F/C - 4.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg
2 - Taylor McCabe - 5-9 - So. - G - 4.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg
4 - Kylie Feuerbach - 6-0 - RJr. - G - 3.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg
Head Coach: Lisa Bluder (Northern Iowa, 1983)
24th Season at Iowa (522-253); 40th Season Overall (878-395)

 

Coach Lisa Bluder brings No. 3 Iowa into Sunday’s championship game in search of a third consecutive Big Ten Tournament title. The Hawkeyes are 28-4 overall after going 15-3 during regular-season league play. Iowa earned the No. 2 seed in the tournament and advanced with wins over Penn State and Michigan after earning a double-bye into the quarterfinals.

 

All-American Caitlin Clark provides Iowa with the most productive player in NCAA women’s basketball history with 3,737 points and 1,080 assists. Clark, who has pulled down 937 career rebounds, has connected on an NCAA-record 515 three-pointers.

 

Clark, who scored a season-high 49 points against Michigan (Feb. 15) has produced at least 20 points in all 32 games this season.

 

She had 38 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in Iowa’s 92-73 win over Nebraska in Iowa City (Jan. 27), before adding 31 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists in Nebraska’s 82-79 win over then-No. 2 Iowa in Lincoln (Feb. 11).

 

In nine career games against Nebraska, Clark has averaged 34.3 points (309), 8.9 rebounds (80) and 7.8 assists (71). She has scored at least 30 points in all nine meetings, including 41 in the 2022 Big Ten semifinals. 

 

Graduate guard Kate Martin (12.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.4 apg) has stepped up her production in her fifth season. Martin owns more than 1,200 career points and nearly 700 rebounds while closing in on 500 assists in her career. She is hitting a career-best 52.1 percent of her field goals this season, including 36.7 percent (40-109) of her threes and 88.5 percent (69-78) of her free throws. She has started 132 games in her career.

 

Sophomore Hannah Stuelke, a 6-2 forward, has been Iowa’s most productive player in the post, averaging 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds. She had a mammoth career-high 47-point performance in Iowa’s regular-season win over Penn State (Feb. 8). She has averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in two meetings this season against Nebraska, and has contributed 12.0 points and 4.0 boards in Iowa’s two Big Ten Tournament wins this week. Stuelke is shooting 64.5 percent from the field but just 61.7 percent from the free throw line. 

 

Fellow fifth-year guard Gabbie Marshall provides the Hawkeyes with a lockdown perimeter defender. She has also increased her scoring down the stretch including double-figure points in three of her last four games. She recently went over 1,000 career points and is averaging 6.0 points and 1.0 rebounds on the year, including 12.3 points over the last four games. 

 

The Huskers lost Molly Davis for at least several games, following an injury on Senior Day against Ohio State. The 5-7 fifth-year guard started 27 games for the Hawks and averaged 6.1 points and 2.6 rebounds. She owns 1,765 career points after spending the first three seasons of her career as an all-conference guard at Central Michigan.

 

Sydney Affolter, a 5-11 junior, has stepped into the starting lineup in place of Davis, giving the Hawkeyes added size and scoring. She is averaging 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in two starts at the conference tournament. For the season, Affolter is contributing 7.6 points and 6.4 boards per game.

 

Iowa gets steady contributions from 6-3 junior post players Sharon Goodman (4.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and Addison O’Grady (4.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg), although their production has decreased slightly since Iowa’s game at Nebraska (Feb. 11).

 

The Hawkeyes also get more backcourt support from Taylor McCabe (4.0 ppg) and Kylie Feuerbach (3.0 ppg), who have both seen their production increase over the past month.

 

Iowa possesses one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, averaging 92.8 points while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point range. Iowa carries a plus-21.4 scoring margin, a plus-7.5 rebound margin and a plus-1.1 turnover margin. 

 

Iowa leads the all-time series with Nebraska 23-16, but the Huskers snapped the Hawkeyes’ nine-game series winning streak in the last meeting.

 

The Huskers rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, outscoring Iowa 27-10 in the final period to claim an 82-79 win in Lincoln (Feb. 11). Jaz Shelley was the catalyst with 23 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, while Alexis Markowski (15 points, 11 rebounds), Natalie Potts (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Logan Nissley (15 points, 7 rebounds) all played major roles.

 

Nebraska’s win over the No. 2 Hawks matched the highest ranked opponent the Huskers had ever defeated, joining a 2006 win over No. 2 and eventual national champion Baylor (103-99 3OT) in Lincoln (Jan. 12, 2006).

 

Iowa rolled to a 92-73 win over Nebraska in the first meeting this season in Iowa City, 92-73 (Jan. 27). Jaz Shelley led Nebraska with 19 points and five assists, while Alexis Markowski contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds. Callin Hake added 11 points off the bench.

 

Caitlin Clark led Iowa with 38 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Kate Martin contributed 16 points and Sydney Affolter added 12 off the bench for the Hawkeyes.

 

Nebraska won the first eight games in the series with Iowa upon joining the Big Ten (2011-12 to 2013-14). The Huskers capped that three-year run with a 72-65 win over the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis (March 9, 2014).

 

The win by the Huskers in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game marked the third consecutive season that Nebraska eliminated the Hawkeyes from the conference tournament.

 

Iowa won the next five meetings before the Huskers swept the Hawkeyes on their way to an NCAA Tournament bid in 2017-18, including a 92-74 win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Jan. 28, 2018) - Nebraska’s last win in Iowa City.

 

The Huskers are 7-9 all-time against Iowa in Lincoln, dating back to a 67-66 win over the Hawkeyes at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Dec. 22, 1979.

 

The Huskers are 4-11 all-time against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. 

 

Nebraska is 5-3 all-time against Iowa on neutral courts dating back to the first meeting in the series, a 71-63 Husker win at the Jennies’ Classic in Warrensburg, Mo.

 

• The 13 rebounds by Alexis Markowski in the Big Ten semifinal win over Maryland pushed her season total to 342 - 20 more rebounds than she pulled down last season. She needs just 12 rebounds to match the the No. 3 single-season total in school history of 354 by first-team All-American Kelsey Griffin in 2009-10. 

 

• Markowski’s 342 rebounds are the second-highest total by a junior in school history, trailing only 417 boards by Janet Smith (1980-81).

 

• Markowski, who owns 20 double-digit rebound performances on the season, owns 929 career rebounds in three seasons as a Husker. 

 

• With 13 three-pointers through the first three tournament games in Minneapolis this season, Jaz Shelley has taken over the top spot on Nebraska’s career three-point list in conference tournament play. Shelley has connected on 32 three-pointers in seven career Big Ten Tournament games - 12 more than All-American Jordan Hooper, who hit 20 in her Big 12 (1 season) and Big Ten Tournament (3 seasons) appearances.

 

• Shelley’s next three-pointer will tie her conference tournament record of 14 threes set in 2022.

 

• Shelley set the Big Ten Tournament single-game three-point record with nine threes against Illinois on her way to 32 points in a win over Illinois in 2022. The nine threes are also an overall Nebraska individual three-point record.

 

• Alexis Markowski earned her seventh spot on the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll this season with her monster 20-point, 21-rebound performance 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.

 

• Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski is producing double-doubles at one of the top rates in the nation through 31 games in 2023-24. The 6-3 junior center from Lincoln, Neb., entered the tournament tied for 11th nationally and third in the Big Ten with 18 double-doubles on the year, including 11 in 18 Big Ten games.

 

• She notched her most recent double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds in Nebraska’s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal win over Michigan State (March 8).

 

• Markowski, who earned her second appearance on the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List, ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding at 10.6 boards per game, including 11.5 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).

 

• Markowski owns 39 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 30 times in 31 games this season, including seven 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 929.

 

Markowski Named First-Team All-Big Ten
Alexis Markowski led an impressive hardware haul by the Huskers when All-Big Ten teams were announced on Tuesday, March 5. The 6-3 center from Lincoln, Neb., captured first-team all-conference honors for the first time after claiming second-team accolades in 2023 and 2022, when she was also the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

 

Markowski, who ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding (10.7 rpg) and seventh in scoring (15.7 ppg), has produced 18 double-doubles during the season, including 11 in Big Ten play. She was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll seven times in 2023-24. 

 

Jaz Shelley, a 2023 first-team All-Big Ten selection, claimed second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second time in three seasons at Nebraska. The 5-9 guard from Moe, Australia (pronounced MO-ee) was a second-team All-Big Ten choice in 2022, when she was also a member of the media’s Big Ten All-Defensive Team. 

 

Shelley ranks second among the Huskers in scoring (13.7 ppg), while leading the team in assists (5.4 apg), steals (1.7 spg) and made three-pointers (79). She has added 4.2 rebounds per game.

 

Shelley and Markowski were both preseason first-team All-Big Ten heading into the 2023-24 season, and Markowski was also preseason first-team All-Big Ten in 2022-23.

 

Natalie Potts capped an outstanding first season at Nebraska by being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year by the conference coaches on Tuesday, March 5.

 

The 6-2 forward from O’Fallon, Mo., claimed her eighth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (March 4), before earning NU’s third Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year honor in the last eight years.

 

The Big Ten’s most consistent freshman from start to finish since earning the league’s first freshman-of-the-week honor (Nov. 13), Potts claimed at least one weekly award in all five months of the campaign. Her eight weekly honors matched teammate Alexis Markowski’s award total from her 2022 Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year campaign.

 

A two-time Missouri MaxPreps High School Player of the Year, Potts averaged 14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals over the last two weeks of the regular season.

 

For the season, she led all Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and field goal percentage (.512), while ranking second in scoring (10.3 ppg).

 

A unanimous choice by the coaches to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, Potts produced four double-doubles, including game highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Northwestern (Feb. 20), on her way to her seventh Big Ten weekly freshman honor.

 

Potts, who has started all 32 games for the Big Red, was named the No. 14 impact freshman in the nation by ESPN on Dec. 22. 

 

Potts owns 19 double-figure scoring games on the season, including five double-doubles with the most recent coming with 15 points and 11 rebounds in a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal win over Michigan State (March 8).

 

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). 

 

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 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).

 

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).

 

Nebraska freshman Logan Nissley made a late-season push to earn Big Ten All-Freshman honors from both the coaches and media (March 5). 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 seven games, helping NU to a 5-2 record in the month.

 

Nissley has joined the starting lineup the past seven games, helping the Huskers to a 6-1 record. She has scored in double figures three times as a starter, including 11 points - all in the third quarter - in Nebraska’s Big Ten Tournament semifinal win over Michigan State (March 8).

 

She is averaging 8.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while hitting 13-of-32 three-pointers (.406) as a starter.

 

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 24 minutes in Nebraska’s 82-79 win over No. 2 Iowa (Feb. 11).

 

She owns 10 double-figure scoring efforts on the season, including four in the past nine games. For the season, Nissley is averaging 6.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists while playing in all 32 games. 

 

Nissley, who has hit 51-of-131 three-pointers, is tied for No. 3 in Nebraska history in made threes by a freshman. Nissley’s .389 three-point percentage also ranks fourth among freshmen in Husker history.

 

• Nebraska has produced its third 20-win season under Coach Amy Williams and its second in the past three years behind three wins at the Big Ten Tournament.

 

• The Huskers own 19 20-win seasons in school history, including a top victory total of 32 in 2009-10. Nebraska owns eight 20-win campaigns from 2009-10 to 2023-24.

 

• The Nebraska men’s basketball program also owns a 20-win season in 2023-24, giving 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.

 

• The Husker men’s and women’s teams have never had 22-win campaigns in the same season. The Nebraska women enter Sunday’s championship game with 22 wins, while the Husker men shoot for their 22nd win at Michigan at the same time.

 

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).

 

• Natalie Potts needs one blocked shot to tie the Nebraska Big Ten Tournament record with nine in a single season - tying Husker all-time blocked shot leader Kate Cain. With one block, Potts would also moved into a tie for second in career Big Ten Tournament blocks, trailing only Cain’s 17 career blocks in the tournament.

 

• Alexis Markowski (342) has moved up to fourth on the Nebraska season rebound chart. She is 12 rebounds from matching Kelsey Griffin (354, 2009-10) for third on the Husker season chart. Markowski is one of five Huskers in history to record two 300-rebound seasons.

 

• Markowski’s next double-double will be the 40th of her career, which would tie the Nebraska  school record of 40 shared by first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2006-10) and Jordan Hooper (2011-14).

 

•  Jaz Shelley has become the prolific three-point shooter in conference tournament history for the Huskers. She owns a school-record 32 triples in seven Big Ten Tournament games, surpassing the 20 career threes by first-team All-American Jordan Hooper in Big Ten and Big 12 Tournament games.

 

•  Shelley has climbed to No. 2 on Nebraska’s Big Ten Tournament career scoring list with 149 points. She needs 35 points to catch Jordan Hooper (184) atop Nebraska’s Big Ten Tournament scoring list.

 

• Shelley (631) and Darian White (530) 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 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 (329/177), Logan Nissley (208/65) and Jessica Petrie (133/70) combining for 677 points and 315 rebounds. All three freshmen have played in all 32 games for the Big Red and all three are averaging double-figure minutes.

 

• Nebraska, which owns 13 wins this season over NET Top 75 teams including seven since Feb. 1, is 6-1 the last six games with Big Ten All-Freshman Team pick Logan Nissley as a starter. Nissley scored all 11 of her points in the third quarter against Michigan State for her 10th double-digit scoring effort of the year. She added six points in NU’s Big Ten semifinal win over Maryland (March 9).  

Husker Nuggets
• Natalie Potts earned eighth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards in 2023-24. No other league freshman won more than three awards. Potts won conference honors Nov. 13, Nov. 27, Dec. 11, Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Feb. 12, Feb. 26 and March 3. 

• Alexis Markowski was 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 (10.7 rpg) and seventh in scoring (15.7 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 496 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 375 consecutive games.

• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 39 times in the last 104 games, including 11 times in 2023-24. The Huskers hit a season-high 16 threes against UNCW (Dec. 5). Most recently, NU nailed 13 threes in a win over Maryland (March ). The Huskers sank 12 triples vs. Southern (Dec. 17), 11 threes vs. Minnesota (Feb. 24), and 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).