Coatney's Call - Dec. 5

By Matt Coatney
Husker Sports Network

Date: Saturday, December 5, 2009
Time: 1:00 p.m.(CST)
Site: Coral Gables, Florida
Arena: BankUnited Center
Nebraska Radio:
Husker Sports Network (Matt Coatney-Play-by-Play; Jeff Griesch-Color Analyst) ?105.3 KLNC -Lincoln (WOW-FM); 93.3 KTWI-Omaha (Twister 93.3).
Internet: Live Radio on Huskers.com

Huskers Hope to Cool Off 'Canes
The Nebraska Women’s Basketball team erupted for a 30-5 surge in the final 10:30 of Thursday night’s 77-38 blowout win over South Dakota. With the win, the Huskers improved to 7-0 to open the season for the first time since 1996-97. The 14 points scored by USD tied for the fourth-fewest allowed by Nebraska in school history. Nine Huskers scored during the game, including 6-2 senior forward Cory Montgomery, who had a game-high 14 points. Senior guard Yvonne Turner added 13 points and four threes. Next up for Nebraska is a huge road test Saturday afternoon in Florida against the Miami Hurricanes. It will be an intriguing intersectional battle of two 7-0 teams from major conferences.

Miami is a very young but talented team, with all but two of their 10 players in either their first or second year with UM. The Hurricanes have started the season 7-0, with road wins at UC-Riverside, Cal State-Bakersfield and Alabama-Birmingham and home wins against Bethune-Cookman, Houston, Long Beach State and, most recently, a 63-57 decision over Massachusetts this past Sunday. UM was picked to finish 8th in the 12 team Atlantic Coast Conference pre-season poll.

5-7 sophomore guard Riquna Williams currently leads the ?Canes and the ACC in scoring (24.4 ppg) and free throw percentage (90.3% 28-31). She is also deadly from long-range, making 41.5% of three-point attempts, and her 27 triples also leads the league. She was the ACC Player of the Week for the first week of the season (November 16).

5-11 sophomore guard Shenise Johnson leads the team in steals and is second on the team in scoring (17.4 ppg). Last season, Johnson was named Honorable Mention All-ACC and was named to the conference All-Freshman team. She was the only player in Division to lead her team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals during the 2008-09 season.

6-2 senior forward Diane Barnes leads the ACC in rebounding (11.4 rpg) and averages 10.7 ppg. 5-11 senior wing Charmaine Clark is the fourth ?Cane starter to average double-figure points. Clark averages 10.4 ppg and is second on the team in assists behind Johnson. 6-2 sophomore forward Sylvia Bullock rounds out UM’s probable starting lineup. She leads the team in blocked shots (15) and averages 4.4 ppg.

Fifth-year Hurricane Coach Katie Meier was an all-time great during her playing days at Duke in the late 1980’s. She came to Miami after four years as the Head Coach at Charlotte. She lead UM to the WNIT after her first season at Miami (2005-06).

Nebraska and Miami have met in women’s basketball only one time before. The Huskers defeated the ?Canes 76-74 in Miami in late December 1982.

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and I for Nebraska Women’s Basketball on the Husker Sports Network. Our radio broadcast Friday evening against UALR begins with the Husker Courtside pre-game show at 6:45 p.m (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on KLNC 105.3 FM (WOW-FM) in Lincoln only due to Husker football coverage. Saturday night’s game against St. Mary’s beings with the Husker Courtside pre-game show at 8:45 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 9:00 p.m. on KFGE 98.1 FM (Froggy 98) in Lincoln, KTWI 93.3 FM (Twister 93.3) in Omaha, and is available to our entire 21-station network. All Husker Women’s Basketball broadcasts are also available for free worldwide on the internet at www.huskers.com. I hope you can join us.

 

 

Go Big Red! Matt