Coatney's Call: Senior Night Preview (March 3)

#3 Nebraska vs Kansas
Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Time: 7:05 p.m.(CST)
Site: Lincoln, Nebraska
Arena: Devaney Center
Television: Nebraska Educational Television (NET) (Larry Punteney-Play-by-Play; Jami Hagedorn (Kubik)-Color Analyst 
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, available to our entire 21-station radio network.
Internet: Live Radio on Huskers.com

Here's how to vote and show your support of Kelsey Griffin right now:
http://www.seniorCLASSaward.com or Text W6 to 74567 

Six Sensational Husker Seniors To Be Honored On Senior Night 
I have a complete love/hate relationship with Senior Night. On one hand, I think it's one of the most memorable highlights of a players' collegiate career. Getting to walk out on center court before your final home game to roaring applause, with your parents and loved ones with you. On the other hand, the finality of the moment always hits me and all the memories I've had personally with the player and their families hits me like a ton of bricks and I sob like a little baby! I better have multiple boxes of tissues for this season's Senior Night Wednesday as Nebraska honors its biggest senior class ever as six amazing players take the court at the Devaney Center for the final time at 7:05 p.m. against the Kansas Jayhawks.

In reflecting on my memories of these six young women, I'd need a lot more space than this preview to do it justice, but allow me a few. 5-6 guard Nicole Neals always represents the team with grace and elegance and a deadly three-point shot. She seems to always play her best against the best. I'll never forget the first time I met 5-8 senior guard Kala Kuhlmann. KK was looking for a place to sit down at a pre-season banquet and I let her sit next to me. I remember thinking what a charming young lady she was. Fast forward four seasons and she has worked on all facets of her game to become one of the most important components of the team. I also thought her speech at this season's pre-season banquet was the best I've ever heard a student-athlete give. 6-4 senior center Nikki Bober completely embodies what being a Husker is all about. Even though she has been injured for a significant portion of the past two seasons, this team wouldn't be where it is now without "Bobes". I wish everyone could see how she rallies and encourages this team in practice each and every day.

The first time I saw 6-2 forward Cory Montgomery was after a Husker game at the University of Minnesota during Cory's senior year of high school. I thought "Wow, she's got some size. She might be able to help us!" What an understatement. Cory carried this team last year into the post-season, getting triple-teamed almost every play. I've never seen 5-8 guard Vonnie Turner in a bad mood. Never. She always has a smile on her face. Vonnie has a unique pre-game ritual with Jeff and I. Before every game while she is warming up, she and 'Nique will come up and fist bump us at our radio position and we say "All Day" to each other. It's special.

Finally, 6-2 forward Kelsey Griffin is the toughest player I've ever been around, male or female, regardless of the sport, in about 30 years of being involved in athletics. The memory I have of "Mo" that will be burned in my mind forever will be the play she made late in the WNIT game at Wyoming her freshman season. With a sellout, hostile crowd screaming and recovering from illness AND playing at altitude, Griffin yanked down a rebound, threw an outlet pass, beat the other nine players down the floor, got the pass, scored with contact and got knocked down for the and-one. That's pure guts. That's Kelsey Griffin.

The Huskers are 27-0 and ranked 3rd in the AP Poll after defeating Missouri 67-51 Saturday night in front of the first sellout crowd for a women's basketball game in Devaney Center history. 13,595 watched Griffin collect her 37th career double-double and 17th of the season with 19 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. She also set a school record with 17 made free throws. After the game, Nebraska officially celebrated their regular season Big 12 Conference title and received the league championship trophy in a half court celebration complete with confetti, balloons and net cutting.

Kansas is in a fight for their potential NCAA Tournament life. The Jayhawks have lost five of their last six games, including a 70-47 decision at Baylor Sunday afternoon. KU is 15-12 overall and 5-9 in the Big 12, tied with Texas Tech for eighth place. Kansas has suffered the loss of two starters during league play, including pre-season Big 12 Player of the Year Danielle McCray and freshman point guard Angel Goodrich. However, KU is one of the most experienced teams in the country, with five players on their bench combining for 195 career starts.

With McCray out of action, 5-11 senior guard Sade Morris has assumed more of a scoring role. She is the only Jayhawk to start all 27 games this season and leads active KU players in scoring (10.1 ppg) and steals. 6-2 sophomore forward Aishah Sutherland leads the team in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and blocked shots and is second on the team with 9.9 ppg. 6-3 freshman center Carolyn Davis has emerged on the scene during conference play and has made a major impression. She averages 9.5 ppg and 5.1 rpg. Davis had a team-high 17 points and 11 rebounds in the first meeting between the two teams February 10 in Lawrence. She has recorded double figure points in 10 of her last 12 games. 5-11 guard Monica Engelman is another talented freshman who has given KU a boost during conference play. She has made 25 of her last 26 shots from the free throw line and averages 7.2 ppg. Engelman also leads active Kansas players in three-pointers (25). 5-10 senior point guard LaChelda Jacobs rounds out KU's probable starting lineup. She has started 12 games and averages 1.9 ppg.

Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson is 94-91 in her six years at Kansas and led the Jayhawks to the finals of the WNIT last season.

In the earlier meeting between the two teams, Nebraska rallied from a 53-48 deficit with eight minutes left to claim a 67-60 victory in Lawrence. Griffin had 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Huskers.

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 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 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