Huskers Open Four-Game Stand with ORU

Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1)
vs. Oral Roberts
Golden Eagles (5-1)

Devaney Center (13,595) ? Lincoln, Neb.
Tuesday, Dec. 2 ? 7:05 p.m.
Radio: Husker Sports Network
(98.1-FM KFGE, Lincoln; 93.3-FM KTWI, Omaha)
Live Internet Audio: Huskers.com (Free)
Live Internet Video: Available to Premium Subscribers of HuskersNside

After a season-long three-game road trip, the Nebraska women’s basketball team (5-1) returns to the Bob Devaney Sports Center to open a season-long four-game home stand with Oral Roberts on Tuesday in Lincoln.

Tip-off between the Huskers and Golden Eagles (5-1) is set for 7:05 p.m. with a live radio broadcast on the Husker Sports Network, including 98.1-FM KFGE in Lincoln and 93.3-FM KTWI in Omaha. A free audio broadcast will also be available on Huskers.com, while a live video stream will be available to premium subscribers of HuskersNside.

The Huskers return to Lincoln after going 2-1 on their Thanksgiving road trip to Denver and Albuquerque. NU opened the trip with a 21-point win at Denver on Nov. 24, before producing a 13-point victory over Butler in the opening game of the Holiday Inn & Suites Express Midtown Thanksgiving Tournament on Nov. 28. NU moved to 5-0 for the first time since 1996-97 with the win over the Bulldogs, but suffered its first loss of the season with a 62-51 setback to the hosts from New Mexico in the title game.

Junior Cory Montgomery starred for the Huskers throughout the road trip. The 6-2 forward from Cannon Falls, Minn., averaged 19.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game last week. She produced her second career double-double with a career-high 22 points while matching her career-best with 11 rebounds in the win over Butler. She added 17 points and eight boards in the loss to the Lobos to earn a spot on the all-tournament team in Albuquerque.

Montgomery, who added 20 points and nine boards at Denver, ranks fourth in the Big 12 in scoring with 17.3 points per game, while tying for seventh in the league in rebounding with 8.2 boards per contest on the year.

Montgomery, who is in her first season as a starter, has carried the load inside for the Huskers in the absence of two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin. Griffin has not played or practiced for Nebraska this season after suffering an ankle injury at the start of the semester. She has been out for 14 weeks with the injury.

Griffin averaged 15.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for NU as a junior, while Montgomery contributed 9.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game off the bench in support of Griffin and Danielle Page. An honorable-mention All-Big 12 forward last season, Page averaged 12.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as a senior last year.

Montgomery Leading Huskers Inside as Starter
In her first season as a starter, Cory Montgomery has been a dominant force inside for the Huskers through the first six games in 2008-09. The 6-2 junior forward from Cannon Falls, Minn., leads Nebraska in scoring and rebounding with 17.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

Montgomery, who scored 20 or more points in three straight games against Southern Utah, Denver and Butler, 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 the second double-double of her career.

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 rebounds. 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 Joins Montgomery on All-Tourney Team in New Mexico
Junior Yvonne Turner 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.

In her second season in Nebraska’s starting lineup, the 5-8 guard from Omaha, Neb., ranks third on the team in scoring with 9.3 points per game, while leading the Huskers’ pressure defense with a Big 12-leading 3.0 steals per game. With Turner leading NU’s backcourt pressure, the Huskers are forcing 19 turnovers per game.

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). Turner hit 4-of-9 shots from the field, including 3-of-6 three-pointers, while connecting on all four of her free throw attempts.

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 16 career double-figure scoring efforts, including four this season. She has produced double figures in 14 of NU’s last 26 games, after having just two in her first 41 contests.

Kelley Stepping Up as a Sophomore
Dominique Kelley produced the best all-around game of her young career with a career-high 21 points to help Nebraska to a 67-54 win over Butler (Nov. 28). Kelley hit 5-of-8 shots from the field while setting career bests by going 11-for-12 at the free throw 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. The 5-7 sophomore guard out of Lincoln Northeast High School 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).

For the season, Kelley ranks second among the Huskers with 11.0 points per game, while adding 4.0 rebounds per contest. She also leads NU with 3.8 assists per game, while adding 1.0 steal per contest. Kelley has hit 45.8 percent of her field goal attempts, including 33.3 percent (4-12) of her three-point tries.

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.

Balanced Big Red Helps Huskers to Winning Ways
Nebraska has displayed impressive balance through its first six games with eight players averaging 4.3 or more points per game, while 10 Huskers have played in every game and averaged at least 7.5 minutes per contest.

Junior forward Cory Montgomery leads the Huskers in scoring and rebounding with 17.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while sophomore Dominique Kelley has added 11.0 points per game and a team-best 3.8 assists. Junior Yvonne Turner has contributed 9.3 points and a Big 12-leading 3.0 steals per contest, while also ranking third on the team with 4.5 rebounds per game.

Senior Tay Hester has contributed 6.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while Kala Kuhlmann and Monique Whittaker have provided the Huskers with big lifts off the bench. Kuhlmann has averaged 6.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while playing 23.0 minutes per game, while Whittaker has added 6.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in just under 11 minutes per contest.

Junior guard Nicole Neals has also added good numbers off the bench, averaging 4.3 points per game, while leading NU with her 50 percent (8-16) shooting from three-point range.

Sophomore guard Kaitlyn Burke leads the team with nine three-pointers, while starting all six games for the Huskers. Burke ranks seventh on the team with 5.8 points per game, while contributing 1.5 assists per contest.

Catheryn Redmon (2.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg), Nikki Bober (1.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg) and Harleen Sidhu (1.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg) have also figured prominently into NU’s playing rotation early in the season.

Overall, the Huskers have had at least eight players score in each of their six games this season.

Scouting the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
Coach Jerry Finkbeiner brings the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles to Lincoln with a 5-1 record after a 101-59 victory over Houston Baptist on Saturday in Tulsa, Okla. The win over Division I transitional HBU marked the 400th victory of Finkbeiner’s career, with 201 of those wins coming at ORU.

Finkbeiner led the Golden Eagles to the 2008 NCAA Tournament last season after winning the Summit League Tournament title. ORU finished with a 19-14 overall record, which included a 10-8 regular-season mark and sixth-place finish in the Summit League.

Janae Voelker, a 5-10 junior guard/forward, leads the Golden Eagles with 19.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. The native of Newton, Kan., is coming off a 27-point, 13-rebound effort against Houston Baptist after producing 13 points and 12 boards in a 56-51 win over Missouri State on Nov. 26.

Voelker is joined in the ORU lineup by fellow junior Amy Pryor and freshman Georgia Jones. Pryor, a 5-4 guard from Norman, Okla, is averaging 13.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while hitting 55 percent (11-20) of her three-point attempts. Pryor did not play against Houston Baptist.

Jones, a 5-9 guard from Manchester, England, has made an instant impact on the ORU lineup by ranking second on the team with 14.2 points per game. She also leads the team with 6.0 assists per contest, including 16 assists in the win over Houston Baptist. Jones has knocked down a team-best 13 three-pointers while shooting 37.1 percent from long range. She is also playing a team-leading 35.3 minutes per game.

Mariana Camargo, a 5-11 senior guard from Blumeneau, Brazil, has pitched in 8.5 points and 4.0 boards per game. Fellow Brazilian Monah Pegorari, a 6-3 senior forward/center from Sao Paolo, rounds out ORU’s starting five with 3.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Jordan Pyle, a 6-1 freshman forward, has given the Golden Eagles a lift off the bench by averaging 6.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while Noelia Quintas has contributed 4.7 points and 2.7 boards as a 6-1 senior guard. Cristal Turner (3.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and Kelly Kindell (3.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg) have also seen significant time off the bench for ORU.

Oral Roberts has displayed a potent offense early this season by averaging 75.5 points per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the field. The Golden Eagles have also connected on 37.9 percent of their three-point attempts. Surprisingly, ORU is shooting a dismal 56 percent from the free throw line. ORU owns a plus-6.8 team rebounding margin, and a plus-0.5 team turnover margin.

Nebraska leads the all-time series with ORU, 3-0, including a 95-62 victory on Dec. 31, 1990, in the last meeting between the schools. The Huskers also produced a 110-61 win over ORU on Dec. 5, 1989, and a 100-87 victory on Nov. 27, 1987. All of the previous meetings have come at the Devaney Center.

Huskers Fall to New Mexico in Tournament Title Game
Cory Montgomery scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but it wasn’t enough in Nebraska’s 62-51 loss at New Mexico in The Pit on Saturday night.

New Mexico used a 15-0 run midway through the second half to outscore NU, 40-25, after halftime to hand the Huskers their first loss of the season. The Lobos improved to 6-1 with their sixth home win of the year.

After opening the game just 1-of-17 from the field through the first 18:30, New Mexico hit seven straight shots including two three-pointers to turn an eight-point deficit into a three-point lead with 17:30 left in the game.

Nebraska continued to hang with the Lobos, trimming UNM’s lead to 38-36 on a Nicole Neals three-pointer with 13:21 left. But New Mexico used an 8-0 surge that took just 45 seconds and included back-to-back three-pointers on the same possession after Tay Hester was whistled for a foul away from the ball on an Amanda Best three-pointer. After the foul, Angela Hartill connected on a three to give UNM its first double-digit lead of the night.

Yvonne Turner, who joined Montgomery on the all-tournament team, connected on a three-pointer with 10:37 left to stop the UNM run and trim the lead to 46-39. The Lobos responded with a 15-0 run to claim their biggest lead at 61-39. The Huskers battled to the wire, outscoring UNM 12-1 in the final four minutes.

Turner joined Montgomery as the only Huskers in double figures, as the junior from Omaha finished with 11 points, but was just 4-of-16 from the field, including a 3-for-12 from three-point range. Hester added six points and seven rebounds, while Kaitlyn Burke added six points of her own on a pair of three-pointers.

The Huskers struggled from the field, hitting just 18-of-61 field goal attempts for a season-low 29.5 percent. The Huskers hit just nine field goals in each half, while hitting 7-of-24 three-pointers. NU also hit 8-of-12 free throws. NU forced 17 UNM turnovers, while committing just 11, but the Huskers were outrebounded, 39-37.

New Mexico finished 19-for-47 (40.4 percent) from the field on the night, including 55.6 percent (15-27) shooting in the second half. The Lobos also connected on 6-of-11 three-pointers and 18-of-24 free throws.

Junior guard Amy Beggin was named the MVP of the all-tournament team after leading the Lobos with 19 points, six rebounds and six assists. She was 10-of-10 at the free throw line with most of those coming in the first half to keep New Mexico in the game. Hartill added 14 points, while Amanda Adamson pitched in 10 points.

In a defense-dominated first half, Nebraska carried a 26-22 lead to the locker room. The Huskers held New Mexico without a field goal for more than 17 consecutive minutes to lead by as many as eight points twice in the first half. After Adamson gave the Lobos a 2-0 lead with 18:40 left in the half, New Mexico did not hit another shot from the floor until Valerie Kast hit a jumper with 1:27 remaining.

Kast’s jumper sparked the Lobos to hit their final three field goal attempts of the half, including a three-pointer by Nikki Nelson, to finish the half 4-for-20 from the field. Burke stopped New Mexico’s 7-0 run with a three-pointer from the corner with three seconds left.

In addition to holding New Mexico to just 20 percent shooting, the Huskers also forced 10 turnovers and outrebounded the Lobos, 24-19, in the first half.

New Mexico’s defense kept the Lobos in it by holding NU to just 9-for-32 shooting, including 2-of-9 three-point attempts. The Huskers also hit 6-of-8 free throws, while the Lobos hit 13-of-18 attempts at the line.

Montgomery carried the Huskers in the first half by scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds. During an eight-minute stretch late in the first half, Montgomery scored 10 straight points.

Big Red Barrage: Huskers Shooting Threes at Record Rate
Through six games, Nebraska has set an impressive rate in all aspects of three-point shooting. After hitting a school-record 12 three-pointers in the opener against Weber State, the Huskers 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.

Despite going 0-for-9 from three-point range against Butler on Nov. 28, and 7-for-24 at New Mexico on Nov. 29, the Huskers have hit 41-of-116 three-point attempts, connecting on 35.3 percent of their shots from long range. NU is averaging 6.8 made threes per game, while attempting 19.3 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 218 threes on 618 attempts.

Long Range Success Coming Both Home and Away for Huskers
Despite a pair of subpar shooting performances in New Mexico (Nov. 28-29), Nebraska has hit 35.3 percent of its three-point shots through six games this season. Despite going a combined 7-for-33 (21.2 percent) against Butler and New Mexico, the Huskers are averaging 6.8 made threes per game. NU is also attempting 19.3 three-point attempts per contest.

NU has hit 17-of-47 (36.2 percent) of its three-point attempts in two games at the Bob Devaney Sports Center and has been nearly as good in its four games away from home. In three true road contests and one neutral site game, the Huskers have drained 24-of-69 (34.8 percent) of their three-point attempts.

Nebraska’s school record for three-point percentage came in 1987-88, when the Huskers hit 99-of-240 attempts (41.3 percent). At their current rate NU will challenge those numbers for makes and attempts by the end of non-conference play this season.

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).

Huskers Celebrate Birthdays with Career Bests
Junior guard Kala Kuhlmann celebrated her 21st birthday on Nov. 13, 2008. One day later, she celebrated the Huskers’ season-opening victory over Weber State with a career-high 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field. Kuhlmann also pitched in four assists to share her celebration with her teammates.

In Nebraska’s next outing at Creighton, sophomore Dominique Kelley tied her then-career high with 16 points, while playing a career-high 31 minutes. Kelley, who celebrated her 20th birthday on Nov. 20, 2008, hit both of her three-point attempts on the night, including the go-ahead three in the closing minutes to give the Huskers the lead for good. The 5-7 guard out of Lincoln Northeast High School added three rebounds and four assists of her own to share her celebration with the rest of the Huskers as well. Kelley matched her career scoring high exactly one year after striking for 16 points in a win over Florida at the Devaney Center on Nov. 17, 2007.

Kelley continued her 20th birthday celebration in NU’s next outing against Southern Utah, pumping in 14 points while dishing out a career-high six assists. She also grabbed four boards and two steals. During her birthday week, Kelley averaged 15.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steal for the best week of her young career.

Husker freshman Harleen Sidhu celebrated her 18th birthday on Nov. 30. In NU’s game against Butler in New Mexico on Nov. 28, Sidhu pulled down a career-high seven rebounds.

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 six games this season. The 5-8 junior guard from Charter Oak, Iowa, is averaging 6.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.

Kuhlmann has scored in double figures in two of NU’s first six 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-7 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 fifth among the Huskers in scoring with 6.2 points while adding 2.0 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 54 minutes through six 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. Her two three-pointers nearly matched the rest of NU’s team total in a 5-for-22 shooting performance from three-point range against the Thunderbirds.

In five 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.

Huskers Earn 11 Votes in USA Today/ESPN Top 25
Nebraska earned 11 votes in the second regular-season USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Nov. 25. The Huskers were one of nine Big 12 Conference schools to receive votes in the coaches poll.

Oklahoma headlined a strong Big 12 South contingent, as the Sooners came in at No. 4. Texas A&M was right behind at No. 5, while Baylor moved up to No. 7. Texas gave the Big 12 four top-10 teams by ranking No. 9. Oklahoma State climbed one spot to No. 18, while Iowa State jumped two spots to No. 22.

Fellow Big 12 North Division squad Kansas State received 41 votes to move up to No. 27, knocking on the door of giving the Big 12 its seventh top 25 team this season. Texas Tech claimed 12 votes to jump to No. 32, while Nebraska gained four votes this week to climb from No. 36 to No. 33 in the coaches ranking.

Husker Schedule Filled with Top 25 Foes
When the preseason polls were announced by the Associated Press (Oct. 27) and USA Today/ESPN (Nov. 3), the two sets of rankings strongly resembled Nebraska’s 2008-09 schedule.

In fact, the Huskers could play as many as 14 regular-season games against teams who earned votes in the Preseason USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25, including a trio of non-conference battles with top-25 foes. A 15th Husker opponent, Texas Tech, has garnered top-25 votes from the coaches in both regular-season polls.

Big 12 foe Oklahoma earned the highest preseason ranking of any Husker opponent, as the Sooners came in at No. 4 in the AP Top 25 and No. 7 in the coaches poll. Texas A&M wasn’t far behind, as the Aggies earned a No. 10 ranking from the coaches and a No. 11 spot in the AP. A third Big 12 South opponent, Texas, came in at No. 13 in both polls, while Oklahoma State was No. 14 in the AP and No. 15 in the coaches poll. A fifth Big 12 South squad, Baylor, was No. 17 in the coaches poll and No. 19 in the AP ranking.

The Arizona State Sun Devils, who the Huskers will face on Dec. 28 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, were the highest-ranked NU non-conference foe in the preseason, coming in at No. 17 in the AP poll and No. 18 in the coaches poll. Ohio State, NU’s opponent at the Devaney Center on Saturday, Dec. 6, was right behind ASU in both polls, coming in at No. 18 in the AP and No. 19 in the coaches rankings. LSU rounded out NU’s preseason top-25 opponents with a No. 22 ranking by the coaches and a No. 24 selection by the AP.

Big 12 North rivals Iowa State and Kansas State were both among the top five teams receiving votes in both polls, while non-conference foe UTEP also received votes in both polls. New Mexico, which the Huskers could face over the Thanksgiving holiday in Albuquerque, also received votes in the coaches poll.

Huskers Enter 2008-09 After Six Seasons of Growth
The Huskers head into 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, are hoping a year of experience and a strong offseason will help them take another step forward in 2008-09.

Two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin returns to lead the Huskers in 2008-09. The senior from Eagle River, Alaska, has amassed 1,348 points and 665 rebounds in her career and could contend for All-America honors on and off the court this season. However, Griffin has been slowed for nearly 14 weeks by a bone bruise on her ankle. She has not practiced and has not played in any of NU’s games this season.

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.

Dandy Dozen Return for Huskers in 2008-09
After entering 2007-08 as one of the youngest teams in the Big 12, the Huskers will benefit across the board from a year of experience heading into 2008-09.

Overall, Nebraska returns 83 percent of its scoring and rebounding, to go along with 88 percent of its steals and 91 percent of its assists for the coming season.

The only player the Huskers lost from their 2007-08 roster was senior starter Danielle Page, who ranked among the top 20 players in the Big 12 in both scoring (12.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg). She also set a single-season school record with 78 blocked shots as a senior to finish No. 2 all-time at NU with 207 blocks in her career. Page earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 accolades as a senior and went on to earn a spot with the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA. She will spend the 2008-09 season competing overseas in Europe before returning to the Sun.

Kelsey Griffin headlines NU’s 12 returnees after earning first-team All-Big 12 honors for the second straight season. A first-team Preseason All-Big 12 selection by the league coaches in 2008-09, Griffin ranked seventh in the Big 12 with 15.3 points per game, while ranking 12th in the league in rebounding with 7.2 boards per contest.

Griffin ranks seventh on NU’s career rebounding list (665), eighth in blocked shots (68), and 11th on the Huskers’ career scoring list (1,348).

Tay Hester, who started all 33 games for NU in her first season after transferring from Mt. San Antonio College, joins Griffin in the Husker senior class. Hester averaged 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, and played a major role in NU’s 2008 NCAA Tournament win with 13 points against Xavier.

Yvonne Turner leads a talented and maturing junior class. The Omaha native claimed Big 12 All-Defensive Team honors while leading the conference in league games with 2.6 steals per contest. She finished with 81 steals on the year, which ranked as the second-best total by a sophomore in NU history. Turner also greatly expanded her offensive game as the season progressed, ranking fourth in the league by hitting 39.3 percent of her three-point attempts in Big 12 play. She capped her season with 23 points and five three-pointers in an NCAA Tournament loss at Maryland, going head-to-head with Terp All-American Kristi Tolliver.

Cory Montgomery, who made the first four starts of her career when Griffin was out of the lineup with a rib injury at the end of non-conference play last season, has stepped into a full-time starting role in 2008-09. One of the Big 12’s best off the bench in 2007-08, Montgomery averaged 9.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. She averaged 10 points and 3.5 boards per game in NCAA Tournament play, and 12 points per game as a starter.

Kala Kuhlmann, Nicole Neals and Nikki Bober also played significant roles in Nebraska’s deep rotation as sophomores in 2007-08, and will be working hard for more improvement as juniors.

Dominique Kelley, who set a Husker record by starting 33 games as a true freshman in 2007-08, also worked to make major gains during the offseason. Kelley, who became just the fifth Husker freshman in history to start every game of her rookie campaign, averaged 6.4 points and 2.9 boards per contest while supplying solid defense.

Kaitlyn Burke joined Kelley in making a major impact as a freshman by averaging 5.4 points and a team-leading 2.4 assists per game. Burke also ranked second on the team with 33 three-pointers on the year and will continue to give the Huskers one of the deepest backcourts in the Big 12 as a sophomore.

Catheryn Redmon, who played in 16 games in NU’s deep and talented forward rotation, could see a major increase in playing time this season. Redmon averaged 2.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in just 6.8 minutes per game, while showing some natural defensive skills with nine blocks and four steals.

In addition to the return of 6-4 center Jessica Periago, who is a member of the French Junior National Team, and 5-11 guard Monique Whittaker for their sophomore seasons, the Husker roster will also be fortified by the addition of a pair of talented freshmen - Harleen Sidhu and Layne Reeves.

At 6-1, Sidhu is a versatile forward who could provide the Huskers with depth both in the backcourt or on the block. A native of British Columbia, Sidhu is one of the most talented young players in Canada. Reeves, a native of Lubbock, Texas, had her high school season cut short by a knee injury but could help the Huskers with her pure shooting touch on the perimeter.

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.

Griffin To Contend for National Honors as Senior
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 the year 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.

Turner Earns Big 12 All-Defensive Honor
A Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection, Yvonne Turner led the conference with 2.6 steals per game in league action. She had six steals against No. 15 Texas and No. 21 Texas A&M, and five steals against Kansas (Jan. 12). Turner had a steal in 21 straight games before going without a steal at Texas Tech.

The 5-8 guard from Omaha ranked second on Nebraska’s sophomore single-season steals list with 81. She climbed to eighth on NU’s overall single-season steals chart.

Turner’s 81 steals in 2007-08 gave her 45 more than NU’s leader - Kelsey Griffin - had in 2006-07. In fact, Turner surpassed the combined steals total of Griffin (36) and first-team All-Big 12 guard Kiera Hardy (33) who combined for 69 steals in 2007-08.

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 One 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.

Turner Sparks Husker Turnover Turnaround
With Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection leading the way with 81 steals on the year, 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.

Burke Starred in Supporting Role for Huskers in 2007-08
No stranger to the spotlight, Kaitlyn Burke starred in a supporting role for the Huskers as a freshman. The former childhood actress played starring roles in Nebraska’s wins in California in December.

The 5-7 guard from North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, erupted 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.

For the season, Burke averaged 5.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. She led the Huskers with 78 assists on the year, including five in NU’s 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 all Big 12 freshmen. Burke’s 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.

Griffin Climbing Husker Career Scoring, Rebounding Charts
Kelsey Griffin has jumped to No. 11 on the Nebraska career scoring chart with 1,348 points at the conclusion of her junior season, while ranking seventh with 665 career rebounds and eighth with 68 blocked shots.

Griffin will enter her senior season needing 86 points to move ahead of Diane DelVigna in the Huskers’ career top 10. Griffin has averaged nearly 450 points per season in her three-year NU career, and a similar senior season would put her close to 1,800 career points. Only seven Huskers in history have scored 1,800 or more points. Griffin needs 662 points to become the third player in NU history to acheive the 2,000-point plateau joining 1993 National Player of the Year Karen Jennings and 1988 Big Eight Player of the Year Maurtice Ivy.

On the career rebounding list, Griffin has averaged 222 boards per game in her first three years in Lincoln and similar production would creep her close to 900 career boards. Kathy Hagerstrom ranks third on NU’s career chart. Only two Huskers, Jennings with 1,000 from 1990-93 and Janet Smith with 1,280 from 1979-82, have recorded 900 rebounds in their NU careers.

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) - 10:30 a.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 326-114 (.741) 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 62-18 (.775) at the Devaney Center, with no more than four losses in any season.