Coatney's Call: Baylor Preview

Nebraska vs. No. 1 Baylor
Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011 (7:05 p.m.)
Bob Devaney Sports Center (Lincoln, Neb.)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (25 stations, including 105.3 FM-Lincoln, 93.3 FM-Omaha)
Internet: Free Live Audio on Huskers.com

Huskers Return Home to Face No. 1 Baylor 
Nebraska forward Jordan Hooper continues to put together one of the best freshman seasons in Husker Women's Basketball history.  The 6'2" sensation from Alliance was named the co-Big 12 Freshman of the Week Monday.  She averaged 22.5 points and 6.5 rebounds last week, while shooting better than 50 percent from the field, including a blistering 9-of-16 from three-point range. Hooper  and the Huskers have their work cut out for them as they host the nation's top-ranked team Wednesday night in Lincoln.  The Baylor Lady Bears are ranked first in both major polls, and their appearance will mark the first time ever that a number one-ranked team will face the Huskers at the Devaney Center in women's basketball.

Do you want some fast insight as to why Baylor is the top-ranked team in the country?  Consider the following:

Baylor hasn't allowed an opponent to shoot 50 percent from the field in 158 straight games, dating back to March 25, 2006, an 82-63 Sweet 16 loss to eventual national champion Maryland.
 
BU's five starters are shooting a combined .522 (420-804) from the field.
 
Four of Baylor's starters are shooting above the .500 mark from the field. Destiny Williams leads the team at .612 (41-67), Brittney Griner follows with .550 (166-302), Odyssey Sims is shooting .525 (96-183) and Melissa Jones is fourth at .519 (67-129).

6-8 sophomore center Brittney Griner  is a National Player of the Year candidate.  The preseason Big 12 Player of the Year leads the nation in blocks per game (3.8) and leads the team in scoring (22.0) and rebounding (8.0).  5-11 senior guard Melissa Jones  is a superb senior leader and an excellent defender.  She leads the team in assists and steals and adds 9.5 ppg and 6.8 rpg. 

5-9 freshman point guard Odyssey Sims is a National Freshman of the Year candidate.  She has solidified the backcourt for Baylor after senior point guard Kelli Griffin left the team shortly before the start of the season.  Sims averages 13.8 ppg.  6-1 sophomore transfer forward Destiny Williams  sat out the fall semester due to the NCAA transfer policy.  She began her collegiate career at Illinois and has started the last six games for BU, averaging 9.3 ppg.  6-0 sophomore guard Kimetria "Nay-Nay" Hayden  rounds out Baylor's probable starting lineup.  She averages 7.4 ppg.

Since coming into the Big 12 in 2000-01, Baylor Head Coach Kim Mulkey  has the best winning percentage among league coaches (79%, 285-77).  She is the only person, man or woman, to win a national championship as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

Baylor leads the all-time series with Nebraska 9-6, but the Huskers won the last meeting 65-56 in Waco, Texas on January 17, 2010.  Baylor also is the highest-ranked team the Nebraska program has ever defeated.  In 2005, the Lady Bears only lost three games en route the national championship, and one of those was in Lincoln.  In one of the most memorable games in the history of the Big 12 Conference, NU knocked off Baylor 103-99 in triple overtime. 

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and me for Nebraska Women's Basketball on the Husker IMG Sports Network.  Our radio broadcast Wednesday evening 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, KTWI 93.3 FM (Twister 93.3) in Omaha, KWBE 1450 in Beatrice, and available to our entire twenty-five network stations.  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