<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln, Neb. ? First-team All-Big 12 Conference guard Kiera Hardy scored 27 points, including 20 in the first half, to lead the Nebraska women's basketball team past Nebraska-Omaha, 79-66, in the Huskers' exhibition opener at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Monday night.
Playing in front of a crowd of more than 1,300, some decked out in full costumes in celebration of Halloween, Hardy frightened the visiting Mavericks with a scary first-half shooting spree when she buried 8-of-12 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 three-pointers.
Hardy's 20 first-half points helped NU to a 40-35 lead at intermission, and she got the rest of the Huskers involved in the second half, especially true freshman forward Kelsey Griffin.
The 6-2 native of Eagle River, Alaska, scored 12 of her 19 points in the second half and put on an impressive shooting display around the basket, hitting 9-of-10 shots from the field. Griffin added five rebounds in a stellar starting debut.
Hardy said Griffin showed a glimpse of the future for the Huskers.
"She is going to be a great player for us," Hardy said. "She plays hard. She is fearless. She is fearless when she is rebounding and she is fearless when she is blocking shots, and she knows how to score."
Although Griffin plays fearlessly, she said she had plenty of first-game jitters before the contest.
"I was so nervous, not at the start of the game but in the time leading up to the game," Griffin said. "I had to call my mom back home and she kind of talked me through it and told me to calm down and take a deep breath. My teammates were all so great about it, telling me that everybody gets first-game jitters."
In addition to the big opening nights from Hardy and Griffin, who combined for 46 of NU's 79 points, sophomore forward Danielle Page added 12 points and a team-leading eight rebounds off the bench. Junior forward Jessica Gerhart rounded out the four Huskers in double figures with 10 points and five boards.
Despite the strong offensive efforts from the Huskers, Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said she was disappointed in her team's defensive presence.
"We have got to get better defensively and we know that. We can get better and I think we will, but our defensive effort was not acceptable tonight," Yori said. "Now, to UNO's credit I thought they did a great job. I thought they were the aggressor for most of the night and their players and their coaching staff should be commended for the job they did tonight and for what they have done there."
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UNO finished the game hitting 44.3 percent of its shots, but just 18.8 percent (3-16) of its three-pointers. The Huskers executed more efficiently on the offensive end, hitting 50.8 percent, including 35.7 percent (5-14) from beyond the arc. NU also outrebounded UNO 39-29.
Through the first half, the Mavs kept it close, never allowing the Huskers more than a seven-point margin, which came with 51 seconds left in the half after senior LaToya Howell made the second of two free throw attempts. Howell finished the game with seven points and five assists.
The Huskers shot 51.7 percent through the first half, grabbing 18 rebounds to the Mavs’ 16. The lead changed 11 times and was tied six times before NU began pulling away with a jumper by Hardy at the 2:25 mark, making the score 35-33. NU headed into the half with a 40-35 advantage.
NU began pulling away at the beginning of the second half, extending their lead to 12 points off of Hardy’s three-point shot at the 14:36 mark. The Huskers continued to steadily increase their lead, eventually extending it to as much as 21 points midway through the half.
UNO’s JJ Smith led the Mavs with 19 points after scoring only four in the first half to go along with five rebounds. Cayla Hargrove added 11 points off the bench, as all 10 Mavericks who played find the scoring column, including nine players with four or more points.
The Huskers return for their final exhibition game against Nebraska-Kearney, Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2:05 p.m. at the Devaney Center.