Huskers to Honor Hester on Senior Night

Nebraska Cornhuskers
(13-14, 4-10)
vs. Colorado Buffaloes
(11-15, 3-11)

Devaney Center (13,595) ? Lincoln, Neb.
Tuesday, March 3 ? 7:05 p.m. (Senior Night)

Radio: Husker Sports Network
(98.1 KFGE Lincoln; 93.3 KTWI Omaha)
Live Internet Video: Huskers.com (Free)
Live Internet Audio: Huskers.com (Free)

The Nebraska women’s basketball basketball team will shoot for its third consecutive home victory to close the 2008-09 regular-season home slate, when the Huskers (13-14, 4-10) take on Colorado (11-15, 3-11) in Lincoln on Tuesday night.

Tip-off with the Buffaloes at the Devaney Center is set for 7:05 p.m. with free live audio and video streams available on Huskers.com. Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will call the action for the live radio broadcast on the Husker Sports Network.

Nebraska’s lone active senior, Tay Hester, will be honored in pregame ceremonies on Senior Night. Hester, a 5-10 guard from Moreno Valley, Calif., is concluding her second year in the Husker program after transferring to NU from Mount San Antonio Community College in Calif. The graduate of Perris High School began her collegiate career at UTEP in 2005-06. Hester is averaging 6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for the Huskers this season, but averaged 10 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per contest in Nebraska’s last two home wins over Missouri (Feb. 21) and No. 20 Kansas State (Feb. 25).

The Huskers will also honor senior manager Jake Brestel. The Lincoln High graduate has been an important member of Nebraska’s support unit for the past two seasons.

Nebraska will be trying to avenge a 75-73 loss at Colorado on Jan. 31. In that game, CU star Brittany Spears hit a jumper in the final seconds to lift the Buffaloes to victory, snapping a seven-game losing streak in the series with the Huskers. Spears, who is averaging 18.2 points and 7.9 rebounds on the year, finished with a game-high 25 points to go along with nine rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Nebraska’s Cory Montgomery, who answered with 24 points and nine rebounds in the first meeting, continues to lead the Huskers with 14.5 points and 7.6 boards per game. Montgomery is coming off back-to-back 20-point efforts after producing 20 points and nine boards at Kansas. She had 21 points and eight rebounds in Nebraska’s last home game, a 52-47 victory over No. 20 Kansas State on Feb. 25.

Young Huskers Battling More Experienced Big 12 Foes
Nebraska’s projected starting lineup for Tuesday’s game against Colorado has combined for just 190 career starts, while CU’s regular starting five has made 237 career starts. Nebraska is the only team in the league that features a starting five with fewer than 200 career starts combined. Colorado is one of the most inexperienced teams in the league, but its starting five has still combined to start nearly 50 more games than the Huskers.

Kansas State, which Nebraska defeated 52-47 on Feb. 25, is the Big 12’s most experienced team with a combined 421 starts. All five of KSU’s regulars are at least two-year starters with 50 or more career starts.

Nebraska has not had a senior in the starting lineup in the past 11 games. NU’s two most experienced starters are junior guard Yvonne Turner and sophomore guard Dominique Kelley who have joined each other in the Huskers’ starting five for each of the past 60 games. Cory Montgomery, Catheryn Redmon and Kaitlyn Burke are all first-year starters in the Nebraska lineup.

Big 12 Starting Fives
1. Kansas State (421) - Lehning (117), Gipson (109), Sweat (79), Zanotti (65), Kincaid (51)
2. Iowa State (388) - Ezell (107), Wieben (97), Lacey (80), Nisleit (58), Bolte (46)
3. Texas A&M (361) - Starks (121), Micheaux (118), Gant (82), Colson (26), Elonu (14)
4. Oklahoma (354) - C. Paris (127), A. Paris (74), Thompson (69), Robinson (58), Hand (26)
5. Baylor (352) - Morrow (104), Allison (90), Player (77), Wilson (55), Griffin (26)
6. Texas (A - 345) - Raven (88), Williams (84), Cortijo (81), Lindsey (65), Nash (27)
                (B - 212) - Raven (88), Cortijo (81), Nash (27), Fontenette (9), Gayle (7)
7. Oklahoma State (319) - Smith (110), Riley (92), Hardeman (76), Cunningham (26), Byford (15)
8. Kansas (280) - Catic (79), Morris (73), McCray (62), Boogaard (41), Smith (25)
9. Missouri (247) - Hollins (87), Jones (54), Johnson (46), Richbow (36), Scott (24)
10. Colorado (237) - Richards (83), Spears (63), Smith (54), Fressle (25), Mullaney (12)
11. Texas Tech (235) - Murphree (74), Seals (59), Moore (47), Roberson (34), Mallard (21)
12. Nebraska (190) - Kelley (60), Turner (60), Montgomery (31), Redmon (20), Burke (19)

Short-Handed Huskers Fighting Hard Against Top Teams
Although Nebraska is 5-12 over its last 17 games, 15 of those contests have come against 2008 postseason teams, including 11 games against teams that advanced to last year’s NCAA Tournament. Seven of the losses have come to current Associated Press Top 25 teams, while the Huskers also own a pair of wins over top-25 opponents during the stretch with victories over No. 20 Kansas State and No. 24 Arizona State.

The young Huskers had a third member of their 14-player roster undergo season-ending surgery six weeks ago. Layne Reeves, a freshman guard from Lubbock, Texas, had surgery to repair a 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 11 games without a senior starter in the lineup. Tay Hester, NU’s lone active senior, has come off the bench over the last 11 contests.

Huskers Gaining Ground in RPI, Strength of Schedule
While Nebraska’s 13-14 overall record may not appear glossy, the Huskers’ road during the 2008-09 season has been more than a little bumpy. The Huskers’ Strength of Schedule ranked No. 13 nationally according to the CollegeRPI.com ratings as of March 2.

NU enters the Colorado game as the No. 62 RPI team in the country, while Colorado enters the game as RPI No. 113 with a No. 51 strength of schedule.

The Huskers close the season at current RPI No. 54 Oklahoma State to end the regular season on March 7. The Cowgirls are No. 22 nationally in strength of schedule.

The Big 12 Conference is far and away the best league in the nation according to the RPI. Despite three losses, Oklahoma still owns the nation’s No. 1 RPI, ahead of unbeaten UConn. Texas A&M is No. 6 and Baylor is No. 7. Texas (14), Iowa State (16) and Kansas State (25) join the Big 12 ranks in the top 25, while Texas Tech (40), Oklahoma State (54), Kansas (58) and Nebraska (62) give the Big 12 10 teams in the RPI Top 64. Missouri (87) and Colorado (113) round out the Big 12 contingent among the 341 NCAA Division I RPI teams.

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 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, including 15.5 points and 7.4 boards in Big 12 action. During a five-game stretch from Jan. 27 (Kansas State) to Feb. 14 (Texas Tech) Montgomery increased her production to 19.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per contest.

Montgomery has produced double figures in 11 of NU’s last 13 games, including five 20-plus point performances. She is coming off a 20-point, nine-rebound night at Kansas, which followed a 21-point, eight-rebound effort in the win over No. 20 Kansas State on Feb. 25. She also scored 21 points in the first meeting with the Wildcats on Jan. 27. She notched a career high with 24 points, while adding nine boards at Colorado on Jan. 31. She added 22 points and a career-best 14 rebounds against No. 8 Baylor (Feb. 4), while playing a career-high 38 minutes. She owns 20 double-figure scoring efforts this season.

Overall, Montgomery owns 11 career 20-point efforts, including nine this season (Butler, 22; Southern Utah, 21; Denver, 21; Oral Roberts, 20, in non-conference action).

Montgomery also owns six career double-doubles with five of those coming this season. She had her most recent double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds in NU’s win over Texas Tech on Feb. 14. She also posted double-doubles against Baylor (22-14), UTEP (11-10), Oral Roberts (20-11) and Butler (22-11) this season.

Montgomery earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the New Mexico Thanksgiving Classic after notching her first double-double of the year with 22 points and 11 boards in a win over Butler. She added 17 points and eight rebounds in a loss to New Mexico in the championship game.

In Nebraska’s first win over Kansas, Montgomery had 18 points and six rebounds on Jan. 21. She contributed 17 points and nine boards in a head-to-head battle with 2008 Big Ten Player of the Year Jantel Lavender in a 69-65 loss to No. 18 Ohio State on Dec. 6. Montgomery had 15 points and eight boards at No. 16 Texas (Jan. 14).

Although 2008-09 marks her first year as a full-time starter, Montgomery is one of the most experienced 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 her first career double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds in a 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 11.4 points per game through 14 league games. She opened Big 12 play by hitting 13-of-28 (46.4 percent) of her three-point attempts, but missed 19 straight attempts after suffering a minor shoulder injury in the second half against Iowa State. She bounced back in the second half against No. 8 Baylor, knocking down three straight three-pointers to lead a furious comeback.

She still leads the Huskers with 27 three-pointers through 14 league contests and 50 overall on the year. Her 50 threes are the second-highest total by a junior in Husker history, trailing only three-time All-Big 12 pick Kiera Hardy’s 81 in 2005-06.

Turner is averaging 2.1 steals per contest on the season to rank among the top players in the Big 12. She has two or more steals in eight of NU’s 14 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 11.3 points per game, while adding 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and a team-leading 2.1 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 line against UT.

She produced a 17-point effort against No. 8 Baylor (Feb. 4), when she hit three three-pointers and went 6-for-6 at the free throw line. 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 scored 13 points on 3-of-9 three-point shooting in a win over No. 20 Kansas State (Feb. 25), after contributing 13 points on 3-of-6 shooting from long range in a win over Missouri (Feb. 21). She had 12 points in a win over Texas Tech (Feb. 14). She also had a dozen in losses at Missouri (Jan. 17) and to Iowa State (Jan. 24), combining to go 8-for-18 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.

Take Cover When the Big Cat Roars
Sophomore center Catheryn Redmon produced one of the top single-game block efforts in school history with a career-high seven rejections in the win over No. 20 Kansas State on Feb. 25. Redmon’s total tied for the second-best mark in school history, trailing only Danielle Page’s nine blocks against Baylor on Feb. 3, 2007.

Redmon has increased her season total to 53 blocked shots, which ranks second on Nebraska’s sophomore single-season list. She trails only school career record holder Janet Smith on the sophomore list. Smith notched 69 blocks in 1979-80, which stood as NU’s overall single-season record until Page notched 78 blocks last season.

Redmon is just the fifth player in Nebraska history to record 50 or more blocks in a season, and her 53 blocks rank eighth on NU’s season block chart. She needs just one more rejection to climb into a tie for sixth and with eight more blocks she could move up to third on the single-season chart. A vast majority of Redmon’s blocks have come against premier Big 12 competition. In fact, in NU’s first seven games this season, Redmon played a total of just 56 minutes against non-conference competition, recording just three blocks.

In Big 12 play, Redmon ranks third with 2.7 blocks per game, trailing only All-American Courtney Paris from Oklahoma and Baylor’s Danielle Wilson. Redmon is just two total blocks behind Paris and four behind Wilson through 14 Big 12 games.

Over the last five games, Redmon owns 16 blocks (3.2 bpg). With 62 career blocked shots, Redmon needs just one more to move into Nebraska’s career top 10, joining 1993 National Player of the Year Karen Jennings and Pyra Aarden. She needs six more blocks to catch two-time All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin in eighth on the NU career chart.

VT for Three
Yvonne Turner (nickname VT) leads the Huskers with 50 three-pointers through 27 games this year. Turner has hit 35-of-99 three-point attempts (35.4 percent) over the last 18 games, despite missing 19 consecutive long-range attempts from the second half of the Iowa State game to the second half of the Baylor game. Before the three-game slump, Turner had connected on 47.7 percent (21-44) of her attempts dating back to the Long Beach State game on Dec. 12. After missing her first three attempts against No. 8 Baylor, she knocked down three straight three-pointers in the second half against the Lady Bears. The past five games, Turner has hit 11-of-28 three-point attempts (39.3 percent).

With a trio of three-pointers in the win over No. 20 Kansas State, Turner moved into second on the Huskers’ junior single-season three-point made list, trailing only three-time All-Big 12 selection Kiera Hardy’s 81 in 2005-06. Turner cracked NU’s career top 10 in three-pointers at Texas and currently sits in seventh with 94 career triples. She needs two more threes to catch Amanda Went (1998-01) for sixth on the Husker career chart.

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 156 career steals, Turner is approaching Nebraska’s all-time top 10 on that list, needing 32 steals to catch three-time first-team All-Big 12 guard Kiera Hardy (2004-07) in 10th at 188.

This season, Turner produced a steal in each of the first 23 games before going without a theft at Iowa State and against Missouri. She has had two or more steals in 18 contests. She has produced two or more steals in eight of NU’s first 14 Big 12 games. She is tied for fourth overall in the league with 2.1 steals per game. 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 60 consecutive games and averaging 2.3 steals per game during that span. She has recorded at least one steal in 53 of those 60 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 owns 29 career double-figure scoring efforts, including 17 in 27 games this season. She has produced double figures in 27 of NU’s last 47 games, after having just two in her first 41 contests.

She has scored 15 or more points six times this year, including four times in the last 14 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. She also produced 17 points and a pair of steals against No. 8 Baylor on Feb. 4.

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.

Five of Turner’s career 15-plus-point games have come against top-25 opponents, and in nine games this season against AP Top-25 teams at game time, Turner has averaged 11.8 points per game.

She closed non-conference play with 15 points at LSU, after producing a team-best 13 points in a win over No. 24 Arizona State. She scored 10 second-half points to help NU rally from 16 points down. In NU’s wins over No. 20 Kansas State and Missouri, she contributed 13 points, while adding 12 points in a Husker win over Texas Tech.

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 9.8 points per game, while adding 3.4 rebounds per contest. Kelley also leads the Huskers with 2.4 assists per game and has added nearly one steal per contest. She is also shooting 81.3 percent at the free throw line.

Kelley produced a strong 16-point, six-rebound effort in NU’s win over Missouri on Feb. 21, just a week after going for 15 points and five rebounds in a win over Texas Tech (Feb. 14). She also added three assists and a career-high three steals in a career-high 35 minutes against the Lady Raiders.

She 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 60 consecutive starts to open her career, had 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, which she matched in a win over Mizzou (Feb. 21). Kelley also matched Yvonne Turner for team-high scoring honors with 12 points against Iowa State in Lincoln on Jan. 24. Kelley owns 14 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.

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 14 double-figure scoring efforts in 27 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 center Catheryn Redmon has started 20 straight games and averaged 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in the lineup. She has scored 143 points, pulled down 134 boards and blocked 50 shots in her 20 starts, after getting just 18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in NU’s first seven games. Sixteen of Redmon’s starts have come against 2008 posteason teams, including 12 NCAA Tournament squads from a year ago.

Redmon is also making a name for herself as one of the best shot-blockers in NU history. With 53 blocks already this season, Redmon owns the second-best total by a sophomore in school history. She is one of only five players in Husker history with 50 or more blocks in a season, and she has produced a vast majority of those blocks in Big 12 play. Redmon needs 16 blocks to catch NU all-time block leader Janet Smith on the sophomore list.

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), for her third career double-double. 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 three blocked shots and two steals. She 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 1,047 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 19 games as a starter.

Scouting The Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado heads into Tuesday’s matchup with Nebraska at 11-15 overall and 3-11 in Big 12 play. The Buffaloes have dropped three straight games, all by double figures at Kansas State, Iowa State, and to Missouri in Boulder, dating back to a 69-62 win over Kansas on Feb. 18.

The win over the Jayhawks is CU’s lone win since knocking off Nebraska, 75-73, in Boulder on Jan. 31. The Buffs own an 8-7 record at the Coors Events Center this season, but are just 2-8 in true road games, although they did manage a 61-56 victory at Missouri for their first league win.

Sophomore Brittany Spears has been the leader for the Buffs throughout the season, ranking among the Big 12’s best with 18.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. She also leads CU with 49 steals and 28 blocked shots, while ranking second on the team with 44 assists.

Kara Richards, the Buffaloes’ lone senior starter, has enjoyed a resurgence by averaging 12.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, including 12.3 points and 8.7 boards in Big 12 action. CU’s only experienced post player, Richards started 26 games as a freshman and averaged 9.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. She added 23 starts as a sophomore, while her production dipped to 7.0 points and 4.7 boards per game. As a junior, Richards averaged just 9.3 minutes, 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest. Richards is shooting a strong 57.3 percent from the field this season.

Junior guard Bianca Smith has joined Spears and Richards in the starting lineup for all 26 games this season. Smith has averaged 9.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest, while leading CU with 63 made three-pointers. In the first meeting with Nebraska, Smith knocked down 7-of-10 three-point attempts. However, in CU’s loss to Missouri on Saturday, Smith suffered a possible concussion and her status for Tuesday’s game may be in question.

True freshman Alyssa Fressle has shored up Colorado’s backcourt by averaging 7.7 points and a team-leading 3.5 assists per game. However, Fressle’s production has slipped to just 6.4 points and 2.8 assists in Big 12 play. She has played a major role in replacing junior point guard Whitney Houston in the Buff lineup. Houston suffered a torn ACL in the preseason and was lost for the year.

Sophomore guard Kelly Jo Mullaney rounds out CU’s probable starting five with 5.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Mullaney played a big role in Colorado’s comeback win over the Huskers in Boulder, scoring six of her 10 points in the second half.

Colorado has lacked post depth throughout the season behind Richards, with only 6-4 sophomore Courtney Dunn (1.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg) and 6-3 freshman Julie Seabrook (2.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg) providing help inside. Seabrook is from the same hometown (North Vancouver, B.C.) as Nebraska guard Kaitlyn Burke, and both players spent a season (not together) with Canada’s National Elite Development Academy.

As a team, the Buffs have struggled offensively, averaging just 61.0 points per game on the year, including 55.5 points per game in conference play. CU is shooting 40 percent from the field and 67 percent at the free throw line in Big 12 action, although the Buffs have hit 34.7 percent (77-222) of their three-point attempts. CU also owns a minus-6.9 team rebounding margin in the conference. CU has also struggled with a negative-3.6 team turnover margin in Big 12 play.

Nebraska vs. Colorado Series History
Colorado leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 39-25, but the Huskers have been making some major headway over the past four seasons. Nebraska owns a 7-1 advantage against the Buffs over the last eight games, after CU snapped a seven-game Husker winning streak with a 75-73 win in Boulder on Jan. 31. The Buffs pulled out the win as Brittany Spears hit the game-winning jumper in the closing seconds.

Nebraska owns a four-game winning streak against the Buffs in Lincoln, including a 63-55 win last season. The Huskers have not lost to CU at the Devaney Center since a 63-60 decision on March 3, 2004.

Nebraska has controlled its homecourt with a 16-11 series edge at the Devaney Center, including a 63-55 win in Lincoln on March 8, 2008.

Last season in Lincoln, Kelsey Griffin played a major role by notching her sixth double-double of the year with 26 points and 10 rebounds to go along with three blocks, two steals and two assists. Griffin, who is 7-0 in her career against Colorado, dominated last season’s matchups with honorable-mention All-American and All-Big 12 Buff Jackie McFarland. In the two head-to-head meetings last season, Griffin outscored McFarland 51-14, including a 25-1 edge in Boulder.

Huskers Fall at Kansas
Cory Montgomery produced her fifth 20-point effort of the Big 12 season with 20 points and nine rebounds but it wasn’t enough as Nebraska dropped a 70-57 decision to Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday night.

Montgomery, a junior forward from Cannon Falls, Minn., hit 8-of-14 shots from the field including 3-of-4 three-pointers, helping Nebraska rally from a 15-2 deficit to open the game for a 31-28 halftime lead. Nebraska continued to play the Jayhawks tough on the road, as Nicole Neals hit a layup to tie the game at 37 with 14:14 left. Neals finished with five points and a game-high five assists off the bench for NU.

But KU took control of the game with an 18-2 run over the next six minutes to claim its biggest lead of the night at 55-39 with just over eight minutes left. The Huskers, who then lost Catheryn Redmon and Tay Hester to fouls, were unable to overcome the Jayhawk surge after pulling within 11 points on a Montgomery three with 7:28 left.

Dominique Kelley added 12 points for NU, while Redmon finished with 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting to go along with four rebounds and two blocks. Jessica Periago added a career-high six rebounds in 17 minutes in the game. Danielle McCray led KU with 18 points, while Sade Morris added 15 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the free throw line. Senior point guard Ivana Catic, who entered the game with 14 points in the first 13 Big 12 games, finished with 10 points, two assists and two steals to help the Jayhawks.

Freshman forward Aishah Sutherland also gave KU a big second-half lift with 12 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 18 second-half minutes. Sutherland had not seen any action in the first three halves of the season against the Huskers.

Kansas opened the game on fire, jumping to a 15-2 lead by hitting seven of its first nine shots from the field, including a pair of three-pointers from Nicollette Smith. But the Huskers responded to outscore KU 13-5 over the next four minutes to trim the Kansas lead to 17-12 with 11:18 left in the half. Nebraska was hindered by early foul trouble for Hester and Yvonne Turner, who both went to the bench with two fouls before the second media timeout.

But the rest of the Huskers responded in a huge way. Montgomery hit 4-of-5 first-half shots including a pair of three-pointers to finish with 11 points and five boards in the opening 20 minutes. Redmon added six points on 3-of-3 shooting with two rebounds and two blocks, while Kelley added six more points on 3-of-4 shooting.

After opening the game just 2-of-7 from the field, the Huskers caught fire to hit 11 of their last 18 shots to finish at 52 percent. NU and KU both hit 3-of-9 three-pointers, while Nebraska hit 2-of-4 free throws. KU hit seven of its first nine shots in the game but hit just 5-of-22 the rest of the half to finish at 39 percent (12-31).

For the game, Nebraska finished at 39.7 percent (23-58), hitting just 30.3 percent (10-33) of their second-half attempts. KU closed at 46.3 percent (25-54), thanks to 56.5 percent (13-23) shooting in the second half. NU outrebounded their second Big 12 opponent in the past three games, 37-32, but NU was minus-five in the turnover column (17-12) after posting a plus-12 turnover margin (22-10) in the first meeting on Jan. 21, in Lincoln.

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. 20 Kansas State marked the 12th victory over a ranked foe during Yori’s tenure. The Huskers own two wins over top-25 foes this season, including a victory over No. 24 Arizona State on Dec. 28.

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 Colorado game averaging 4.1 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. She is also tied for third on the team with 19 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 1.9-to-1 (39-to-21).

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 seven straight starts beginning with a win over Kansas on Jan. 21.

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.

The Huskers have continued to fair well from long range throughout the season, moving into the top 10 on Nebraska’s single-season three-point field goals made chart (6th, 140) and three-point field goals attempted list (8th, 426).

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 27 games of 2008-09, Nebraska is forcing an average of 17.2 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 57 steals, giving her 138 steals in her 60 career games as a starter (2.3 spg). She had at least one steal in each of NU’s first 23 games this season, before going without a steal at Iowa State and against Missouri. She owns 10 games of three or more steals.

Turner has 156 career steals and needs 32 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 2.9 points and 1.6 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-22 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 Top 25 bears a striking resemblance to Nebraska’s 2008-09 schedule. In fact, the Huskers could play as many as eight regular-season games against current top-25 teams. Big 12 foe Oklahoma is the highest ranked Husker foe, coming in at No. 3 in the March 2 AP Poll. No. 5 Baylor came to Lincoln on Feb. 4, before the Huskers traveled to current No. 10 Texas A&M on Feb. 8. The Huskers also journeyed to current No. 15 Texas on Jan. 14. Inside the Big 12, the Huskers also battled No. 23 Iowa State both home and away.

Outside of conference action, the Huskers dropped a narrow 69-65 decision to current No. 12 Ohio State (Dec. 6), before notching a 62-58 win over current No. 18 Arizona State at the Devaney Center on Dec. 28. The Sun Devils dropped out of the poll after losing to NU, but they are currently on the longest winning streak in school history to improve to 22-6 on the year.

In addition to the eight Husker opponents currently ranked in the AP Top 25, Kansas State was ranked in the top 25 in both meetings at game time with NU and the Wildcats are the top team receiving votes outside of the poll. LSU, which finished in a tie for second in the SEC, is right behind Kansas State at No. 27. The Tigers joined NU opponents Oklahoma State and New Mexico in being ranked in at least one top 25 during the season. Texas Tech and UTEP 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).

Nebraska moved to 3-6 against the North in 2008-09 after a 70-57 loss at Kansas on Feb. 28. NU is 2-2 in North Division rematches, including a 52-47 victory over No. 20 Kansas State at the Devaney Center on Feb. 25. NU also posted a 65-52 win over Missouri at the Devaney Center on Feb. 21. NU also owns 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 pair of decisions to top-25 Iowa State, and suffered a 51-40 loss 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 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 a Fixture on FSN in 2008-09
Nebraska were featured four times on Fox Sports Net national television games in 2008-09. The Huskers battled 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 wrapped up its regular-season FSN national television appearances on Saturday, Feb. 14 at noon, when the Huskers defeated Texas Tech, 62-56, at the Devaney Center.

In addition to Nebraska’s national telecasts on Fox Sports Net, the Huskers appeared frequently on Fox Sports Midwest. The Huskers debuted on Fox Sports Midwest on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they traveled to Columbia to take on the Missouri Tigers. NU 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’ clashed with Iowa State in Ames in a game televised on Fox Sports Midwest, before wrapping up their scheduled Fox Sports Midwest appearances on Saturday, Feb. 28, at Kansas. 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
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.

Nebraska’s History of Success at Home
Since the Bob Devaney Sports Center opened in 1976-77, the Huskers are 334-118 (.739) in games played in the arena, including 124-77 (.617) 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 70-22 (.761) at the Devaney Center, with no more than four losses in any season. Nebraska is 10-4 at the Devaney Center in 2008-09 with its only losses to top-25 foes Oklahoma, Ohio State, Iowa State and Baylor. NU also owns top-25 victories over No. 20 Kansas State and No. 24 Arizona State this season.

Six Huskers Earn Big 12 Honor Roll Spots
Kala Kuhlmann posted a perfect 4.0 grade-point average during the fall semester to lead a contingent of six Nebraska women’s basketball players on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll.

Kuhlmann, a junior from Charter Oak, Iowa, posted a perfect GPA as a psychology and Spanish double major. It was her fifth straight appearance on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll. A first-team academic All-Big 12 selection in 2008, Kuhlmann will be a leading contender to repeat those honors again this season.

Kuhlmann was joined on the honor roll by senior forward Kelsey Griffin, junior center Nikki Bober, sophomore guard Kaitlyn Burke, sophomore center Jessica Periago and freshman forward Harleen Sidhu.

Griffin, who is redshirting with an injury this season, earned her seventh consecutive appearance on the honor roll. A two-time first-team All-Big 12 performer on the court and in the classroom, the native of Eagle River, Alaska, is a biological sciences major with a chemistry minor.

Bober, a native of Murdock, Neb., claimed her third spot on the Big 12 Commissioner’s honor roll. The management major suffered a knee injury in late-December and is out for the season.

Burke and Periago joined Bober as three-time honor roll selections. Both Burke and Periago are excelling at Nebraska as international students. Burke, a starter on the court, is a native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, while Periago came to NU from Toulon, France.

A third international student, Harleen Sidhu, claimed her first appearance on the honor roll. A native of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, Sidhu has played in all 22 games in her first season at Nebraska.

A total of 324 Nebraska student-athletes earned spots on the 2008 Fall Big 12 Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, including 38 Huskers who posted perfect 4.0 grade-point averages. In order to earn a spot on the honor roll, a student-athlete must post a GPA of 3.0 or higher during the semester.