Lincoln ? The Nebraska women's basketball team held its fourth straight opponent to 50 points or less for the first time in school history, as the Huskers squelched the Grambling State offense on their way to their fifth consecutive victory with a 69-40 win at the Devaney Center on Thursday night.
With the victory Nebraska improved to 7-3 on the year, while Grambling State slipped to 4-3. The Huskers held the Lady Tigers to just two field goals in a span of 17:58 from the final 8:32 of the first half through the opening 9:36 of the second half to turn an 18-17 lead into a 47-25 advantage.
The Huskers forced a season-high 31 turnovers, while holding the Lady Tigers to just 28.1 percent shooting from the field, including a dismal 7.1 percent (1-14) accuracy from three-point range. NU also forced GSU into six offensive player control fouls in a stellar defensive showing.
The 40 points were the fewest allowed by Nebraska in over a year, and bettered the previous season low of 47 by Texas State on Dec. 20. It also marked the first time in school history that Nebraska has held four straight opponents to under 50 points. NU is allowing 50.8 points per game during its current five-game winning streak dating back to an eight-point loss at No. 10 Minnesota on Dec. 3.
Leading 18-17, junior forward Jessica Gerhart triggered Nebraska’s surge with six straight points, as the Huskers scored 12 unanswered points and closed the first half on a 15-4 spurt to take a 33-21 halftime lead. NU forced eight straight misses by the visitors in holding Grambling State scoreless for a stretch of 6:08.
Gerhart's hot shooting and a strong inside effort from freshman forward Kelsey Griffin, who produced a game-high 14 points along with six rebounds, allowed NU to overcome 17 first-half turnovers.
"We did not play at all the way we would have liked to in the first half, especially with our turnovers," Gerhart said. "But our defense was solid and we just kept playing hard. In the second half, we did a much better job of taking care of the basketball and got more into our rhythm to get the win."
All-Big 12 guard Kiera Hardy, who battled foul trouble throughout the first half, totaled 12 points and four assists in just 16 minutes, including seven straight points in a span of 32 seconds in the second half, while sophomore Danielle Page rounded out the quartet in double figures by coming off the bench to chip in 12 points, five boards and a pair of blocks.
Chelsea Aubry also turned in a solid performance, setting or matching career bests in both rebounds (11) and steals (four) while adding seven points in 27 minutes, as all 12 Huskers who dressed saw playing time.
The Huskers salted away the contest early in the second half, outscoring the Tigers, 27-5 over the first 13 minutes in building a 60-27 lead before cruising to a comfortable 29-point win.
NU finished with 24 turnovers to close the game with a plus-seven turnover margin. The Huskers also produced a plus-three rebounding margin. Nebraska hit 41.9 percent of its field goal attempts, including 23.5 percent (4-17) from three-point range. NU did hit 81.3 percent (13-16) of its free throws.
Tasha Wilmore led Grambling State with nine points and seven rebounds, as only two players totaled more than eight points in the loss.
The Huskers continue their three-game homestand by closing non-conference action on Saturday, Dec. 31, as they take on Northern Arizona (8-4). Tip-off is set for 2:05 p.m. and the game will be carried on 98.1 FM and on Huskers.com.
Official Basketball Box Score Official Basketball Box Score Grambling State Lady Tigers vs Nebraska 12/29/05 7:06 p.m. at Bob Devaney Sports Center - Lincoln, NE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VISITORS: Grambling State Lady Tigers (4-3) TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 35 WILSON, Keva........ f 0-3 0-1 1-3 2 1 3 0 1 3 2 0 3 17 50 BRANDON, Amber...... f 2-3 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 1 4 0 1 0 0 10 55 HEADD, Dominque..... f 2-7 0-1 1-2 1 3 4 2 5 0 4 0 1 28 22 COLE, Sanora........ g 3-8 1-4 1-2 2 2 4 2 8 2 2 1 4 23 34 CORMIER, Lacey...... g 2-9 0-0 3-7 4 4 8 3 7 0 3 6 0 25 00 HUFF, Diasha........ 1-3 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 11 01 HAWKINS, Paris...... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 1 5 0 2 17 10 SHAW, Teneshia...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 12 SHERMAN, Kourtney... 0-5 0-3 0-0 1 0 1 2 0 2 5 0 1 9 13 CARTER, JeKerria.... 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 6 15 STEPHENS, Geralyn... 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 5 20 WILMORE, Tasha...... 4-11 0-4 1-2 2 5 7 3 9 0 3 0 0 25 24 THOMPSON, Destiny... 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 32 FLEMING, Gabrielle.. 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 6 45 HANDY, Victoria..... 0-2 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 8 TEAM................ 2 4 6 1 Totals.............. 16-57 1-14 7-16 17 24 41 18 40 9 31 8 11 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 8-33 24.2% 2nd Half: 8-24 33.3% Game: 28.1% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-11 9.1% 2nd Half: 0-3 0.0% Game: 7.1% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 4-9 44.4% 2nd Half: 3-7 42.9% Game: 43.8% 4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOME TEAM: Nebraska (7-3) TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 23 GRIFFIN, Kelsey..... f 6-9 0-0 2-3 3 3 6 1 14 2 0 0 0 23 33 GERHART, Jessica.... f 5-11 0-1 0-0 5 0 5 2 10 1 3 1 2 23 45 AUBRY, Chelsea...... f 3-7 1-4 0-0 1 10 11 0 7 1 2 1 4 27 05 HOWELL, LaToya...... g 0-2 0-2 0-0 0 2 2 3 0 4 7 0 0 21 21 HARDY, Kiera........ g 4-8 2-6 2-2 0 2 2 3 12 4 2 0 2 16 02 FORD, Ashley........ 0-1 0-1 0-1 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 15 03 HIEB, Sara.......... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 LaFLEUR, TK......... 1-9 1-3 2-2 2 0 2 2 5 4 3 0 1 19 14 WHITE, Sarah........ 1-3 0-0 1-2 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 0 1 17 15 DIAZ, Elena......... 3-5 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 0 6 0 2 0 2 15 30 DRMANAC, Ivana...... 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 52 PAGE, Danielle...... 3-6 0-0 6-6 2 3 5 4 12 0 1 2 3 17 TEAM................ 1 4 5 1 Totals.............. 26-62 4-17 13-16 15 29 44 16 69 18 24 4 17 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 13-28 46.4% 2nd Half: 13-34 38.2% Game: 41.9% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-8 37.5% 2nd Half: 1-9 11.1% Game: 23.5% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 4-5 80.0% 2nd Half: 9-11 81.8% Game: 81.3% 0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Officials: Gator Parrish, Doug Miller, Park Van Nest Technical fouls: Grambling State Lady Tigers-BRANDON, Amber. Nebraska-None. Attendance: 2006 Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total Grambling State Lady Tigers... 21 19 - 40 Nebraska...................... 33 36 - 69