Huskers Hope to Continue Winning Ways Against Bluejays

The Nebraska women’s basketball team (7-1) hopes to extend its five-game winning streak when the Huskers battle in-state rival Creighton (3-4) at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Sunday at 2:05 p.m.

The Huskers’ game with the Bluejays can be heard live on the Pinnacle Sports Network on 1400 KLIN in Lincoln and 1110 KFAB in Omaha, with Matt Coatney handling the play-by-play duties and Jeff Griesch adding color commentary. A live audio feed and stats can be found on the official website of Nebraska Athletics - Huskers.com, while a live video feed is available on HuskersNside through Huskers.com on a subscription basis.

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Nebraska will try to complete its four-game home stand with a perfect 4-0 record, while running its season home mark to 6-0. The Huskers head into the showdown with Creighton riding the thrill of back-to-back last-minute victories over No. 13 Ohio State and Louisiana-Lafayette last weekend.

The Huskers received late-game heroics from Margaret Richards in the win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday. With Nebraska trailing by four points with 3:20 left in the game, the 5-9 senior guard from Louisville, Ky., scored the game’s final six points, including the game-winning three-pointer with 54 seconds left.

Nebraska also received a great defensive effort against the Ragin’ Cajuns, holding ULL without a point for the final 3:20.

Keasha Cannon-Johnson played her best all-around game of the season by notching her second double-double against Louisiana-Lafayette. The 5-10 senior guard from Kansas City, Kan., scored 13 points and pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds. Her performance followed on the heels of a six-point, 11-rebound, nine-assist effort in the win over Ohio State. Cannon-Johnson hit the game-winning three-pointer against the Buckeyes with 2:07 left. In that game, the NU defense shut out the Buckeyes over the final 3:43 to preserve the win.

Creighton comes to town after suffering a 94-60 beating at the hands of No. 11 Kansas State on Sunday. Although the Bluejays have lost four games, three of those four setbacks have come against top-25 teams, including a 79-72 loss to No. 25 Auburn and an 82-71 loss at No. 9 Minnesota. CU also took a 59-41 loss at Northwestern to open the season, but starting guards Laura Spanheimer and Dayna Finch did not play because of injuries.

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Creighton, 19-9, but the Bluejays defeated the Huskers 55-40 at the Civic Auditorium in Omaha on Dec. 1, 2002.

Cannon-Johnson Named Big 12 Player of the Week
Keasha Cannon-Johnson was chosen as the Big 12 Player of the Week the conference office in Dallas, announced on Monday.

Cannon-Johnson, a 5-10 guard, played major roles in wins over No. 13 Ohio State and Louisiana-Lafayette over the weekend. She hit the game-winning three-pointer, her only field goal of the game, to propel Nebraska to a 60-55 win over the 13th-ranked Buckeyes on Dec. 12. She finished with just six points, but tied a career high with nine assists and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.

The senior from Kansas City, Kan., contributed her best effort of the season with 13 points and a career-high 17 boards in the win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 14.

For the week, Cannon-Johnson averaged 9.5 points, 14.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game to help the Huskers improve to a perfect 5-0 at home and 7-1 overall - just one win shy of their victory total from all of last season. On the year, Cannon-Johnson is averaging a double-double with 10.6 points and a Big 12 Conference-leading 10.0 rebounds per game.

The award marks the first Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honor in Cannon-Johnson’s career. She was a three-time Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week honoree as a junior in 2001-02, on her way to Big 12 Newcomer-of-the-Year accolades.

Scouting the Creighton Bluejays (3-4)
Creighton comes calling to the Devaney Center on Sunday ready to prove that its team is better than its record. The Bluejays have played a rigorous non-conference schedule that has included three games against Big Ten competition, a game against Southeastern Conference power Auburn and a contest at Big 12 juggernaut Kansas State.

CU is coming off a 94-60 loss at No. 11 Kansas State on Sunday, after drubbing Michigan, 82-66, in Omaha on Dec. 7. The Bluejays’ other losses have come at then-No. 9 Minnesota (82-71), then-No. 25 Auburn (79-72) and at Northwestern (59-41).

The loss to Northwestern may be a bit misleading though, because the Bluejays played that season-opening game without backcourt starters Laura Spanheimer and Dayna Finch, their two leading scorers entering Sunday’s game.

Nebraska Coach Connie Yori is more than just a little familiar with Creighton. The second-year Husker coach spent 10 seasons at the helm of the Bluejays’ program, after spending three seasons as an assistant coach. She was also a hall of fame player at Creighton, scoring more than 2,000 points in her playing career. Yori recruited and signed all but two of the players who have seen action for the Bluejays this season.

Finch has been the leading scorer for Creighton, averaging 14.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, while knocking down a team-high 23 three-pointers. The 5-6 senior guard is shooting 41.8 percent from three-point range, while also ranking second on the club in assists (23) and steals (13).

Junior Laura Spanheimer has added 13.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, while leading the team with 14 steals. The 5-9 guard, who was a teammate of NU freshman Andrea Lightfoot at Omaha Marian, has 10 three-pointers.

Senior Christy Neneman has contributed 13.4 points and a team-leading 5.1 boards per game. She also leads the Bluejays with 26 assists.

Junior Codi Walker (7.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg), a 5-10 guard, and 6-1 sophomore forward Angie Janis (10.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg) round out the Bluejays’ probable starting lineup.

With no starter taller than 6-1, the Huskers will hope to use their size advantage inside with 6-4 senior center Katie Morse, 6-1 senior forward Alexa Johnson and 6-2 freshmen Chelsea Aubry and Jessica Gerhart to create easy opportunities.

In Creighton’s last three games, the opposition’s starting center is averaging 24.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots per game, while shooting a sizzling 71.4 percent from the field. All-American Nicole Ohlde (6-4) of Kansas State erupted for 32 points, seven rebounds and three blocks against CU on Dec. 14, and nearly every other center has had success against the Bluejays. Michigan’s Jennifer Smith (6-4) scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, as did Minnesota’s Janel McCarville (6-2). Auburn’s Mandissa Stevenson (6-3) scored 16 points and pulled down eight boards while hitting 7-of-9 shots from the field, and Northwestern’s Sarah Kwasinski (6-4) scored 16 points and hauled down seven boards, while hitting 6-of-9 shots from the field.

Overall, the 20 opponent individuals 6-1 or taller who have played against the Bluejays are shooting 61.4 percent (81-132) from the field, while averaging 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Creighton, 19-9, including four consecutive wins at the Devaney Center. Creighton won last year’s meeting at the Civic Auditorium in Omaha, 55-40, Dec. 1, 2002.

Nebraska’s Starters at a Glance
Margaret Richards, 5-9, Sr., G, Louisville, Ky. ? Margaret Richards has been Nebraska’s leader through eight games, averaging 13.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. She scored the Huskers’ final six points, including the game-winning three-pointer with 54 seconds left in NU’s win over Louisiana-Lafayette. She finished with eight points for her second straight game under double figures, after opening the season with six straight double-figure scoring performances.

Richards produced a pair of strong performances in two games at the Lady Tiger Kroger Thanksgiving Classic in Memphis, Tenn., where she averaged 21 points and 9.5 rebounds per game to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. In NU’s 78-75 win over Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 29, Richards scored a season-high 23 points while pulling down a season-high 10 boards for her fourth career double-double. She also tied a school record with 18 free throw attempts against Eastern Kentucky and set the NU record for the most free throw attempts in back-to-back games by hitting 25-of-32 shots at the line against Mississippi and Eastern Kentucky at the Lady Tiger Kroger Thanksgiving Classic. She added a game-high 18 points in Nebraska’s win over Texas-Arlington.

Richards has moved into sole possession of seventh on the NU charts with her 72 career three-pointers and needs nine more to catch Brooke Schwartz in sixth place (81). Richards is also playing her senior season with her degree in hand after earning a bachelor’s degree in communication studies in August of 2003.

Keasha Cannon-Johnson, 5-10, Sr., G, Kansas City, Kan. ? Keasha Cannon-Johnson earned the first Big 12 Player-of-the-Week award of her career after producing her best game of the season with 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds in NU’s win over Louisiana-Lafaytette on Dec. 14. She added six points, including the game-winning three-pointer, a game-high 11 rebounds, and a career-high tying nine assists in the Huskers’ win over No. 13 Ohio State on Dec. 12.

Cannon-Johnson enters the Creighton game averaging 10.6 points and a Big 12-leading 10.0 rebounds per game. At just 5-10, Cannon-Johnson is the shortest Big 12 player ranked among the top 15 in the league in rebounding. She owns two double-doubles this season and eight in her career to lead the Huskers. She notched her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Texas-Arlington.

A talented all-around player, Cannon-Johnson ranks 10th in the Big 12 and second on the team with 4.3 assists per game, while leading the Huskers with 12 total steals. She also ranks third on the team and 27th in the Big 12 in scoring.

The 2002 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Cannon-Johnson earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 accolades as a junior in 2001-02. She led the Huskers in scoring (12.9 ppg), rebounding (8.4 rpg), assists (4.0 apg) and steals (2.1 spg) in her first season after transferring from Penn Valley Community College. A two-time NJCAA Division II All-American, Cannon-Johnson was a three-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week and earned a spot on the Kansas City Star Big 12 All-Defense Team in 2002.

Cannon-Johnson ranked 17th in the Big 12 in scoring, fourth in rebounding, 11th in assists and eighth in steals. She scored a career-high 27 points in a win over No. 11 Kansas State on Feb. 10, 2002, while adding a career-best 16 boards against KSU as one of six double-doubles for Cannon-Johnson in 2001-02.

Alexa Johnson, 6-1, Sr., F, Hacienda Heights, Calif. ? Alexa Johnson enters the Creighton contest averaging 12.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game after scoring 14 points and pulling down six boards in the win over No. 13 Ohio State. Nebraska’s top returning scorer from a year ago, Johnson has produced double figures in six of the Huskers’ first eight games. Johnson played well in two games at the Lady Tiger Kroger Thanksgiving Classic, Nov. 28-29, scoring a season-high 20 points in just 21 minutes, while pulling down six rebounds in the Huskers’ opening-round loss to Mississippi. She came back for 17 points, including 15 points in the first half, to go along with six rebounds in NU’s win over Eastern Kentucky.

In the Big 12 Conference statistics released Dec. 16, Johnson was ranked 20th in the league in scoring average. Last season, Johnson earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors by ranking among the top players in the league in scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Johnson produced 24 double-figure scoring efforts as a junior, including 18 games with 15 or more points and six games with 20 or more points.

In NU’s win over then-No. 25 Cincinnati on Dec. 15, she scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Johnson was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Dec. 16. She also earned second-team academic All-Big 12 accolades in 2003, after claiming first-team honors in 2002. She represented Nebraska on the Big 12 All-Star Team that played at the 2003 World University Games in Korea in August.

Katie Morse, 6-4, Sr., C, Minden, Iowa ? After missing Nebraska’s final 21 games with a knee injury in 2002-03, Katie Morse has returned to provide a solid offensive and defensive presence inside for the Huskers. Morse opened the season by scoring 16 points and grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds for her fourth career double-double in the win over Wofford. In NU’s win over Eastern Kentucky, Morse scored six points, grabbed nine rebounds and tied a school record with six blocked shots. She is coming off a 15-point, six-rebound performance in the win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 14.

Morse heads into the Creighton game averaging 8.5 points, while ranking second on the team and ninth in the Big 12 Conference with 7.6 rebounds per game. She also leads the club and ranks seventh in the conference with 1.9 blocks per game. Morse ranks ninth on Nebraska’s career list with 62 blocks and needs just one more to move into a tie for seventh with Karen Jennings and Pyra Aarden (63).

Morse had a promising junior season come to an end with a knee injury suffered in the second half of Nebraska’s 65-55 win over No. 25 Cincinnati on Dec. 15, 2002. Morse, who started NU’s first seven games, was averaging 12.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game before the injury.

Against Texas Southern on Dec. 9, Morse erupted for a career-high 25 points to go along with 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. She followed that performance with 18 points, 10 boards and a career-best five blocks against Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 11. She added her first double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds in NU’s season-opening win over Grambling State on Nov. 22.

Jina Johansen, 5-7, Jr., G, Dannebrog, Neb. ? Jina Johansen has provided a steady play-making presence in the backcourt by averaging 3.6 points and a team-leading 5.1 assists per game, which ranks fifth in the Big 12. In Nebraska’s win over Texas-Arlington, Johansen tied her season high by dishing out eight assists. Johansen hit a pair of big three-pointers to finish with six points and four assists in the win over No. 13 Ohio State. In the win over Washington State Dec. 4, she hit four consecutive free throws in the final minute to seal the Huskers’ 64-56 win over the Cougars.

Last season, Johansen set a school record by playing 36.7 minutes per game in 2002-03, surpassing the previous school mark of 35.6 minutes per contest established by Amy Stephens in 1988-89. Johansen’s 1,028 minutes ranked as the fifth-highest total in school history and one of seven 1,000-minute seasons in NU history. Johansen played 40 minutes 10 times, while playing nearly 92 percent of NU’s possible minutes.
Johansen tied for second in the Big 12 with 5.5 assists per game, while averaging 5.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 2002-03. Her 153 assists also ranked as the second-best single-season total by a sophomore in school history, while ranking eighth overall on NU’s season assist chart. She scored a career-high 15 points and tied a career best with nine assists in the win over Rice. She set another career high with seven steals against Grambling State. She grabbed a career-high eight rebounds at Iowa State on March 1.

A standout in the classroom, Johansen was a first-team academic All-Big 12 selection in 2003.

Husker Newcomers Making Solid Contributions
Although Nebraska returns five seasoned veterans to its starting lineup for 2003-04, the Huskers have a distinctly new look this season. Other than the five returning starters, no other active Husker had ever played a regular-season game before Nebraska’s season-opening win over Wofford on Nov. 21.

All five of the freshmen who competed against Wofford found their way into the scoring column, as the group of newcomers combined for 47 points and 19 rebounds to support the Huskers’ starting five. Through eight games, the freshmen are contributing 25.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

Kiera Hardy, 5-6, Fr., G, Kansas City, Mo. ? Kiera Hardy has provided a major spark for NU off the bench. Although she missed three games (Mississippi, Eastern Kentucky, Washington State) because of illness, Hardy has been the Huskers’ most exciting freshman, averaging 9.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and a team-leading 2.2 steals per game.

Hardy has helped the Huskers to a perfect 5-0 record when she is in the lineup, and has scored in double figures in three of her first five games, despite averaging just 16.8 minutes per contest. She scored a career-high 12 points and pulled down a career-best six rebounds in the win over Princeton. She added 10 points and three assists in just nine minutes against Texas-Arlington. She energized the Huskers again against No. 13 Ohio State, pouring in 10 more points, while knocking down a career-high three three-pointers against the Buckeyes.

Hardy has become a dangerous weapon from long range, connecting on 6-of-14 three-pointers on the season for a team-best 42.9 percent accuracy from beyond the arc. The 5-6 guard from Kansas City, Mo., ranks second on the team with her 47.4 field-goal percentage (18-38), trailing only fellow freshman Jessica Gerhart’s 51.9 percent (14-27).

Heather Kephart, 5-8, Fr., G, Canute, Okla. ? Heather Kephart has provided a major contribution through eight games, averaging 7.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game, while leading the Huskers with 17 three-pointers. Kephart, who is shooting 37.0 percent (17-46) from long range, set her scoring standards high by erupting for 16 points in just 18 minutes in the season-opening win over Wofford. Kephart knocked down 4-of-8 three-pointers against the Lady Terriers, to help the Huskers hit 7-of-17 long-range attempts. Kephart’s 16-point outburst against Wofford tied for the fifth-highest scoring total by a freshman in a career-opening game in Husker history. Every other former Husker freshman who scored 16 or more points in a career-opening performance went on to score 1,000 or more points in their careers.

Kephart added a sizzling 15-point outburst off the bench in the win over Washington State, including a career-high five three-pointers with four straight trifectas in the second half to turn a four-point NU deficit into a five-point Husker lead. With 17 three-pointers in her first eight games, Kephart already ranks fourth on the Nebraska freshman single-season list, and needs just seven more to climb into a tie for third.

Kephart, who has hit at least one three-pointer in seven of the Huskers’ eight games has produced double figures in scoring three times despite averaging just 15.4 minutes per contest.

Chelsea Aubry, 6-2, Fr., F, Kitchener, Ontario ? Chelsea Aubry is coming off three solid performances in wins over Texas-Arlington, No. 13 Ohio State and Louisiana-Lafayette. The 6-2 forward from Kitchener, Ontario, scored a career-high 12 points and grabbed a career-best nine rebounds in the Huskers’ win over Texas-Arlington on Dec. 6. She added eight points and three rebounds in the win over Ohio State, including a crucial stretch where she scored six of Nebraska’s eight points to close the first half. She pitched in six points, one rebound and one steal in 15 minutes against ULL.

Aubry, who opened the season with 11 points and five rebounds in the win over Wofford, scored just eight points and pulled down six rebounds combined over the next four games. Nebraska’s first-ever Canadian basketball player, Aubry is averaging 5.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.

Jessica Gerhart, 6-2, Fr., F, Fenton, Iowa ? Jessica Gerhart knocked on the door of a double-double in her regular-season debut by scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds in the Huskers’ win over Wofford, and got even closer with a career-high 10 points and nine rebounds against Mississippi. The 6-2 forward from Fenton, Iowa, is averaging 4.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game through her first eight contests and leads the Huskers by shooting 51.9 percent (14-27) from the field.

Andrea Lightfoot, 5-8, Fr., G, Omaha, Neb. ? Omaha Marian graduate Andrea Lightfoot has continued to improve in all phases of the game and is averaging 1.1 points, 0.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. She is a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line, and hit her first career three-pointer in Nebraska’s win over Washington State.

Huskers Hold Off Ragin’ Cajuns, 61-59
Nebraska used an 18-1 run early in the first half to build a comfortable lead, but the Huskers still needed last-minute heroics from Margaret Richards to hold off Louisiana-Lafayette, 61-59, at the Devaney Center on Sunday.

After trailing by as many as 15 points at 26-11 with 7:41 remaining in the first half, the Ragin’ Cajuns continued to chip away at the Husker lead until taking a 54-53 lead with six minutes left in the game. ULL took its biggest lead at 59-55 with 3:20 remaining on a three-pointer by Bernette Tolston.

The Huskers, who produced an emotional 60-55 win over No. 13 Ohio State two nights earlier, shut the Ragin’ Cajuns out the rest of the way, and Richards provided all the offense Nebraska would need by scoring the game’s final six points.

Richards, who finished with just eight points, hit a free throw with 2:15 remaining to make it a one-possession game at 59-56, before getting behind the ULL defense in transition for a layup with 1:32 left to cut the lead to 59-58. With 54 seconds remaining, Richards hit a three-pointer to give NU the 61-59 victory.

After a missed jumper by Ragin’ Cajun center Anna Petrakova and a defensive rebound by Keasha Cannon-Johnson with 36 seconds left, Nebraska was unable to get a shot off to give ULL one last attempt. With 4.1 seconds remaining, Petrokova received an inbounds pass at the high post and drove to the basket, but missed a left-handed layup as time expired.

Petrakova, a junior from Moscow, Russia, finished with a game-high 23 points to go along with 14 rebounds and four blocked shots.

Cannon-Johnson, a 5-10 senior guard from Kansas City, Kan., led the Huskers by producing the eighth double-double of her career with 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. She added three assists and one steal. Senior center Katie Morse added 15 points, six rebounds and two assists as the only other Husker in double figures.

Nebraska shot a season-low 33.3 percent (22-66) from the field, but was able to overcome its shooting woes by pulling down 17 offensive rebounds while committing a season-low 13 turnovers. ULL shot 42.9 percent (24-56) from the field, but the Ragin’ Cajuns were outrebounded, 41-38, and committed 16 turnovers.

Huskers Doling Out Defense in Decisive Fashion
The Nebraska defense has been in lock down over the past four games, holding the opposition under 60 points in each of the Huskers’ last four victories. Not only has NU shown the ability to slow down opponents, the Huskers have displayed the ability to shut out the opposition in crucial situations.

In Nebraska’s 60-55 win over No. 13 Ohio State on Dec. 12, the Husker defense held the potent Buckeye offense without a point over the final 2:32 to turn a 55-54 deficit into a 60-55 victory. The Huskers showed a similar ability to end the first half, closing the door on OSU for the final 3:43 to turn a 23-18 deficit into a 24-23 halftime advantage.

In the Huskers’ 61-59 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 14, Nebraska held the Ragin’ Cajuns scoreless for the final 3:20 to turn a 59-55 deficit into a 61-59 victory. Early in the first half, NU held the Ragin’ Cajuns scoreless for 4:52 and held ULL without a field goal for 7:07 to turn a 3-0 deficit into an 18-4 lead.

In Nebraska’s win at Washington State on Dec. 4, the Huskers trailed 52-51 with 4:39 remaining, but outscored the Cougars 13-4 the rest of the, including an uncontested jumper by Adriane Ferguson with three seconds left after the outcome had already been decided.

The Huskers first produced late-game defensive heroics in a 78-75 win over Eastern Kentucky at the Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 29. NU led 73-72 with 3:39 remaining and held the Colonels to just one field goal the rest of the way to preserve the win.

Nebraska has already played five games decided by eight points or less this season, and the Huskers have produced a 4-1 record in those games.

Huskers Out-Gun Nation’s Top Shooting Team
Nebraska tied a school record by connecting on 10 three-pointers in its 60-55 victory over No. 13 Ohio State on Dec. 12. The Huskers’ win over OSU was their first over a ranked opponent since knocking off No. 25 Cincinnati, 65-55, at the Devaney Center on Dec. 15, 2002. OSU was also the highest ranked team NU has defeated since rolling past then-No. 11 Kansas State, 67-52, at the Devaney Center on Feb. 10, 2002.

The Huskers’ 10 three-pointers against the Buckeyes marked the fourth time that an NU team has hit 10 three-pointers in a game, with the last time coming against Iowa State on Feb. 4, 2001. Nebraska entered the game averaging 5.0 made three-pointers per game, while Ohio State was averaging 9.5 made three-pointers per contest. Nebraska’s stingy defense held the Buckeyes to just 2-for-9 shooting from beyond the arc. NU is averaging 5.6 three-pointers per game this season, compared to just 3.4 threes per contest last season.

Making Their Points: Huskers Score Big Early
Nebraska’s 104-point explosion to open the season against Wofford was Nebraska’s highest-scoring game since running to 113 points in a 36-point win over Georgia Southern on Nov. 19, 1999. It was Nebraska’s 23rd 100-point game in school history, and just the fifth in the last 10 seasons. It is also the highest point total produced by a Big 12 Conference team this season.

Through eight games, Nebraska is averaging 73.6 points per game and has scored 75 or more points in four of its eight contests. Nebraska’s offensive production has come in sharp contrast to the Huskers’ scoring ability in 2002-03. Last season, the Huskers averaged just 57.2 points per game and did not score 80 points at any time during the season. NU managed its highest output with 78 points in a win over Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 11, 2002, but failed to reach 70 points in 23 of 28 games. In fact, Nebraska’s 53-point second half against Wofford equaled or surpassed its game total in eight contests last season.

Nebraska’s Notable Numbers
Nebraska’s 46.9 rebounds per game rank second in the Big 12 Conference, while the Huskers’ +11.0 rebounding margin ranks fourth in the league. NU has outrebounded each of its first eight opponents this season.

The Huskers rank second in the Big 12 with their 76.0 free throw percentage, after shooting 68.8 percent from the free throw line last season.

The Huskers rank fourth in the Big 12 with 18.4 assists per game, and sixth in the Big 12 with 5.6 three-pointers made per game. Last season, Nebraska averaged just 12.5 assists and 3.4 three-pointers per game.

Nebraska’s 10 made three-pointers in the 60-55 win over No. 13 Ohio State tied the school record, set three other times, most recently on Feb. 4, 2001, against Iowa State. The Huskers’ 27 three-point attempts against the Buckeyes rank as the third-most attempts in school history.

Nebraska’s 104 points in the season-opening win over Wofford tied for the 13th-highest single-game total in school history, and marked the 23rd time an NU team had scored 100 or more points.

The Huskers’ 58-point margin of victory (104-46) against Wofford tied for the seventh-largest victory margin in school history.

NU’s 60 rebounds against Wofford tied for the seventh-highest total in school history. The Huskers held a plus-34 rebound margin against the Lady Terriers.

Katie Morse tied a Nebraska school record with six blocked shots in the Huskers’ 78-75 win over Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 29 at the Lady Tiger Kroger Thanksgiving Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

Margaret Richards tied a Nebraska record with 18 free throw attempts in the Huskers’ win over Eastern Kentucky. Richards, who hit 14-of-18 attempts from the line against the Colonels, connected on 11-of-14 attempts the previous night against Mississippi. Richards’ 32 free throw attempts in consecutive games are the most in school history.

Keasha Cannon-Johnson’s career-high 17-rebound effort against Louisiana-Lafayette tied for 17th on Nebraska’s single-game rebounding chart. Cannon-Johnsons’ total was the highest by a Husker since Charlie Rogers grabbed 20 rebounds against Drake on Dec. 2, 1999.

Heather Kephart’s 16-point effort against Wofford tied for the fifth-best opening-game scoring performance by a freshman in school history. Anna DeForge opened her career with 22 points against Gonzaga on Nov. 24, 1995, for the best opening night by a freshman, while Deb Powell scored 19 points against Pacific Christian on Nov. 20, 1981. All-American Karen Jennings scored 18 points against St. Louis on Nov. 24, 1989, and Angie Miller added 18 points against South Florida on Nov. 25, 1983. Stacy Imming contributed 16 points against South Florida on Nov. 25, 1983, while Amy Stephens hit for 16 points against Washburn on Nov. 23, 1985. All six of those players rank among Nebraska’s top-20 career scorers with 1,000 or more points in their careers.

Huskers Face Solid Regular-Season Schedule
The Huskers will face a challenging 2003-04 schedule that features 12 games against nine teams that qualified for postseason play in 2003. Nebraska will play eight games against six teams that advanced to the 2003 NCAA Tournament, and will add four games against three squads that made it to the final eight in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament last season.

Nebraska’s home schedule at the Bob Devaney Sports Center features four NCAA Tournament teams, including the No. 13 Ohio State Buckeyes, whom the Huskers defeated, 60-55, on Dec. 12, Kansas State (Jan. 24), Texas (Jan. 28) and Colorado (March 3), while adding a pair of WNIT qualifiers in Creighton (Dec. 21) and Missouri (Feb. 25).

The Buckeyes, who advanced to the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament after earning a spot in the Big Ten title game, highlighted the Huskers’ non-conference schedule. Ohio State finished with a 22-10 overall record and 10-6 mark for a fourth-place finish in Coach Jim Foster’s first season at OSU.

Along with Ohio State, the Huskers also feature their traditional in-state showdown with Creighton at the Devaney Center. The Bluejays finished with a 24-9 overall record and advanced to the WNIT semifinals in 2003. The Huskers opened regular-season play with wins over Wofford (104-46) on Nov. 21, and Princeton (75-61) on Nov. 23. Nebraska defeated Texas-Arlington (81-59) on Dec. 6, and Louisiana-Lafayette (61-59) on Dec. 14, before battling St. Bonaventure (Jan. 3) in its final non-conference matchup.

Nebraska faced tough road tests in non-league play at the Memphis Lady Tiger Kroger Thanksgiving Classic (Nov. 28-29), where the Huskers lost to Mississippi and defeated Eastern Kentucky. NU also won at Washington State (Dec. 4) before closing its non-conference road schedule at Rice (Dec. 30).

The Big 12 Conference could feature the toughest field from top to bottom in the eight-year history of the league. NU opens league play at Oklahoma on Jan. 7. The Sooners, who qualified for the 2003 NCAA Tournament after advancing to the NCAA title game in 2002, will be the Huskers’ first of seven conference games against 2003 NCAA qualifiers.

The Huskers open home conference competition against Iowa State on Jan. 10, before traveling to 2003 WNIT quarterfinalist Missouri (Jan. 14). NU returns home to tangle with Texas A&M (Jan. 17), before heading to 2003 NCAA Elite Eight participant Texas Tech to begin a treacherous five-game stretch. The Huskers return to the Devaney Center for back-to-back games against 2003 NCAA second-round participant Kansas State (Jan. 24) and NCAA Final Four participant Texas (Jan. 28). NU then travels to WNIT runner-up Baylor (Jan. 31) and NCAA Sweet 16 qualifier Colorado (Feb. 4).

Nebraska returns to the Devaney Center to take on Kansas (Feb. 7) and Oklahoma State (Feb. 11), before taking the road again for a pair of tests at Kansas State (Feb. 14) and Iowa State (Feb. 21). After playing host to Missouri (Feb. 25) and traveling to Kansas (Feb. 28), the Huskers conclude the regular season at home with Senior Night against Colorado (March 3).

The Huskers travel to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Tournament at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas, March 9-13, and the NCAA Tournament begins March 20, concluding with the NCAA Women’s Final Four at New Orleans Arena, April 4-6.

Yori Working to Establish Foundation at Nebraska
Second-year Nebraska coach Connie Yori spent her first season at Nebraska trying to lay the cornerstones of a successful basketball program. The Huskers have opened the season with a 7-1 record to improve Yori’s career record to 210-161 in her 14th season as a collegiate coach.

Although the Huskers struggled to an 8-20 overall record and a 1-15 Big 12 mark last season, the Huskers accepted the principles of hard work and conditioning and showed major strides throughout the season. Despite carrying a roster of just five or six scholarship players throughout last season, Nebraska returns five experienced starters for 2003-04.

The Huskers also features some depth this season, a luxury they lacked a year ago. Nebraska has added five freshmen to its roster this season, and all five have seen significant playing time.

Nebraska is also making strides in the classroom and the community. Along with Jina Johansen, Laura Pilakowski, Greichaly Cepero and Alexa Johnson earning academic All-Big 12 honors last season, Margaret Richards earned her degree in August of 2003. The Huskers’ cumulative team GPA is also on the rise.

Off the court, the women’s basketball team is leading the Athletic Department’s Life Skills Award of Excellence Team Competition, which is designed to promote athletic excellence, academic support, personal development, career development and community service. Through Nov. 30, the women’s basketball team had earned 1,682 points to lead the volleyball team by 547 points. The Husker women’s track and field program was in third with 1,125 points, while the football team (1,118) and women’s gymnastics teams (1,111) rounded out the top five in the competition.

The 2002 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, Yori led the Bluejays to a 24-7 overall mark and a 16-2 MVC record in 2002-03 to capture the league’s regular-season and tournament titles. Yori’s success at CU in 2002-03 capped a 170-115 career mark at Creighton. Her teams made two trips to the NCAA Tournament in 1994 and 2002. Before taking over the top job with the Bluejays, Yori led NCAA Division III Loras College to a 25-25 record in two seasons from 1990 to 1992. She also served as an assistant coach at Creighton from 1986 to 1989.

Yori was one of the top players in Creighton history, and she still owns the school record for career scoring average at 20.3 points per game. She ranks as CU’s No. 3 all-time leading scorer with 2,010 points, and she had her No. 25 jersey retired. She was inducted into the Creighton Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.

A native of Ankeny, Iowa, the 40-year-old Yori is married to Kirk Helms.