Tickets on Sale Saturday for NU-UNK Game in Grand Island

Tickets for the Nebraska women’s basketball game with Nebraska-Kearney on Nov. 5, go on sale to the public on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 10 a.m., on Ticketmaster.com.

 

Ticket prices have been set at $8 for adults and $4 for children (ages 5 through high school). Children 4 and under will be admitted free, providing a fun and affordable event that that whole family can enjoy.

 

The Huskers will battle the Lopers on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 7:05 p.m., and ticket sales will be handled by the Heartland Events Center through its box office at Fonner Park in Grand Island and through Ticketmaster outlets across Nebraska, including Ticketmaster.com. Fans can call Ticketmaster in Lincoln at (402) 475-1212 and order tickets through the Fonner Park Box Office at (308) 382-4515, during regular box office hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.).

 

“We are excited about the chance to take our team to the central part of the state to promote the sport statewide to young girls playing the game, while also reaching out to new fans,” Nebraska Head Coach Connie Yori said. “We know we have great fans across the state who support our program, and we wanted to give them a chance to watch us in person. We also have great respect for Coach Carol Russell and her program at Nebraska-Kearney, so we are hoping for a great environment at the Heartland Events Center.”

 

The exhibition game between Nebraska and UNK will mark the Huskers’ first appearance in Grand Island since Dec. 8, 1982, when NU defeated the Lopers at Grand Island Northwest High School.

 

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to partner with the Heartland Events Center in taking this special event to our fans in Central Nebraska,” NU Executive Associate Athletic Director Marc Boehm said. “We know that the Heartland Events Center is going to provide a first-class environment for the game, and we are hoping for a packed house for the event.”

 

Heartland Events Center Director Hugh Miner Jr., said he expected people in Grand Island and the surrounding communities to be excited about the Huskers and Lopers coming to the arena.

 

“People in Grand Island and the surrounding area are hungry for more sporting events, and we hope this will be the first of many events coming to the Heartland Events Center,” Miner said. “We hope Husker fans and Loper fans alike come to Grand Island to support their teams and help create a great atmosphere for the game.”

 

The Huskers, who earned their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2008, return a talented and experienced roster in 2008-09. Nebraska returns 12 of the 13 players from its 2007-08 squad that went 21-12 and advanced to the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin headlines the list of four returning Husker starters that includes senior guard Tay Hester. Junior point guard Yvonne Turner (Omaha) and sophomore guard Dominique Kelly (Lincoln) are both Nebraska natives returning to the Husker starting lineup.

 

Nebraska-Kearney, which is coached by former Husker Carol Russell, is coming off a 27-7 season when the Lopers advaned to the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament. UNK’s 27 wins were the second-most in school history. The Lopers will be led by senior guard Jade Meads from Elm Creek, who averaged 15.4 points per game last season.

 

This year’s game between the Huskers and Lopers will mark the eighth straight season the two schools have met on the court in exhibition play. The last time the two teams squared off in a regular-season game, came in Grand Island, when the Huskers posted a 93-78 victory. Last year, the Lopers hung tough against the Huskers in Lincoln in the exhibition opener before falling to NU, 62-48.