Coatney's Call: UNK Preview

Nebraska vs. Nebraska-Kearney
Date: Sunday, November 7, 2010
Time: 2:05 p.m.(CST)
Site: Lincoln, Nebraska
Arena: Devaney Center
Nebraska Radio: Husker Sports Network  (Matt Coatney-Play-by-Play; Jeff Griesch-Color Analyst); KTWI (Twister) 93.3 FM, Omaha; KRVN 880 AM, Lexington; KCOW 1400 AM, Alliance.  NO LOCAL RADIO IN LINCOLN
Internet: Live Radio on Huskers.com

Husker women's basketball fans were treated to the debut of two-time Nebraska High School Player of the Year Jordan Hooper  last Sunday at the Devaney Center and she did not disappoint.  The 6-2 freshman from Alliance had a game-high-tying 21 points in her collegiate debut in leading NU to a 78-60 exhibition game win over Pittsburg State.

Hooper was the only Husker freshman to draw a starting assignment and she just missed a double-double by pulling down eight rebounds in 32 minutes.  She joined four other Nebraska players with double-digit scoring figures, including Catheryn Redmon and Katya Leick, who each posted double-doubles with 14 points and 11 rebounds.  Sophomore point guard Lindsey Moore  played all but two minutes and added 11 points.  NU was without the services of returning senior guard Dominique Kelley, but she may return this Sunday as Nebraska closes out their two game exhibition schedule against the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers.

UNK has been a perennial exhibition opponent for the Huskers in the Connie Yori era.  This will be the ninth straight season in which the two schools have met in the pre-season.  The Lopers struggled to a 9-18 overall record in 2009-10 and are heading into this season with a new head coach.  Kevin Chaney  comes to UNK after spending the last 16 years as an assistant coach, most recently at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.  This is his first season as a head coach.  Chaney has said his first goal will be to improve the Lopers' defense, which allowed 71 points per game last season.  His stated goal is to reduce that to under 60 points per game.  He has described his game plan as upbeat, pressing, running the floor, transition, throwing it forward and running a motion offense.

Chaney returns seven players who have started at least one game.  The only major player not returning from last season is center Kim Thissen, who started every game and was the team's leading rebounder.  The Lopers were already thin at the post before losing 5-11 freshman forward Kirsten Lipps.  Lipps reinjured a knee in which she suffered a torn ACL in April.  However, 6-0 senior forward Megan Becker  gives UNK a veteran presence.  Described by Chaney as an "All-American candidate", Becker was second on the team in scoring last season (13.1 ppg) and added 5.8 rebounds per game.  She started 12 of the 23 games she played in, but averaged only 23 minutes per game and missed four games due to injuries.  Becker did not play against the Huskers last season, but had eight points and four rebounds in the 2008 exhibition game and seven points against NU in 2007.

Chaney anticipates changes this season at point guard.  He has said he would rather have last season's point guard, 5-9 junior Tessa Kreutzer, running the floor as a shooting guard.  Kreutzer started 23 of 25 games last season and averaged 5.0 ppg.  She did not play against the Huskers last year.  Look for 5-6 true freshman Nicole Arp, a graduate of Kearney High, to start at point guard for the Lopers Sunday.  Arp was a first-team All-Nebraska and first-team Class A all-state as a senior for the Bearcats.  She was the two-time Kearney Hub Territory Girls Player of the year and averaged 20.0 ppg, second most in Class A.  Arp owns the Kearney High season and career records for points.

5-10 junior forward Vanessa Leeper  is a dual-sport athlete for UNK.  She recently completed another season as the goalkeeper for the Loper soccer team.  Leeper started 19 of 27 games last season and averaged 9.3 ppg and 4.9 rpg. Leeper had eight points against the Huskers last year.  5-9 junior Lea Ann Jameson rounds out UNK's probable starting lineup.  She started 22 games and was second on the team in three-pointers (35) in 2009-10.  Jameson averaged 8.4 ppg and 3.4 rpg.  She had 10 points last season against the Huskers.

While not slated to start against Nebraska Sunday, UNK returns its leading scorer from last season in 5-6 guard  Debi Johnson.  She averaged 13.4 ppg and scored 18 points and added seven rebounds against the Huskers last year.

The first Nebraska Women's Basketball Radio Show with Coach Connie Yori debuted this past Tuesday night.  Coach Yori and I will have another show this Tuesday, November 9 at 7 p.m. as part of Sports Nightly on many of our Husker Sports Network affiliates. 

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and I for Nebraska Women's Basketball on the Husker Sports Network.  Our radio broadcast Sunday afternoon begins with the Husker Courtside pre-game show at 1:45 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 2:05 p.m.  There will not be live radio coverage in Lincoln, but fans statewide can hear the game on KTWI (Twister) 93.3 FM in Omaha, KRVN 880 AM in Lexington, KCOW 1400 AM in Alliance and other selected affiliates.  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