Huskers Take on Terrapins in Big Ten SemifinalsHuskers Take on Terrapins in Big Ten Semifinals
Women's Basketball

Huskers Take on Terrapins in Big Ten Semifinals

The No. 5 seed Nebraska women’s basketball team will collide with the eighth-seeded Maryland Terrapins in the first semifinal game of the TIAA Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis on Saturday.
 
Nebraska (21-10, 11-7 Big Ten) improved to 2-0 in the tournament with a 73-61 victory over fourth-seeded Michigan State on Friday afternoon, after working its way to a 64-56 win over 12th-seeded Purdue in Thursday’s second round. 
 
Maryland (19-12, 9-9 Big Ten) claimed the tournament’s biggest upset so far with an 82-61 win over top-seeded and No. 4 Ohio State. Saturday’s game will tip off at 1 p.m. (CT) at the Target Center in a game televised by BTN with Sloane Martin, Christy Winters Scott and Meghan McKeown on the call. Doors to the Target Center will open at 11:30 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 12:30 p.m. (CT). 
 
First-team All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski posted her 18th double-double of the year with 22 points and 12 rebounds to go with four assists against the Spartans. Markowski, who is averaging 15.9 points and 10.6 rebounds on the year, is averaging 17.0, 9.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists through two tournament games. She had 20 points and 10 rebounds in Nebraska’s 87-81 win over Maryland in Lincoln (Dec. 31).
 
Second-team All-Big Ten guard Jaz Shelley added 17 points and five assists against Michigan State. The 5-9 guard from Moe (pronounced MO-ee), Australia, leads Nebraska in scoring (18.0 ppg) through two tournament games, while adding 6.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds. Shelley notched 13 points and 11 assists to join Markowski with a double-double in the first meeting with the Terps this season at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
 
Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year Natalie Potts contributed 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 blocked shots. The 6-2 forward from O’Fallon, Mo., also recorded a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds in the New Year’s Eve win over the Terrapins.
 
Nebraska, which owns 12 wins this season over NET Top 75 teams including six since Feb. 1, is 5-1 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. 
 
#5 Nebraska Cornhuskers (21-10, 11-7 Big Ten)
vs. #8 Maryland Terrapins (19-12, 9-9 Big Ten)
Saturday, March 9, 2024, 1 p.m. (CT)
Target Center - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Television: BTN / FOX Sports App - Sloane Martin (PBP), Christy Winters Scott (Analyst)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (12:30 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
B107.3 FM (Lincoln), 590 AM (Omaha), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Live Stats: Huskers.com
 
Nebraska Cornhuskers (21-10, 11-7 Big Ten - NCAA NET 30)
22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 10.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 15.9 ppg, 10.6 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 13.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 6.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 3.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Off the Bench
0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 6.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 6.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 3.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg
42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Eighth Season at Nebraska (135-109); 17th Season Overall (328-218)
 
Maryland Terrapins (19-12, 9-9 Big Ten - NCAA NET 33)
5 - Brinae Alexander - 6-0 - Gr. - G - 9.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg
13 - Faith Masonius - 6-1 - Gr. - G/F - 6.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg
0 - Shyanne Sellers - 6-2 - Jr. - G - 15.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg
11 - Jakia Brown-Turner - 6-0 - Gr. - G - 14.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg
24 - Bri McDaniel - 5-10 - So. - G - 12.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg
Off the Bench
14 - Allie Kubek - 6-2 - RJr. - F - 8.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg
34 - Emily Fisher - 6-0 - Fr. - G/F - 2.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg
20 - Hawa Doumbouya - 6-7 - Fr. - C - 2.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg
33 - Summer Bostock - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 1.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg
3 - Lavender Briggs (OUT) - 6-1 - Gr. - G - 8.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg
2 - Riley Nelson (OUT) - 6-2 - Fr. - G - 5.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg
21 - Emma Chardon (OUT) - 6-2 - RSo. - F - 1.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg
Head Coach: Brenda Frese (Arizona, 1993)
22nd Season at Maryland (582-159); 26th Season Overall (639-189)
 
Scouting the Maryland Terrapins
Coach Brenda Frese leads her Terrapins into the Big Ten semifinals after an 82-61 upset of Big Ten regular-season champion Ohio State on Friday in Minneapolis. It followed a 75-65 win over Illinois in Thursday’s second round.
 
The eighth-seeded Terrapins are 7-3 in their last 10 games with the only losses to No. 1 seed Ohio State, No. 2 seed Iowa and No. 3 seed Indiana. 
 
Shyanne Sellers led Maryland with 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the win over the Buckeyes, Jakia Brown-Turner and Brinae Alexander each contributed 19 points. Faith Masonius pitched in a big double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Terps have lost Lavender Briggs (8.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and freshman Riley Nelson (5.1 ppg) to injury. That duo combined for 36 points off the bench in the first meeting this season between Nebraska and Maryland in Lincoln (Dec. 31) - an 87-81 Husker win. Emma Chardon is also out for the year.
 
Maryland’s season has been affected by injuries, as the Terps have been limited to a seven-player rotation in the Big Ten Tournament. Sellers played much of the Big Ten season while battling multiple injuries but has still averaged 15.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists on the year. Sellers has been dynamic, averaging 18.0 points and 7.5 assists in the tournament’s first two games.
 
Brown-Turner has averaged 16.5 points in two games, while Alexander has pitched in 15.5 points per contest. Alexander is averaging 9.3 points per game on the season as Maryland’s most dangerous threat from long range, connecting on 77 three-pointers (.387).
 
In the win over Illinois on Thursday, Bri McDaniel starred with 20 points and 10 rebounds, before being held scoreless on 0-for-10 shooting in the 21-point win over the fourth-ranked Buckeyes. McDaniel is averaging 12.8 points and 4.1 rebounds on the season.
 
Allie Kubek (8.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and Emily Fisher (2.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg) have provided support off the bench down the stretch.
 
Regardless of their season struggles, the Terps have still averaged 78.0 points per game while hitting 44 percent of their shots from the field including 35.8 percent of their three-point attempts. Maryland also has knocked down 76.6 percent of its free throws. The Terps own a plus-2.7 rebound margin and a plus-1.4 turnover margin.
 
Nebraska vs. Maryland Series History
Maryland leads the all-time series with Nebraska 16-2, but the Huskers have won two of the last three meetings, including an 87-81 win over the Terrapins in the only match-up this season on New Year’s Eve at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. It was the first game in the history of the series that Maryland entered as an unranked team.
 
The Huskers also won the most recent meeting in College Park, Md., a 90-67 run past the Terps on Dec. 4, 2022.
 
Nebraska has never defeated Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament, carrying an 0-2 record against the Terps in conference tournament play, including an 83-73 loss on March 11, 2021.
 
Alexis Markowski, Natalie Potts and Jaz Shelley all produced double-doubles in Nebraska’s win this season in Lincoln. Markowski finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while the freshman Potts put up 17 points and 13 boards. Shelley rounded out the trio of double-doubles with 13 points and 11 assists. 
 
Lavender Briggs led Maryland with 25 points off the bench against the Huskers while Riley Nelson added 11 points. Both of those Terrapins have been lost for the season to injuries.
 
Nebraska’s first meeting with Maryland came in the 2008 NCAA Tournament second round in College Park - a 76-64 Maryland win. NU is 2-14 against the Terps as Big Ten foes.
 
Markowski Piling on Rebounds
With 12 rebounds in a quarterfinal victory over Michigan State on Thursday, Alexis Markowski increased her junior season total to 329 - seven more than her sophomore total (322) a year ago. Her 329 boards this year rank as the fourth-best total in school history, 25 shy of All-American Kelsey Griffin’s total of 354 (2009-10), which ranks third in the Husker record book.
 
Markowski’s 329 rebounds are the second-highest total by a junior in school history, trailing only 417 boards by Janet Smith (1980-81).
 
Shelley Shoots to Top of NU Tournament Chart
With seven three-pointers through the first two 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 26 three-pointers in six career Big Ten Tournament games - six more than All-American Jordan Hooper, who hit 20 in her Big 12 (1 season) and Big Ten Tournament (3 seasons) appearances.
 
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 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 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 916.
 
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 (10.6 rpg) and seventh in scoring (15.9 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 (13.1 ppg), while leading the team in assists (5.3 apg), steals (1.6 spg) and made three-pointers (73). 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.
 
Potts Earns Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award
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 (5.6 rpg) and field goal percentage (.519), while ranking second in scoring (10.5 ppg) and free throw percentage (.838).
 
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 31 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).
 
Nissley Joins Potts on Big Ten All-Freshman Team
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 six games, helping the Huskers to a 5-1 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 8.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists, while hitting 11-of-26 three-pointers (.423) 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 eight games. For the season, Nissley is averaging 6.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists while playing in all 31 games. 
 
Nissley, who has hit 49-of-125 three-pointers, ranks No. 5 in Nebraska history in made threes by a freshman. She needs one more three to match Taylor Kissinger (2017-18) at No. 4 with 50, and two more threes to catch Natalie Romeo (2014-15) at No. 3 with 51 on NU’s all-time freshman list. Nissley’s .392 three-point percentage also ranks fourth among freshmen in Husker history.
 
Nebraska’s 20-Win Seasons
Nebraska produced its third 20-win season under Coach Amy Williams and its second in the past three years with Thursday’s win over Purdue in the second round.
 
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. Both own 21 victories entering the weekend.
 
Husker Numbers to Watch
• Alexis Markowski (329) moved into fourth on the Nebraska season rebound chart. She is 25 rebounds from matching Kelsey Griffin (354, 2009-10) for third on 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 needs one point to reach 1,600 in her college career. 
 
• Shelley needs five more three-pointers to achieve 300 in her career. 
 
Nebraska Notables
•  Jaz Shelley became the prolific three-pointer in Nebraska conference tournament history on Thursday when she connected on four three-pointers. She owns a school-record 26 triples in six Big Ten Tournament games, surpassing the 20 career threes by first-team All-American Jordan in Big Ten and Big 12 Tournament games.
 
•  Shelley has climbed to No. 3 on Nebraska’s Big Ten Tournament career scoring list with 119 points and needs just one point to match her former teammate Sam Haiby at No. 2 with 120. Jordan Hooper owns Nebraska’s Big Ten Tournament scoring mark with 184 career points..
 
•  Shelley (622) and Darian White (528) 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 (325/173), Logan Nissley (202/65) and Jessica Petrie (128/69) combining for 655 points and 307 rebounds. All three freshmen have played in all 31 games for the Big Red and all three are averaging double-figure minutes. 

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 (10.6 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 495 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 374 consecutive games.

• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 38 times in the last 103 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).