Lincoln - Kiera Hardy led four Husker seniors in double figures with 22 points as the Nebraska women's basketball team erupted for a Big 12 season-high 90 points in a 20-point victory over Colorado on Senior Night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Tuesday.
Playing in front of 5,763 fans, the Husker seniors helped NU to a 90-70 win while snapping their four-game losing streak to finish conference action with a 10-6 record to secure a first-round bye and the No. 4 seed at next week's Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at the COX Convention Center in Oklahoma City.
Nebraska improved to 22-8 overall for the second-highest win total in school history, trailing only 23 wins on four occasions. Colorado slipped to 12-16 overall and 6-10 in the Big 12.
In addition to the 22 points and four three-pointers from Hardy, Nebraska received a career-high 13 points on a perfect shooting night from senior point guard and Lincoln native Ashley Ford. The 5-7 graduate of Lincoln Northeast High School connected on a career-high three three-pointers and dished out a career-high seven assists with just one turnover and two steals to help the Huskers.
Three-year senior captain Chelsea Aubry added 12 points and a pair of three-pointers. Jelena Spiric, who was playing in front of her parents for the first time on U.S. soil, rounded out strong efforts by NU's senior quartet with 10 points.
Sophomore starter Kelsey Griffin added 11 points to put all five starters in double figures for the first time this season. The offensive eruption included a season-high 54 points in the second half, while shooting 65.4 percent in the second period. For the game, Nebraska shot 50 percent from the field (28-56), while tying the school record with 10 three-pointers, including 7-of-10 shooting from long range in the second half.
"This was a special night for our seniors," Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. "What a great way for them to end their careers at home. The last four games they have overcome adversity, adversity and more adversity. Tonight, they made this game happen and it is a great way to gain confidence heading into the conference tournament."
The Huskers led by as many as 26 points in the second half after leading 36-31 at the half. NU led by 14 midway through the first half but a 10-2 run by Colorado in the last two minutes of the first half kept the Buffs within striking distance.
Nebraska put the game out of reach early in the second half, opening the second stanza by outscoring CU, 13-5, in the first four minutes to regain a 13-point lead. NU took a 20-point lead for the first time on a Spiric three-pointer with 11 minutes left. That lead ballooned to 26 after Aubry's second three-pointer of the night and a steal and layup on the ensuing inbounds by freshman guard Yvonne Turner.
Hannah Skilldum led Colorado with a career-high 16 points off the bench, while Whitney Houston added 13 points, including 11 in the first half. Jackie McFarland managed 12 points and seven rebounds but committed six turnovers.
Nebraska will play either Iowa State, Kansas or Kansas State in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, March 7, at 2:30 p.m. The Huskers received a first-round bye at the 12-team tournament for the first time since finishing third with an 11-5 league record in 1997-98.
Official Basketball Box Score Official Basketball Box Score Colorado vs Nebraska 02/27/07 7:06 p.m. at Bob Devaney Sports Center - Lincoln, NE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VISITORS: Colorado 12-16,6-10 TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 21 Ilic, Jasmina....... f 2-7 1-3 3-4 0 1 1 1 8 3 2 1 1 24 44 Richards, Kara...... f 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 5 2 0 0 0 1 13 45 McFarland, Jackie... c 3-6 0-0 6-6 4 3 7 3 12 0 6 1 1 35 01 Houston, Whitney.... g 6-14 0-0 1-3 2 3 5 0 13 1 2 0 1 30 03 Powers, Susie....... g 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 3 0 0 1 0 0 17 02 Smith, Bianca....... 2-6 1-3 2-2 0 1 1 2 7 1 3 0 0 13 11 Skildum, Hannah..... 7-10 2-2 0-3 1 2 3 2 16 0 1 0 0 22 12 Nedovic, Anna....... 1-3 1-1 1-2 1 4 5 5 4 0 1 0 0 14 13 Wallace, Courtney... 0-1 0-0 0-2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 23 Rucker, Candace..... 1-2 0-0 2-2 1 2 3 0 4 0 2 0 1 14 40 Dow, Caley.......... 2-5 0-1 0-0 3 1 4 4 4 0 1 0 0 16 TEAM................ 2 3 5 Totals.............. 25-57 5-10 15-24 16 23 39 25 70 5 19 2 6 201
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-25 44.0% 2nd Half: 14-32 43.8% Game: 43.9% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-5 60.0% 2nd Half: 2-5 40.0% Game: 50.0% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 6-11 54.5% 2nd Half: 9-13 69.2% Game: 62.5% 4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOME TEAM: Nebraska 22-8,10-6 TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 45 AUBRY, Chelsea...... f 3-5 2-2 4-4 2 0 2 4 12 2 1 0 0 26 23 GRIFFIN, Kelsey..... c 3-10 0-1 5-8 3 2 5 3 11 2 1 1 3 25 02 FORD, Ashley........ g 5-5 3-3 0-0 0 2 2 2 13 7 1 0 2 36 04 SPIRIC, Jelena...... g 3-5 1-3 3-5 3 4 7 3 10 1 2 0 0 27 21 HARDY, Kiera........ g 8-17 4-8 2-2 1 2 3 2 22 2 3 0 1 28 11 NEALS, Nicole....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 12 LaFLEUR, TK......... 0-3 0-1 4-4 0 2 2 2 4 1 0 0 0 14 13 KUHLMANN, Kala...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 22 TURNER, Yvonne...... 3-4 0-1 0-1 1 3 4 1 6 0 1 0 1 11 40 MONTGOMERY, Cory.... 2-5 0-0 2-2 0 1 1 0 6 0 1 0 0 12 42 BOBER, Nikki........ 0-0 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 52 PAGE, Danielle...... 1-2 0-0 2-4 0 4 4 4 4 1 1 2 0 16 TEAM................ 1 1 2 Totals.............. 28-56 10-19 24-32 11 21 32 21 90 16 11 3 7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-30 36.7% 2nd Half: 17-26 65.4% Game: 50.0% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-9 33.3% 2nd Half: 7-10 70.0% Game: 52.6% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 11-14 78.6% 2nd Half: 13-18 72.2% Game: 75.0% 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Officials: Clarke Stevens, Artrail Tillman, Mary Day Technical fouls: Colorado-None. Nebraska-None. Attendance: 5763 Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total Colorado...................... 31 39 - 70 Nebraska...................... 36 54 - 90