Huskers Open Exhibition Play with Nebraska-Kearney

Lincoln - The Nebraska women's basketball team opens its 2004-05 campaign by playing host to the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Sunday, Oct. 31, at 2:05 p.m. Sunday’s game with the Lopers will mark the fourth consecutive season that the Huskers have taken on UNK in exhibition play. Last season, Nebraska ran to a 99-80 victory over UNK on Nov. 12, 2003. The Huskers also notched victories in 2002 (65-52, Nov. 17) and 2001 (80-56, Nov. 4). Sunday’s game will mark the earliest date the two programs have ever met on the hardwood, and one of the Huskers’ earliest tip dates in school history.

Sunday’s game will be carried live on the radio across the Pinnacle Sports Network, including 1400AM KLIN in Lincoln with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action. The radio broadcast, along with live statistics will also be available on Huskers.com.

The Huskers opened practice on Saturday, Oct. 16 with a 7:30 a.m. practice followed by a brief scrimmage at "Husker Madness" at the Husker Nation Pavilion outside of Memorial Stadium. Nebraska returns just one starter, senior guard Jina Johansen, from last year’s squad that went 18-12 overall, 7-9 in the Big 12, and advanced to the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. The Huskers do return four sophomores from last year’s club and a crop of seven newcomers who will be counted on for major contributions.

Haunted Hoops Helps Tip Off Exciting Husker Season
Nebraska’s Halloween contest with UNK will also feature "Haunted Hoops" a special event presented by the NU Athletic Department and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, along with assistance from the NU women’s basketball booster club, The Fastbreakers. Any child wearing a costume, along with two accompanying adults, will receive free general admission seating at the game. After the game, more than 50 Nebraska student-athletes representing at least 10 varsity sports will pass out candy in a special Trick-or-Treat event on the Devaney Center upper concourse.

Huskers Hope to Continue Program’s Climb
A year after producing one of the top turnarounds in college basketball, the Nebraska women's basketball team will try to produce another surprising season in 2004-05.

The Huskers ran to an 18-12 overall record and a trip to the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament in Coach Connie Yori's second season at the helm.

Nebraska's 10-game improvement from its 8-20 record in Yori's first season ranked as the ninth-best swing in NCAA Division I. It also came as a surprise to coaches and writers around the Big 12 Conference who picked the Huskers to finish last in the preseason polls.

Rather than finishing in the cellar, the Huskers closed the Big 12 season in a tie for seventh with a 7-9 league mark, just missing an NCAA Tournament bid by one win, as the league sent seven teams to the Big Dance.

"We really had a great season based on our perceived potential," Yori said. "As a coach, you want to measure your season based on your potential. We came pretty close to maximizing our potential. Had we won one more game, we would have been in the NCAA Tournament."

After rising to the challenge of proving the pundits wrong last season, the Huskers will face a similar task this season. The Huskers must replace four seniors who joined Jina Johansen in the starting lineup for all 30 games a year ago. Honorable-mention All-Big 12 performers Alexa Johnson and Keasha Cannon-Johnson are gone, along with Margaret Richards and Katie Morse. As a group, those four combined for more than 3,000 points and 1,700 rebounds in their careers at Nebraska.

"We are going to miss our seniors from last season because you can't substitute the experience they gained from four or five years as student-athletes at this level," Yori said. "Our freshmen and junior college transfers will have to start building experiences and learning from them."

Nebraska Builds on Johansen’s Experience
Senior guard Jina Johansen is the only player on Nebraska's roster with a career start for the Huskers. The senior from Dannebrog, Neb., has been a fixture in the NU lineup at point guard the past two seasons, starting 57 of the Huskers' last 58 games.

Coach Connie Yori said Johansen would be counted on for even more leadership this season to help a youthful Nebraska roster that includes two freshmen, four sophomores and five junior transfers.

"Jina is the only player on our roster that has been in our program for more than a year, which is unbelievable if you think about it," Yori said. "She is the most obvious candidate to be a leader. Her work habits are good and she is very dedicated. We will need her to be more assertive and more vocal."

Johansen showed her ability to thrive in a new role last season, when she made the transition from a pure passing point guard to one of Nebraska's most dangerous three-point shooters a year ago. Johansen hit just 9-of-36 three-point attempts in her first two seasons, but caught fire to knock down 22 three-pointers in Big 12 Conference play last season. Johansen shot better than 41 percent from long range for the season.

"Jina's improvement with her shooting was remarkable, but it's no secret how she did it," Yori said. "She made a commitment and put in lots of time shooting on her own. Her work was rewarded, and we hope she continues to improve as an offensive threat."

Along with providing an increased role as a scorer, the Huskers will continue to count on Johansen as a distributor. She enters the season ranked sixth in school history with 376 career assists.

Junior Newcomers Plan to Contribute Immediately
Along with Jina Johansen's experience, the Huskers will gain a five-player junior class that will be counted on to contribute immediately.

LaToya Howell spent last season as a redshirt at Nebraska after transferring from Air Force. Howell was one of the top players in the Mountain West Conference as both a freshman and a sophomore.

She brings an explosive presence on offense and defense to Nebraska's backourt. Howell set Air Force single-game scoring, assist and steals records during her stay in Colorado Springs. She scored 38 points against Minnesota on Nov. 30, 2002, and dished out 15 assists against UNLV on Jan. 30, 2003. She added eight steals against UNLV on Feb. 23, 2002.

Howell also showed her consistency by setting Air Force single-season marks in both assists (2002-03) and steals (2001-02).

Another element that could add to Nebraska's chemistry is the addition of three transfers who not only played on the same junior college, but the same club program in Serbia & Montenegro.

Jelena Spiric, Bojana Samardziska and Ivana Drmanac helped Colby (Kan.) Community College rise to national prominence in the junior college ranks over the past two seasons. Spiric, a 6-0 forward, earned first-team NJCAA All-America honors as a sophomore for the Lady Trojans, averaging 15.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game a year ago.

The Huskers hope Spiric can provide a major presence as a scorer early in her NU career, but a knee injury in her final junior college game last season could slow her immediate impact.

Samardziska, a 6-4 center, provided a dominant inside presence, averaging 17.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocked shots per game to earn second-team NJCAA All-Region VI honors in 2003-04.

Samardziska captured first-team NJCAA Region VI All-Tournament honors by averaging 26.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and an amazing 5.5 blocks per game. She finished her two-year career ranked fourth on Colby CC's all-time scoring list with 1,038 points. She added 601 rebounds to finish her career with averages of 16.0 points and 9.2 rebounds over 65 career games.

Along with Spiric and Samardziska, Drmanac could fill a role for the Huskers by adding depth at the forward position. Drmanac averaged 9.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest a year ago, and plays well off Spiric and Samardziska.

A fourth junior college transfer, Elena Diaz, joins the Huskers from Dodge City (Kan.) Community College. Diaz enjoyed a strong sophomore season at Dodge City. She led the Lady Conquistadors to the NJCAA Region VI Tournament title game by averaging 14.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 2003-04.

The 6-1 junior forward from Medellin, Colombia, led all players in the Region VI Tournament with 11.3 rebounds per game. She averaged a double-double during the three tournament games by ranking fifth in the tournament with 17.3 points per contests.

Two Freshmen Add to List of Newcomers
In addition to the five junior newcomers, a pair of freshmen could make an immediate impression on the Husker program.

Danielle Page, a 6-2 forward from Monument, Colo., and Sarah White, a 6-0 forward from Topeka, Kan., will both compete for playing time this season.

"Both of our freshmen had very good senior seasons," Coach Connie Yori said. "They are both young and hard-working players who have a lot of potential and want to get better. They are going to help us lay a solid foundation for the long-term success of our program."

Sophomores Provide Nucleus for Future
While the newcomers will play a major role in Nebraska's fortunes this season, a solid nucleus of sophomores is helping to form the core of the Huskers' future.

Kiera Hardy, a 5-6 guard from Kansas City, Mo., enjoyed one of the best freshman seasons in the Big 12 last year. She averaged 9.1 points per game and led Nebraska with 45 steals. Hardy was the Huskers' most explosive and consistent threat off the bench in her rookie campaign. She was also Nebraska's top player during the postseason, averaging 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game in two WNIT contests.

"Kiera was our most improved player last season and she also became our most coachable player," Coach Connie Yori said. "She plays the game with passion and our other players feed off her energy."

Joining Hardy as regular contributors as freshmen in 2003-04 were forwards Chelsea Aubry and Jessica Gerhart. Aubry, a 6-2 native of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, averaged 5.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last season. A member of the Canadian Under-20 National Team before arriving at Nebraska, Aubry gained her first experience with the Canadian Senior National Team over the summer of 2004.

"Chelsea is one of our most experienced players, even though she has been in the program for only one year, so we are going to need her to make more of a contribution this year," Yori said. "Defensively, she is very solid and we know we can count on her. Offensively, we are working to get her more involved and become more of a consistent threat for us."

Gerhart, a 6-2 forward from Fenton, Iowa, showed flashes of her offensive abilities as a freshman. She averaged 3.0 points and 1.7 rebounds per game, despite playing less than 10 minutes per contest.

"Jess showed flashes of very good offensive play last year," Yori said. "Her focus is to get stronger and more fit and develop her athleticism."

Heather Kephart rounds out Nebraska's sophomore class. She was one of the Huskers' most dangerous shooters from long range last year, but missed 19 games with a foot injury. She shot nearly 35 percent from long range and hit 17 three-pointers in just 136 total minutes last year. One of the most prolific scorers in the history of Oklahoma basketball, Kephart has worked hard after surgery during the offseason. She is not 100 percent, but the coaches are hopeful that Kephart can help the Huskers in 2004-05.

Scouting the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers
The Nebraska-Kearney Lopers bring an injury-riddled lineup with them to Lincoln to take on the Huskers. The Lopers will have just eight active players on their roster for their first exhibition game of the season. Coach Carol Russell, a former Husker who enters her third season as UNK’s head coach, will be without the services of senior Jenny Brown, junior Tonya Galvan and sophomore Mary Connealy.

Although the Lopers will be short-handed, they still have plenty of weapons. Junior Kalee Modlin, a 6-1 center from Knoxville, Iowa, and Anne Manning, a 6-1 junior forward from North Platte, Neb., lead a talented frontcourt. Erin Jones, a 5-10 junior swing player from Lexington, Neb., adds to UNK’s weapons, while senior guard Amber Whitlock and sophomore guard Liz Fischer from Leigh, Neb., anchor the Lopers’ backcourt.

Modlin, an honorable-mention All-American as a sophomore, led the Lopers with 17.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season. Manning added 11.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest as a sophomore, while helping UNK to a 25-6 overall record and its ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Lopers also won their second straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title and fifth in the last six seasons.

Despite being limited by their lack of numbers early in the season, UNK was still picked as the preseason No. 10 team nationally by the Division II Bulletin.

For the Lopers to be successful in 2004-05, they will have to overcome the loss of departed seniors Allison Kruger and Heather Steffen. Kruger was a two-time All-American for the Lopers, while Steffan finished her career ranked No. 3 on the school’s all-time rebounding list. The duo combined to start all 31 games for the Lopers last season, while averaging 22 points and 14 rebounds per game. UNK also lost the contributions of Taryn Ninemire, who left the team after averaging 11.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game a year ago.

Nebraska vs. Nebraska-Kearney Series History
Nebraska leads the all-time regular-season series with Nebraska-Kearney 6-0, with the last regular-season meeting coming in 1982. However, this season will mark the fourth straight year the two programs have clashed during exhibition action at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Last year, Nebraska’s Margaret Richards scored 26 points and Keasha Cannon-Johnson added 19 points to power the Huskers past the Lopers, 99-80. Six Huskers finished in double figures, including Heather Kephart, who pitched in 17 points and four three-pointers. Katie Morse contributed 12 points, while Chelsea Aubry and Jessica Gerhart each added 11 points in the win.

The Lopers had four players finish in double figures, led by Kalee Modlin’s 17 points. Anne Manning added 15 points, as did Taryn Ninemire, who knocked down four three-pointers. Liz Fischer pitched in 11 points in the loss.

The Huskers shot 56.1 percent from the field for the game, while holding UNK to 46.6 percent shooting. UNK did connect on 9-of-19 three-pointers, but was outrebounded 40-27 on the afternoon.

Johansen Continues to Grow in Husker System
Senior Jina Johansen is the lone returning starter on Nebraska’s 2004-05 roster. The 5-7 guard from Dannebrog, Neb., will be expected to provide leadership and consistency to a youthful Husker squad this season.

Johansen has been a leader both on and off the court for the Huskers in her first three seasons. She enters her senior season with 63 career starts, including all 30 games as a junior and 27 of 28 contests as a sophomore in 2002-03. She has led the Huskers in minutes played in each of the past two seasons and became one of Nebraska’s most dangerous offensive weapons from long range as a junior.

After knocking down just 9-of-36 three-pointers in her first two seasons combined, Johansen tied Kiera Hardy for the team lead with 30 three-pointers in 2003-04, while tying Amy Stephens (1987-88) for the second-best single-season three-point percentage in school history by connecting on 41.1 percent (30-73) of her attempts from beyond the arc.

Along with her increased success from long range, Johansen continued to provide a steady play-making presence for the Huskers by ranking fifth in the Big 12 with 4.8 assists per game. Her 144 assists on the year ranked as the fourth-best total by a junior in school history, while inreasing her career total to 376 assists, which ranks sixth on the Nebraska all-time chart.

While Johansen helped set the tone for the turnaround of the Nebraska program with her work ethic on the court, she has also established herself as a top performer in the classroom. Johansen is a two-time first-team academic All-Big 12 selection and is expected to be a CoSIDA Academic All-America nominee again in 2004-05. She carries a 3.70 grade-point average as a nutrition/dietetics major.

Hardy Sparks Emergence of Solid Sophomore Class
Sophomore Kiera Hardy will begin her second season at Nebraska as the Huskers’ top returning scorer after averaging 9.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game as a rookie in 2003-04. The 5-6 guard from Kansas City, Mo., provided an electric presence off the bench with her abilities on both offense and defense.

Hardy led the Huskers with 1.7 steals per game to rank among the top 10 players in the Big 12 in that category. She also tied Jina Johansen for the team lead by knocking down 30 three-pointers on the season, which ranked as the second-best total by a freshman in Nebraska history.

Hardy continued to improve throughout the season and led the Huskers in scoring in both games of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament in March. In two WNIT games, Hardy averaged 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. In the season finale against Oregon State, Hardy struck for 20 points, while pulling down five rebounds, which followed her 18-point, seven-rebound performance that included a career-high four assists in the 73-60 win over Drake in the opening round.

Over the final six games, Hardy averaged 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game. During that stretch, Hardy produced the top three scoring efforts of her career with 21 points against Missouri, 20 against Oregon State and 18 points against Drake.

Hardy scored in double figures 11 times and had 17 games with eight or more points to provide a consistent threat off the bench. She was also a model of consistency at the free throw line, hitting 41-of-49 attempts (83.7 percent), which ranked as the third-best free throw percentage by a freshman in school history.

While Hardy grabbed headlines, she was far from the only freshman who made major contributions. Chelsea Aubry provided a solid presence inside by averaging 5.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. The 6-2 forward from Kitchener, Ontario, scored in double figures six times, while grabbing five or more rebounds nine times during the season. She played in all 30 games and averaged 18.4 minutes per contest.

Jessica Gerhart also generated some offensive sparks off the bench for the Huskers, averaging 3.0 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in just 8.5 minutes per game. The 6-2 forward from Fenton, Iowa, led Nebraska by hitting 56.3 percent of her shots on the season, which ranked as the second-best field goal percentage by a freshman in school history.

Heather Kephart hit 17 three-pointers in her first eight games at Nebraska before falling victim to a foot injury. Kephart missed 13 games before returning for three contests late in the season. The pain returned and she underwent surgery in early March. The injury limited her offseason workouts and slowed her at the start of fall practice. She finished 2003-04 averaging 5.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game after playing in 11 contests. She was averaging 7.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game before the injury.

Howell Eager for First Playing time in Husker Uniform
After spending the entire 2003-04 season as a redshirt, LaToya Howell is expected to see her first action in a Nebraska uniform in 2004-05. The 5-5 junior guard from Chicago, Ill., was one of the Huskers’ top players in practice during her redshirt season after transferring from Air Force before the 2003 fall semester.

Howell was one of the best players in the Mountain West Conference as a sophomore, earning a pair of Mountain West Conference Player-of-the-Week awards in 2002-03. She started 17 games and averaged 17.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 3.2 steals per game. Her top performance as a sophomore came with a 38-point outburst against Minnesota on Nov. 30, 2002, which tied the school single-game scoring record. She also set the school single-game steals record with eight steals against the Runnin’ Rebels on Feb. 23, 2002.

Despite playing a shortened sophomore season, Howell still set the Air Force single-season assist mark with 119 assists in 2002-03. She also established the school’s single-season steals record with 90 steals in 2001-02. As a freshman, Howell averaged 10.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.2 steals per game.

NU’s Focus on Reducing Turnovers Produces Results
Nebraska committed just 488 turnovers (16.3 per game) in 2003-04, which ranked as the second-lowest total in school history, trailing only the 369 turnovers in 32 games in 1991-92 (11.5 per game).

The Huskers achieved their third-lowest turnover total with 497 total turnovers (17.8 per game) in Coach Connie Yori’s first season at Nebraska in 2002-03. The Huskers have produced two of the top three turnover marks in school history in Yori’s first two seasons at the helm.

In Nebraska’s loss to Iowa State in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament on March 9, 2004, in Dallas, the Huskers committed a season-low nine turnovers against the Cyclones. It marked the second time in the last two seasons that NU produced single-digit turnovers in a game under Yori, joining the nine turnovers committed by the Huskers against Texas-Pan American on Jan. 5, 2003.

Starters Came to Play Every Night
Nebraska’s 2003-04 starting lineup of departed seniors Alexa Johnson, Katie Morse, Margaret Richards, Keasha Cannon-Johnson and current senior Jina Johansen was unwavering last season. In fact, the Huskers were one of only eight NCAA Division I teams to feature the same starting lineup for every game.

The only other teams in the country to accomplish that feat were DePaul, Florida, Niagara, Purdue, Utah, Villanova and West Virginia. Seven of the eight teams advanced to postseason play in 2003-04, with Niagara being the only school to fall short of either the NCAA or WNIT tournaments. Niagara finished with an 18-10 overall record.

Yori Working to Establish Foundation at Nebraska
Entering her third season at Nebraska, Coach Connie Yori has the Husker program moving in the right direction. After the Huskers suffered through four consecutive losing seasons, Yori helped Nebraska turn the corner in 2003-04 by producing one of the nation’s top turnarounds. The Huskers’ 10-game improvement tied for the ninth-best swing in NCAA Division I women’s basketball in 2003-04. More impressively, NU’s 18-12 record came against a powerful schedule that included 19 games against teams that advanced to postseason play.

The Huskers raced to a 10-1 non-conference record that included victories over No. 13 Ohio State and eventual WNIT champion Creighton, before notching one of the biggest wins in school history with an 81-63 victory over No. 9 Kansas State in league play. The Huskers finished with a 7-9 record in the Big 12 to finish in a tie for seventh place. NU was a two-point loss to Missouri or three-point loss to No. 13 Colorado away from earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000.

The Huskers made their first postseason appearance since 2000 and played host to a postseason tournament game for the first time since 1993. Nebraska notched just the second home postseason victory in school history with a first-round WNIT win over Drake, before hosting just the third postseason game in school history in the second round against Oregon State.

Along with the success on the court, the Huskers also enjoyed a rejuvenation at the turnstiles, as attendance grew nearly 20 percent from the 2002-03 season. Nearly 450 more fans per game were in attendance at the Devaney Center last year, while 10,000 more total fans came to women’s basketball games than a year earlier. The Huskers averaged nearly 3,100 fans per game in 2003-04.

Although the Huskers struggled to an 8-20 overall record and a 1-15 Big 12 mark in 2002-03, NU players 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 in 2002-03, NU returned five experienced starters for 2003-04. That group of five starters was a model of consistency, starting all 30 games to help fuel Nebraska’s turnaround.

The Huskers also featured some depth in 2003-04, a luxury they lacked in 2002-03. Yori and her staff made up some major ground on the recruiting trail by adding five freshmen to their 2003-04 roster. They continued their recruiting success by adding one Division I transfer, four junior college transfers and a pair of freshmen for the 2004-05 season.

The 2002 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, Yori led Creighton to a 24-7 overall mark and a 16-2 MVC record in 2001-02 to capture the league’s regular-season and tournament titles. Yori’s success at CU in 2001-02 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 41-year-old Yori is married to Kirk Helms, and the couple had their first child, Lukas, in early July of 2004.

Huskers to Host First Round of Preseason WNIT
The Huskers open their 2004-05 regular-season schedule by playing host to Western Illinois in the SportsViewTV Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 7:05 p.m.

Nebraska, which produced one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation last season by finishing with an 18-12 overall record and advancing to the second round of the 2004 Postseason WNIT, will be the lone representative from the Big 12 Conference in the 16-team tournament field. Fellow Big 12 school Texas Tech won the 2003 Preseason WNIT title.

The tournament will mark Nebraska’s second appearance in the history of the Preseason WNIT, as the Huskers made their only other appearance in 1997. NU advanced to the championship game in 1997 before falling at Connecticut.

The Huskers’ first-round opponent, Western Illinois, finished the 2003-04 season with a 20-9 overall record after winning the Mid-Continent Conference regular-season title.

If the Huskers are able to advance to the second round, they would play the winner of the Notre Dame vs. Illinois State game on Sunday, Nov. 14. Notre Dame will host Illinois State in South Bend, Ind., on Nov. 12. All games in the SportsViewTV Preseason WNIT will be played at home sites, which will be determined each round.

Nine of the 16 teams in the tournament earned postseason bids in 2003-04, including Nebraska, Notre Dame, Duke, Middle Tennessee and South Florida from the Huskers’ side of the bracket. Ohio State, Arizona, Saint Joseph’s and Rice also earned postseason bids and will be on the other side of the tournament bracket.

The semifinals of the tournament are set for Wednesday, Nov. 17, with the championship game to be played on Nov. 20 or 21.

Huskers Expect to Face Another Challenging Schedule
After playing 19 games against teams that advanced to the postseason in 2004, the Huskers will again square off with another loaded schedule in 2004-05.

The Huskers, who will play a minimum of five 2004 postseason qualifiers during the non-conference season, will open the regular season in the 2004 Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament. The Preseason WNIT begins Nov. 12 and concludes with a championship game on Nov. 20. NU opens the regular non-conference portion of its schedule at home against Northern Colorado on Nov. 19, before battling Washington State on Nov. 22.

Nebraska travels to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam during the Thanksgiving holiday to face North Carolina State on Nov. 26. The Wolfpack earned a bid to the 2004 NCAA Tournament. NU will face another postseason team in either Louisville or Hampton on Nov. 27.

After home games against Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 1) and Tennessee-Martin (Dec. 7) the Huskers play 2004 NCAA Tournament qualifier Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 11. The Huskers then travel to Omaha to take on 2004 WNIT champions Creighton at the Civic Auditorium on Dec. 18.

The Huskers return home to take on Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 20, before closing the non-conference season against WNIT qualifier Memphis at the Devaney Center on Dec. 30.

Nebraska will play 12 of its 16 regular-season Big 12 Conference games against teams that qualified for postseason play. The Huskers’ home conference schedule at the Devaney Center will include battles with 2004 NCAA qualifiers Kansas State, Colorado, Missouri, Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma, along with WNIT qualifier Iowa State. The Huskers will also take on Kansas at home. NU’s road league slate will include all of the North Division teams, along with confrontations with NCAA qualifier Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.

Huskers Claim Inaugural Life Skills Team Award
Along with showing gains on the court during the 2003-04 season, members of the Nebraska women’s basketball team also focused on improving themselves in the classroom and the community.

During the 2003-04 academic year, Nebraska initiated a new Life Skills Award of Excellence team competition, which was designed to promote student-athlete involvement in campus-wide programming, community service and leadership, while enhancing student-athletes’ preparation for life after sports.

The Husker women’s basketball team embraced the new program and won the inaugural title.

"In my mind it is the most important award you can win as a team on our campus," Coach Connie Yori said. "What we are trying to do in our program is to build quality young women who are not just good athletes, but who are ready to take on the challenge of being good citizens upon graduation."

All 21 Husker teams took part in the program, which assigned points to individual and team efforts in the Life Skills categories of team enhancement, outreach, athletes supporting athletes, personal enhancement, leadership and team GPA. Other points were earned by going above and beyond the traditional categories and communicating with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Husker Outreach Council.

Nebraska’s History of Success at Home
Since the Bob Devaney Sports Center opened in 1976-77, the Huskers are 277-100 (.735) in games played in the arena, including 99-63 (.611) in conference games. Nebraska was 13-4 at home in 2003-04, and more than doubled its home victory total from 2002-03. The Huskers were 5-3 at home in the Big 12 and 8-1 against non-conference competition, including 1-1 in postseason WNIT play.

Nebraska is 2-1 all-time in postseason play at home, with an 81-58 victory over San Diego on March 17, 1993, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Devaney Center. The Huskers added a 73-60 win over Drake in the first round of the WNIT on March 18, 2004, before losing 75-67 in the second round to Oregon State on March 22, 2004.

Attendance is a big part of the Huskers’ success. Nebraska’s average home attendance increased nearly 20 percent in 2003-04 to 3,074 fans per game. The Huskers averaged 449 more fans per game than the 2,625 fans per contest that NU drew in 2002-03. A season-high 5,809 fans witnessed NU’s 2003-04 Big 12-opening win over Iowa State on Jan. 10, while 5,088 fans were in attendance for an 81-63 win over No. 9 Kansas State on Jan. 24.

Over the past six seasons, the Huskers have averaged over 3,800 fans per game, attracting 338,535 fans to the Devaney Center for 89 home contests. Nebraska ranked 14th nationally in average home attendance in 1999-2000 after ranking 15th nationally with a school-record average of 5,000 fans per game in 1998-99. The Huskers established a school record with a crowd of 13,226 fans in the final home game of the 1999-2000 season against Kansas State on Feb. 26, 2000.