Huskers Sweep Big 12 Weekly Honors

Lincoln ? Huskers Kiera Hardy (Player of the Week) and Jelena Spiric (Rookie of the Week) swept the Big 12 Conference Women’s Basketball weekly individual honors for games played Jan. 10-16.

 

Hardy, a 5-6 sophomore guard from Kansas City, Mo., earned the first Big 12 Player-of-the-Week award for the Huskers this season by averaging 33 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game last week.  It was the second Big 12 honor of Hardy’s career, joining a conference Rookie-of-the-Week award she claimed last season.

 

In Nebraska’s 103-99 triple overtime victory over No. 2 Baylor on Wednesday, Hardy scored a career-high 37 points, the second-highest total by a sophomore in school history.  Hardy’s performance helped the Huskers post their first-ever win over a top-five opponent. She added 29 points in Saturday’s loss at No. 23 Kansas State by scoring 23 of her 29 points in the second half.  For the week, Hardy hit 22-of-49 shots from the field, including 11-of-23 from behind the three-point arc, and went 11-of-13 (.846) from the free throw line.

 

Hardy hit a career-high six three-pointers against Baylor, and added five more trifectas in the loss at KansasState.  With 37 three-pointers already this season, Hardy ranks No. 3 on NU’s sophomore single-season three-point list and needs just 13 more three-pointers to set the sophomore single-season record.  She has also moved into Nebraska’s top 10 in career three-point field goals with 67 in just 43 career games.

 

Spiric, a 6-0 junior forward, claimed her second straight Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week award by averaging 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game on the week.  In the win over Baylor, Spiric scored a career-high 19 points and added a career-best nine rebounds.  She connected on 15-of-16 (.938) free throws after halftime, including eight straight free throws to open the third overtime period to put the Huskers in the driver’s seat down the stretch.

 

A native of Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro who came to Nebraska from Colby (Kan.) Community College, Spiric also played a career-high 44 minutes against the Bears. Spiric’s 15 made free throws rank as the second-highest total by an individual in school history, while her 16 attempts rank fourth on the NU chart. She was the only Husker other than Hardy to produce double figures at KansasState.  She finished with 10 points and five rebounds while making her second straight start and seventh start of the season.

 

Big 12 Player of the Week

Nov. 22 -- Sophia Young, Baylor

Nov. 29 -- Kendra Wecker, KansasState

Dec. 6 -- Dionnah Jackson, Oklahoma

Dec. 13 -- Alesha Robertson, Texas Tech

Dec. 20 -- Anne O’Neil, IowaState

Jan. 3 -- Kendra Wecker, KansasState

Jan. 10 -- Sophia Young, Baylor

Jan. 17 -- Kiera Hardy, Nebraska

 

Big 12 Rookie of the Week

Nov. 22 -- Kara Richards, Colorado

Nov. 29 -- Kassie Drew, Missouri

Dec. 6 -- Jackie McFarland, Colorado and Patrice Reado, Texas A&M

Dec. 13 -- Morenike Atunrase, Texas A&M

Dec. 20 -- Patrice Reado, Texas A&M

Jan. 3 -- Jackie McFarland, Colorado and Patrice Reado, Texas A&M

Jan. 10 -- Jelena Spiric, Nebraska

Jan. 17 -- Jelena Spiric, Nebraska