<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln ? Nebraska used a decisive 21-2 spurt to close the first half, blowing out Memphis, 82-50, in front of a crowd of 2,692 at the BobDevaneySportsCenter Thursday evening.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
The Huskers, playing their first game in 10 days, looked sharp in their final non-conference tune-up before next Wednesday’s Big 12 opener against Colorado, holding the Lady Tigers (7-5) to just 19 percent shooting in the first half to build a 24-point halftime lead and cruise to the 32-point win.
Leading 17-12, Nebraska (8-4) scored 17 unanswered points, including five by Jina Johansen, taking a 34-12 lead after Jelena Spiric’s layup with 2:06 left in the half. After two free throws by Victoria Crawford ended the 5:23 dry spell, NU scored the final four points of the half, as Jessica Gerhart’s jumper with three seconds remaining provided the hosts with a 38-14 halftime cushion.
Gerhart was one of four Huskers to finish in double figures, finishing with a team-high 13 points and nine rebounds in just 17 minutes of action, as 10 of the 11 NU players who dressed broke into the scoring column. Kiera Hardy and Bojana Samardziska added 11 points each, while Spiric rounded out the quartet by tying her career high with 10 points.
Nebraska reached the 80-point mark for the second straight contest ? the first time that has happened since a three-game stretch during the 2001-02 season. It is also the fourth time this season that NU has scored 80 or more points, surpassing the three times Nebraska accomplished that feat in 2003-04.
Despite off shooting nights from Gerhart and Hardy, who combined for just 10-of-30 shooting, the Huskers shot 46 percent (32-of-69) from the floor. Johansen finished with nine points, on 4-of-5 shooting and dished out seven of the Huskers’ 24 assists, while Spiric, who connected on 5-of-7 shots, added a career-high six assists and had just one turnover in 19 minutes.
The Huskers’ performance on the glass keyed the outburst, as Nebraska enjoyed a 30-rebound advantage (55-25), including an amazing 24-8 lead on the offensive boards. NU’s 24 offensive rebounds surpassed its previous season high by seven boards, while its 55 total rebounds matched its season best, which came against Southeastern Louisiana.
In all, seven Huskers had at least five rebounds, including nine by Gerhart, and seven by freshman Danielle Page and Chelsea Aubry. The advantage was more striking in the first half, as NU converted 14 offensive caroms into 11 second-chance points, while UM had just one offensive board in the opening 20 minutes.
“Ten days ago, I stood here and said that the Louisiana-Lafayette game was our best game of the year, but this game was clearly our best game,” Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. “We dominated in every phase of the game. We played with great intensity and great effort, and we were unselfish.”
First-year Memphis head coach Blair Savage agreed that her team was outplayed and outhustled by the Huskers.
“Nebraska played very well to its game plan,” Savage said. “They had us scouted to a T. They played with intensity. They got every rebound and got every loose ball. It is a credit to them. Our effort was horrendous and was our worst of the year.”
The Huskers led by as many as 41 points, at 68-27, before resting most of their starters during the final 10 minutes of the contest.
Victoria Crawford led all scorers with 17 points for Memphis, which has given up 80 or more points in four of its five losses this season. Tamika Butler was the only other Tiger to finish in double figures, adding 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers.
The Huskers will open Big 12 play against Colorado on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, at the BobDevaneySportsCenter. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m., and the game will be shown statewide on Fox Sports Midwest.
MEMPHIS vs Nebraska (12/30/04 at Bob Devaney Sports Center - Lincoln)
Official Basketball Box Score Official Basketball Box Score MEMPHIS vs Nebraska 12/30/04 7:05 p.m. at Bob Devaney Sports Center - Lincoln -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VISITORS: MEMPHIS (7-5) TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 10 SULLIVAN, Jennifer.. f 4-11 0-0 1-1 0 5 5 3 9 2 2 0 1 27 11 ROGERS, Raven....... f 0-3 0-2 0-0 0 4 4 0 0 1 1 0 0 17 35 HART, Kaneshi....... c 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 7 03 CRAWFORD, Victoria.. g 5-11 1-3 6-6 0 2 2 3 17 1 3 0 1 22 23 NECAISE, Devin...... g 0-5 0-4 0-0 1 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 16 00 BRADLEY, Jamie...... 0-1 0-0 0-2 4 1 5 2 0 1 5 4 1 23 02 GORMAN, Gresh....... 2-3 0-0 0-1 0 0 0 1 4 2 2 0 2 10 21 HALL, Jessica....... 1-4 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 0 2 1 1 1 0 12 22 REID, Marie......... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 24 BOOKER, Latrice..... 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 4 2 0 2 0 1 21 34 BUTLER, Tamika...... 4-11 2-5 0-0 0 1 1 2 10 4 3 0 1 30 42 GOOCH, Megan........ 2-3 0-0 0-0 2 1 3 5 4 0 0 1 0 12 TEAM................ 1 1 2 Totals.............. 20-57 3-15 7-10 8 17 25 21 50 13 23 6 7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 5-26 19.2% 2nd Half: 15-31 48.4% Game: 35.1% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 2-12 16.7% 2nd Half: 1-3 33.3% Game: 20.0% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 2-2 100 % 2nd Half: 5-8 62.5% Game: 70.0% 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOME TEAM: Nebraska (8-4) TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 33 GERHART, Jessica.... f 6-16 0-4 1-2 3 6 9 0 13 1 0 2 0 17 45 AUBRY, Chelsea...... f 2-5 0-0 1-2 3 4 7 2 5 1 1 0 1 20 05 HOWELL, LaToya...... g 0-1 0-0 4-4 1 1 2 3 4 5 3 0 2 31 20 JOHANSEN, Jina...... g 4-5 1-1 0-0 0 1 1 2 9 7 1 0 1 26 21 HARDY, Kiera........ g 4-14 1-4 2-4 2 4 6 0 11 1 3 0 2 24 04 SPIRIC, Jelena...... 5-7 0-1 0-0 3 2 5 2 10 6 1 0 2 19 11 SAMARDZISKA, Bojana. 4-7 0-0 3-5 2 4 6 0 11 0 1 1 1 11 14 WHITE, Sarah........ 1-3 0-1 4-5 2 1 3 1 6 0 1 0 0 12 15 DIAZ, Elena......... 2-4 0-0 1-2 3 2 5 2 5 1 5 0 2 14 30 DRMANAC, Ivana...... 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 8 52 PAGE, Danielle...... 4-6 0-0 0-0 2 5 7 0 8 0 2 2 0 18 TEAM................ 3 1 4 Totals.............. 32-69 2-12 16-24 24 31 55 14 82 24 18 6 11 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 16-39 41.0% 2nd Half: 16-30 53.3% Game: 46.4% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-9 11.1% 2nd Half: 1-3 33.3% Game: 16.7% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 5-11 45.5% 2nd Half: 11-13 84.6% Game: 66.7% 4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Officials: Greg Small, Artrail Tillman, Metta Roberts Technical fouls: MEMPHIS-None. Nebraska-None. Attendance: 2692 Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total MEMPHIS....................... 14 36 - 50 Nebraska...................... 38 44 - 82
Points in the paint-MEMPHIS 24,NU 48. Points off turnovers-MEMPHIS 18,NU 26. 2nd chance points-MEMPHIS 6,NU 19. Fast break points-MEMPHIS 14,NU 18. Bench points-MEMPHIS 22,NU 40. Score tied-1 time. Lead changed-1 time. Last FG-MEMPHIS 2nd-01:48, NU 2nd-03:07.