Huskers Face Florida in Televised Title Game

Nebraska (11-2)
at Florida (6-7)

Stephen C. O’Connell Center (12,000) 
Gainesville, Fla.
Friday, Dec. 29 ? 6 p.m. (CST)
Television: Sun Sports
(Fox College Sports Atlantic - Time Warner Cable Channel 301 in Lincoln)
DirecTV: Channel 632
Dish Network: Channel 422
Radio: Husker Sports Network
(98.1-FM KFGE in Lincoln/Huskers.com)
Series Record: First meeting

Huskers Face Florida for State Farm Classic Title
The Nebraska women’s basketball team shoots for its first road tournament title since 1996, when the Huskers take on the hosts from Florida in the championship game of the State Farm Classic on Friday, Dec. 29, at 6 p.m. (CST) at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.

The game will be televised live in the state of Florida by Sun Sports and will be carried by Fox College Sports Atlantic on Time Warner Cable Channel 301 in Lincoln. It will also be available on DirecTV Channel 632 and Dish Network Channel 422.

Live radio coverage will be provided by 98.1-FM KFGE in Lincoln, select Husker Sports Network stations and worldwide on Huskers.com with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action.

Nebraska (11-2) extended its winning streak to five games by rolling to an impressive 94-74 over perennial NCAA Tournament participant and ACC power NC State in Thursday’s opening game of the tournament.

The win was the Huskers’ first over an ACC team in more than a decade dating back to an 81-75 victory over North Carolina on Dec. 20, 1995. Nebraska’s 94-point outburst came against the eighth-ranked defense in the nation, as the Wolfpack had surrendered just 50.2 points per game while winning 10 of their first 12 games.

Kelsey Griffin led four Huskers in double figures with 18 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the year. The 6-2 forward from Eagle River, Alaska, leads NU in both scoring and rebounding with 15.3 points and 8.2 boards per game. In her last two games in the state of Florida, Griffin has averaged 24.5 points and 12.0 rebounds with a pair of double-doubles, including a career-high 31 points and 14 rebounds in a win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Coconut Grove at the Miami Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 27, 2005.

Kiera Hardy, who was named one of 50 preseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy in mid-December, added 16 points and five assists in the win over NC State. The two-time All-Big 12 selection and preseason All-American has added 14.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists, while leading the Huskers with 29 three-pointers on the season. Hardy, who has made 73 consecutive starts, has scored 1,599 points in her career and ranks eighth in Big 12 history with 225 three-pointers.

Senior Chelsea Aubry has also given the Huskers a dangerous weapon from long range. The 6-2 power forward from Kitchener, Ontario, has connected on 18 of her last 23 three-point attempts, an amazing 78.2 percent success rate. Aubry, who has hit at least one three in eight straight games, leads the Big 12 with her 61.2 three-point percentage (18-29).

Senior guards Jelena Spiric and Ashley Ford have joined Hardy, Griffin and Aubry in the starting lineup for each of Nebraska’s first 13 games. Spiric, the 2005 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, is averaging 6.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and leads the Huskers with 1.4 steals per game. Ford, the only Lincoln native on NU’s roster, has added 2.2 points, 1.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal per game from her point guard spot.

Huskers Pound Wolfpack, 94-74
Kelsey Griffin produced her fifth double-double of the season to lead four Huskers in double figures as the Nebraska women’s basketball team advanced to the championship game of the State Farm Classic with a 94-74 win over NC State at the O’Connell Center on Thursday afternoon.

Nebraska improved to 11-2 on the season with its fifth consecutive victory, while the Wolfpack slipped to 10-3 with the loss. The Huskers advance to play the winner of Thursday’s second game between the hosts from Florida and Alabama State.

Griffin, who led the Huskers with 18 points and 10 rebounds, powered a Husker offense that produced its highest point total of the season with 94, against an NC State club that entered the game ranked eighth in the nation allowing just 50.2 points per game. It was also the most points scored by a Wolfpack opponent since then-No. 14 Washington scored 95 on Dec. 21, 1997.

Senior guard Kiera Hardy pitched in 16 points, a game-high five assists and four rebounds, and senior forward Chelsea Aubry pitched in 16 points and three boards while tying her career high with four three-pointers.

Aubry scored 11 points and buried a trio of three-pointers during a 20-1 outburst by the Huskers to take control of the game early in the second half.

Nebraska led 46-39 at the half, but NC State bolted out of the locker room on a 7-0 run in the first two minutes to tie the game at 46. Hardy stopped the run with a jumper, before Aubry added a two-pointer to give the Huskers a four-point cushion with 17:16 left.

Jelena Spiric then hit back-to-back baskets, including a three-pointer, to push NU’s lead to nine points with 16 minutes left, before Hardy hit another jumper to match the Huskers’ then-biggest lead of the game at 11 points with 15:20 left.

Aubry put the Wolfpack away by connecting on three consecutive three-pointers in the next 1:45 to increase NU’s lead to 66-47 with 13:05 to play. NC State never got closer than 16 points the rest of the way, as Nebraska’s margin grew to as large as 27 points on Griffin’s final basket of the game to make it 85-58 with six minutes left.

TK LaFleur contributed one of the best performances of her career off the bench with 11 points and four rebounds to round out the Husker quartet in double figures.

Ashley Ford added a career high with eight points and four rebounds, while Cory Montgomery pitched in eight points of her own. Spiric and Danielle Page, who grabbed six rebounds, each contributed eight points.

As a team, Nebraska shot 48.4 percent (31-64) from the field, including 58.6 percent in the second half. The Huskers shot a sizzling 53.3 percent (8-15) from three-point range and 80 percent (24-30) at the free throw line. NU also outrebounded NC State 44-36, while committing just 12 turnovers and forcing 15 miscues by the Wolfpack.

NC State hit 41.2 percent (28-68) of its shots, including 28.6 percent (4-14) of its three-pointers. The Wolfpack also managed 66.7 percent shooting (14-21) at the free throw line.

Scouting the Florida Gators
Florida heads into the championship game of the State Farm Classic with a 6-7 record after a 99-39 shellacking of Alabama State on Thursday night in the opening round.

Four of UF’s five starters finished in double figures, while two more Gators added 12 points off the bench in a balanced effort that featured a 42-for-54 shooting performance at the free throw line by Florida.

All 10 Gators who appeared in the game played at least 12 minutes and scored at least six points against the Hornets, who slipped to 3-7 with the loss.

Florida, which advanced to the 2006 NCAA Tournament, carries a roster that features just two players taller than 5-11. The Gators’ starting lineup on Thursday did not include a six-footer, but 6-2 senior forward Briana Phillips (5.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg) has been a regular in the starting lineup. Jessica Jackson, a 6-3 sophomore center has regularly come off the bench and is averaging 4.3 points and 3.3 boards per game.

Coach Carolyn Peck’s club is led by All-SEC guard Sha Brooks, who is averaging 13.8 points and 4.2 boards per game, while leading UF with 25 three-pointers. However, Brooks is hitting just 29.1 percent of her three-pointers and just 33.1 percent overall from the field.

Depree Bowden, a 5-11 junior guard, has added 11.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, while leading the Gators with 2.7 assists and 2.8 steals per game. Bowden also leads Florida with 13 blocks on the year. Marshae Dotson, a 5-11 sophomore forward has given UF three players in double figures with 11.1 points and a team-leading 6.8 boards per contest.

Kim Dye, a 5-8 senior guard, has joined Brooks and Dotson in the starting lineup for all 13 games while averaging 5.8 points and 1.1 rebounds per game, while hitting 21-of-54 three-pointers (38.9 percent). Jennifer Mossor (5.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and LaToya Bullard (5.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg) have also earned starts for the Gators, who have had 12 players see action in at least nine games this season.

While Florida’s depth has been an asset, its lack of height has hurt the Gators at both ends. Offensively, UF is shooting just 38.7 percent from the field while managing just 30.3 percent from three-point range. The Gators have given up 67.8 points per game, while opponents are shooting 41.4 percent from the field. Florida has also been outrebounded by nearly a board per game.

The Gators own a strong plus-4.1 team turnover margin, including a plus-13 mark against Alabama State on Thursday. They have also hit a solid 71.1 percent of their free throws, while outscoring the opposition 214-155 at the line. UF is attempting an average of five more free throws per game than its opponents, including 41 more attempts than Alabama State.

Nebraska vs. Florida Series
Nebraska has never faced Florida and will be searching for its first win over a Southeastern Conference opponent since defeating Kentucky 68-59 at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Nov. 29, 1997. The Huskers, who won back-to-back games against two SEC teams in Lincoln within a two-week span in 1997 (NU 74, Alabama 66, Nov. 16), are 2-1 all-time against the SEC at home, but have not played an SEC team in Lincoln in nearly a decade.

The Huskers have lost four straight to the SEC - all coming on neutral courts - including a 74-55 setback to LSU at the Miami Thanksgiving Classic last season. NU is 0-7 all-time against the SEC on neutral courts, but is 1-1 in true road games against SEC clubs.

Nebraska won its last road game against the SEC with a 90-86 victory over Kentucky in Lexington on Jan. 4, 1984. The Huskers are 3-9 overall against the SEC.

Noting Nebraska at the State Farm Classic

• lThe Huskers’ 94-74 victory over NC State was their first over an ACC team since defeating North Carolina, 81-75, at the Carolinas Holiday Beach Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Dec. 20, 1995.
• Nebraska has won 42 straight games when scoring 80 or more points, including a perfect 5-0 mark this season.
• The 94 points by the Huskers were the most scored by an NU team since beating Texas State, 96-47, on Dec. 20, 2005.
• Nebraska’s 48 points in the second half were a team season high, surpassing the 46 the Huskers scored in a 40-point win over Michigan on Dec. 9.
• Nebraska’s 53.3 three-point percentage (8-15) against NC State was also a season high, surpassing the 45.5 percent (5-11) NU shot last week in a win over Creighton. It is the fifth time in the past eight games that NU has hit eight or more three-pointers.
• Nebraska has not won a tournament away from the Devaney Center since capturing the Big Kona Classic title with a win over then No. 10 Iowa on Dec. 8, 1996.
• If the Huskers can get a win against the hosts from Florida in the championship game, it would be the first time since 1982 that Nebraska won 12 non-conference games to open a season.
• A Husker win over the Gators would be NU’s fifth over a 2006 NCAA Tournament team during the non-conference season. The Huskers are 4-2 against 2006 NCAA clubs with wins over New Mexico, USC, NC State and Florida Atlantic, and setbacks to Arizona State and Minnesota. All four of NU’s wins have come away from Lincoln.
• Senior point guard Ashley Ford scored a career-high eight points against NC State, surpassing the seven points she had against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 12.
• Senior power forward Chelsea Aubry tied her career high with four three-pointers (4-5) against the Wolfpack. She was 4-for-4 against Michigan on Dec. 9. In the last eight games, Aubry has hit 17-of-22 three-pointers and leads the Big 12 Conference in three-point percentage on the season at 62.1 percent (18-29).
• Aubry finished the game with 16 points, her second-best total of the season and fifth time this year that she scored in double figures, including the fourth time in the past six games.
• Senior guard Kiera Hardy hit a pair of three-pointers against NC State to move ahead of Mandy Nightingale (Colorado) into the No. 8 spot on the Big 12’s career three-point list with 225.
• Sophomore forward Kelsey Griffin has produced a double-double in two of her last three games and five on the season. She has eight career double-doubles.

Hardy Named to Preseason Naismith Trophy List
Nebraska senior Kiera Hardy was named to a list of 50 candidates for the 2007 Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Dec. 11.

A two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, Hardy is Nebraska’s career three-point leader and ranks eighth in Big 12 history with 225 three-pointers. The 5-6 guard out of O’Hara High School in Kansas City, Mo., also ranks eighth in NU history with 1,599 career points. Hardy has helped NU to three consecutive postseason tournament appearances. The Huskers had suffered through three consecutive losing seasons before her arrival in Lincoln. So far in 2006-07, Hardy is averaging 14.1 points per game and leads the Huskers with 29 three-pointers, while shooting 41.4 percent from long range.

She has started a team-leading 76 games in her career, including 73 straight starts dating back to Nov. 26, 2004 (NC State). The last game Hardy did not start for NU came at Washington State on Nov. 22, 2004. Hardy has produced 20 or more points 31 times in her 104-game Husker career.

Hardy is one of five players from the Big 12 Conference on the preseason Naismith Trophy list, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris, Texas A&M’s Morenike Atunrase, Iowa State’s Lyndsey Medders, and Tiffany Jackson from Texas.

The list of the top 50 players was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The board based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season and expectations for 2006-07.

In January, the Board of Selectors will narrow its preseason list to the top 30 players in the nation. Those players, and others who distinguish themselves throughout the season, will be eligible for the final ballot in March.

Aubry Putting on Threemendous Display in Last Eight Games
Forward Chelsea Aubry is enjoying the most prolific long-range shooting success of her career in 2006-07. the senior from Kitchener, Ontario, has hit at least one three-pointer in each of the last eight games, including five games with two or more triples.

She has hit 17 of her 22 long-range attempts in the last eight games and 18 of her last 23 overall, after missing her first six shots from beyond the arc to open the year. After shooting 77.2 percent (17-22) from three-point range over the last eight games, Aubry leads the Big 12 in three-point shooting at 61.2 percent (18-29).

Kate Galligan owns NU’s single-season record at 45.6 percent (52-114) in 1995-96. A career 32.6 percent shooter from three-point range entering the season, Aubry has nearly quadrupled her three-point total (five) from her freshman year and surpassed her three total as a sophomore when she started 26 games for NU.

Last season, Aubry connected on 27-of-77 (35.1 percent) of her three-point attempts. She has hit 63 three-pointers in her career and needs just four more to become the first forward to crack Nebraska’s all-time top-10 list in that category.

Aubry’s success has also carried over inside the arc as well. A career 44.8 percent shooter, Aubry has hit 55.4 percent of her shots from the field this season. On the year, she has hit 50 percent or more of her two-point attempts in 11 of 13 contests.

Aubry, who has increased her season averages to 8.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, was averaging just 6.6 points and 2.0 boards through NU’s first five games. She is averaging 10.4 points and 4.3 boards over the past eight contests.

Griffin Causing Double Trouble for Opponents
Kelsey Griffin, the Dallas Morning News 2006 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, has continued to expand her game as a sophomore. The 6-2 forward from Eagle River, Alaska, has produced five double-doubles in NU’s first 13 games, surpassing her season total of three from her freshman campaign when she started all 32 games for the Huskers.

Griffin is coming off her fifth double-double with 18 points and 10 boards in the win over NC State on Thursday. She scored 20 points and grabbed five rebounds in just 20 minutes in the Huskers’ 38-point win over Nicholls State, after adding her fourth double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds against Creighton on Dec. 19, when she played a season-high 31 minutes. She posted three consecutive double-doubles with 17 points and 12 rebounds against Cal State Fullerton (Nov. 17), 13 points and 12 rebounds at UC Irvine (Nov. 24) and a season-high 22 points and 10 boards at USC (Nov. 26). Her five double-doubles this season are tied for fifth most in the Big 12 this season.

Last season, Griffin produced her first career double-double with a career-high 31 points and 14 rebounds in a win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Nov. 27, 2005. She also tied the school record with 18 free throw attempts against the Islanders. She added her second career double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds against Missouri on Jan. 11, 2006, before erupting for 28 points, 12 boards and a career-best three blocks at Kansas State on Feb. 4, 2006.

Griffin Ranks High in Big 12 Statistics
Kelsey Griffin ranks sixth in the Big 12 Conference in scoring with a team-leading 15.3 points per game while tying for eighth in the league in rebounding with 8.2 boards per contest. Her 58.5 field goal percentage also ranks third in the Big 12.

The 6-2 sophomore forward ranks sixth in the conference with 3.23 offensive rebounds per game, while ranking 11th in the leauge with 4.92 defensive boards per contest. She has led Nebraska in rebounding in 10 of 13 games this season.

In the NCAA individual statistics released Dec. 18, Griffin ranked 25th nationally in field goal percentage.

Griffin leads Nebraska in both scoring and rebounding. Griffin also leads the Huskers with 41 made free throws and 63 free throw attempts. Griffin, who earlier this season earned a spot on the Veterans Day Classic All-Tournament team, has scored 623 points and grabbed 298 career rebounds while starting 45 consecutive games to open her career for the Huskers.

Last season she became the first NU freshman since Meggan Yedsena in 1990-91 to start every game of her rookie campaign. Griffin is just the fourth Husker freshman in history to start every game in her first year.

Hardy Increasing Efficiency as a Senior
Kiera Hardy is averaging 14.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 41.4 percent (29-70) from three-point range through the first 13 games in 2006-07.

As solid as those numbers are, they only tell part of the story of Hardy’s continually increasing contribution to Nebraska’s success.

Hardy’s production has come while averaging just 25.2 minutes and 10.5 field goal attempts per game. In her three-year career at Nebraska entering this season, Hardy averaged 15.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 39.7 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from three-point range. She produced those numbers while attempting 14.2 field goals per game in 28.2 minutes per contest.

Hardy earned Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honors on Nov. 27, after erupting for a season-high 32 points in a win at USC on Nov. 26. Against the Women of Troy, Hardy hit 14-of-23 shots from the field, including 4-of-10 three-pointers. She added four rebounds, four assists and five steals in 31 minutes. The USC contest was the second in a three-game stretch where Hardy averaged 22.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals in just 22.3 minutes per game during three NU wins over UC Irvine, USC and Texas-Pan American.

Perhaps even more impressively, Hardy shot 64.1 percent (25-39) from the field, including a blistering 54.5 percent (12-22) from three-point range. She was also a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line during that stretch.

At UC Irvine, Hardy scored 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including a season-best 5-of-9 three-pointers. Against Texas-Pan American, Hardy scored 11 points in the first 5:45 of the game, to help the Huskers bolt to an 18-4 lead and blow away the Lady Broncs in a 40-point win. Hardy was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, including a 3-for-3 performance from long range. She also hit both of her free throw attempts against UTPA to finish with 13 points in just 11 total minutes of action.

Hardy Among Nebraska’s Scoring Stars
Preseason All-American Kiera Hardy is averaging 14.1 points per game, including a season-high 32 points in Nebraska’s 72-65 win at USC on Nov. 26. Hardy’s total against the Women of Troy tied for the second-highest scoring mark of her career, trailing only her 37-point performance against eventual national champion Baylor in 2005.

Hardy’s fourth 30-point scoring effort of her career pushed her career total beyond 1,500 points with her first basket of the second half. She enters the Florida game ranked eighth on the Husker all-time scoring list with 1,599 points and needs 179 points to catch Kathy Hagerstrom (1980-83) in the No. 7 spot with 1,778.

Hardy ranks ninth in the Big 12 in scoring this season, while also ranking 11th in assists (3.5 apg) and 10th in free throw percentage (80.0 percent). She is shooting a career-best 46.0 percent from the field and a career-high 41.4 percent from three-point range, which ranks sixth in the Big 12.

Hardy Shoots Toward Top of Big 12 Three-Point Charts
Nebraska’s all-time three-point leader, Kiera Hardy has hit 29 of her 70 three-point attempts to open the season to climb into eighth place on the Big 12’s all-time three-point list with 225. With two triples against NC State on Thursday, Hardy moved ahead of former Colorado guard Mandy Nightingale (224) into eighth place.

The active Big 12 three-point leader is Erin Higgins, who has hit 234 trifectas in her four-year career. Higgins, who entered the season with 222 threes, knocked down just 12-of-45 threes through Oklahoma’s first 10 games.

Hardy ranks second in the Big 12 with 2.23 made three-pointers per game, trailing only Missouri’s Alyssa Hollins (2.42 mpg) this season. Hardy also ranks sixth in the Big 12 in three-point accuracy at 41.4 percent, which ranks her among the top 50 long-range shooters in the national statistics as well.

After hitting a school-record 85 three-pointers as a sophomore in 2004-05, Hardy added 81 threes a year ago while leading the Big 12 with 2.53 made per game. She could realistically climb to No. 2 on the Big 12 all-time chart. Megan Taylor of Iowa State ranks second in league history with 287 career three-pointers as a four-year starter at Iowa State from 1998 to 2001. Laurie Koehn from Kansas State owns the Big 12 record with 392 three-pointers in her career from 2001 to 2005.

Hardy smashed Nebraska’s three-point record with six three-pointers against Texas on Jan. 18, 2006. She finished the night with 158 threes in 75 games, shooting past current WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge’s previous Nebraska mark of 155 three-pointers in 117 career games.

With seven three-pointers against Iowa on March 21, 2005, Hardy shares Nebraska’s single-game record and has hit six or more three-pointers in a game on five occasions.

Aubry Leading the Huskers at Home and Away
Through Nebraska’s first six home games, Chelsea Aubry is averaging 10.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in the friendly confines of the Devaney Center. Aubry is shooting a sizzling 59.5 percent from the field at home, including an amazing 73.3 percent (11-15) from three-point range.

Those numbers came in sharp contrast to Aubry’s first five games away from the Devaney Center, when she averaged 5.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 16.7 percent (1-6) from three-point range.

However, in Nebraska’s last two road wins over Creighton (10 pts., 6 reb.) on Dec. 19 and NC State (16 pts., 3 reb.) on Dec. 28, Aubry has averaged 13 points and 4.5 boards per game while hitting 6-of-8 three-pointers. Aubry owns five double-figure scoring efforts on the year, including two straight away from the Devaney Center.

Aubry has traditionally been one of the Huskers’ top players on the road. She scored a career-high 20 points on a 7-for-7 shooting night from the field at Texas A&M on Feb. 16, 2005, and last season she scored 10 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting effort from the floor in Nebraska’s win at Colorado on Jan. 4. The win over the Buffs marked NU’s first win in Boulder in 20 years.

Aubry has started 71 games in her NU career, including an active streak of 59 straight starts, dating back to a Jan. 29, 2005 win over Kansas. Aubry’s last non-start came at Iowa State on Jan. 22, 2005.

Overall, Aubry has increased her scoring and rebounding averages to 8.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. She scored a season-high 18 points against Michigan on Dec. 9, and had 14 points and a team-leading eight rebounds against Minnesota on Dec. 5. She added eight more rebounds and eight points in the Huskers’ win over Northwestern on Dec. 16. She posted her first double-figure scoring effort of the season with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in a win over Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 17.

Aubry has returned to her natural power forward position this season after unselfishly moving to the three spot last year to compensate for the loss of Jelena Spiric to a knee injury. Aubry’s numbers suffered last season as she adjusted to the wing, but her role as a leader on the team became even more recognizable.

Aubry continues to show her unselfishness on defense by stepping in to take repeated charges as one of the Huskers’ best interior defenders.

A three-year captain, Aubry played for the Canadian National Team at the 2006 World Championships in Brazil, after helping the Canadians earn a spot in the World Championships the previous summer.

A member of Nebraska’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and an academic All-Big 12 performer in the classroom, Aubry participated in the NCAA Leadership Conference in 2005.

Spiric Returns from Injury for Senior Season
Jelena Spiric has made a successful return to the court after missing the entire 2005-06 season with a knee injury. The 6-0 senior from Belgrade, Serbia, earned a spot on the Veterans Day Classic All-Tournament team with her 13-point, five-rebound performance in the Huskers’ 66-59 win over No. 18 New Mexico on Nov. 13. For the tournament, Spiric averaged 8.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

She produced a solid 11-point effort at Creighton on Dec. 19, her second double-figure scoring effort of the season. Spiric is averaging 6.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and a team-leading 1.4 steals per game.

Spiric suffered a torn right ACL in practice on Oct. 18, 2005, just days after the start of fall practice. Spiric’s injury sidelined her for the duration of her second season at Nebraska.

An outstanding student and experienced international player, Spiric considered returning to Europe to pursue a professional career after earning her bachelor’s degree as a biochemistry major in May of 2006.

Spiric chose to return for her final season at Nebraska, and the Huskers are planning to make it a memorable one for the 2005 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.

As a junior in 2004-05, Spiric averaged 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on the year, but increased her averages to 9.3 points and 4.6 boards per game in conference action.

Spiric was slowed at the start of her Nebraska career after suffering a torn left ACL in the final game of her junior college career at Colby Community College. Spiric earned NJCAA first-team All-America honors in her only season at Colby, averaging 15.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game.

She opened her collegiate career at NCAA Division II UMass-Lowell, averaging 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game for the River Hawks as a freshman in 2002-03.

Huskers Feature Solid Starting Five
The Nebraska lineup has showcased the same starting five through each of the first 13 games, with seniors Kiera Hardy, Cheslea Aubry, Jelena Spiric and Ashley Ford joined by sophomore Kelsey Griffin.

In 2003-04, Nebraska featured the same starting lineup in all 30 games, as one of just eight schools in the nation to start the same five players every game during the season.

Husker Depth Creating Impressive Dividends
Although Nebraska’s 2006-07 roster features just 12 names, all hands have been on deck through the Huskers’ first 13 games. All 12 players have appeared in at least five games, while 11 players have appeared in nine or more contests. Ten Huskers are averaging at least 10 minutes per game.

Nebraska’s depth allowed the Husker starters to rest their legs during a rigorous road schedule to open the season. NU played five of its first six games away from the Devaney Center with four of those contests coming against 2006 NCAA Tournament qualifiers, but the Husker starters were still able to stay fresh.

Senior guard Kiera Hardy leads the Huskers with 25.2 minutes per game, while senior forward Jelena Spiric has added 24.8 minutes per game. Senior forward Chelsea Aubry (23.7 mpg) and sophomore Kelsey Griffin (21.9 mpg) are the only other Huskers averaging 20 or more minutes per contest.

Off the bench, Nicole Neals, TK LaFleur and Cory Montgomery have all averaged more than 16 minutes per game, while Danielle Page has contributed more than 14 minutes per contest. Yvonne Turner, Kala Kuhlmann and Nikki Bober have also seen significant playing time in their first seasons at Nebraska.

Those numbers come in stark contrast to the 2004-05 season, when Jina Johansen led the Huskers by playing a school-record 36.1 minutes per game, Hardy averaged 32.4 minutes per game as sophomore, and only eight players averaged double-figure minutes.

Page Making Miraculous Return from Knee Injury
Junior Danielle Page has made a remarkably fast recovery from an ACL injury in mid-June and returned to a full practice schedule on Monday, Oct. 30.

Page who underwent surgery on her right knee on June 29, spent an efficient four months rehabilitating her knee. The 6-2 forward from Monument, Colo., was given the green light for full participation before NU’s final exhibition game against UNO. Although she was not expected to be ready for a full return until the start of the Big 12 Conference season in January, Page saw game action in Nebraska’s exhibition finale against Nebraska-Omaha.

Page showed no ill-effects of her injury. In fact, she showed the exceptional lateral quickness that made her one of Nebraska’s top shot-blockers in school history. She also connected on three mid-range jumpshots on her way to scoring 10 points. She added seven rebounds, one block, one steal and one assist in just 15 minutes of action off the bench.

Page has made major contributions to open the regular season by averaging 5.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and a team-leading 1.1 blocks per game. Over the last five games, Page has been even better, averaging 5.8 points and 5.8 boards per contest, while blocking eight of her 14 shots on the year. In the last two contests, Page has produced 8.5 points and 6.5 boards per game, including seven points and six boards in NU’s 94-74 win over NC State on Dec. 28.

She had a strong performance in all facets with nine points, five rebounds and a career-high tying five blocked shots against UC Irvine on Nov. 24. She had a season high 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks against Nicholls State, and added a season-high nine rebounds to go along with four points against Northwestern on Dec. 16.

A dominant defender in the post, Page is one of the leading shot-blockers in Nebraska history, ranking No. 7 on the Husker career block chart with 83. She has added 59 steals and 192 defensive rebounds in her career, making her one of NU’s top all-around defensive players.

LaFleur Playing Well in Second Season
Sophomore TK LaFleur is seeing significant minutes this season after surging down the stretch in her freshman campaign. The 5-8 guard from Houston averaged 7.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in NU’s final 10 games and had an excellent offseason. LaFleur provides the Huskers with an athletic presence on the wing, along with solid defensive skills, while she continues to expand her offensive game.

Over the past five games, LaFleur has again turned up her production, averaging 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, including 11 points and four boards in NU’s win over NC State on Thursday.

She produced the best performance of her career in Nebraska’s 93-53 win over Florida Atlantic on Nov. 12 at the Veterans Day Classic in Tempe, Ariz. LaFleur tied her career highs with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists against the Owls. She scored 12 points and pulled down four boards in the first half alone to power the Huskers to a 30-point halftime lead.

She added eight points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal in just 13 minutes of action in the Huskers’ win over Michigan on Dec. 9, before adding nine points, four boards and a steal in 16 minutes in a win over Northwestern on Dec. 16. She scored all nine points in the second half against the Wildcats. Against Nicholls State on Dec. 21, LaFleur had eight points, four rebounds and tied a career high with four assists for the second time this season.

Through 13 games this season, LaFleur is averaging 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.9 steals per game to help the Huskers to an 11-2 record. She has also hit 8-of-24 attempts from three-point range.

Although she did not earn a start in her freshman season, LaFleur averaged nearly 17 minutes per game off the bench, including 21 minutes per contest during the final 10 games. She averaged 5.4 points per game on the year, while ranking third on the team with 20 made three-pointers (32.3 percent).

Huskers Tackle Challenging 2006-07 Schedule
After playing 16 games against teams that advanced to postseason play in 2005-06, Nebraska will face an even more challenging road during the 2006-07 campaign.

Nebraska’s regular-season schedule could include as many as 18 games against 2006 postseason qualifiers with as many as seven non-conference games against some of the nation’s best teams. Among the Huskers’ eight road non-conference games this season, as many as six could come against 2006 NCAA teams.

The Huskers dove headfirst into the postseason-caliber action with three games against 2006 NCAA Tournament qualifiers on the road in the opening weekend of the season. Nebraska fell to No. 13 Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., on Nov. 10, before rebounding with a 93-53 win over 2006 NCAA qualifier Florida Atlantic in the second game of the Veterans Day Classic on Nov. 12.

The Huskers faced their third straight 2006 NCAA Tournament squad when they knocked off No. 18 New Mexico, 66-59, in Tempe on Nov. 13. The victory marked Nebraska’s first non-conference road win since defeating No. 16 Western Kentucky on Nov. 20, 1997.

On Nov. 26, the Huskers posted their third win of the season over an NCAA Tournament team with a 72-65 victory at USC. The Women of Troy joined Arizona State and New Mexico in advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament a year ago.

The Huskers battled 2006 NCAA qualifier Minnesota at the Devaney Center on Dec. 5. The Golden Gophers are the only NCAA team that ventured to Lincoln during the non-conference season. The game with Minnesota was the second of six straight contests NU will play in Nebraska from the week after Thanksgiving through Christmas.

The Huskers closed their preparation for Big 12 play by blowing past perennial ACC power and 2006 NCAA qualifier NC State, 94-74, at the State Farm Classic in Gainesville, Fla., on Dec. 28. The Huskers advanced to the championship game to take on the hosts from Florida on Dec. 29. The Gators earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2006 to give the Huskers seven non-conference foes that qualified for last year’s Big Dance.

While the Huskers played seven of their first 14 games against 2006 postseason qualifiers, their 16-game Big 12 Conference schedule will only offer more challenges with 11 games against postseason competition. Nebraska opens the Big 12 slate at Texas, a perennial national power that did not advance to postseason play in 2006.

The Huskers play their Big 12 home opener against defending Big 12 champion Oklahoma on Jan. 6. The home game with the Sooners will start a stretch of nine consecutive games against 2006 postseason clubs for the Huskers.

The nine-game stretch will include a game with 2005 NCAA and Big 12 champion Baylor at the Devaney Center on Feb. 3, along with road contests at 2006 NCAA qualifiers Missouri (Jan. 20) and Texas A&M (Jan. 24). Big 12 North series with 2006 WNIT champion Kansas State and WNIT qualifier Kansas will be completed during the run, while the Huskers will also face WNIT qualifier Iowa State at home on Jan. 31.

If Nebraska can capitalize on its opportunities during the first 10 games of the Big 12 schedule, the Huskers could have a chance to build momentum heading into the postseason with four of their last six league games coming against teams that did not advance to postseason play a year ago.

The Huskers honor their four-player senior class on Feb. 27 in the regular-season finale against Colorado, before going to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at the COX Convention Center in Oklahoma City, March 6-10.

Huskers Sixth in Preseason Big 12 Poll
The Nebraska women’s basketball team was tabbed as the No. 6 team in the Big 12 by the league coaches, the conference office announced in its preseason poll on Tuesday, Oct. 17.

Defending conference champion Oklahoma was picked to win its second consecutive conference title in 2006-07. The Sooners received all 11 possible first-place votes for a total of 121 points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

Texas A&M was selected second (107 points), followed by Texas in third (101 points), Baylor fourth (94 points) and Iowa State fifth (68 points), with the Huskers just two points behind the Cyclones in sixth with 66 points.

The second tier of conference teams opened with a tie for seventh between Kansas State and Texas Tech with 57 points. Missouri (ninth, 43 points), Kansas (10th, 36 points), Colorado (11th, 26 points) and Oklahoma State (12th, 16 points) rounded out the preseason ballot.

Oklahoma is ranked as high as second nationally in preseason publications, while Texas A&M, Baylor, Iowa State, Texas, Kansas State and Texas Tech have also received recognition in preseason polls. Nebraska has received votes in several preseason publications.

Baylor and Oklahoma advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2005-06 and were joined in the NCAA Tournament by Texas A&M and Missouri. Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Nebraska competed in the WNIT.

Yori Leading New Growth in Nebraska Program
Now in her fifth season at Nebraska, Coach Connie Yori hopes to have the Huskers heading into the growth stage of what began as a major rebuilding project in 2002.

Yori arrived in Lincoln on June 24, 2002, and was left with only a handful of healthy scholarship players and three consecutive losing seasons behind the existing players. After a challenging first season, Yori guided the Huskers to one of the nation’s top turnarounds in 2003-04.

Nebraska finished the season with an 18-12 record and 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 final 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 may have been 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.

Nebraska continued the momentum in 2004-05 by replacing four senior starters from 2003-04 and finishing with an 18-14 overall mark and its second straight postseason bid. The Huskers’ 8-8 Big 12 mark was their best finish since 2000, and included the biggest victory in school history, a 103-99 triple overtime win over eventual national champion and then-No. 2 Baylor on Jan. 12, 2005.

The Huskers also won their first Big 12 Tournament game since the 2000 campaign and continued their climb in the classroom as well. NU posted a team GPA of better than 3.0 during the spring 2005 semester, as 10 Huskers earned spots on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Academic Honor.

Nebraska kept building in 2005-06 by winning two postseason games for the first time in school history. NU’s 19-13 record also marked the Huskers’ most victories since the 1998-99 campaign. The Huskers finished with an 8-8 league mark for the second straight year and won a game in the Big 12 Championship for the second consecutive season.

Perhaps most impressively, the Huskers went 5-0 in regular-season rematches with Big 12 North Division opponents and completed the first three-game sweep of Colorado in school history. Overall, Nebraska posted a 7-3 regular-season mark against Big 12 North foes.

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 43-year-old Yori is married to Kirk Helms, and the couple had their first child, Lukas, in early July of 2004.

Fastbreakers Booster Club
The Nebraska Women’s Basketball Booster Club, the Fastbreakers, and Lil’ Breakers Booster Club provide dynamic support to the Huskers. Membership benefits include regular e-mail news flashes during the season, a free Nebraska Yearbook, game information, invitations to social activities, access to preferred parking, an invitation to the postseason awards banquet and much, much more.

For more information on the Fastbreakers and Lil’ Breakers Booster Club, please visit the Nebraska women’s basketball home page on Huskers.com, e-mail mgreen@fastbreakersonline.com or call the Nebraska women’s basketball office at (402) 472-6462.

2007 Fastbreakers Membership Levels

• Tip-In ($50) (Access to Preferred Parking, game information, e-mail news, Yearbook, game day program, game notes, year-end banquet invite)
• 3-Pointer ($100) (Same as Tip-In, plus one media guide and a free Lil’ Breakers membership)
• Slam Dunk ($250) (Same as 3-Pointer, plus Complimentary Preferred Parking, Eligible for Coach of the Game)
• All-Star ($500) (Same as Slam Dunk, plus a silver commemorative pin)
• MVP ($1,000+) (Same as All-Star, plus free admission for two at all Backboard Banquets and gold commemorative pin)

Fastbreakers Set Backboard Banquet Schedule
The Fastbreakers announced their Backboard Banquet Schedule for the 2006-07 season in early November. Each Backboard Banquet will be held 90 minutes before tip-off each game. Each meal will be served by Premier Catering and reservations can be made by calling Rose Sousek in the Nebraska women’s basketball office at (402) 472-6462.

Backboard Banquet Schedule - Dinner

• Wednesday, Jan. 17 - Kansas State - 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 17 - Missouri - 5:30 p.m.

Make the Right Call with Traveling Fastbreakers
The Fastbreakers are planning two bus trips to Nebraska women’s basketball road games during the 2006-07 season. Make plans now to join the Fastbreakers’ trips to Kansas (Jan. 13) and Colorado (Feb. 10).

The buses to Lawrence, Kan., on Saturday, Jan. 13, will depart from the Lincoln Public Schools District Office parking lot at 59th and O St. at 2 p.m. The cost is $25 per person or $100 per family. The reservation deadline is Dec. 15. The cost of the trips to Kansas and Colorado do not include the cost of the game tickets.

For the trip to Boulder, Colo., the buses will depart the LPSDO lot at 5:30 a.m. The cost for the trip to Colorado is $90 per person and a group rate of $129 (plus tax) has been reserved at the Boulder Marriott for the night of the game. A deposit of $50 is required and the reservation deadline is Jan. 17. The number for the Boulder Marriott is 888-238-2178 to reserve the group rate by Jan. 10.

To sign up for the trip, stop at the Fastbreakers tables in the concourse at any Husker home game, or call Connie Renken at 450-1785 or 476-0306 or Kathy Branchaud at 432-8990 for more information.

Huskers Make Permanent Leap to Froggy
For the first time, all of Nebraska’s women’s basketball games this season will be available on the same Husker Sports Network station in Lincoln, Froggy 98.1 FM-KFGE.

All of Nebraska’s regular-season games are available on KFGE. In the past, the women’s basketball team’s primary station in Lincoln has been 1400 AM-KLIN, the sister station of KFGE. Nebraska’s games carried on the entire Husker Sports Network were aired on KLIN, but if conflicts with football, men’s basketball or volleyball existed, the women’s basketball games were moved to KFGE, forcing Husker fans in Lincoln to search their radio dials for broadcasts.

This season, the women’s basketball games will be heard exclusively on KFGE and continue to be available for free around the world on Huskers.com.

Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch are teaming up for their sixth full season on the call of the game, with Coatney providing the play-by-play. The pregame show hits the air 25 minutes before each game.