Lincoln -- Katie Morse and Keasha Cannon-Johnson had 14 points apiece to lead five players in double figures, as the Nebraska women's basketball team opened exhibition play with an impressive 94-47 win over Nebraska-Omaha Sunday afternoon at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Morse, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, was 6-for-11 from the floor an added eight rebounds in just 26 minutes of action, while Cannon-Johnson, who redshirted last season, tied for team-high honors with 14 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds in just 23 minutes of work.
The return of Cannon-Johnson, the Big 12's Newcomer of the Year in 2001-02, and Morse, a 6-foot-4 center who averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game before her knee injury last December, gave the Huskers much-needed offensive firepower.
"It was nice to have options," Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. "We are a different team this year. We have some options, and we have some freshmen who can contribute for us."
Cannon-Johnson was efficient on both ends of the court, hauling in six offensive rebounds, as the Huskers enjoyed a substantial 56-37 advantage on the boards against a Nebraska-Omaha team that lost by eight points at Bradley in their first exhibition contest.
"She (Cannon-Johnson) did a great job of rebounding at both ends," Yori said. "She got tired, but that's what happens when you rebound hard at both ends."
While the return of the two veterans gives the second-year coach optimism, the Huskers also received solid performances from their corps of freshmen. Chelsea Aubry and Kiera Hardy had 11 points apiece, while all five of the Husker newcomers scored at least five points in the win.
Nebraska took command early, jumping to a 12-1 lead in the opening four minutes of the contest. The Huskers led by as many as 26 points in the first half and continued to extend the margin in the second half. All 10 Huskers who played saw at least 15 minutes of action, while Alexa Johnson joined the quartet in double figures with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Nebraska-Omaha was led by Skeeter Zoucha and Andrea Schoepf, who had eight points apiece off the bench, as NU outscored UNO’s starters by a 54-15 margin.
The Huskers play host to Nebraska-Kearney in their final exhibition contest this Thursday, Nov. 13, at 7:05 p.m. at the Devaney Center.