Huskers Close Home Stand Against Long Beach State

Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-2)
vs. Long Beach State 49ers (2-4)

Bob Devaney Sports Center (13,595)
Lincoln, Neb.
Friday, Dec. 12 ? 7:05 p.m.
Radio: Husker Sports Network (98.1-FM KFGE)
Live Internet Audio: Huskers.com (Free)
Live Internet Video: Huskers.com (Free)

The Nebraska women’s basketball team (7-2) wraps up its season-long four-game home stand when the Huskers face off with Long Beach State on Friday night in Lincoln.

Tip-off between the Huskers and 49ers (2-4) is set for 7:05 p.m. with a live radio broadcast on the Husker Sports Network, including 98.1-FM KFGE in Lincoln. Free audio and video streams will also be available on Huskers.com.

The Huskers are coming off a 70-57 victory over Cal State Bakersfield on Tuesday night at the Devaney Center. Nebraska received career performances from California native Tay Hester and sophomore center Catheryn Redmon against the Roadrunners.

Hester, a senior from Moreno Valley, Calif., scored a career-high 17 points, including 14 in the first half to spark the Huskers. Redmon, who made her second career start, notched her first double-double with career highs of 13 points and 15 rebounds. She added career bests with three blocked shots and two steals in a career-high 28 minutes for the Huskers. Redmon was dominant down the stretch, erupting for 11 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals in the second half alone, including seven points, seven boards and two blocks in the final seven minutes.

Nebraska also received solid efforts from Dominique Kelley (16 points), Yvonne Turner (nine points) and Nicole Neals (seven points) in the victory.

The Huskers have been receiving contributions across the board early in the season to help them to a solid 7-2 start. Junior forward Cory Montgomery leads the Huskers and ranks among Big 12 leaders with 15.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, despite getting just two points and four rebounds against Cal State Bakersfield. Montgomery has scored 20 or more points four times this season and owns a pair of double-doubles.

Kelley (10.9 ppg) and Turner (10.0 ppg) have joined Montgomery to give the Huskers three players averaging in double figures on the year, while Hester has contributed 7.9 points and 5.7 boards per game. Overall, the Huskers have nine players who are averaging more than 4.5 points per game. NU has had seven players start at least one game, while 10 players have seen action in all nine contests.

Montgomery Producing in Big Way in First Season as Starter
In her first season as a starter, Cory Montgomery has been a dominant force inside for the Huskers through nine games in 2008-09. The 6-2 junior forward from Cannon Falls, Minn., leads Nebraska in scoring and rebounding with 15.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. She ranks sixth in the Big 12 in both scoring and rebounding, and earned the first Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honor of her career on Dec. 1.

Montgomery, who scored 20 or more points in three straight games against Southern Utah, Denver and Butler, added her fourth 20-point effort of the season with 20 points and a career-high matching 11 rebounds in a win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 2. It was her second double-double of the season and third of her career.

She added 17 points and nine rebounds in a head-to-head battle with 2008 Big Ten Player of the Year Jantel Lavender in a 69-65 loss to No. 18 Ohio State on Dec. 6. Montgomery pumped in a career-high 22 points in NU’s win over Butler on Nov. 28. She also tied her career best with 11 rebounds to produce her first double-double of the year. She earned a spot on the all-tournament team in Albuquerque with 17 points and eight rebounds in a loss to New Mexico in the championship game. She finished the tournament averaging 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. She also added a block and a steal in both tournament games.

In Nebraska’s win over Southern Utah (Nov. 22), Montgomery tied her then-career high with 21 points while adding seven rebounds. Two days later, Montgomery helped carry Nebraska to a 21-point road win at Denver by scoring 20 points while adding a game-high nine boards. She opened the season with 13 points and five rebounds in just 16 minutes of action in NU’s win over Weber State (Nov. 14), before pitching in 11 points and nine rebounds in the Huskers’ victory at Creighton (Nov. 17).

Although 2008-09 marks her first year as a full-time starter, Montgomery is no stranger to producing solid numbers for the Huskers. Last season, she averaged 9.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as one of the most productive reserves in the Big 12, while also starting four games in place of an injured Kelsey Griffin at the end of the non-conference season.

In 2007-08, Montgomery scored in double figures 15 times. She set a season high with 21 points in a win over USC (Dec. 8, 2007), before matching that effort with 21 points and eight boards in 23 minutes off the bench in a victory at Iowa State (Jan. 19, 2008).

Montgomery also produced the first double-double of her career with 16 points and a career-best 11 rebounds in Nebraska’s win over Robert Morris (Dec. 2, 2007). She averaged 12 points per game as a starter last season, and averaged 10 points and 3.5 rebounds per game during Nebraska’s NCAA Tournament run against Xavier and Maryland in 2008. She also earned a spot on the five-player all-tournament team at the Oahu Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, by averaging 10.3 points off the bench in three tournament games.

Turner Providing More Production Across the Board
A member of the Big 12 All-Defensive Team a year ago, Yvonne Turner continues to play spectacular defense while increasing her offensive production as a junior for the Huskers.

The 5-8 guard from Omaha earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the Holiday Inn & Suites Express Midtown Thanksgiving Tournament after producing 11 points, five rebounds, two steals and an assist in the championship game against the Lobos. Turner opened the tournament with a career-high nine rebounds, five assists and three steals in the win over Butler.

She has averaged 11.3 points per game over the last four games and produced double figures in six of NU’s first nine games this season. She ranks third on the team in scoring with 10.0 points per game, while leading the Huskers’ pressure defense with 2.7 steals per game, which is tied for second in the Big 12. With Turner leading NU’s defense, the Huskers are forcing 19.3 turnovers per game. She also leads the Huskers with 15 made three-pointers this season, and needs just 11 more to crack NU’s career top 10 in that category.

Turner produced her best all-around game this year with season highs of 15 points, five assists and four steals in NU’s 76-55 win at Denver (Nov. 24). She hit 4-of-9 shots from the field, including 3-of-6 three-pointers, while connecting on all four of her free throw attempts. She added 13 points, four rebounds and two steals against No. 18 Ohio State, after scoring 12 points in a win over 2008 NCAA qualifier Oral Roberts on Dec. 2.

Turner has made impressive gains on the court every semester. As a true freshman, Turner played in just nine of NU’s 13 non-conference games and averaged fewer than two points per game, while committing nearly two turnovers per contest. During her first Big 12 season, Turner increased her role by averaging nearly three points per contest while committing just 14 turnovers in 16 games.

During non-conference play as a sophomore, Turner averaged 6.4 points per game and became a force defensively by averaging better than 2.5 steals per game. She made another big jump during Big 12 play, increasing her scoring average to 9.8 points per game, while leading the Big 12 with 2.6 steals per contest. She also established herself as a dangerous three-point shooter by hitting 24-of-61 long-range attempts (39.3 percent) against Big 12 foes.

Her shooting performance came after going just 7-of-38 from three-point range in non-conference action. Turner’s scoring average rose throughout the season, as she finished at 8.4 points per game, while posting the second-best steals total by a sophomore in school history with 81.

Her defensive prowess earned her a spot on the Big 12’s All-Defensive Team. She had career highs of eight steals against Florida (Nov. 17) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Jan. 2). Those totals rank among the top-10 single-game marks in NU history. She is one of only three Huskers to notch eight or more steals twice in a career.

Turner capped a breakout sophomore season with a career-high 23 points and six assists against No. 5 Maryland in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Going head-to-head with Terrapin All-America guard Kristi Toliver, Turner hit a career-best five three-pointers. Turner also forced Toliver into six turnovers and limited the National Player-of-the-Year Finalist to 6-of-20 shooting from the field.

Turner owns 18 career double-figure scoring efforts, including six this season. She has produced double figures in 16 of NU’s last 29 games, after having just two in her first 41 contests.

Hometown Husker Kelley Stepping Up as Sophomore
Dominique Kelley has stepped up her game in every area early in her second season with the Huskers. The 5-7 sophomore guard out of Lincoln Northeast High School ranks second on the team in scoring with 10.9 points per game, while ranking fourth with 3.3 rebounds per contest. Kelley also leads the Huskers with 3.0 assists per game and has added 1.2 steals per contest. She is also shooting a team-leading 87.5 percent at the free throw line, which ranks second in the Big 12 behind KU’s Danielle McCray (88 percent).

Kelley produced the best all-around game of her young career with a career-high 21 points to help NU to a 67-54 win over Butler (Nov. 28). She hit 5-of-8 shots from the field and set career bests by going 11-for-12 at the line. She added five rebounds, three assists, two steals and her first career blocked shot against the Bulldogs.

Kelley’s effort in Albuquerque came a week after producing the best week of her career with two solid performances against Creighton and Southern Utah. She tied her then-career high with 16 points, while adding four assists and three rebounds to shoot the Huskers to victory at CU. Kelley hit 7-of-11 shots from the field, including both of her three-point attempts against the Bluejays. Her second three of the night put the Huskers ahead for good with 3:10 left in the game. She also played a career-high 31 minutes against CU.

After celebrating her 20th birthday on Nov. 20, Kelley finished with 14 points and a career-high six assists, while adding four rebounds and two steals in a win over Southern Utah (Nov. 22). She added 12 points against Oral Roberts, before contributing 16 points and 9-of-10 free throw shooting against Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 9.

Kelley owns five double-figure scoring efforts in nine games this season, after managing double-digit point totals just seven times in 33 starts a year ago.

Last season, Kelley set a school record by starting all 33 games as a true freshman. She finished the year averaging 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

Redmon Eruption: Sophomore Center Producing Breakout Week
Sophomore Catheryn Redmon has provided a drastic change of direction for the Huskers inside over the last week. Just two days after two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin underwent season-ending ankle surgery, Redmon made her first career start against 2008 Big Ten Player of the Year Jantel Lavender and No. 18 Ohio State.

In the first half against the Buckeyes, Redmon outscored Lavender, 8-6, to help the Huskers to a 10-point halftime lead. The Buckeyes rallied for a late victory against NU, but Redmon posted the first double-figure scoring effort of her career. Three days later, Redmon earned her second career start and provided a memorable effort in a win over Cal State Bakersfield.

Redmon erupted for her first career double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds against the Roadrunners, while also adding career-bests with three blocked shots, two steals and 28 minutes played. Redmon produced a double-double in the second half alone, going off for 11 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals after halftime, including seven points, seven boards and both blocks in the final seven minutes.

Redmon Rips Down 15 Rebounds in Second Start
Sophomore Catheryn Redmon added her name to the Husker record book with a big rebounding performance in Nebraska’s win over Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 9. The 6-3 center from Grand Prairie, Texas, became the first Husker to record 15 or more rebounds in a game since Keasha Cannon-Johnson pulled down 17 boards against Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 14, 2003.

Redmon’s rebounding effort came six years to the day after another former Husker center from Texas - Amanda Cleveland - grabbed 15 rebounds in a win over Texas Southern on Dec. 9, 2003.

Redmon’s performance marked just the 69th time in 1,031 games that a Husker player has recorded 15 rebounds. Her mark is tied for the 41st-highest rebounding total in school history. It also marked just the ninth time this decade that a Husker has grabbed 15 or more boards in a game.

Redmon’s previous single-game rebounding high came with six boards, most recently against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Jan. 2, 2008. Her 15 rebounds also surpassed her season rebounding total of 13 for NU’s first eight games of 2008-09.

Balanced Big Red Helps Huskers to Winning Ways
Nebraska has displayed impressive balance through its first nine games with nine players averaging 4.5 or more points per game, while 10 Huskers have played in every game and averaged at least 8.6 minutes per contest. Overall, the Huskers have had at least eight players score in each of their nine games this season.

Junior forward Cory Montgomery leads the Huskers in scoring and rebounding with 15.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while sophomore Dominique Kelley has added 10.9 points per game and a team-best 3.0 assists. Junior Yvonne Turner has contributed 10.0 points and a team-leading 2.7 steals per contest, while also ranking second on the team with 1.9 assists and third on the squad with 3.8 rebounds per game.

Senior Tay Hester has contributed 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while Kala Kuhlmann and Monique Whittaker have provided the Huskers with big lifts off the bench. Kuhlmann has averaged 4.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game while playing 20.8 minutes per game, while Whittaker has added 5.2 points and 1.7 boards per game in just under 10 minutes per contest.

Junior guard Nicole Neals has also played a major role off the bench, averaging 4.8 points per game, while hitting 42.3 percent (11-26) of her shots from three-point range.

Sophomore guard Kaitlyn Burke has hit 10-of-28 three-pointers, while starting NU’s first eight games despite playing with a broken pinky finger on her shooting hand. Burke is averaging 4.7 points per game, while contributing 1.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest.

Catheryn Redmon (4.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Nikki Bober (1.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg) and Harleen Sidhu (1.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg) have also figured prominently into NU’s playing rotation early in the season.

Scouting the Long Beach State 49ers
Coach Mary Hegarty brings the Long Beach State 49ers to Lincoln for the first time to face the Huskers. LBSU carries a 2-4 record into the Devaney Center, including a 55-54 win over Idaho last Sunday at Moscow. The Vandals posted a 13-point win over Cal State Bakersfield - NU’s last opponent - on Nov. 30.

The Niners notched their first win of the season in an 83-59 victory over San Jose State in Long Beach on Nov. 21, after losing their season-opener, 67-59, to San Diego State on Nov. 16. LBSU also has a 15-point home loss to Portland State and an 18-point road loss at Washington State.

Long Beach State has struggled with consistency and injuries through the first six games. The Niners have employed five different starting lineups through six contests and have had 10 players start at least one game.

LBSU’s top returning player entering the season was 5-8 senior guard Karina Figueroa, who sat out last season’s game against NU with an injury. Figueroa averaged 12.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game a year ago, but underwent offseason foot surgery. The three-time All-Big West Conference performer is expected to miss another month with the injury.

Sophomore guard LaTorya Barbee, who had 10 points and five assists last year against the Huskers, suffered a foot fracture in LBSU’s season-opening loss to San Diego State and is out four to six weeks. Junior forward Sahfiya Brown, who joined Barbee in the starting lineup in the opener and started in LBSU’s win over San Jose State, is also out four to six weeks after suffering a knee injury.

A pair of juniors from Florida have provided stability for the 49ers. Courtney Jacob, a 5-11 guard from Naples, leads LBSU with 13.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She has added nearly three assists per contest and owns a team-leading 13 blocks on the year. Jacob, who also leads the Beach with 12-of-28 shooting from three-point range, missed last season’s game with NU because of an injury that kept her out for a third of the season.

Whitney Fields, a 6-1 forward from Miami who sat out last season after transferring from Arizona, has pitched in 11.8 points and a team-best 8.2 rebounds per game. She also leads the Beach with eight steals on the year.

Jacob and Fields have started all six games, and have been joined in five of those six contests by Adelle Walton. The 5-7 freshman guard from El Cajon, Calif., is averaging 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and a team-leading 3.2 assists per game.

Brett Timmons, a 6-2 junior forward from Irvine, Calif., has added four starts and contributed 3.3 points and 4.2 boards per contest. Senior Lynea Williams started her first game of the year in the win over Idaho and is averaging 5.5 points and 2.2 boards per game.

Ally Wade, a 5-11 junior forward, owns three starts and has contributed 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds, while Lauren Sims (5.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg) and Melanie Lisnock (1.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg) have also started single games for the 49ers.

As a team, Long Beach State is averaging just 61 points per game and shooting just 38.1 percent from the field. The Niners have hit 28.6 percent (22-77) of their three-pointers and just 63.4 percent (64-101) of their free throws. The Beach owns a plus-1.2 team rebounding margin, but a minus-4.5 team turnover margin while committing 22.8 turnovers per game.

Nebraska vs. Long Beach State Series History
Long Beach State leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 4-1, but the Huskers won the last meeting between the two teams last season in Long Beach, Calif. The Huskers cruised to a 75-52 victory over the 49ers by running to a 38-16 halftime lead. NU jumped to a 21-2 lead after the opening tip, and LBSU got no closer than 12 points the rest of the way.

Kaitlyn Burke led three Huskers in double figures with 14 points, including a trio of three-pointers, while adding a career-high seven rebounds to go along with five assists off the bench. Her effort against the 49ers and in NU’s previous win at Cal State Bakersfield, helped Burke earn Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week honors on Dec. 17, 2007.

Cory Montgomery added 13 points and five rebounds in her first career start, while Yvonne Turner pitched in 10 points, three assists and four steals. Nikki Bober added nine points on 4-of-4 shooting from the field, while Jessica Periago contributed a career-high five points including her first career three-pointer.

Long Beach won the first four games in series history between 1977 and 1988. In the first meeting between the two schools, LBSU rolled to a 98-68 win on Nov. 25, 1977. The 49ers added a 67-54 win on Nov. 30, 1979, before cruising to a 110-71 win on Jan. 2, 1982. On Dec. 9, 1988, LBSU posted a win in the closest game in series history with an 84-78 victory.

Friday’s game between the 49ers and Huskers will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams in Lincoln.

Huskers Run Past Roadrunners, 70-57
Tay Hester scored a career-high 17 points and Catheryn Redmon added her first career double-double with career highs of 13 points and 15 rebounds to lead Nebraska to a 70-57 victory over Cal State Bakersfield at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Tuesday.

Hester, a 5-10 senior from Moreno Valley, Calif., scored 10 straight points in the first half to help the Huskers surge to a lead. While Hester gave the Huskers a solid start, sophomore Dominique Kelley provided a major lift throughout the second half. The 5-7 guard from Lincoln finished with 16 points, including 9-of-10 shooting at the line and 10 points in the second half.

Redmon, a 6-3 sophomore center who made her second straight start, helped the Huskers seal the victory by scoring seven points in the final 1:46 to finish with career bests of 13 points and 15 rebounds. The Grand Prairie, Texas, native added a career-best three blocks along with a career-high two steals in a career-best 28 minutes.

Redmon’s production helped offset season-lows of two points and four rebounds for junior forward Cory Montgomery, who scored NU’s first two points of the game in the opening 10 seconds.

Although Hester, Redmon and Kelley put up NU’s best numbers, the Huskers may have received the biggest contribution from the smallest player on their roster. Nicole Neals, a 5-6 guard from Chandler, Ariz., scored all seven of her points in the final four minutes, including a three-pointer with four minutes left to give NU a 57-52 lead.

After Hester scored her final points of the night to put NU up seven, Neals went to the line and buried two free throws to give the Huskers their biggest lead of the game at 61-52 with 2:36 left. They were the first made free throws for Neals since hitting a free throw against Creighton on Nov. 30, 2007.

She followed with a running one-hander in the lane as the shot clock wound down with 1:46 left to give the Huskers’ their first double-digit lead of the night at 63-52 and seal the victory.

Yvonne Turner added nine points, including a pair of three-pointers, to go along with three steals in a solid effort, and nine of the 10 Huskers who saw action found the scoring column in a true team effort.

Nebraska won despite hitting just 37.9 percent (22-58) of its shots from the field, including 5-of-17 three-pointers. The Huskers’ largest advantage came at the free throw line, where they outscored CSUB, 21-9. The Huskers also won the turnover battle, 19-12, and outrebounded Cal State Bakersfield, 41-40.

Christine Kepenekian led CSUB with a double-double of her own with 19 points and 10 rebounds, including four long three-pointers on the night. Kelley Tarver and Nicole Leon each pitched in 11 points in a losing effort.

Kepenekian kept the Roadrunners close in the first half with a pair of long threes in the final 2:05. Her second one tied the score at 23 with 1:24 left in the first half, before Hester, Redmon and Kelley scored the final six points of the half to send NU to the locker room with the lead.

Hester, who matched her career high by erupting for 14 points in the first half, scored 10 straight points to help Nebraska turn a 13-11 deficit into a 21-15 lead with 5:45 left in the opening period.

Griffin to Redshirt in 2008-09 After Dec. 4 Ankle Surgery
Two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin underwent surgery on her injured left ankle on Dec. 4 and will miss the entire 2008-09 season. The 6-2 senior from Eagle River, Alaska, injured the ankle on Aug. 28, and did not practice or play for NU this season. She was one of five preseason first-team All-Big 12 players chosen by the league coaches this season, and will enter her final season with 1,348 points and 665 rebounds. She has not previously redshirted at Nebraska, opening her career with 74 consecutive starts from 2005-06 to 2007-08.

A three-year starter in Nebraska’s lineup, Griffin led the Huskers to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2007 and 2008, including a first-round NCAA Tournament victory over Xavier last year in College Park, Md. Griffin is also a two-time first-team academic All-Big 12 selection and earned a spot on the 2007 Big 12 Good Works Team. She ranks 11th on NU’s career scoring list, seventh in rebounding and eighth in blocked shots.

"Kelsey is one of the toughest players I have ever coached, but this injury has not allowed her to recover. It is time for surgery," Yori said. "I think Kelsey is one of the top 15 or 20 players in the nation, so obviously losing her is going to affect us this season, especially against a Big 12 Conference schedule that has six top-25 teams, including four in the top 10 right now."

Griffin said the ankle injury has been frustrating personally for her, but she is proud of the way her teammates have performed without her.

Griffin is expected to return for the Huskers next season to lead a team that will feature a six-player senior class, including 2008 All-Big 12 Defensive Team member Yvonne Turner, and current Husker scoring and rebounding leader Cory Montgomery. The 2009-10 Huskers are also expected to return current sophomore starters Dominique Kelley and Kaitlyn Burke.

Neals Showing That Big Things Can Come in Tiny Package
Nicole Neals has been making a big impact by doing little things for the Huskers this season. The 5-6 junior guard nicknamed "Tiny" by her teammates, is averaging 4.8 points and 1.8 assists per game off the bench. She also carries Nebraska’s best assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.2-to-1. Neals owns 16 assists to rank third on the team in that category, while committing just five turnovers.

Neals has not committed a turnover in NU’s last five games. She has been turnover-free for her last 90 minutes of court time for the Huskers. Along with taking excellent care of the basketball, Neals has been NU’s most consistent three-point threat, connecting on 11-of-26 three-point attempts (42.3 percent), while knocking down at least one three in seven of the Huskers’ nine games. She tied her career high with nine points on a career-best 3-for-4 shooting from long range to help Nebraska to a road win at Denver on Nov. 24.

She opened the season with a pair of threes against Weber State, and added two more threes in NU’s four-point setback to No. 18 Ohio State.

In the Huskers’ victory over Cal State Bakersfield on Tuesday, Neals scored all seven of her points in the final four minutes to shoot NU to victory. She hit her only three of the game with four minutes left to push NU’s lead to five points, after CSUB missed a shot to tie the game on the previous possession. She then knocked down her first two free throws of the year to give NU a nine-point edge. She added a runner in the lane with less than five ticks on the shot clock to provide the Huskers with their first double-digit edge.

Big Red Barrage: Huskers Shooting Threes at Record Rate
Through nine games, Nebraska has shot threes at a record-setting pace. After hitting a school-record 12 three-pointers in the opener against Weber State, NU connected on 9-of-21 three-point attempts in a win at Creighton.

NU’s 21 made threes through two games marked the most triples in back-to-back games in school history. In the win over Southern Utah on Nov. 22, the Huskers cooled off from long range by hitting just 5-of-22 attempts, but bounced back in a big way by hitting 8-of-15 three-point attempts in a win at Denver on Nov. 24.

Although the Huskers have cooled from long range in the last two weeks, NU has hit 56-of-171 three-point attempts, connecting on 32.7 percent of its threes on the year. NU is averaging 6.2 made threes per game, while attempting 19 bombs per night.

In 2006-07, the Huskers set a school record by attempting 519 threes on the season, an average of 16.2 three-point attempts per contest. Nebraska also set the school record with 173 made threes in 2006-07, an average of 5.4 threes per game, well below NU’s current success rate. At Nebraska’s current shooting rates, the Huskers would hit 199 threes on 608 attempts.

Huskers Set Three-Point Record in Season-Opening Win
Nebraska connected on a school-record 12 three-pointers to open the season in a 96-47 win over Weber State at the Devaney Center on Nov. 14. NU’s 12 triples surpassed the previous school mark of 11 threes set Jan. 19, 2008, in a win over Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum in Ames.

The game with Weber State marked the ninth time in school history that a Nebraska team hit 10 or more three-pointers in a game, but just the second time the Huskers had ever hit double-figure threes in a non-conference game (Ohio State, Dec. 12, 2003).

Turner Sparks Husker Turnover Turnaround
With Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection leading the way with 81 steals, Nebraska’s defense ranked fifth in the Big 12 with a plus-1.22 turnover margin in 2007-08. The Huskers forced 627 total turnovers for an average of 19.0 turnovers forced per contest, which ranked third in the league.

Those 627 turnovers forced come in striking contrast to Coach Connie Yori’s first two seasons at Nebraska. In Yori’s first season in 2002-03, NU forced opponents into just 451 turnovers on the year, before forcing just 444 turnovers in 2003-04, an average of just 14.8 turnovers per game.

The last time a Nebraska team forced more than 600 turnovers in a season came in 1999-00, when the Huskers forced opponents into 688 turnovers.

Through the first nine games of 2008-09, Nebraska is forcing an average of 19.3 turnovers per game and has forced three opponents (Oral Roberts, Denver and Southern Utah) into 25 turnovers each. Turner is again leading the way for NU with 24 steals, giving her 105 steals over her last 42 games (2.5 spg). She has at least one steal in every game for NU this season with five games of three or more steals.

Turner has 123 career steals and needs 65 more to crack Nebraska’s all-time top 10 in that category.

Burke Steps in Starting Lineup After Starring in Supporting Role
No stranger to the spotlight, Kaitlyn Burke has moved into a starting role in the Nebraska backcourt in 2008-09. The 5-7 guard from North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada enters the Long Beach State game averaging 4.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. She is also third on the team with 10 made three-pointers.

Last season, Burke starred in a supporting role for the Huskers as a true freshman. The former childhood actress played starring roles in Nebraska’s wins in California in December, erupting for career highs of 15 points, five three-pointers and seven assists in a career-best 34 minutes off the bench in NU’s win at Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 13. She provided an impressive encore by leading the Huskers in scoring, rebounding and assists with 14 points, a career-high seven boards and five assists in a 75-52 run past Long Beach State on Dec. 15. She added 12 points on 4-of-7 three-point shooting, to go along with six assists in NU’s win at Iowa State on Jan. 19.

Burke averaged 5.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 2007-08, and led NU with 78 assists, including five in a win over Xavier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Her 78 assists ranked second among all Big 12 freshmen, trailing only Oklahoma’s Danielle Robinson (130). Burke also ranked second on the team with 33 three-pointers, which ranked fifth among Big 12 freshmen. Her 5.4 points tied for 11th among league freshmen.

Burke brought her talents to the Devaney Center stage in her career-opening performance against UTEP on Nov. 9. She poured in 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers, to help the Huskers to an 81-74 win over the Miners. She added a solid encore in Nebraska’s win over Ole Miss on Nov. 11, when she scored nine points, grabbed two steals and dished out an assist in 21 minutes to conclude a strong opening weekend.

Burke turned her focus from feature films such as Questar’s Ms. Bear (1997) and Bear with Me (2000), to athletics seven years ago, after appearing with such Hollywood stars as Lindsay Lohan, Tyra Banks and Henry Winkler. Last year, Burke played on the international stage as a member of the Canadian Junior National Team and was one of the first members of the Canadian National Development Academy in 2006-07.

Kuhlmann Providing the Huskers with Pop Off the Bench
Kala Kuhlmann has been one of Nebraska’s top guards off the bench through the first nine games this season. The 5-8 junior guard from Charter Oak, Iowa, is averaging 4.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Kuhlmann has scored in double figures in two of NU’s first nine games, including a career-high 13 points in the season-opening win over Weber State and 11 points in the Huskers’ win at Denver on Nov. 24. Entering the season, Kuhlmann had produced double figures just once in her first 57 career games.

Kuhlmann has hit 3-of-10 three-point attempts this season, after connecting on just 6-of-23 long-range tries through her first two seasons in Lincoln.

Although she did not play the part of a scorer through her first two seasons in Lincoln, Kuhlmann has a history of success in the scoring column. The No. 4 scorer in Iowa High School history, Kuhlmann poured in 2,337 points in four seasons at Charter Oak-Ute High School.

At Whitt’s End: Whittaker Helps Huskers in Big Way Early
Sophomore guard Monique Whittaker has erupted onto to the scene early in the season for the Huskers. The 5-10 native of Onalaska, Texas, ranks seventh among the Huskers in scoring with 5.2 points while adding 1.7 rebounds per contest. She also ranks fourth on the team with five made three-pointers this season.

Whittaker, who scored a total of just seven points in a total of 25 minutes during her freshman season in 2007-08, has already produced 31 points in 56 minutes through seven games this season.

In NU’s season-opening win over Weber State, Whittaker came off the bench for a team-high 13 points against the Wildcats. She continued her hot hand in the first half of Nebraska’s road win at Creighton on Nov. 17.

With senior Tay Hester sitting out much of the first half with foul trouble, Whittaker stepped in to carry the Huskers down the stretch in the opening period. NU trailed 23-19 before Whittaker exploded for 10 straight points to give the Huskers a 31-30 lead with two minutes left in the half. Whittaker helped the Huskers build a five-point halftime edge, before holding on for a five-point win.

In Nebraska’s win over Southern Utah on Nov. 22, Whittaker finished with six points on a pair of three-pointers in just six minutes of action. In six games, Whittaker has hit 5-of-13 three-point attempts (38.5 percent) while ranking third on the team by hitting 12-of-14 free throws (85.7 percent). She did not see action against Butler, No. 18 Ohio State or Cal State Bakersfield. She has been slowed by illness during the past week.

Husker Schedule Filled with Top 25 Foes
The most recent Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 polls bear a striking resemblance to Nebraska’s 2008-09 schedule. In fact, the Huskers could play as many as 11 regular-season games against teams that were ranked in this week’s top 25. Big 12 foe Texas A&M is the highest ranked Husker foe, coming in at No. 4 in the Dec. 8 AP Poll. No. 5 Oklahoma is right behind the Aggies, while No. 6 Texas gives the Big 12 three teams in the top six. Baylor gives the Big 12 four top-10 teams with a No. 10 ranking in AP ranking.

A fifth Big 12 South squad, Oklahoma State, slipped to No. 24 in the AP Poll, while Big 12 North representative Kansas State joined the rankings at No. 25 this week. Iowa State had been in the top 25, before falling out after a loss to Iowa over the weekend. The Huskers will take on ISU and KSU two times apiece in Big 12 play.

NU suffered its second loss of the season to No. 18 Ohio State on Dec. 6, after falling on the road at New Mexico on Nov. 29. The Aggies received 18 votes on Monday, the sixth-highest vote total among non-ranked teams.

The Huskers will face current No. 22 Arizona State on Dec. 28 at the Devaney Center to round out the poll representatives on the NU schedule.

In addition to the eight Husker opponents currently ranked in the top 25, five other NU foes have been ranked or have received votes in the polls this season. LSU was ranked in the preseason top 25 in both polls (22nd/24th), while Iowa State climbed as high as No. 22. New Mexico, Texas Tech and UTEP have all received votes.

Huskers Earn 15 Votes in USA Today/ESPN Top 25
Nebraska earned a season-high 15 votes in the fourth regular-season USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Dec. 9. The Huskers are one of eight Big 12 Conference schools to receive votes in the coaches poll, and it marked the fourth straight week NU received votes.

Texas A&M headlined a strong Big 12 South contingent, as the Aggies came in at No. 3. Texas was not far behind at No. 5, while Oklahoma came in at No. 6. Baylor joined the Big 12 quartet in the top 10 at No. 9.

Kansas State vaulted to No. 18 in the rankings, while Oklahoma State slipped to No. 24. Iowa State fell outside of the top 25, but garnered 29 votes.

Huskers Enter 2008-09 After Six Seasons of Growth
The Huskers entered the 2008-09 season with high hopes after returning 12 letterwinners and four starters from a team that advanced to the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Nebraska finished with a 21-12 overall record and a 9-7 Big 12 mark in 2007-08, despite a lineup that featured four first-time starters and a roster filled with 10 freshmen and sophomores.

The Huskers, who were the only Big 12 team that had 10 players compete in every league game last season, were hoping a year of experience and a strong offseason would help them take another step forward in 2008-09.

However, Nebraska’s expectations were tempered with a season-ending ankle injury to two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin on Aug. 28. Griffin had surgery on Dec. 4 and will redshirt in 2008-09.

Griffin was expected to lead the Huskers in 2008-09, after amassing 1,348 points and 665 rebounds in her career. She will contend for All-America honors in 2009-10.

Junior Yvonne Turner has stepped up her game in Griffin’s absence. Turner earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team in 2007-08 after leading the conference in steals during league action. She also ranked fourth in the league in three-point field goal percentage.

Husker backcourt starters Tay Hester and Dominique Kelley also return after joining each other in the starting lineup for all 33 games a year ago. Cory Montgomery fills the void left by honorable-mention All-Big 12 pick Danielle Page inside for the Huskers. One of the Big 12’s best off the bench a year ago, the 6-2 Montgomery has scored in double figures in every game for the Huskers so far this season, including three 20-plus performances.

2008 Huskers Claim Third NCAA Tournament Victory
The Huskers notched their third NCAA Tournament win in school history with a 61-58 victory over ninth-seeded Xavier at College Park, Md., on March 23. Nebraska made its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance, joining trips in 1988, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2007.

Nebraska, which earned the No. 8 seed in the Spokane Regional, led the Atlantic-10 Conference Tournament champion Musketeers from start to finish. The Huskers’ last win had come against New Mexico (76-59) on March 13, 1998 in Norfolk, Va. Nebraska earned its first NCAA Tournament victory against San Diego (81-58) on March 17, 1993, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln.

Huskers Post 11th 20-Win Campaign, Second Straight Under Yori
Nebraska secured its 11th 20-win season in school history with its 55-45 win over Iowa State in the regular-season finale at the Devaney Center on March 5. The Huskers added win No. 21 with their third-ever NCAA Tournament win by beating Xavier in the first round on March 23.

NU’s 21 wins tied for the seventh-best total in school history, while the Huskers posted their first back-to-back 20-win campaigns since 1998 and 1999. This season, the Huskers will take aim at becoming the first team in NU history to post three straight 20-win seasons.

Over the last five seasons under Coach Connie Yori, the Huskers have averaged 19.6 wins per season. In the previous five years, the Huskers averaged just 14.6 wins per season.

Huskers Picked Preseason No. 8 in Loaded Big 12
Coming off a pair of NCAA Tournament trips and back-to-back 20-win seasons, the Nebraska women’s basketball team was picked to finish eighth in a vote by league coaches in the Big 12 preseason poll on Oct. 8.

The Huskers, who return four starters and 12 letterwinners from a team that finished 21-12 and advanced to the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, earned 56 points, as 11 points were awarded for each first-place vote, and one point was awarded for each 11th-place vote. Coaches could not vote for their own teams.

In 2007-08, the Big 12 was ranked as the best conference in the nation in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), and sent eight teams to the NCAA Tournament. The Big 12 also became the first conference in NCAA history to post a perfect 8-0 record in the NCAA first round, while 11 of the 12 league teams earned postseason bids. All 11 teams produced postseason victories.

Oklahoma was a majority choice to win the conference title, as the Sooners earned seven first-place votes to finish with 124 points. The Sooners were a clear favorite, but the four other league teams received at least one first-place vote, including preseason No. 2 Texas, which finished with 95 points and earned one No. 1 vote.

Iowa State was the only Big 12 North Division team to earn a spot among the top six teams in the preseason conference poll, as the Cyclones were picked third with 93 points. ISU, which returns seven starters from last year’s team that went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, claimed a pair of first-place votes.

Baylor was picked fourth with 89 points and earned one first-place vote, while defending conference tournament champion and NCAA Elite Eight qualifier Texas A&M was picked fifth with 85 points. Oklahoma State, which advanced to the 2008 NCAA Sweet 16, earned the final first-place vote but was picked to finish sixth in the league.

Defending Big 12 regular-season champion Kansas State, which returns four starters from a team that moved on to the NCAA second round in 2008, was the preseason choice to finish seventh with 71 points.

Kansas (41), Texas Tech (36) and Colorado (18) filled in the No. 9 through No. 11 spots, after all three teams earned wins in the 2008 Postseason WNIT a year ago. Missouri, which returns five starters from last year’s team that did not earn a postseason bid, was picked 12th with 15 points.

Griffin Earns Preseason First-Team All-Big 12 Honors
Nebraska senior Kelsey Griffin claimed one of five spots on the Preseason All-Big 12 team named by the league’s women’s basketball coaches and announced on Oct. 15. Griffin, a 6-2 forward from Eagle River, Alaska, joined Preseason Big 12 Player-of-the-Year Courtney Paris from Oklahoma, Kansas State’s Shalee Lehning, Oklahoma State’s Andrea Riley and Texas A&M’s Takia Starks on the Preseason All-Big 12 team.

A two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection (top 10 players in the league), Griffin averaged 15.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season, while leading the Huskers to a 21-12 overall record, a 9-7 league mark, and the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. She ranked among the top 10 players in the Big 12 in both scoring and rebounding and was at her best in Big 12 play, when she averaged 16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds despite playing the entire season with a cracked rib.

Griffin carried the Huskers to their third NCAA Tournament victory in a decade by scoring 26 points in Nebraska’s win over Xavier in the first round at College Park, Md.

In her three-year career as a starter at Nebraska, Griffin has amassed 1,348 points and 665 rebounds. She also ranks in the top 10 on the NU career chart with 68 blocked shots.

Griffin, who was also a preseason first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2007-08, has extended Nebraska’s streak to four straight seasons with at least one first-team All-Big 12 selection. Kiera Hardy was also a two-time preseason first-team all-league choice in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

The Huskers join Oklahoma as the only other school to have at least one preseason first-team all-conference pick each of the past four years. Eight of the league schools have had one or fewer selections during that span.

Big 12 Conference Sends 11 to Postseason, All 11 Get Wins
The Big 12 Conference ranked as the nation’s strongest league throughout the 2007-08 season and the postseason tournament fields verified that ranking.

Eleven of the Big 12 schools advanced to postseason play, including eight teams in the NCAA Tournament. League schools went a perfect 8-0 in the first round, including wins by Nebraska, Texas A&M, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State and Texas, marking the first time in history a league went 8-0.

All eight of the Big 12 teams earned No. 8 seeds or higher in the 64-team NCAA Tournament field, including Big 12 Tournament champion Texas A&M, which advanced to the Elite Eight. Oklahoma State also moved on to the Sweet 16, as the league finished the NCAA Tournament with an 11-8 record.

In addition to those eight Big 12 schools, which all posted 20 or more wins on the season, three more Big 12 teams (Colorado, Kansas, Texas Tech) earned bids to the 2008 Women’s National Invitation Tournament. All three of those schools earned opening-round byes in the 48-team tournament.

Texas Tech advanced to the round of 16 in the WNIT with a 33-point over Texas State. Kansas also went 1-1 in the WNIT, while Colorado advanced to the WNIT semifinals before ending its season. Overall, the Big 12 went 16-11 in the 2008 postseason.

Huskers Join Baylor, Oklahoma Among Big 12’s Best
Along with back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths and 20-win seasons, the Huskers notched their second consecutive winning record in Big 12 Conference regular-season action by finishing with a 9-7 league mark.

In Coach Connie Yori’s sixth season at Nebraska, a 13-player Husker roster filled with 10 freshmen and sophomores helped NU to its fourth consecutive .500 or better Big 12 season. Nebraska joins Baylor and Oklahoma as the only Big 12 programs to accomplish that feat in the last four years.

NU’s 2007-08 success came against a league that was rated the best in the nation and sent eight teams to the NCAA Tournament. Along with sending No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 3 Baylor, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 Kansas State, No. 7 Iowa State, No. 8 Nebraska and No. 8 Texas to the NCAA Tournament, the Big 12 also had three conference teams (Colorado, Kansas, Texas Tech) earn opening-round byes in the 48-team Postseason WNIT field.

Nebraska has earned five consecutive postseason tournament appearances - the longest stretch in school history. NU earned a trip to the 2007 NCAA Tournament and finished with a 22-10 overall record along with a 10-6 conference mark in 2006-07.

Huskers Face Nation’s Best in 2008-09
Nebraska will face one of the toughest regular-season schedules in school history in 2008-09 with nine games against teams that finished 2007-08 among the top-25 RPI teams in the nation.

A total of 21 games will come against teams that competed in postseason tournaments in 2008, including 15 games against 2008 NCAA Tournament teams.

Nebraska’s home schedule features big names and big games nearly every night in 2008-09. NU’s home schedule features a date with 2008 Big Ten co-champion Ohio State, which has advanced to six straight NCAA tournaments. After battling the Buckeyes on Dec. 6, the Huskers will square off with Pac-10 power Arizona State on Dec. 28. The Sun Devils have advanced to at least the second round of four straight NCAA tournaments.

The Big 12 promises to feature a postseason atmosphere every night at the Devaney Center. Oklahoma, Baylor, Iowa State and Kansas State all joined NU in the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, while Colorado, Texas Tech and Kansas all advanced to at least the third round of the Postseason WNIT.

While the Huskers’ 15-game home schedule features nine contests against 2008 postseason clubs, the road will offer even more challenges. Nebraska will play 12 road games against 2008 postseason qualifiers, including a New Year’s date with LSU in Baton Rouge, La. The Tigers have advanced to five consecutive NCAA Final Fours. NU will also travel to UTEP, which advanced to the 2008 NCAA second round, and 2008 NCAA qualifier New Mexico.

In Big 12 action, NU’s road schedule includes trips to NCAA Elite Eight qualifier Texas A&M, NCAA Sweet 16 participant Oklahoma State, and journeys to Texas, Iowa State and Kansas State, which all advanced to the 2008 NCAA second round.

Huskers to Be a Fixture on FSN in 2008-09
Nebraska will be featured four times on Fox Sports Net national television games in 2008-09. The Huskers will battle Arizona State, Iowa State, Colorado and Texas Tech in national television matchups this season.

Nebraska’s marquee non-conference matchup with perennial Pac-10 power Arizona State at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln on Sunday, Dec. 28, at noon (central), is one of only two out-of-conference games in the Big 12’s 26-game national package for women’s basketball this season. The other will be defending national champion Tennessee’s showdown at Texas on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Nebraska’s second appearance on FSN will come on Saturday, Jan. 24, when the Huskers take on Iowa State at the Devaney Center. The special Saturday tip time with the Cyclones will be at 8 p.m. The NU-ISU women’s game will be the second of two televised basketball games at the Devaney Center on Jan. 24, as the Husker men will battle Oklahoma State at 3 p.m.

One week later, FSN will follow the Nebraska women’s basketball team to Boulder when the Huskers clash with Colorado at the Coors Events Center on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 2 p.m. central time.

Nebraska will wrap up its regular-season FSN national television appearances on Saturday, Feb. 14 at noon, when the Huskers play host to Texas Tech at the Devaney Center.

In addition to Nebraska’s national telecasts on Fox Sports Net, the Huskers will also appear frequently on Fox Sports Midwest in the state of Nebraska. The Huskers will debut on Fox Sports Midwest on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they travel to Columbia to take on the Missouri Tigers. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.

The Huskers will appear on Fox Sports Midwest again on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m., when they travel to Manhattan, Kan., to challenge Kansas State. On Wednesday, Feb. 18, the Huskers’ clash with Iowa State in Ames will be televised on Fox Sports Midwest at 7 p.m. NU will wrap up its scheduled Fox Sports Midwest appearances on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m., when the Huskers collide with Kansas in Lawrence.

Nebraska has also been added to the Fox Sports Southwest schedule with its road game at Texas on Jan. 14.

Big 12 Hits 1 Million in Home Attendance Again in 2007-08
For the second straight season and third time overall Big 12 Conference women’s basketball teams attracted more than one million fans to their home arenas in 2007-08.

The Big 12 has led the nation in attendance in each of the past nine years and is the only league to hit the one million fan milestone in NCAA history. In addition to 2006-07 and 2007-08, the conference also recorded one million fans in 2001-02. The 2006-07 cumulative attendance of 1,023,576 is the NCAA record. In 2007-08, the Big 12 recorded 1,014,309 patrons.

Griffin To Contend for National Honors in 2009-10
Two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin was dominant down the stretch for the Huskers as a junior, averaging 19 points and nine rebounds per game over the Huskers’ last 12 contests.

Griffin finished 2007-08 as the No. 7 scorer (15.3 ppg) and No. 12 rebounder (7.2 rpg) in the Big 12 Conference, despite playing with a cracked rib the entire season, which limited her playing time to just 25.9 minutes per game. Despite being limited by the injury, Griffin ranked among the top three players in the Big 12 in points per minute and rebounds per minute, joining 2006 National Player of the Year Courtney Paris. Griffin trailed only Andrea Riley in points per minutes, while trailing only Paris in rebounds per minute across the league.

In NU’s last 12 games, Griffin scored 20 or more points on six occasions, including a 26-point effort against Xavier’s inside duo of Amber Harris and Ta’Shia Phillips to lead the Huskers to their first NCAA Tournament win in 10 seasons. Griffin notched four double-doubles in those 12 games, including a season-high 14 rebounds at Texas Tech.

Griffin was at her best in Big 12 play, ranking fifth with 16.8 points per game and sixth with 8.2 rebounds per contest, despite being the focus of every opposing defense. She also ranked among the top 10 players in the league in both field goal and free throw percentage. She had season highs of 26 points against Xavier, at home against Colorado and at home against Missouri, carrying NU to victories in all three games.

She opened February as the Big 12 Player-of-the-Week on Feb. 4. She produced 23 points and nine rebounds in a win at Missouri on Feb. 3, after going for 19 points and 11 rebounds against No. 18 Kansas State on Jan. 30. She added 25 points in a comeback win at Colorado on Feb. 6, producing 17 second-half points.

Defensively, Griffin led the Huskers with 20 charges drawn in 2007-08, while adding a career-best 40 steals. She also blocked 25 shots on the year.

Griffin ranks 11th on Nebraska’s all-time scoring list with 1,348 points, seventh on NU’s career rebounding list with 665 and eighth on the Husker career block chart with 68.

2008-09 Fastbreakers Backboard Banquet Schedule
The Fastbreakers have announced their Backboard Banquet Schedule for the 2008-09 season. 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
Sunday, Dec. 28 (Arizona State) - 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 21 (Kansas) - 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 4 (Baylor) - 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 3 (Colorado - Senior Night) - 5:30 p.m.

For more information on the Fastbreakers Backboard Banquets, visit Fastbreakersonline.com or call Connie Renken at 450-1785.

Join Fastbreaker Bus Trips to Colorado, Kansas
The Fastbreakers are planning two more bus trips to Nebraska women’s basketball games during the 2008-09 season. Make plans now to join the Fastbreakers’ trips to Colorado (Jan. 31) and Kansas (Feb. 28). The cost of the trip to Colorado is $90 per person, plus the cost of a hotel room, and requires a $50 non-refundable deposit. The cost of the bus trip to Kansas is $50 per person (pre-paid).

The Fastbreakers also organized a highly successful trip to Nebraska’s exhibition game at the Hearland Events Center in Grand Island on Nov. 5. Sign up for the Fastbreaker Bus Trips at the Fastbreaker tables on the upper concourse during home basketball games or contact Connie Renken (450-1785), Kathy Branchaud (432-8990), Larry Meyer (525-1176) or Louis Kirkbride (432-5943).

Nebraska’s History of Success at Home
Since the Bob Devaney Sports Center opened in 1976-77, the Huskers are 328-115 (.740) in games played in the arena, including 120-74 (.619) in conference games. NU finished 2007-08 with a 14-2 home record, tying for the second-highest home victory total in school history. It marked the fifth straight year under Coach Connie Yori that Nebraska has notched 10 or more home wins in a season, the longest stretch in school history.

Nebraska’s success at home in 2007-08 was even more remarkable considering the strength of the Huskers’ home schedule. Eleven of NU’s 16 home games came against teams that advanced to the postseason in 2008, with the Huskers rolling to an impressive 9-2 record. Not only did Husker foes advance to postseason play, 10 of the 11 opponents won at least one game in a postseason tournament, including 2008 NCAA Elite Eight qualifier Texas A&M. Included among the five Husker home foes that did not advance to postseason play in 2008, were traditional powers USC and Ole Miss, which was coming off a trip to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2007.

Since 2003-04, NU is 64-19 (.771) at the Devaney Center, with no more than four losses in any season. Nebraska is 4-1 at the Devaney Center to open 2008-09 with its only loss to No. 18 Ohio State.