Lincoln ? Margaret Richards keyed a 36-13 Husker run, as Nebraska put an emphatic end to ninth-ranked Kansas State’s 11-game winning streak, blowing out the Wildcats, 81-63, in front of a crowd of 5,088 at the Devaney Center and a national television audience Saturday afternoon.
The Huskers, who lost by 34 to the Wildcats in the Devaney Center last season, turned the tables on the Big 12 leading Wildcats on Saturday, placing four players in double figures and shooting 53.8 percent, while holding KSU to just 33.3 percent shooting.
The ease of the 18-point victory was surprising to second-year Nebraska Head Coach Connie Yori, who was winless in three previous meetings against Kansas State before Saturday.
"I would have never guessed in a million years that we would have been able to beat Kansas State by 18 points today," Yori said. "I am so happy for our upperclassmen.
"It was a tremendous team victory today," Yori said. "We could not have followed our game plan any better. Our team did everything. Our kids were tough and showed some guts and this win puts Nebraska women’s basketball at least in the vicinity of the national map."
The win for Nebraska, who improved to 14-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play, was the largest in the series since a 31-point win during the 1997-98 season, while the win over the ninth-ranked Wildcats was the highest-ranked team Nebraska has ever knocked off at home.
Richards played a superb game, scoring a game-high 21 points and pulling down eight rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. The 5-9 senior hit nine-of-16 shots, dished out five assists and had a career best five steals in the win.
Hardy came off the bench to score nine of her 11 points in the second half, and had three steals, while Keasha Cannon-Johnson recorded her 10th career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Alexa Johnson rounded out the quartet with 12 points and five rebounds, helping the Huskers remain undefeated at home (10-0) this season.
The Huskers did a stifling job on the interior, holding Big 12 Player of the Year Nicole Ohlde to 10 points and four rebounds, as the national player of the year candidate scored just two points in the final 26:10, including a stretch of 22 scoreless minutes, as the Huskers seized the momentum in the final stages of the first half.
The Huskers, who trailed by as many as seven in the opening half, were down 28-23 after Ohlde’s eighth point at the 4:10 mark before taking control of the game. NU erupted for nine unanswered points over the next 2:45, as Jina Johansen’s three-pointer tied the game at 28 before baskets by Richards and Hardy gave the Huskers a four-point lead with 1:15 left in the half.
The Huskers took a three-point lead into the locker room, but Richards’ defensive mastery helped Nebraska quickly extend the margin, as the fifth-year senior made consecutive steals on KSU’s first two possessions, leading to easy buckets to give NU a 38-31 lead. The Huskers’ athleticism led to numerous easy buckets in transition, as Nebraska hit 12 of its first 14 shots in the second half to take an 18-point lead.
The Huskers, who outrebounded the Wildcats by a 42-32 margin, dominated inside, outscoring KSU 50-20 on points in the paint and 22-4 on fast break points. Nebraska led by as much as 25 points on three occasions in the second half before settling for the 18-point win.
Wecker led KSU with 21 points and seven rebound to pace three Wildcats in double figures. It was Kansas State's first defeat since losing 69-56 to Penn State on Nov. 29 and its most lopsided since falling 88-62 to Old Dominion in the 2002 NCAA tournament.
KSU point guard Chelsea Dominico left the game in the first half on a stretcher and did not return. The 5-6 suffered spasms in her back and neck and was taken to a local hospital where no major injuries to her spine or neck were detected.
The Huskers continue their difficult stretch on Wednesday, Jan. 28, when the Huskers play host to third-ranked Texas at the Devaney Center. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. and the game will be carried on the Pinnacle Sports Network and Huskers.com.