Huskers Return Home to Battle No. 8 Baylor

Nebraska Cornhuskers
(10-10, 1-6)
vs. #8 Baylor Lady Bears
(17-3, 5-2)

Bob Devaney Sports Center (13,595) 
Lincoln, Neb.
Wednesday, Feb. 4 ? 7:05 p.m.
Promotions: Pepsi Pack the House
($1 admission, $1 Pepsi products, 22 oz.)
? National Girls and Women in Sports Night
?"Hometown Husker" Yvonne Turner
Radio: Husker Sports Network
(98.1 KFGE Lincoln; 93.3 KTWI Omaha)
Live Internet Video: HuskersNside (premium subscribers)
Live Internet Audio: Huskers.com (Free)

The Nebraska women’s basketball team (10-10, 1-6) open a three-game stretch against Big 12 South opponents by taking on No. 8 Baylor (17-3, 5-2) on Wednesday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln.

A live radio broadcast will be available across the Husker Sports Network, with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action. Free live audio will be available on Huskers.com.

Tip-off between the Huskers and Lady Bears is set for 7:05 p.m., and features a special Pepsi Pack the House promotion, including $1 admission and $1 Pepsi products (22 oz.). The Huskers will also celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day with appearances by Husker female student-athletes across all sports, including a pregame autograph session by the Nebraska volleyball team.

The Huskers will also recognize junior Yvonne Turner as a "Hometown Husker" in pregame festivities. Turner, a 5-8 guard from Omaha, is NU’s second-leading scorer with 11.6 points points per game and will be making her 54th consecutive start on Wednesday night. Turner earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team a year ago, and ranks second in the league in steals this season.

Nebraska is coming off a 75-73 loss at Colorado on Saturday afternoon. CU’s Brittany Spears hit the game-winning shot with eight seconds left to finish with a game-high 25 points. Cory Montgomery led the Huskers with a career-high 24 points, while adding nine rebounds. The 6-2 forward from Cannon Falls, Minn., leads the Huskers in scoring and rebounding with 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Last week, she averaged 22.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in a pair of Big 12 North Division losses at Colorado and No. 14 Kansas State. She owns six 20-point efforts on the year and is averaging a team-best 14.6 points per game in Big 12 action.

Baylor also dropped a pair of games last week. The Lady Bears, who were ranked No. 4 last week, lost 56-51 to No. 2 Oklahoma in Waco, before suffering a 58-55 setback to No. 16 Texas at the Ferrell Center.

Short-Handed Huskers Taking Lumps Against Top Teams
Although Nebraska has dropped eight of its last 10 games, nine of those contests have come against 2008 postseason teams, including seven games against teams that advanced to last year’s NCAA Tournament. Three of the losses have come to AP Top 16 teams during that stretch, while a fourth came to an Iowa State team that was ranked 22nd in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll at game time.

The young Huskers had a third member of their 14-player roster undergo season-ending surgery last week. Layne Reeves, a freshman guard from Lubbock, Texas, had surgery to repair of torn meniscus on Friday, Jan. 23. Reeves joins two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin and junior center Nikki Bober on NU’s inactive list.

The Huskers have played their last three games without a senior starter in the lineup. Tay Hester, NU’s lone active senior, has come off the bench to average 8.7 points per game over the last three contests. The senior from Perris, Calif., has been nursing a hamstring injury suffered at LSU on Jan. 1.

Young Huskers Battling More Experienced Big 12 Foes
Nebraska’s projected starting lineup for Wednesday’s game with Baylor has combined for just 165 career starts. Baylor, which features one of the most experienced starting fives in the Big 12, sits at the other end of the spectrum.

The Lady Bears’ starting five have combined for 322 career starts entering Wednesday’s game. BU features a trio of three-year senior starters in Jessica Morrow, Rachel Allison and Jhasmin Player. That trio has combined for 253 career starts, led by Morrow’s 97. Nebraska has not had a senior in the starting lineup in the past four games.

Montgomery Producing in Big Way in First Season as Starter
In her first season as a starter, Cory Montgomery has been a force inside for the Huskers. The 6-2 junior forward from Cannon Falls, Minn., leads Nebraska in scoring and rebounding with 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. She earned the first Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honor of her career on Dec. 1.

Montgomery has produced double figures in five of NU’s last six games, including a career-high 24 points to go along with nine rebounds at Colorado on Jan. 31.

Her performance at CU, which includes 9-of-16 shooting from the field and a 2-for-3 showing from three-point range, capped the most productive week of her career. She averaged 22.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, following a 21-point, six-rebound effort at No. 14 Kansas State on Jan. 27.

In her three-year career, Montgomery owns eight 20-plus scoring performances, including six this season.

Montgomery, who scored 20 or more points in three straight games against Southern Utah, Denver and Butler, added her fourth 20-point effort of the season with 20 points and a career-high matching 11 rebounds in a win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 2. It was her second double-double of the season. She added her third double-double of the year and fourth of her career with 11 points and 10 rebounds at UTEP on Dec. 20.

Montgomery pumped in 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.

She had 18 points and six rebounds in NU’s win over Kansas on Jan. 21, and contributed 17 points and nine rebounds in a head-to-head battle with 2008 Big Ten Player of the Year Jantel Lavender in a 69-65 loss to No. 18 Ohio State on Dec. 6.

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).

Before producing 18 points against Kansas (Jan. 21), she had 15 points and eight boards at No. 16 Texas (Jan. 14). She added 10 points, seven rebounds and a career-high five steals at Missouri (Jan. 17). Montgomery has produced 13 double-figure scoring efforts so far this season.

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). She 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).

Turning It Up A Notch in Big 12 Play
Yvonne Turner has continued to increase her production as a junior, and is taking her game to another level during Big 12 action. The 5-8 guard is averaging 12.3 points per game through seven league games. She opened Big 12 play by hitting 13-of-28 (46.4 percent) of her three-point attempts, but has missed 16 straight attempts after suffering a minor shoulder injury in the second half against Iowa State. She had also hit 14-of-16 free throws but hit just 3-of-7 free throws at Colorado on Jan. 31.

She still leads the Huskers with 14 three-pointers through seven league contests and 36 overall on the year. Despite her shooting struggles (6-31) over the last two games, Turner still ranks second on the team in scoring overall and in league games. She has also increased her assist and steals numbers in conference action, averaging 2.9 assists and 2.9 steals in Big 12 play. At Colorado, she dished out a season-high seven assists, while matching her season best with four steals.

Turner trails only Texas A&M’s Danielle Gant overall and in Big 12 games in steals per game. Turner is averaging 2.5 steals per contest on the season. She had two or more steals in six of NU’s first seven league games, including four steals at Texas and Colorado.

Last season, the junior out of Omaha claimed a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive team by leading the conference in league games with 2.6 steals per contest. She also made a splash on the offensive end, averaging 9.8 points per game while ranking second in the league with her 39.3 three-point percentage during Big 12 action.

For the season, Turner ranks second on the team in scoring with 11.6 points per game, while adding 3.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and a team-leading 2.5 steals per contest. She had a season-high 21-point performance at No. 16 Texas, when she also matched her season-high with four steals. She hit 5-of-9 shots from the field, including 3-of-6 three-pointers to crack NU’s top-10 list in career threes. She was also a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw line against the Longhorns.

Turner added 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including a 3-for-6 effort from long range in NU’s win over Kansas (Jan. 21). She added 12 points in losses at Missouri (Jan. 17) and to Iowa State (Jan. 24), combining to go 6-for-13 from three-point range in those two contests.

Earlier this season, Turner earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the Holiday Inn & Suites Express Midtown Thanksgiving Tournament. 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 Ranking High Among Big 12 Leaders in League Play
Through the first seven games of Big 12 Conference action, Yvonne Turner is making a strong case for all-conference recognition as a junior. The 5-8 guard from Omaha ranks 16th in Big 12 games with 12.3 points per game, while ranking second in the Big 12 with 2.9 steals per contest.

Turner is tied for ninth in the league with 2.0 three-pointers made per game.

VT for Three
Yvonne Turner (nickname VT) leads the Huskers with 36 three-pointers through 20 games this year. Turner has hit 21-of-60 three-point attempts (35 percent) over the last 11 games, despite missing 16 consecutive long-range attempts heading into the Baylor game. Before her recent slump over the past 2 1/2 games, Turner had connected on 47.7 percent (21-44) of her attempts dating back to the Long Beach State game on Dec. 12.

With two three-pointers against Iowa State, Turner moved past All-Big 12 guard Nicole Kubik (1998-99) for fifth on the Huskers’ junior single-season three-point made list. Turner cracked NU’s career top 10 in three-pointers at Texas and moved into eighth against ISU on Saturday. Turner owns 80 career triples, and will move into a tie for seventh with Brooke Schwartz (1997-00) with her next made three-pointer.

No Denying Turner Can "D" It Up
While Yvonne Turner has been making waves with her increased offensive production over the past year, she is undeniably one of the best defensive players in the Big 12 Conference.

Last season, Turner earned one of five spots on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team by registering a league-leading 2.6 steals per game in conference action. Her 81 steals on the year ranked as the second-best total by a Husker sophomore in history, while ranking eighth overall on NU’s single-season steals list.

With 149 career steals, Turner is approaching Nebraska’s all-time top 10 on that list, needing 39 steals to catch three-time first-team All-Big 12 guard Kiera Hardy (2004-07) in 10th at 188.

This season, Turner owns at least one steal in all 20 games, including two or more steals in 16 contests. She has produced two or more steals in six of NU’s first seven Big 12 games, ranking second in the league with 20 steals (2.9 spg). She also ranks second overall with 50 steals through 20 games (2.5 spg), trailing Texas A&M’s Danielle Gant on both league charts. Turner ranks just outside of the top 50 players in the nation in steals per game in the most recent NCAA statistics.

Turner owns career highs of eight steals against Florida (Nov. 17) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Jan. 2) during the 2007-08 season. 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. She owns season bests of four steals against Colorado, Texas, Denver and Weber State this season.

Striving for Consistency
Yvonne Turner has provided a consistent presence defensively in the Nebraska backcourt for the past two seasons, starting 53 consecutive games and averaging 2.5 steals per game during that span. She has recorded at least one steal in 48 of those 53 games as a starter.

Offensively, Coach Connie Yori has been pushing Turner to provide a more consistent offensive presence for the Huskers with the absence of two-time All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin due to a season-ending ankle injury.

Turner is answering the call. Over NU’s last 15 games, Turner has scored no fewer than six points in any contest, averaging 12.5 points per game during that stretch.

Turner owns 25 career double-figure scoring efforts, including 13 in 20 games this season. She has produced double figures in 23 of NU’s last 40 games, after having just two in her first 41 contests.

She has scored 15 or more points five times this year, including three times in the last seven games. Prior to this season, she had scored 15 or more points just three times in 61 career games.

Turner produced a season-high 21 points on 3-of-6 shooting from three-point range with four steals at No. 16 Texas on Jan. 14. She scored 19 points with two three-pointers and a pair of steals in just 19 minutes in a win over Long Beach State on Dec. 12. She added 17 points on 3-of-6 shooting from long range with three steals in NU’s win over Kansas on Jan. 21.

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

Four of Turner’s career 15-plus-point games have come against top-25 opponents, and in five games this season against top-25 teams at game time, Turner has averaged 12.4 points per game.

She closed non-conference play with 15 points at LSU, after producing a team-best 13 points in NU’s win over No. 24 Arizona State. She scored 10 second-half points to help NU come back from a 16-point deficit against ASU.

Hometown Husker Kelley Stepping Up as Sophomore
Dominique Kelley has stepped up her game in every area early in her second season with the Huskers. The 5-7 sophomore guard out of Lincoln Northeast High School ranks third on the team in scoring with 10.1 points per game, while adding 3.2 rebounds per contest. Kelley also leads the Huskers with 2.9 assists per game and has added nearly one steal per contest. She is also shooting 80.0 percent at the free throw line.

Kelley was honored as a "Hometown Husker" during NU’s win over Kansas on Jan. 21. As part of the festivities, Kelley’s younger sister, Taneah, a freshman at the University of Nebraska, sang the national anthem during pregame ceremonies. Kelley, who has made 53 consecutive starts to open her career, is coming off a 16-point, four-assist effort at Colorado on Jan. 31. It was Kelley’s highest scoring performance of her career in a Big 12 game. Kelley also matched Yvonne Turner for team-high scoring honors with 12 points against Iowa State in Lincoln on Jan. 24. Kelley owns 11 double-figure scoring efforts this season.

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

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

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

Kelley owns 11 double-figure scoring efforts in 20 games this season, after managing double-digit point totals just seven times in 33 starts a year ago. Last season, Kelley set a school record by starting all 33 games as a true freshman. She finished the year averaging 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

Redmon Providing Solid Production as Starter
Sophomore Catheryn Redmon has provided a drastic change of direction for the Huskers inside over the last 10 games as a starter. The 6-3 center from Grand Prairie, Texas is averaging 7.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in the starting lineup. She has scored 101 points, pulled down 103 boards and blocked 30 shots in NU’s last 13 contests, after getting just 18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in NU’s first seven games. Ten of those games have come against 2008 posteason teams, including eight NCAA Tournament squads from a year ago.

In fact, Redmon’s totals from the last 13 games have far surpassed her totals from her first 23 career games, when she produced 57 points, 47 boards and 12 blocks.

Redmon produced arguably the best game of her career with 12 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high five blocked shots at Missouri (Jan. 17). It was her third double-double in the last 13 games. She just missed her fourth double-double, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds at Colorado on Jan. 31.

Just two days after two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin underwent season-ending ankle surgery (Dec. 4), Redmon made her first career start against 2008 Big Ten Player of the Year Jantel Lavender and No. 18 Ohio State. In the first half against the Buckeyes, Redmon outscored Lavender, 8-6, to help the Huskers to a 10-point halftime lead. The Buckeyes rallied for a late victory against NU, but Redmon posted the first double-figure scoring effort of her career. Three days later, Redmon earned her second career start and provided a memorable effort in a win over Cal State Bakersfield.

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

Redmon added her second straight double-digit rebounding effort with 10 boards to go along with six points, two blocks and a steal in NU’s run past Long Beach State. She added her second career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds at UTEP on Dec. 20, her third straight double-figure rebounding effort.

In NU’s win over No. 24 Arizona State on Dec. 28, Redmon scored 10 or her 12 points in the second half to help fuel the Huskers’ comeback from a 16-point first-half deficit. She added six rebounds and matched a career best with three blocks against ASU.

Redmon added solid numbers in her 2009 Big 12 debut against All-American Courtney Paris. Redmon scored eight points, grabbed nine rebounds and had three blocked shots going head-to-head with Paris.

Redmon Rips Down 15 Rebounds in Second Start
Sophomore Catheryn Redmon added her name to the Husker record book with a big rebounding effort in NU’s win over Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 9. The 6-3 center from Grand Prairie, Texas, became the first Husker to record 15 or more rebounds in a game since Keasha Cannon-Johnson pulled down 17 boards against Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 14, 2003. Redmon’s performance came six years to the day after another former Husker center from Texas - Amanda Cleveland - grabbed 15 rebounds in a win over Texas Southern on Dec. 9, 2002.

Redmon’s performance marked just the 69th time in 1,040 games that a Husker player has recorded 15 rebounds. Her mark is tied for the 41st-highest rebounding total in school history. It also marked just the ninth time this decade that a Husker has grabbed 15 or more boards in a game.

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

She owns five double-digit rebound totals in her 13 games as a starter.

Balanced Big Red Helps Huskers to Winning Ways
Nebraska has displayed balance through 20 games with nine players averaging 3.2 or more points per game, while nine Huskers have played in every game and averaged at least 9.6 minutes per contest. Overall, the Huskers had at least seven players score in 16 their first 20 games this season, putting just six players in the scoring column in losses at UTEP (Dec. 20), at No. 16 Texas (Jan. 14), and to Iowa State (Jan. 24). A season-low five players scored in NU’s loss at No. 14 Kansas State (Jan. 27).

Junior forward Cory Montgomery leads the Huskers in scoring and rebounding with 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, while junior Yvonne Turner has contributed 11.6 points and a team-best 2.5 steals per game. Sophomore Dominique Kelley has added 10.1 points and a team-best 2.9 assists per game.

Scouting The No. 8 Baylor Lady Bears
No. 8 Baylor comes to Lincoln after suffering back-to-back losses at home to top-16 Big 12 South Division opponents. The Lady Bears dropped a 56-51 thriller at the Ferrell Center to No. 2 Oklahoma early in the week, before dropping a 58-55 heartbreaker to in-state rival Texas in Waco on Sunday. Texas jumped out to an 11-0 lead to open the game, but Baylor battled back to take a seven-point lead midway through the second half. The Longhorns rallied and hit shots down the stretch to drop the Lady Bears to 17-3 overall and 5-2 in the league.

Baylor features one of the most experienced starting fives in the Big 12 with a trio of three-year senior starters in Rachel Allison, Jessica Morrow and Jhasmin Player. Allison, who earned first-team All-Big 12 honors as a forward a year ago, has made 86 career starts, but did not start in the loss to Texas on Sunday.

Allison ranks third on the team in scoring with 10.7 points per game and second in rebounding with 6.3 boards per contest on the year, but has had major struggles in Big 12 play. Allison’s averages in seven league contests have slipped to just 5.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, as she has shot just 26.4 percent from the field and 58.8 percent from the line. She is also 1-of-10 from three-point range in league play.

Allison did not start in the loss to Texas and managed just two points, four rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes off the bench, going 0-for-6 from the field and 2-for-6 at the line. Last season, Allison averaged 13.1 points per game on the year while ranking third in the Big 12 with 8.5 rebounds per game.

Morrow, an honorable-mention All-Big 12 pick in 2008, will be making her team-leading 98th career start on Wednesday. She ranks second on the team in scoring with 10.9 points per contest while leading BU with 26 three-pointers on the year. Morrow has increased her production to 13 points per game in league action.

Player, who also earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors a year ago despite suffering an ACL tear midway through the 2008 league season, has returned to the lineup to average 9.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Junior post player Danielle Wilson, a two-year starter, has stepped into the spotlight for the Lady Bears. Wilson ranks among Big 12 leaders with 15.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. She has also blocked 3.3 shots per game. She has hit 50 percent of her field goals, but 58.9 percent of her free throws. Although she is averaging a double-double in Big 12 play with 15 points and 10.6 boards per game, she has hit just 43 percent of her field goal attempts and just 56.8 percent of her free throws.

Sophomore guard Kelli Griffin rounds out Baylor’s starting five. Griffin, who has made 13 starts, has pitched in 6.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and a team-leading 3.5 assists per contest.

The Lady Bears bring two major contributors off the bench in Melissa Jones and Morghan Medlock. Jones, who started at times late in the 2008 season in place of Player, has started eight games as a sophomore and averaged 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game. She is shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from three-point range.

Medlock, a transfer from USC, has made three starts. The 6-1 forward is averaging 6.8 points and 4.8 boards per contest.

As a team, Baylor is averaging 72.6 points per game on the year, while surrendering just 55 points per game, but in Big 12 play the margin has narrowed. BU has managed just 64.6 points per game, while surrendering 57.6 points in league contests. The Lady Bears own a dominant plus-12.5 team rebounding margin overall, but that margin has dwindled to 5.8 boards per game in league play. BU is shooting just 38.2 percent from the field in league action.

Baylor has been solid from long range in league play, connecting on 34.6 percent of its three-point attempts while hitting 70.1 percent of its free throws. However, in the loss to Texas, BU was just 2-of-10 from long range and just 13-of-26 at the free throw line.

Nebraska vs. Baylor Series History
Baylor leads the all-time series with the Huskers, 8-5, but Nebraska has won the past two meetings with the Lady Bears in Lincoln. The Huskers, who have split the six all-time games with BU 3-3 at the Devaney Center, rolled to a 76-67 win in the last meeting in Lincoln on Feb. 3, 2007. That win followed on the heels of an epic 103-99 triple overtime victory over the No. 2 Lady Bears on Jan. 12, 2005.

While the two teams have split at the Devaney Center, Baylor has controlled the all-time series in Waco, posting a 5-1 mark. Last season, Baylor cruised to a 76-56 win on Jan. 26, which followed a 91-69 victory at the Ferrell Center on Feb. 8, 2006. Nebraska notched its lone win in Waco with an 82-71 victory on Feb. 19, 2000. After that loss, the Lady Bears reeled off a series-long four-game winning streak against NU before the Huskers’ triple-overtime thriller at the Devaney Center in 2005.

Huskers Fall in Final Seconds in Boulder
Cory Montgomery scored a career-high 24 points, but Colorado erased a 14-point first-half deficit to hang on for a 75-73 women’s basketball win at the Coors Events Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Huskers, who slipped to 10-10 on the season and 1-6 in the Big 12, owned a 42-28 lead with 1:19 left in the first half, but Colorado trimmed NU’s lead to eight points at the half. CU, who improved to 10-9 overall and 2-5 in the league, tied the score at 58 for the first time in the second half on Bianca Smith’s seventh three-pointer of the game with 11:56 left. Smith finished with 21 points.

Colorado took its largest lead of the game at three points at 72-69 with four minutes left on a basket from Brittany Spears. But Nebraska answered down the stretch, with a pair of free throws by Montgomery and a steal and an uncontested layup by Yvonne Turner with 1:15 left to give the Huskers a 73-72 lead.

Spears, who led the Buffs with a game-high 25 points, hit 1-of-2 free throws to tie the score at 73 with 50 seconds left. The Huskers then missed an opportunity to retake the lead before Spears hit the game’s final shot with 5.5 seconds left to give CU a 75-73 win.

In addition to the 24 points and nine rebounds from Montgomery, the Huskers got 16 points, including 14 in the first half, from Dominique Kelley. Catheryn Redmon added 12 points and nine rebounds, while Turner had nine points, a season-high seven assists, and four steals.

Early in the first half, the Huskers hit 6-of-7 three-pointers, including three from Kelley, to shoot out to a double-digit lead. But NU missed its final two three-point attempts in the half and then went 0-for-8 from long range in the second half.

For the game, Nebraska hit 26-of-62 shots (41.7 percent) from the field, including 35.3 percent (6-17) from long range. NU also hit 15-of-22 free throws to outscore the Buffs at the line. The Huskers were also an impressive plus-14 in turnover margin (26-12) for the game, committing just two second half turnovers.

The Buffs were on fire in the second half, hitting 59.3 percent (16-27) from the field, finishing the game at 55.1 percent (27-49). The Buffs hit 8-of-18 three-pointers, including a school-record tying 7-of-10 shooting from long range by Smith. CU outrebounded NU, 39-29, but the Huskers matched the Buffs with 10 offensive boards and outscored Colorado 8-6 on second-chance points.

Kara Richards finished with 14 points and six rebounds, while Kelly Jo Mullaney pitched in 10 points.

The Huskers hit 15-of-32 shots from the floor in the first half, while connecting on 6-of-9 free throws. Although the Huskers were outrebounded 18-16 by the Buffs in the opening, NU controlled the tempo, forcing 18 turnovers by CU, while committing 10 of its own. Nebraska scored 19 points off CU turnovers.

Colorado was led in the first half by Smith, who hit 5-of-6 three-pointers for 15 points. Spears added eight points, while Richards contributed seven points. CU hit 50 percent (11-22) of its shots from the field, including 5-of-10 three-pointers, while also hitting 7-of-11 first-half free throws.

Don’t Call It A Comeback
Nebraska has embraced a never-say-die attitude during Coach Connie Yori’s seven seasons in Lincoln. The Huskers’ comeback from a 16-point first-half deficit against Arizona State was NU’s second-biggest comeback under Yori, trailing only a 19-point second-half deficit at San Diego on Dec. 28, 2002.

NU’s win over the No. 24 Sun Devils marked the eighth time the Huskers have battled back from a double-digit deficit under Yori, including the sixth time Nebraska was able to overcome a double-digit second-half deficit.

Huskers Have Success Against Top 25 Foes
Nebraska has made a habit of knocking off top-25 opponents during Coach Connie Yori’s seven seasons at the helm. In fact, the Huskers’ most recent win over No. 24 Arizona State marked the 11th victory over a ranked foe during Yori’s tenure.

Included in those victories is a 103-99 triple overtime win over No. 2 and eventual national champion Baylor on Jan. 12, 2005, which marks the highest ranked team Nebraska has ever defeated.

The Huskers also posted an 18-point win over No. 9 Kansas State in 2004, and a 29-point win over No. 14 Iowa State in 2005 - NU’s largest victory margin in history over a top-25 foe. Nebraska’s 56-45 win over No. 15 Texas last season at the Devaney Center also marked the lowest point total ever allowed by the Huskers against a ranked opponent.

Before Yori’s arrival at Nebraska in 2002-03, the Huskers had not defeated a top-10 team since a 73-67 win over No. 9 Iowa on Dec. 8, 1996, and had never beaten a top-five opponent.

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

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

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

Griffin 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 Catheryn Redmon, along with top reserve sophomore Kaitlyn Burke.

Bober Lost for Season After Dec. 30 ACL Tear
Nebraska’s inside game suffered a second major hit in December when junior Nikki Bober tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during practice on Dec. 30. Bober missed Nebraska’s game against LSU on Jan. 1, and underwent season-ending surgery on her knee on Jan. 2. Bober is expected to rejoin the Huskers’ inside game as a senior along with Kelsey Griffin and Cory Montgomery next season.

Bober, a 6-4 center from Murdock, Neb., appeared in NU’s first 12 games this season, making her first career start against Southern Utah. She averaged 1.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game in 11.2 minutes per contest. Although Bober’s numbers don’t jump off the page, she was expected to make greater contributions against the larger post players in the Big 12 Conference.

In the last game before her injury, Bober played a career-high 25 minutes and was a major player in Nebraska’s dramatic come-from-behind win over No. 24 Arizona State on Dec. 28. Bober blocked a career-high four shots and pulled down five rebounds to go along with two points and an assist against the Sun Devils.

Last season, Bober appeared in all 16 Big 12 Conference contests, averaging 1.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. Bober’s loss leaves the Huskers with only four active players taller than 6-0 on their roster, including Cory Montgomery (6-2), Catheryn Redmon (6-3) and Jessica Periago (6-4) and freshman Harleen Sidhu (6-1).

Burke Finding Shooting Touch After Suffering Broken Finger
Kaitlyn Burke has provided the Huskers with regular contributions at both ends of the court as a sophomore. The 5-7 guard from North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada enters the Baylor game averaging 4.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. She is also tied for second on the team with 17 made three-pointers.

Burke erupted for a season-high 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting at Missouri on Jan. 17. It was her third double-figure scoring effort of the year, and her second in the last seven games. She poured in 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field in NU’s win over No. 24 Arizona State on Dec. 28. Burke hit 2-of-3 three-pointers and hit her first two free throws of the season, while matching her career high with three steals. She added seven points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field to go along with two rebounds, two assists and a steal at LSU, before contributing eight points and two assists against No. 4 Oklahoma.

She produced a career-high eight assists without a turnover coming off the bench in Nebraska’s win over Long Beach State on Dec. 12. She owns NU’s best assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.0-to-1 (36-to-18).

Burke opened the year with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from three-point range in a win over Weber State on Nov. 14, and added six points on 2-of-4 shooting from three-point range in a win at Creighton. She suffered a broken finger on her shooting hand in the opening minutes of NU’s win over Southern Utah on Nov. 22. She still started Nebraska’s first eight games, but came off the bench in each of the next eight contests before drawing four straight starts against Kansas (Jan. 21), Iowa State (Jan. 24), Kansas State (Jan. 27) and Colorado (Jan. 31).

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

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

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

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

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).

Nebraska made it 10 games with 10 or more threes in history by connecting on 10-of-22 three-point attempts in a loss at LSU on Jan. 1.

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 20 games of 2008-09, Nebraska is forcing an average of 18.6 turnovers per game and has forced four opponents (Colorado, Oral Roberts, Denver and Southern Utah) into 25 or more turnovers, including a season-high 26 by Colorado on Jan. 31. Turner is again leading the way for NU with 50 steals, giving her 131 steals in her 53 career games as a starter (2.5 spg). She has at least one steal in every game for NU this season with 10 games of three or more steals.

Turner has 149 career steals and needs 39 more to crack Nebraska’s all-time top 10 in that category.

Kuhlmann Providing the Huskers with Pop Off the Bench
Kala Kuhlmann has been one of Nebraska’s top guards off the bench this season. The 5-8 junior guard from Charter Oak, Iowa, is averaging 3.5 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

Kuhlmann has scored in double figures three times this season, including a career-high 13 points in the season-opening win over Weber State. She added 12 points, including 10 in the first half, in the Huskers’ run past Long Beach State on Dec. 12. She pitched in 11 points in a win at Denver on Nov. 24. Entering the season, Kuhlmann had produced double figures just once in her first 57 career games.

She also provided a solid effort at No. 16 Texas on Jan. 14 with five points while tying her career high with five assists. Kuhlmann has hit 7-of-20 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.

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 nine regular-season games against current top-25 teams. Big 12 foe Oklahoma is the highest ranked Husker foe, coming in at No. 2 in the Feb. 2 AP Poll. No. 8 Baylor comes to Lincoln on Feb. 4, before the Huskers travel to No. 10 Texas A&M on Feb. 8. The Huskers have Big 12 North Division battles against No. 18 Kansas State on Tuesday (Jan. 27, Feb. 25). NU lost at current No. 16 Texas on Jan. 14, and suffered a setback to current No. 21 Iowa State on Saturday, Jan. 24. The Huskers also head to Ames to take on the Cyclones on Feb. 18.

Outside of conference action, the Huskers dropped a narrow 69-65 decision to current No. 14 Ohio State (Dec. 6), before notching a 62-58 win over then-No. 24 Arizona State at the Devaney Center on Dec. 28.

In addition to the seven Husker opponents currently ranked in the AP Top 25, Arizona State, New Mexico and LSU have all been ranked in the poll at least one week during the season, and Oklahoma State had been in each of the top 25 rankings until the Jan. 26 poll. UTEP and Texas Tech have also received votes in the poll during the course of the season.

NU Earned Votes in USA Today/ESPN Poll For Five Straight Weeks
Nebraska received votes in five regular-season USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 polls this season, most recently earning four votes on Dec. 16. The Huskers are one of eight Big 12 Conference schools that have received votes in the coaches poll this season, joining Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Texas Tech.

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.

NU Showed North Division Dominance over Last Three Years
Nebraska completed 2007-08 season sweeps of Missouri, Colorado and Iowa State, with a 55-45 win over the Cyclones in Lincoln to close the 2008 regular season on March 5. The Huskers finished with a 7-3 regular-season mark against the North to push its record against divisional foes to 22-8 over the last three years - the best mark by any school.

NU was just seven points shy of going a perfect 10-0 against the North in 2008, losing on the road to Kansas, 62-61, at home to Kansas State, 77-75, and at KSU, 69-65. In the loss at KU, Danielle McCray hit a free throw with 1.4 seconds left to claim the win. In the home loss to K-State, Nebraska had two shots inside six feet to tie the game in the final five seconds, and at Manhattan the Huskers had a shot on the left block with 10 seconds left that would have tied the game.

Kansas State, which posted a 9-1 mark against North Division foes in 2007-08, is 17-13 over the past three seasons against divisional foes. Iowa State is also 17-13 over the last three campaigns, including a 5-5 mark in 2007-08 (Does not included 2008-09 Big 12 action).

Early in 2008-09, Nebraska is 1-4 against the North, including a nine-point home win over Kansas (67-58) at the Devaney Center on Jan. 21. The Huskers suffered a one-point road loss at Missouri (67-66) on Jan. 17, and a two-point road loss at Colorado (75-73) on Jan. 31. NU dropped a 62-48 decision to Iowa State in Lincoln on Jan. 24, before falling 51-40 at No. 14 Kansas State on Jan. 27.

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.

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 featured 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 knocked off perennial Pac-10 power No. 24 Arizona State, 62-58, 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 also traveled 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 Dec. 28 was 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 was defending national champion Tennessee’s showdown at Texas on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Nebraska’s second appearance on FSN came on Saturday, Jan. 24, when the Huskers took on Iowa State at the Devaney Center. FSN also followed the Huskers to Boulder when they clashed with Colorado at the Coors Events Center on Saturday, Jan. 31.

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 debuted on Fox Sports Midwest on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they traveled to Columbia to take on the Missouri Tigers.

The Huskers appeared on Fox Sports Midwest on Tuesday, Jan. 27, when they took on No. 14 Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan. 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 also played on Fox Sports Southwest during its road game at Texas on Jan. 14.

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
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 Trip to Kansas
The Fastbreakers have planned two bus trips to Nebraska women’s basketball road games during the 2008-09 season. The Fastbreakers traveled to Colorado (Jan. 31), and will also follow the Huskers to Kansas (Feb. 28). The cost of the 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 Trip to Kansas 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 331-117 (.739) in games played in the arena, including 121-76 (.614) 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 67-21 (.761) at the Devaney Center, with no more than four losses in any season. Nebraska is 7-3 at the Devaney Center in 2008-09 with its only losses to top-25 foes Oklahoma, Ohio State and Iowa State.

Huskers Average More Than 5,000 Per Game in Big 12 Play
Nebraska drew its largest crowd of 2007-08 with 6,756 fan watching the Huskers take on Oklahoma State during ESPN2’s "February Frenzy" on Feb. 10. During Big 12 Conference play, the Huskers attracted four crowds of more than 5,000 in eight home games, averaging 5,059 fans per game during the league season.

Overall, the Huskers averaged 3,705 fans per game in 16 home contests, drawing nearly 60,000 fans to the Devaney Center in its 16 home games in 2007-08.

In 2006-07, Nebraska averaged 4,110 fans per game, after averaging 3,201 fans in 2005-06.