Huskers Set for Showdown with No. 18 Ohio State

Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-1)
vs.
#18 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-2)

Bob Devaney Sports Center (13,595) 
Lincoln, Neb.
Saturday, Dec. 6 ? Noon

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

The Nebraska women’s basketball team (6-1) continues its season-long four-game home stand by battling its first top-25 opponent of the year, when the Huskers clash with No. 18 Ohio State on Saturday in Lincoln.

Tip-off between the Huskers and Buckeyes (6-2) is set for Noon 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.

Reigning Big 12 Player-of-the-Week Cory Montgomery will face her biggest challenge of the year inside for the Huskers. Montgomery, who is in her first season as a starter for the Huskers, produced her fourth 20-point scoring effort of the season and her second double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Nebraska’s 70-51 victory over 2008 NCAA Tournament qualifier Oral Roberts on Tuesday.

Montgomery tied her career high with 11 rebounds, including a career-best eight offensive boards against the Golden Eagles, while also setting a career best with two blocked shots. The 6-2 forward from Cannon Falls, Minn., enters the Ohio State game averaging 17.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

She will square off in the middle with reigning Big Ten Player-of-the-Year Jantel Lavender from Ohio State. The 6-4 sophomore center is averaging 22.4 points and 12.3 rebounds per game for the Buckeyes. Through the first 39 games of her career, Lavender has scored more than 700 points and grabbed more than 400 rebounds for OSU. She has produced 20 or more points in seven of Ohio State’s first eight games this year, including 28 points against Army and 27 points against No. 2 North Carolina and Dayton. She owns a career high of 36 points last season at Penn State, while opening this season with a career-high 19 rebounds against Butler.

Saturday’s game will conclude a two-game home-and-home series with the Buckeyes, after then-No. 18 Ohio State defeated NU, 86-74, in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 22, 2007. Two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin did not play in the game while recovering from a cracked rib. Guard Kala Kuhlmann also missed last season’s game at Value City Arena with a foot injury. Kuhlmann is healthy this season for the Huskers, but Griffin underwent ankle surgery on Thursday and will miss the entire 2008-09 season. She will return as a senior for NU in 2009-10.

Montgomery Claims Big 12 Player-of-the-Week Honor
In her first season as a starter, Cory Montgomery has been a dominant force inside for the Huskers through the first seven games in 2008-09. The 6-2 junior forward from Cannon Falls, Minn., leads Nebraska in scoring and rebounding with 17.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. She ranks fourth in the Big 12 in scoring and seventh in 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 in the last five contests with 20 points and a career-high matching 11 rebounds in Tuesday night’s win over Oral Roberts. It was her second double-double of the season and third of her career.

She 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 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 9.7 points per game, while leading the Huskers’ pressure defense with 2.7 steals per game, which ranks third in the Big 12. With Turner leading NU’s defense, the Huskers are forcing 19.9 turnovers per game. She also leads the Huskers with 11 made three-pointers this season.

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 has scored in double figures in five of NU’s first seven games, including a 12-point effort on Tuesday against Oral Roberts.

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 17 career double-figure scoring efforts, including five this season. She has produced double figures in 15 of NU’s last 27 games, after having just two in her first 41 contests.

Kelley Stepping Up as a 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 11.1 points per game, while ranking fourth with 3.6 rebounds per contest. Kelley also leads the Huskers with 3.4 assists per game and has added 1.1 steals per contest. She is also shooting a team-leading 85.7 percent at the free throw line.

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 to produce double figures for the fourth time in seven 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.

Balanced Big Red Helps Huskers to Winning Ways
Nebraska has displayed impressive balance through its first seven games with eight players averaging 4.3 or more points per game, while 10 Huskers have played in every game and averaged at least 8.0 minutes per contest. Overall, the Huskers have had at least eight players score in each of their seven games this season.

Junior forward Cory Montgomery leads the Huskers in scoring and rebounding with 17.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while sophomore Dominique Kelley has added 11.1 points per game and a team-best 3.6 assists. Junior Yvonne Turner has contributed 9.7 points and a team-leading 2.7 steals per contest, while also ranking second on the team with 2.4 assists and third on the squad with 4.1 rebounds per game.

Senior Tay Hester has contributed 6.4 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 5.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game while playing 22.3 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 added good numbers off the bench, averaging 4.3 points per game, while hitting 44.4 percent (8-18) of her shots from three-point range.

Sophomore guard Kaitlyn Burke has hit 10-of-27 three-pointers, while starting all seven games for the Huskers despite playing with a broken pinky finger on her shooting hand. Burke ranks fifth on the team with 6.0 points per game, while contributing 1.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest.

Catheryn Redmon (2.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg), Nikki Bober (1.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg) and Harleen Sidhu (1.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg) have also figured prominently into NU’s playing rotation early in the season.

Scouting the No. 18 Ohio State Buckeyes
Coach Jim Foster brings the Ohio State Buckeyes to Lincoln with a No. 18 national ranking in both the Associated Press and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls this week. Foster has guided Ohio State to six straight trips to the NCAA Tournament and four consecutive Big Ten Conference regular-season titles.

The Buckeyes carry a 6-2 record with them to the Devaney Center, including a pair of losses to top-25 foes (No. 2 North Carolina, at No. 14 Auburn). Ohio State is coming off a 72-63 loss to No. 2 North Carolina at the Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday night.

Reigning Big Ten Player-of-the-Year Jantel Lavender produced 27 points and 13 rebounds in the loss to North Carolina, her seventh game this season with 20 or points. The 6-4 sophomore center from Cleveland, Ohio, is averaging 22.4 points and 12.3 rebounds per game to lead the Buckeyes this season.

Star Allen, a 5-11 senior forward from Columbus, Ohio, joins Lavender to create a formidable down-low duo. Allen is averaging 9.4 points and 7.6 boards after getting 12 points and six rebounds against the Tar Heels.

Samantha Prahalis, a 5-7 freshman guard, leads the Buckeye backcourt. Prahalis is averaging 12.9 points and a team-leading 6.0 assists per game, including 13 assists in the loss to North Carolina. She also leads OSU with 15 three-pointers. She added seven points and four rebounds against the Tar Heels but committed six turnovers against UNC’s pressure defense. Prahalis also played the full 40 minutes against UNC.

Ashlee Trebilcock, a 5-9 senior guard from Boise, Idaho, adds experience to the Buckeye backcourt. Trebilcock is averaging 7.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, while hitting 9-of-20 three-pointers (45 percent). Like Husker sophomore guard Kaitlyn Burke, Trebilcock was a childhood actress before turning her attention to the hardwood. Trebilcock appeared on popular television shows such as ER and Saved by the Bell.

Sophomore guard Brittany Johnson rounds out OSU’s starting five by averaging 5.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. The 5-11 guard has struggled with her shooting touch, hitting just 25.9 percent of her attempts from the field, including 22.9 percent of her three-point attempts. She is also hitting just 50 percent of her free throws.

Like Nebraska, Ohio State has featured a deep playing rotation early this season with 11 Buckeyes seeing action in all eight games. Andrea Walker, a 6-5 junior center, has packed the most productive punch off the bench with 7.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. She has also hit a team-leading 20-of-22 free throws (90.9 percent).

Sarah Schulze, a 6-1 sophomore forward has added 4.1 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, while 5-11 sophomore Alison Jackson has split starting time with Trebilcock. Jackson is averaging 3.5 points and 1.5 boards per game.

Junior guards Shavelle Little (1.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg), Maria Moeller (1.6 ppg, 0.8 rpg) and Cherise Daniel (0.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg) round out the list of Buckeye contributors so far this season.

A dominant team inside, the Buckeyes are outscoring their opponents by an average of 12.8 points per game (74.9-62.1), while owning a plus-5.5 team rebounding margin. OSU is also averaging 5.1 blocks per game, led by Lavender’s 13 blocks. Lavender alone has just one fewer block than the entire Husker team so far this season, while Allen has added 10 blocks and Walker has pitched in eight rejections off the bench.

The Buckeyes’ inside game has also helped give their shooters room outside, as OSU has hit 45-of-129 three-point attempts (34.9 percent). Prahalis has hit 15-of-38 three-point tries (39.5 percent), while Jackson leads OSU with a 57.1 percent (4-7) success rate from long range. Johnson, Schulze and Moeller have also shown the ability to knock down the long-range shot for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State is also an excellent free throw shooting team, connecting on 75.1 percent of its attempts so far this season, while getting to the line an average of 21.6 times per game. The Buckeyes have outscored their opponents by an average of seven points per game at the free throw, providing more than half of their scoring margin on the season. Nine Buckeyes, including Lavender who is hitting 74.1 percent (43-58) of her attempts, are shooting 70 percent or better at the line.

Perhaps the only weakness Ohio State has displayed is a negative-0.4 turnover margin, committing 18.1 turnovers per game. Ohio State committed 25 turnovers against North Carolina and 23 turnovers in an overtime loss at then-No. 20 Auburn on Nov. 23. OSU also committed 22 turnovers against Boston, 21 miscues in a home win over Syracuse and 20 more turnovers in a 34-point rout of Army.

Huskers Soar Past Golden Eagles, 70-51
Cory Montgomery produced her second double-double of the year with 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Nebraska unleashed a swarming defense to fly past Oral Roberts, 70-51, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Tuesday.

With the victory, Nebraska improved to 6-1 on the season, while the Golden Eagles slipped to 5-2 to snap their five-game winning streak.

Montgomery produced her fourth 20-point scoring effort of the season while matching a career-best with 11 rebounds, including a career-high eight offensive boards. The reigning Big 12 Player of the Week, Montgomery hit 6-of-15 shots from the field, including 1-of-2 three-pointers, while knocking down 7-of-8 free throws.

Junior guard Yvonne Turner and sophomore guard Dominique Kelley each added 12 points. Six other Huskers found the scoring column, including six points from sophomore guard Kaitlyn Burke and four points each from Tay Hester, Nicole Neals, Kala Kuhlmann and Catheryn Redmon, while Harleen Sidhu rounded out the NU scoring with a three-pointer. She also contributed six rebounds.

While Montgomery was leading the Huskers offensively, Nebraska’s stifling defense held ORU without a field goal for more than 10 minutes at the end of the first and start of the second half. NU led 18-15 after Janae Voelker hit a jumper for ORU with 6:45 left in the first half. But the Huskers outscored the Golden Eagles 10-2 the rest of the half, surrendering just a pair of Jordan Pyle free throws in four attempts to carry a 28-17 halftime lead.

The Huskers continued to surge at the start of the second half, opening with an 8-0 run to push their lead to 19 points at 36-17 with 16:40 left in the game, before Voelker finally hit another field goal to stop NU’s 18-2 spurt.

"I was happy with the way we executed our game plan," Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. "I thought our players did a great job of doing what we asked them to do heading into the game. This is going to be a real quality win for us at the end of the year because Oral Roberts is the kind of team that is going to win 20 games and get to the postseason at the end of the year."

ORU was never able to fully recover despite a huge second half from Mariana Camargo, who scored all of her career-high 19 points in the second half. Camargo, who added nine rebounds, pulled ORU within 14 at 44-30 with 11:46 left, before NU extended its lead to 25 points at 68-43 on a pair of Turner free throws with 3:27 left.

Voelker finished with her fourth straight double-double with 16 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, but outside of those two big guns no other Golden Eagle got off the ground on Tuesday night.

Voelker and Camargo combined to hit 15-of-29 shots from the field, while the rest of the Golden Eagles hit just 5-of-24 shots in the loss. ORU hit 37.7 percent (20-53) of its shots for the game, including 4-of-16 three-pointers. ORU also connected on 7-of-11 free throws.

Nebraska also struggled from the field, but the Huskers forced 25 ORU turnovers while committing just nine of their own for a plus-16 turnover margin on the night. The Golden Eagles outrebounded the Huskers, 45-38, but NU beat ORU on the offensive glass, 15-13, which resulted in a 16-6 edge in second-chance points.

The Huskers were able to pull away from the Golden Eagles despite hitting just 36.2 percent (25-69) of their field goal attempts and just 5-of-18 three-point tries. NU did connect on 15-of-19 free throw attempts (78.9 percent).

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.

Griffin missed Nebraska’s first seven games before the announcement and will redshirt this season. The 6-2 senior from Eagle River, Alaska, originally injured the ankle on Aug. 28, and has not practiced or played for the Huskers in 14 weeks. 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.

"Our No. 1 priority is to make sure Kelsey has a chance at a complete recovery so she can enter next season at 100 percent. She is still going to be a big part of our team this year by helping our younger post players develop. We hope to have her back out on the court after a complete recovery."

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

"Obviously, it is frustrating to miss a whole season with what I thought was just a sprained ankle when it first happened," Griffin said. "It just hasn’t gotten better over the past three months, so it is disappointing that I can’t be out there with my teammates. They have made some good adjustments and have played extremely hard to get to 6-1 this season. I hope to be back out there with them on the court as soon as possible."

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.

Big Red Barrage: Huskers Shooting Threes at Record Rate
Through seven 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 46-of-134 three-point attempts, connecting on 34.3 percent of their shots from long range. NU is averaging 6.6 made threes per game, while attempting 19.1 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 211 threes on 611 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 34.3 percent of its three-point shots through seven games this season. Despite going a combined 7-for-33 (21.2 percent) against Butler and New Mexico, the Huskers are averaging 6.6 made threes per game. NU is also attempting 19.1 three-point attempts per contest.

NU has hit 22-of-65 (33.8 percent) of its three-point attempts in three games at the Bob Devaney Sports Center and has been even better 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).

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 seven games of 2008-09, Nebraska is forcing an average of 19.9 turnovers per game and have forced three opponents (Oral Roberts, Denver and Southern Utah) into 25 turnovers each. Turner is again leading the way for NU with 19 steals, giving her 100 steals over her last 40 games (2.5 spg). She has at least one steal in every game for NU this season with four games of three or more steals.

Turner has 118 career steals and needs 70 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 Ohio State game averaging 6.0 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. She also ranks second on the team with 10 made three-pointers early in the season.

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.

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.

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 seven games this season. The 5-8 junior guard from Charter Oak, Iowa, is averaging 5.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Kuhlmann has scored in double figures in two of NU’s first seven 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-8 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. 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 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.

Huskers Earn Three Votes in USA Today/ESPN Top 25
Nebraska earned three votes in the third regular-season USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Dec. 2. The Huskers were one of eight Big 12 Conference schools to receive votes in the coaches poll, and it marked the third straight week NU received votes, including a season-high 11 votes on Nov. 25.

Texas A&M headlined a strong Big 12 South contingent, as the Aggies came in at No. 4. Texas and Oklahoma were not far behind, tying for sixth in the rankings, while No. 10 Baylor joined the quartet in the top 10.

Oklahoma State climbed one spot to No. 17, while Iowa State remained at No. 22. Kansas State joined the top 25 for the first time at No. 23, giving the Big 12 seven teams in the top 25.

Nebraska managed three votes to slip from No. 33 to No. 38 in the poll, but earned one more vote than No. 39 New Mexcio, which defeated the Huskers in Albuquerque on Nov. 29.

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 USA Today/ESPN poll. Oklahoma is ranked sixth in both polls, while Texas is tied for sixth in the coaches poll and ranked ninth by the AP. Baylor gives the Big 12 four top-10 teams with a No. 10 ranking in both polls.

A fifth Big 12 South squad, Oklahoma State, is ranked No. 17 by USA Today/ESPN and 19th by the AP, right next to this Saturday’s Husker opponent Ohio State, which is ranked 18th in both polls.

Nebraska’s Big 12 North rivals Iowa State and Kansas State were ranked 22nd and 23rd, respectively in this week’s coaches poll. The Huskers will face each of those teams twice during Big 12 play.

Arizona State, which will come to the Devaney Center on Dec. 28, rounds out the top 25 teams in both polls.

In addition to the 11 teams currently ranked in the top 25, four other Husker opponents 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 UTEP, New Mexico and Texas Tech have all received 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 327-114 (.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 63-18 (.778) at the Devaney Center, with no more than four losses in any season. Nebraska is 3-0 at the Devaney Center to open 2008-09 and carry an overall home winning streak of six games into Saturday’s contest with No. 18 Ohio State.