Coatney's Call: Miami Preview

Nebraska vs. Miami
Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010
7:05 p.m.(CST) 
Devaney Center (Lincoln, Neb.)

Nebraska Radio: Husker Sports Network 
(Matt Coatney-Play-by-Play; Jeff Griesch-Color Analyst) -105.3 KLNC -Lincoln (WOW-FM).
Internet: Live Radio on Huskers.com

Huskers Host Hurricanes in Key Early Season Matchup
What a way to start the season!  The 23rd-ranked Nebraska Women's Basketball team extended its home court winning streak to 21 games and its regular season winning streak to 32 games with a resounding 95-38 victory over Vermont last Saturday in Lincoln. 

The Huskers have now won 18 straight home games by double digits.  It may have snowed the previous evening in eastern Nebraska, but it was "raining" threes on Saturday afternoon inside the Devaney Center.  NU obliterated a school record by connecting on 17 three-pointers, easily eclipsing the previous mark of 12. 

Sophomore point guard Lindsey Moore  led the long-range parade with a career-high five triples and a game-high 17 points.  Junior guard Kaitlyn Burke, who had not played in a regular-season game since the win at Vermont on January 4 due to injuries, went a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point land   against the Catamounts Saturday.  KB finished the game with 12 points, seven assists (no turnovers) and two steals.  Two-time Nebraska High School Player of the Year Jordan Hooper made her regular-season collegiate debut by scoring 15 points and leading the Huskers with six rebounds in just 23 minutes of action as a starter.

Next up for Nebraska is a team that is certain to give Nebraska one of their biggest challenges of the non-conference season as the Miami Hurricanes travel to Lincoln for a Wednesday night matchup.

Make no mistake about it; Miami is a team full of athletes.  They are a fast, strong, skilled team that advanced all the way to the WNIT Championship game in 2009-10.  The Hurricanes are also very young.  Their 10-player roster includes four freshmen, three sophomores and three juniors.  In fact, they are one of only seven Division I teams with no seniors on the roster. 

When discussing Miami Women's Basketball, you have to start with "Mo-Mo" and "Bay-Bay", the nicknames of the backcourt duo of Shenise Johnson and Riquna Williams.  They are unquestionably one of the best backcourt combinations in the nation.  The pair combined in 2009-10 to average 39.6 ppg.  They also teamed up to hit 137 three-pointers-more than five of their fellow ACC teams made!  Shutting them down, or at least accounting for them, is the first priority of any Miami opponent.  Johnson, a 5-11 junior, last season   became the first 'Cane to be named first-team all-conference since 2005-06.  She has started all 67 games in her career and was the only player in the ACC to score in double-figure in every game last season.  Johnson, who is on the pre-season Wade and Naismith Player of the Year watch lists, was named to the '09-'10 All-ACC Defensive Team.  She was also the only player last season in the ACC to rank in the top-10 in scoring, rebounding and assists, averging 19.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg and 4.6 apg. Johnson had 12 points against the Huskers in Miami last year.

Williams comes from a very athletic family.  The 5-7 junior's cousin Alphonso Smith plays cornerback for the NFL's Detroit Lions.  Restricted from playing football as a youth, Williams  worked out with Smith and other NFL players in Fort Lauderdale over the summer, the only woman on the field, pulling sleds and working on her footwork, strength and stamina.  Williams says she has lost 30 pounds since her freshman year.  She was the Hurricanes' leading scorer last season with 19.6 ppg, second best in the ACC.  She led the league with 106 three-pointers, second-most in conference history and most ever by a UM player.  Williams scored 27 or more points in eight games.  She was named second-team All-ACC.  She scored 18 points against the Huskers in the 2009 game.

Stefanie Yderstrom, a 5-8 sophomore guard from Sweden, came off the bench last year against Nebraska in just her second career game and struck for 15 points in only 22 minutes.  A starter in 17 games last year, she was fifth among ACC freshmen in scoring (7.6 ppg), second in three-pointers (47) and first in free-throw percentage (.846).  6-1 sophomore forward Morgan Stroman  led all ACC freshmen in steals (1.8) last season and tied Williams as UM's leading scorer in their 93-39 season-opening win over Kennesaw State last Friday.  Stroman had a double-double 21 points and a game high 12 rebounds.   6-2 junior forward Sylvia Bullock  rounds out the probable starting lineup for the 'Canes.  She led the team with 35 blocked shots and averaged 3.4 ppg in 2009-10.

Former Duke standout Katie Meier is in her sixth season as the UM head coach.  She has a 72-84 record at Miami and is 148-129 overall in 10 seasons, including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2003 as the head coach at Charlotte.  Meier signed a five-year contract extension in the offseason after leading the 'Canes to the WNIT Championship game and a 22-14 record in 2009-10.
Nebraska leads the all-time series with Miami 2-0, but this will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams in Lincoln.  The Huskers defeated the 'Canes 76-74 in Miami in late December 1982 and then last season in December, Nebraska escaped with a 76-71 win to hand UM their first loss of the season.  Dominique Kelley led five Huskers in double figures with 16 points.  Catheryn Redmon came off the bench to add 12 points and Lindsey Moore had eight assists. 

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and I for Nebraska Women's Basketball on the Husker Sports Network.  Our radio broadcast Wednesday night against Miami 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 KLNC 105.3 FM (WOW-FM) in Lincoln only due to other network conflicts.  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