No. 25 Huskers Open Home Stand with KU

#25 Nebraska (16-4, 4-2)
vs. Kansas (6-13, 0-6)
Bob Devaney Sports Center (13,595) ? Lincoln, Neb.
Saturday, Jan. 27 ? 7:05 p.m.
(Breast Cancer Awareness Night)
Radio: Husker Sports Network
(98.1-FM KFGE in Lincoln/Huskers.com)
Free Live Video: Huskers.com
Series Record: Kansas leads, 44-25
(NU leads 13-3 in last 16)

Huskers Shoot for Sweep of KU
The No. 25 Nebraska women’s basketball team (16-4, 4-2) begins an important three-game Big 12 Conference home stand when the Huskers play host to Kansas (6-13, 0-6) on Saturday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Tip-off between the Huskers and Jayhawks is set for 7:05 p.m. with free live video and Nebraska’s radio call on Huskers.com. A free live radio broadcast will also be available on 98.1-FM KFGE in Lincoln, select Husker Sports Network stations and on Huskers.com with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action.

Nebraska, which had its school-record 10-game road winning streak snapped with a 66-65 loss at No. 21 Texas A&M on Wednesday night, will be shooting for a regular-season series sweep of Big 12 North rival Kansas. The Huskers worked their way to a 63-54 road win at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., on Jan. 13.

Two weeks have passed since the first meeting with the Jayhawks, but KU is still searching for its first Big 12 Conference win after suffering a tough 59-55 loss at Kansas State on Wednesday.

Kelsey Griffin, who is coming off her eighth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds at Texas A&M on Wednesday, led the Huskers in the first meeting at Kansas. The 6-2 sophomore forward from Eagle River, Alaska, scored 18 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds against the Jayhawks. Griffin ranks second on the team in scoring with 15.8 points per game, while leading NU with 8.5 boards per game. She also ranks among the national leaders with her 59.5 field goal percentage.

Two-time first-team All-Big 12 guard Kiera Hardy added 11 points in the first meeting with KU. Hardy is coming off a 16-point, seven-rebound, four-assist effort at Texas A&M, and enters the game as Nebraska’s leading scorer with 16 points per contest. She also leads NU with 2.9 assists per game, while knocking down a team-best 43 three-pointers. The 5-6 senior from Kansas City, Mo., is one of 50 candidates for the Naismith Trophy and one of 30 candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

Senior Chelsea Aubry has provided a solid scoring option for the Huskers. The 6-2 power forward from Kitchener, Ontario, is averaging 9.1 points and 4.4 boards per game, including 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in Big 12 action. She has scored in double figures in three straight games, including a career-high 26-point effort at Missouri last Saturday. Aubry also leads the Big 12 in three-point field goal percentage (53.5), connecting on 23-of-43 three-pointers on the year.

Huskers Come Up One Point Short at No. 21 Texas A&M
Kiera Hardy’s last-second scoop shot from five feet as time expired rolled off the back of the rim, as No. 21 Texas A&M held on for a 66-65 win over No. 25 Nebraska in College Station, Texas on Wednesday night.

Hardy scored 16 points, including NU’s last seven, while adding seven rebounds for the Huskers, while Kelsey Griffin notched her eighth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 boards. The setback ended Nebraska’s school-record 10-game road winning streak, while Texas A&M improved to 11-0 at home this season.

Chelsea Aubry added 12 points and four boards, while Danielle Page pitched in seven points, five rebounds and four blocked shots off the bench to help the Huskers in a defensive struggle with the Aggies.

Nebraska was in position to win on Hardy’s last-second shot despite being held to just 34 percent (17-50) shooting from the field, including just 21.4 percent (3-14) from three-point range by the Big 12’s best defense. The Huskers stayed in the game by knocking down 28-of-33 free throws.

The Aggies, who hit just 28.6 percent of their shots in the first half, heated up in the second half, connecting on 46.7 percent of their attempts to finish at 36.9 percent (24-65). A&M hit 5-of-8 three-pointers in the second half, after missing its first eight three-pointers in the opening period. A&M also hit 12-of-19 free throws on the night.

Nebraska outrebounded A&M, 43-36, but committed 21 turnovers while forcing just 13 miscues by A&M.

A’Quonesia Franklin led the Aggies with a game-high 21 points, while Morenike Atunrase added 19 points. The two A&M juniors combined for 32 of their 40 points in the second half. Takia Starks, the Aggies’ leading scorer coming into the game, managed just three points on 1-of-8 shooting from the field.

Nebraska took a 30-26 lead into the locker room at halftime thanks to eight first-half points from Aubry, who hit her first three shots from the field. An Aubry three-pointer and a traditional three-point play by Aubry shot NU to a quick 10-6 lead in the first five minutes.

The Huskers led by as many as six points on two occasions in the first half, thanks to seven points from Griffin and five from freshman guard Yvonne Turner in the first half.

Nebraska took its biggest lead of the game at 39-32 on a pair of Hardy free throws with 16:28 left in the game, but Atunrase led an Aggie rally, scoring 10 of A&M’s 13 points to turn a 40-36 NU lead into a 49-45 A&M edge.

Texas A&M’s lead grew to 55-47 on Atunrase’s third three-pointer of the half with six minutes left, but Nebraska battled back. Jelena Spiric hit a layup with 5:22 left to end NU’s 5:28 field goal drought. The shot sparked a 9-0 Husker run capped by a pair of Griffin free throws with 3:12 left to give NU a 56-55 lead.

Starks ended NU’s run with her first field goal of the game, followed by a jumper from Franklin to push the Aggie lead back to three points at 59-56. Hardy tied the score at 60 on a pair of free throws with 1:23 left, but Franklin and Danielle Gant hit back-to-back shots to give the Aggies a 64-60 edge with 25 seconds left.

Hardy hit two free throws with 19.2 seconds left, before Atunrase answered with a pair of free throws with 18.9 seconds left. Hardy then knocked down a three-pointer with 13.4 seconds left to make it 66-65, before Starks missed two free throws to set up Hardy’s last-second attempt.

Scouting the Kansas Jayhawks
A young Kansas squad comes to Lincoln looking for its first Big 12 victory. Since suffering a 63-54 loss to Nebraska in Lawrence, Kan., on Jan. 13, KU has fallen to Iowa State at home, 75-48, and lost at Kansas State, 59-55, on Wednesday night. The Jayhawks ended a seven-game overall losing streak with a 69-50 win over Sacramento State on Jan. 17, before returning to league action.

Kansas is just 1-5 in true road games this season, with its only victory coming in the state of Nebraska with a 60-47 win at Creighton on Nov. 20. The Jayhawks’ only other win away from Allen Fieldhouse came in the season opener with a 64-50 victory over Seton Hall in Kansas City, Mo.

Freshman guard Kelly Kohn is the only Jayhawk averaging in double figures with 10.8 points per game, including a team-leading 34 three-pointers (34 percent) on the season. Kohn had 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals in 37 minutes in the first meeting with NU.

Junior forward Taylor McIntosh, who has added 4.8 points and 5.5 boards per game, has joined Kohn in the starting lineup every game this season. McIntosh had 11 points and eight boards before fouling out in the first meeting with the Huskers. After Kohn and McIntosh, KU’s starting lineup has been a revolving door of Jayhawks.

Porscha Weddington has started five of six Big 12 games, including Wednesday night’s loss at KSU. The 6-1 freshman forward is averaging 2.4 points and 3.5 rebounds on the year, including 3.7 points and 6.5 boards per game in league play.

Shaquina Mosley, a 5-6 senior guard, has also increased her production during Big 12 action. Mosley is averaging 10.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in league play, to raise her season numbers to 7.4 points and 3.4 boards per contest. Senior guard Sharita Smith, who did a solid defensive job on Kiera Hardy in KU’s first meeting with the Huskers, started her fourth game of the year at KSU, but played just three minutes.

Sade Morris (15 starts) Marija Zinic (10), Ivana Catic (7), LaChelda Jacobs (5) and Jamie Boyd (2) have also started games for Kansas this season. Danielle McCray, a true freshman, has not earned a start but enters the game as KU’s second-leading scorer with 8.4 points to go along with 3.7 rebounds per game on the year.

Regardless of the lineup, KU has struggled offensively, averaging just 59.2 points per game while shooting just 38.8 percent from the field. The Jayhawks have added 30.8 percent shooting from long range and 63.5 percent success at the free throw line, all numbers that have been on the decline since NU met the Jayhawks on Jan. 13.

KU’s defensie is solid, with opponents averaging just 63.3 points per game, while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 31.9 percent from three-point range. The opposition has hit a strong 74.1 percent of its free throws. KU is being outrebounded 36.2-34.7, but does own a plus-1.8 team turnover margin (19.2-17.4).

Nebraska vs. Kansas Series History
Nebraska has dominated the series with Kansas in recent years, posting a 13-3 mark over the last 16 games. The Huskers, who trail KU in the all-time series 44-25, swept the season series with the Jayhawks last year, including a 65-57 win in Lawrence.

The common theme throughout Nebraska’s recent success has been the ability to win close games. The largest victory margin for either team over the past 16 contests came with KU’s 67-53 win in Lawrence on Feb. 20, 2005. NU’s largest win came with an 80-67 victory at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City on March 8, 2000.

The Huskers added a 12-point win last year at the Devaney Center and a pair of 11-point wins in Lincoln the two previous seasons.

Nebraska’s last four wins at Allen Fieldhouse have been by single digits, including a 63-54 win on Jan. 13, 2007, a 65-57 Husker win on Feb. 15, 2006, a 65-61 victory on Feb. 28, 2004, and a 77-70 win on Feb. 13, 2002.

Nebraska’s success against KU over the last 16 games began with an 81-69 win on Jan. 11, 2000, at Allen Fieldhouse, the Huskers’ widest victory margin in history at Lawrence.

Huskers School-Record Road Streak Ends at Texas A&M
Nebraska’s school-record road winning streak ended at 10 games with a 66-65 loss at No. 21 Texas A&M on Wednesday. The Huskers had a five-footer to win bounce off the rim as time expired, as the Aggies improved their home record to 11-0 this season.

Nebraska’s previous longest winning streak away from home (away and neutral) came with seven straight road wins in 1976-77 and 1996-97.

The Huskers’ 10-1 road start this season also gave NU its best road start in school history, surpassing the 1991-92 team that began the season with a 9-1 road record.

The Huskers have four regular-season road games and at least one game at the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City left on the schedule, along with potential postseason tournament road contests. NU has not won 10 road games since earning 11 victories in 1992-93. The 1975-76 Huskers won a school-record 15 games (15-8), while the 1976-77 squad added 14 wins (14-14). Last season, Nebraska posted an 8-9 record away from the Devaney Center, including four wins in the Huskers’ last seven road games. Overall, NU has won 14 of its last 18 games outside of Lincoln.

Nebraska is 3-1 in Big 12 road games this season, including its first-ever win at Texas to open league play on Jan. 3. The Huskers won at Kansas (Jan. 13) and at Missouri (Jan. 20). The Big 12 North is 4-16 in league road games with Iowa State managing the only other road win by a North division team at Kansas on Jan. 20.

Huskers Chase School Record in Sprint to 16 Wins
With its 76-66 win at Missouri on Jan. 20, Nebraska reached the 16-win mark the second-earliest on the calendar in school history, trailing only the 1976-77 Husker squad that posted No. 16 against Oklahoma State in Boulder, Colo., on Jan. 19, 1977.

Only four other Nebraska teams have ever reached the 16-victory plateau in January, and the 2006-07 Huskers still have two remaining games this month, with home contests against Kansas (Jan. 27) and Iowa State (Jan. 31).

The 1976-77 team posted a school-record 19 wins by the end of January, but those victories came alongside 11 losses during a 21-16 overall campaign.

The 1978-79 squad finished January with an 18-8 record during a 23-13 season. The 1996-97 team was the last Husker unit to win 16 games by the end of January, notching No. 16 on Jan. 30, 1997. The 1996-97 Huskers posted a school-best 16-1 overall record and 7-1 Big 12 mark by the end of the month before finishing with a 19-9 record and an 8-8 league mark. The 1979-80 club is the only other team to reach 16 wins by the end of January. That team picked up win No. 16 on Jan. 26 and finished the month with a 16-12 overall record on its way to a 23-17 final mark.

Huskers Back in Top 25 for Second Time This Season
Nebraska re-entered the Associated Press Top 25 on Monday, earning the No. 25 spot in the national rankings with 128 total points. The Huskers made their first appearance in the national polls this season with a No. 25 ranking on Dec. 4. NU’s ranking was followed by a 74-65 loss to Minnesota in Lincoln on Dec. 5.

The Huskers bounced back with a 40-point win over Michigan on Dec. 9, but still slipped out of the rankings. The win over the Wolverines started a seven-game winning streak that included a win over NC State and at Florida, before the Huskers’ first-ever road win at current No. 24 Texas on Jan. 3.

After the win over the Longhorns, the Huskers suffered a narrow 77-69 loss to No. 8 Oklahoma to keep them from earning a spot in the rankings. Nebraska has continued to accumulate votes and with wins over No. 25 Kansas State and at Missouri last week, the Huskers gained 61 points in this week’s poll.

Nebraska Ranks High in Big 12
The No. 25 Huskers enter the weekend in a three-way tie with No. 13 Baylor and No. 21 Texas A&M for second place in the Big 12 standings at 4-2. As a team, the Huskers rank second in the Big 12 with their 45.7 field goal percentage, which has helped the Huskers rank fourth in scoring offense at 74.3 points per game.

Nebraska has risen to fifth in the conference with its 70.3 free throw percentage, while also ranking fifth in the league with 5.35 made three-pointers per game. NU ranks sixth in the Big 12 in rebounding margin (+3.2 rpg) and assists (14.65 apg).

In league games only, Nebraska ranks second in the conference in scoring offense (70.3 ppg), field goal percentage (44.3 percent) and free throw percentage (77.6 percent), while tying Oklahoma State for second in the league by surrendering just 36.2 rebounds per game.

The Huskers rank third in the league in scoring margin (+3.5), fifth in rebounding margin (+1.3 rpg) and sixth in rebounding offense (37.5 rpg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.72).

Hardy Among 30 Candidates for Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award
Nebraska senior Kiera Hardy is one of 30 candidates for the 2007 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, presented to the nation’s top senior basketball player on and off the court.

The candidates for the Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) Award were announced on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Hardy, a 5-6 senior guard from Kansas City, Mo., is one of just three Big 12 Conference seniors, joining Iowa State’s Lyndsey Medders and Tiffany Jackson from Texas, who made the list of candidates.

The award, which was conceived by legendary sportscaster Dick Enberg, was launched in 2001-02 to honor the attributes of college basketball seniors who remain committed to their university. Finalists will be selected on personal qualities that define a complete student-athlete, including classroom, character and community, as well as the candidate’s performance on the court.

A national media committee will choose the 10 finalists for the award in February. A nationwide vote of coaches, media members and fans will take place during the NCAA Tournament in March. The winners will be announced during the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Cleveland.

LSU’s Seimone Augustus won the award in 2006. Kansas State’s Kendra Wecker (2005), Alana Beard (Duke, 2004), LaToya Thomas (Mississippi State, 2003) and Sue Bird (Connecticut, 2002) are also previous winners.

Hardy Named to Preseason Naismith Trophy List
Nebraska senior Kiera Hardy is one of 50 candidates for the 2007 Naismith Trophy.

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 239 three-pointers. The 5-6 guard out of O’Hara High School in Kansas City, Mo., also ranks eighth in NU history with 1,736 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 16.0 points per game and leads the Huskers with 43 three-pointers.

She has started a team-leading 83 games in her career, including 80 straight starts dating back to Nov. 26, 2004. The last game Hardy did not start for NU came at Washington State on Nov. 22, 2004. Hardy has produced 20 or more points 34 times in her 111-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.

Griffin Ranks High in Big 12 Statistics
Kelsey Griffin ranks seventh in the Big 12 Conference in scoring with 15.8 points per game while ranking sixth in the league in rebounding with 8.5 boards per contest. Griffin’s 59.5 field goal percentage ranks second in the Big 12 and 10th nationally through games Jan. 21.

The 6-2 sophomore forward also ranks fifth in the conference with 3.15 offensive rebounds per game, while tying for sixth in the league with 5.35 defensive boards per contest. She has led Nebraska in rebounding 15 times this season.

Griffin leads Nebraska in rebounding, free throws made (78) and free throws attempted (111). She has earned spots on the Veterans Day Classic and State Farm Classic all-tournament teams this season and was the Big 12 Player of the Week on Jan. 8. Griffin has scored 740 points and grabbed 362 rebounds while starting 52 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.

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 eight double-doubles in NU’s first 20 contests, nearly tripling her total of three from her freshman campaign when she started all 32 games for the Huskers.

Griffin, who captured Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honors on Jan. 8, notched her eighth double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds at No. 21 Texas A&M on Jan. 24, tying her for fifth in the Big 12 in double-doubles this season. Seven of her eight double-doubles have come on the road this season.

She posted a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds in NU’s first meeting at Kansas on Jan. 13. Griffin opened league play with 21 points and seven rebounds against All-American Tiffany Jackson in NU’s win at Texas on Jan. 3, and added 22 points and eight rebounds against All-American Courtney Paris and No. 8 Oklahoma on Jan. 6. She added 15 points and seven boards on 5-of-5 shooting from the field in NU’s win over No. 25 Kansas State on Jan. 17. Griffin is averaging 17.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in league action.

She notched double-doubles with 15 points and 13 rebounds at Florida (Dec. 29) and 18 points and 10 boards against NC State (Dec. 28) to earn a spot on the all-tournament team while leading the Huskers to the State Farm Classic title in Gainesville, Fla. She scored 20 points and grabbed five rebounds in just 20 minutes in the Huskers’ 38-point win over Nicholls State (Dec. 21), 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 straight 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).

Last season, Griffin produced her first 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.

Aubry Putting on Threemendous Display
Forward Chelsea Aubry is enjoying the most prolific long-range shooting success of her career in 2006-07. The senior from Kitchener, Ontario, hit a three-pointer in 10 straight games, including five games with two or more triples, before going 0-for-3 in the loss to No. 8 Oklahoma on Jan. 6.

She has hit 23 of her last 37 three-point attempts (62.2 percent), after missing her first six shots from beyond the arc to open the year. Aubry leads the Big 12 in three-point shooting at 53.5 percent (23-43).

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 more than 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 68 three-pointers in her career to become the first forward to crack Nebraska’s all-time top-10 list in that category. She needs just two more threes to move into a tie for ninth on NU’s all-time three-point list with Lis Brenden.

She has scored in double figures in three straight games and seven times this season, including a career-high 26-point outburst at Missouri on Jan. 20. Aubry is averaging 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game on the season, including 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds during Big 12 Conference action.

Hardy Increasing Efficiency as a Senior
Kiera Hardy is averaging 16.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 36.8 percent (43-117) from three-point range in 2006-07.

Hardy’s production has come while averaging 27.2 minutes and 12.6 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.

She produced a 22-point, six-rebound effort in Nebraska’s 70-63 win over No. 25 Kansas State (Jan. 17), followed by 14 points at Missouri (Jan. 20), and 16 points, seven boards and four assists at No. 21 Texas A&M (Jan. 24).

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. She earned State Farm Classic Tournament MVP honors after her 29-point performance at Florida on Dec. 29. She hit 10-of-21 shots from the field, including 4-of-12 three-pointers, while knocking down four straight free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal an 81-73 victory and Nebraska’s first road tournament title in a decade. She erupted for 27 points, including 22 in the second half, to lead the Huskers to their first-ever win at Texas on Jan. 3. Hardy hit 9-of-18 shots from the field and scored 10 of NU’s final 14 points.

Against USC, 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.

Nebraska’s Attendance on the Rise
Just days after producing one of the biggest road wins in school history with a 79-75 victory at Texas on Jan. 3, the Huskers attracted 7,727 fans to the Devaney Center for their Big 12 home opener against No. 8 Oklahoma.

The crowd was the largest January crowd in school history, surpassing the 7,114 fans the Huskers drew against Kansas during their special "Dollar Days" promotion on Jan. 7, 2006, which was NU’s largest crowd last season.

Through eight home games this season the Huskers are averaging 3,284 fans per game, a number that is expected to climb dramatically during Big 12 play. In six non-conference dates, NU averaged 2,583 fans per game, an increase of more than 20 percent over its 2005-06 non-conference average of 2,126 fans per game.

In eight Big 12 Conference home games last season, the Huskers averaged 4,209 fans per contest.

Hardy Shoots Toward Top of Big 12 Three-Point Charts
Nebraska’s all-time three-point leader, Kiera Hardy has hit 43 of her 117 three-point attempts to open the season to climb into eighth place on the Big 12’s all-time three-point list with 239.

The active Big 12 three-point leader is Erin Higgins, who has hit 245 trifectas in her four-year career. Higgins, who entered the season with 222 threes, has knocked down just 23-of-75 threes through Oklahoma’s first 16 games.

Hardy ranks third in the Big 12 with 2.15 made three-pointers per game, trailing only Missouri’s Alyssa Hollins (2.37) and Kansas State’s Kimberly Dietz (2.16). Hardy also ranks 11th in the Big 12 in three-point accuracy at 36.8 percent.

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.

Hardy Among Nebraska’s Scoring Stars
Preseason All-American Kiera Hardy is averaging 16.0 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 crossed the 1,600-point scoring mark with 29 points at Florida on Dec. 29, before adding 27 points at Texas on Jan. 3. She crossed the 1,700-point plateau with 22 points in NU’s win over No. 25 Kansas State on Jan. 17. She ranks eighth on the Husker all-time scoring list with 1,736 points and needs 42 points to catch Kathy Hagerstrom (1980-83) in the No. 7 spot with 1,778.

Hardy ranks sixth in the Big 12 in scoring this season, while also ranking 12th in assists (2.85 apg). Hardy is shooting a career-best 42.6 percent from the field and a career-high 36.8 percent from three-point range.

Huskers Feature Solid Starting Five
The Nebraska lineup has showcased the same starting five through each of the first 20 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.

Aubry Gives NU Strong Presence, Inside and Out
A true power forward, Chelsea Aubry has given Nebraska a dangerous threat on the block, on the boards and beyond the arc. The 6-2 senior from Kitchener, Ontario, is averaging 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, while leading the Big 12 with her 53.5 percent (23-43) accuracy from three-point range.

Aubry has started 78 games in her NU career, including an active streak of 66 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.

Aubry scored a career-high 26 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field in the Huskers’ 76-66 win at Missouri on Jan. 20. She hit both of her three-point attempts and 2-of-3 free throws against the Tigers. She produced double figures for the third straight game and eighth time this season with 12 points at No. 21 Texas A&M (Jan. 24).

She had 18 points against Michigan (Dec. 9), and had 14 points and a team-leading eight rebounds against Minnesota (Dec. 5). 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 (Nov. 17). She tied a career high with 11 boards at Florida (Dec. 29).

She added a 10-point, six-rebound performance in Nebraska’s win over No. 25 Kansas State (Jan. 17). She scored all 10 points in the first half to help the Huskers to a 24-point halftime lead.

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 also shows 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 6.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a team-leading 1.4 steals per game. She had nine points, five rebounds, four assists and a career-high-tying five steals against No. 8 Oklahoma on Jan. 6. She had six points, five rebounds and a career-high-tying six assists at Missouri on Jan. 20.

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.

Non-Conference Season a Success in All Areas
Not only did Nebraska post its highest non-conference victory total (12) in 25 years, the Huskers ran to a 12-2 non-conference mark despite playing seven teams that advanced to the 2006 NCAA Tournament (5-2 record).

Nebraska posted non-conference victories against teams from 10 different conferences, eight states and all four of the time zones in the contiguous 48 states. NU went 1-0 against teams from the ACC, Atlantic Sun, Big West, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, SEC, Southland and West Coast conferences, while going 2-1 against the Big Ten and 1-1 against the Pac-10. The Huskers also notched one win over an NCAA Division-I Independent.

Page Makes Miraculous Return from Knee Injury
Junior Danielle Page 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. She was not expected to be ready for a full return until the start of Big 12 play in January, but Page saw game action in NU’s exhibition finale against Nebraska-Omaha.

Page showed no ill-effects of her injury, producing 10 points, seven rebounds, one block, one steal and one assist in just 15 minutes off the bench. She has continued to produce for NU.

She put together one of the best efforts of her career with 11 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in Nebraska’s win over No. 25 Kansas State (Jan. 17). Page, who registered her second career double-double, scored nine points in the final 7:06 to help the Huskers seal the win over the Wildcats. She added six points, nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals in NU’s win at Missouri (Jan. 20), before adding seven points, five rebounds and four blocks at No. 21 Texas A&M (Jan. 24).

In Big 12 play, Page is averaging 7.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 70 percent at the free throw line. On the season, Page has contributed 6.3 points, 4.9 boards and 1.3 blocks per game.

She has also become one of NU’s most sure-handed players, dishing out a career-high 18 assists, while committing just 16 turnovers. Page had distributed just 17 total assists in her first two years at NU, while turning the ball over 66 times.

Page played big for Nebraska at the State Farm Classic to close non-conference action, tying her career-high with 15 points while adding seven rebounds, a block and an assist in NU’s 81-73 victory at Florida in the title game on Dec. 29.

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 added her first double-figure scoring effort of the year with 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks against Nicholls State.

A dominant defender in the post, Page is one of the leading shot-blockers in Nebraska history. She ranks sixth on the Husker career block chart with 95. She has added 63 steals and 218 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 of 2005-06 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 last eight games, LaFleur is averaging 7.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals while playing 23 minutes per game. She scored 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field in NU’s first-ever win at Texas on Jan. 3. She added 11 points and four boards in NU’s win over NC State on Dec. 28, and 10 points and two rebounds in the Huskers’ win over Florida on Dec. 29.

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.

LaFleur has produced double figures four times as sophomore, including three straight games (vs. NC State, at Florida, at Texas). She has also pitched in at least eight points on five other occasions off the bench this year.

Through 20 games this season, LaFleur is averaging 6.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game to help NU to a 16-4 record. She has also hit 12-of-35 attempts (34.3 percent) 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 is facing an even more challenging road during the 2006-07 campaign.

Nebraska’s regular-season schedule will include 18 games against 2006 postseason qualifiers with seven non-conference games against some of the nation’s best teams. Among the Huskers’ eight road non-conference games this season, six came against 2006 NCAA teams with the Huskers posting a 5-1 mark. With five wins over 2006 postseason clubs in the past seven games, Nebraska is 9-2 on the year against postseason qualifiers.

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.

NU closed its 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 and powered their way to an 81-73 win. The Gators earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2006, giving NU a 5-2 mark against 2006 NCAA clubs in non-conference action.

While the Huskers played seven of their first 14 games against 2006 postseason qualifiers, their 16-game Big 12 Conference schedule offers more challenges with 11 games against postseason competition. Nebraska opened the Big 12 slate with its first-ever win at perennial national power Texas (79-75).

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

The nine-game stretch includes 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 No. 21 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.

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 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
Saturday, Feb. 17 - Missouri - 5:30 p.m.

Nebraska Women’s Basketball Show Schedule
The Nebraska Women’s Basketball Show with Coach Connie Yori is in its fifth year of bringing you all the behind the scenes action with the Huskers. Each week, Coach Yori and host Jeff Griesch will bring you all the highlights of the Huskers’ previous games, along with one-on-one interviews, special features and previews of upcoming games. The show is available seven days a week across various cable stations across Nebraska and Iowa.

The show tipped off on Sunday, Dec. 10, on WOWT (HD-620) at 7:30 p.m., followed by an airing on WOWT in Omaha (channel 6 in Lincoln) at 11:35 p.m. central time each Sunday. KOLN/KGIN (My TV) will air the show on Monday at 10 p.m. Spencer Municipal Utilities in Spencer, Iowa, will air the Nebraska Women’s Basketball Show on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. and Thursday at 10:30 p.m. each week.

Time Warner Cable in Lincoln will also air the show weekly on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. Great Plains Communications in Bloomfield, Grant, Elgin, North Bend, Broken Bow and Chadron will carry the show each week on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and Friday at 5:30 p.m., while Lakes TV in Spirit Lake, Iowa, will carry the show on Wednesday at 10 p.m. KNOP/KIIT in North Platte will air each show on Saturday at noon. All days and airtimes are subject to change on a weekly basis, so please check your local listings for times in your area. The show is also available each week on HuskersNside, the premium website of Nebraska Athletics.

Fastbreakers Offer Bus Trip to Colorado Game
The Fastbreakers are planning one more bus trip to Nebraska’s road game at Colorado (Feb. 10).

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.

Nebraska’s History of Success at Home
Since the Bob Devaney Sports Center opened in 1976-77, the Huskers are 306-110 (.736) in games played in the arena, including 110-70 (.611) in conference games. NU is 6-2 at home in 2006-07.

Nebraska finished with an 11-4 record at home in 2005-06, including a postseason win over Drake on March 16. The Huskers rolled to a 12-4 home record in 2004-05, after running to a 13-4 home mark in 2003-04.

Nebraska is 3-2 all-time in home postseason play, with an 81-58 win over San Diego on March 17, 1993, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Devaney Center. The Huskers added a 73-60 win over Drake in the first round of the WNIT on March 18, 2004, before losing 75-67 in the next round to Oregon State on March 22, 2004. Nebraska closed its 2004-05 season with a 71-67 loss to Iowa on March 25, 2005 in the WNIT second round.

Attendance is a big part of NU’s success. The Huskers drew their largest January crowd in school history with 7,727 fans for NU’s Big 12 home opener against No. 8 Oklahoma on Jan. 6, 2007. That number surpassed the 7,114 fans at the Devaney Center on Jan. 7, 2006, for the Huskers win over Kansas.

The Huskers ranked 25th nationally in 2004-05 by averaging 4,022 fans per contest. The Huskers attracted two of the four largest crowds in school history in back-to-back games on Feb. 12 and Feb. 23, 2005 NU drew its fourth-largest crowd in school history with a season-high 12,429 fans in attendance for an 88-59 win over No. 14 Iowa State on Feb. 12. It was NU’s largest crowd in the past five seasons, dating back to a school-record crowd of 13,226 against Kansas State on Feb. 26, 2000.

The Huskers surpassed the mark in their next home game when 13,023 fans filled the Devaney Center to watch NU clash with Kansas State on Feb. 23. It was the first time in school history that Nebraska had back-to-back crowds of more than 12,000. Nebraska ranked 14th nationally in average home attendance in 1999-2000 with 4,772 fans per game, after ranking 15th nationally with a school-record average of 5,000 fans per game in 1998-99. NU added an average home crowd of 4,204 in 2000-01.