Coatney's Call: ISU Game Preview (Feb. 16)

#3 Nebraska vs #13 Iowa State

Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Time: 7:05 p.m.(CST)
Site: Lincoln, Nebraska
Arena: Devaney Center
Nebraska Radio:
Husker Sports Network (Matt Coatney-Play-by-Play; Jeff Griesch-Color Analyst) ?98.1 KFGE-Lincoln (Froggy 98.1), 93.3 KTWI-Omaha (Twister 93.3), 880 KRVN-Lexington, 99.5 KUTT-Beatrice/Fairbury and available to our entire 21-station radio network.
Internet: Live Radio on Huskers.com

#3 Huskers Meet #13 Cyclones In Key Big 12 Matchup

I’ve never been around a team that has started the season 23-0. I’m guessing you haven’t either. Because this is all new territory for me, I’m learning as I go. One lesson I learned twice last week is that because of the big target that comes along with being undefeated, the Nebraska Women’s Basketball team is getting every opponents best effort-plus about 20 percent! After escaping Kansas with a win last Wednesday night, Nebraska found itself behind by six points with three minutes left at Missouri Saturday afternoon.

Senior guard Yvonne Turner had three of her season-high four steals in the final three minutes, senior forward Cory Montgomery hit a big three-pointer, and freshman point guard Lindsey Moore had a key steal in the final moments to lead 3rd-ranked Nebraska to an 82-78 comeback win over the Tigers. Senior National Player of the Year candidate Kelsey Griffin posted her 33rd career double-double and 13th of the season with 28 points and 12 rebounds. She also took two charges, blocked two shots and added a steal.

With the win, Nebraska tied the school record for most wins in a season, extended their Big 12 Conference record season-opening winning streak to 23 game, stayed atop the league standings with a 10-0 record and a 2 ? game lead over Oklahoma, and extended their road winning streak to 11 games. Next up for the Huskers is a return home to face one of the hottest teams in the nation. Nebraska will face 13th-ranked Iowa State Wednesday night in Lincoln in a rematch of the first Big 12 Conference game of the season for both clubs.

Iowa State jumped seven spots in this weeks Associated Press poll to No. 13. It is ISU’s highest ranking in the AP Top 25 since ranking 10th in the final poll of the 2001-02 campaign. The Cyclones are coming off a 2008-09 season in which they set the school record for wins (27) and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

With two freshmen in the starting lineup, some thought this might be a rebuilding year for ISU, but they have raced to a 19-4 record and are half game behind Oklahoma in third place in the Big 12 standings. ISU dismantled Baylor 69-45 Saturday in Ames. The Cyclones raced to a 23-5 lead, knocked down 16 three-pointers and held their third consecutive opponent to a season-low scoring total.

6-0 senior point guard Alison Lacey is authoring one of the greatest season in Iowa State team history. She leads the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.2), is seventh nationally in assists per game (6.7) and is just five assists shy of becoming the first player in school history to record 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in a career. Lacey also ranks 10th nationally in free throw percentage (88.8 percent). She leads the team in scoring (17.3 ppg) and is second on the team in three-pointers (49). Lacey had 23 points against the Huskers in the first meeting between the two teams in January.

6-1 junior guard Kelsey Bolte has been on fire of late. In her last six games, Bolte is averaging 16.7 ppg and is shooting a blistering 53.7 percent from three-point range. Bolte is second on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg) and leads the team in three-pointers (57). She also is third in the Big 12 Conference in three-point field goal percentage (.460). Bolte only had two points in 38 minutes against the Huskers earlier this season.

6-7 freshman center Anna Prins missed most of the month of December due to illness and was just in her third game returning when ISU met Nebraska in January. She did not start, played just 21 minutes and scored eight points, but since that time has started every game and has become a very valuable contributor. Prinns is unique in that she is very comfortable at 6-7 beyond the arc, hitting 14 of her 41 three-point attempts. She hit three threes and scored 13 points against Baylor Saturday. Prins is third on the team in scoring (9.1 ppg) and leads the team in blocked shots.

6-2 freshman forward Chelsea Poppens pulled down a career-high and game-high 14 rebounds against Baylor Saturday. She averages 8.1 ppg and leads the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg). 5-8 senior guard Denae Stuckey rounds out ISU’s probable starting lineup. A tenacious rebounder as a diminutive guard, Stuckey is second on the team in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and adds 4.9 ppg.

Iowa State leads the nation in three-point field goal percentage (41.7 percent) and is eighth nationally with 8.4 three-pointers per game. ISU has hit 10 or more three-pointers in eight games and 16 or more in three games.

15th-year Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly needs only eight more wins for 500 in his career which includes seven years at Toledo. He has taken the Cyclones to two Elite Eights.

Nebraska leads the all-time series with ISU 39-33, including a 20-11 advantage in games played in Lincoln. Last season, the Cyclones earned a victory at the Devaney Center for the first time since 2003. Nebraska won the first game between the two teams this season 57-49 in Ames in the first league game for both teams.

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and me for Nebraska Women’s Basketball on the Husker Sports Network. Our radio broadcast Wednesday night against Iowa State begins with the Husker Courtside pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on KFGE 98.1 FM (Froggy 98) in Lincoln, KTWI 93.3 FM (Twister 93.3) in Omaha, KRVN 880 AM in Lexington, KUTT 99.5 FM in Beatrice/Fairbury and available to our entire 21-station radio 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

Here’s how to vote and show your support of Kelsey Griffin right now:
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