Coatney's Call: Penn State Game Preview

#23 Nebraska (11-1) vs. #16 Penn State (10-2)
Friday, Dec. 30, 6 p.m.  (central)
Bryce Jordan Center (University Park, Pa.)
Radio: 25-Station Husker Sports Network (Matt Coatney-PBP; Jeff Griesch-Analyst)
B107.3 FM-KBBK (Lincoln); Twister 93.3 FM-KTWI (Omaha); 880 AM-KRVN (Lexington); 1400 AM-KCOW (Alliance); 94.1 FM-KNEB (Scottsbluff)
Internet: Free live audio on Huskers.com
Internet Video: BTN.com All-Access (subscription required)             

History will be made this Friday evening when Nebraska takes the court at Penn State.  It will be the first Big Ten Conference game ever played by the Husker women's basketball team. 

NU enters league play with an 11-1 record, which ties for the second-best start to a season in school history. Nebraska moved up one spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll this week to 23rd after defeating South Dakota State 80-71 last Wednesday night in Lincoln. 

Jordan Hooper and Lindsey Moore continued their tremendous play as the 'dynamic duo' combined for 57 points, 15 rebounds, six three-pointers and 19 made free throws.  Hooper is second in the Big Ten Conference in scoring (20.4 ppg) and rebounding (9.0 rpg).  She has been on fire lately, and in her last three games, Hooper  has averaged 27.7 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.3 three-pointers/game and shot a blistering 27-49 from the field (.551).  'J-Hoop' has scored at least 30 points in two of her last three games, including a 30-point, 11-rebound effort in the win over SDSU.  Hooper was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week this week, her second such award this season. 

Moore has scored in double figures in 24 of the last 25 games and ranks among the Big Ten leaders in several statistical categories, including steals (2nd-2.8 per game), assist-to-turnover ratio (3rd-1.8), assists per game (3rd-5.9) three-point field goal percentage (4th-.429), and field goal percentage (5th-.500).  'Zeroes' moved into a tie with teammate Kaitlyn Burke for eighth on the Husker career three-point list with two triples vs. SDSU.  Moore made 13-of-14 from the foul line en route 27 points and six assists in the win.  

No. 16 Penn State was the pre-season selection to win the Big Ten Conference this season.  They return four starters plus last year's league Freshman of the Year from a team that was 25-10 overall and went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  Junior Alex Bentley was named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.  The 5-7 point guard is on the Wade, Wooden and Naismith Award watch lists.  She leads the team in assists and steals and is second on the team in scoring (15.1 ppg).  

Guard Maggie Lucas broke the Big Ten record for single-season three-pointers last year (112) and was named the league's Freshman of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year.  The 5-10 sophomore leads the team in scoring (19.3 ppg), three-pointers (30) and minutes per game.  Lucas has scored 20 or more points in four straight games and six of her last seven, including 22 points in last Wednesday's 80-71 win at Bucknell.

Senior Zhaque (Jacque-QWAY) Gray  is second on the PSU team with 19 three-pointers and is third on the team in scoring (12.2 ppg).  Nikki Greene, a 6-4 junior forward/center is the fourth Lady Lion to start all 12 games this year.  She was named to the 2011 Big Ten All-Defensive team after posting a career-high 75 blocked shots last season. Greene averages 9.3 ppg and adds 7.0 rpg.  Sophomore Ariel Edwards, a 6-2 forward, has started eight games this season and averages 6.5 points and 4.7 rebounds.  

Junior forward Mia Nickson started the other four games, but has missed the last six contests due to concussion-like symptoms.  Nickson did not play during Penn State's two losses this season (at Delaware and at Texas Tech).  PSU has a -0.4 rebounding margin without Nickson and +6.3 in the four games she has played.  After playing the first two games of the season, Nickson missed two games, then came back for a tournament in Reno, Nev.  She played 26 minutes in the first tournament game, grabbing 13 rebounds in 26 minutes in a win over Iowa State.  But she played just seven minutes in the first half the following night against Nevada and hasn't played since.  Her status for the game against Nebraska Friday evening is unknown.

Fifth-year Penn State Head Coach Coquese Washington was the point guard on Notre Dame's first NCAA Tournament team. She had a six-year professional career and played on the 2000 WNBA Champion Houston Comets. Washington spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater before taking the reins at Penn State.  Last year, Washington led Penn State to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005.

Penn State has won the two previous meetings with Nebraska. PSU rolled to a 102-66 win at University Park in 1993 and defeated NU 83-64 at the Surf and Slam Tournament in San Diego in 2002, which was Connie Yori's first season as the Huskers' coach.

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and me for Nebraska women's basketball on the Husker Sports Network.  Our radio broadcast Friday evening begins with the Husker Courtside pre-game show at 5:45 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m. on the Husker Sports Network, including Lincoln affiliate KBBK 107.3 FM (B107.3), KTWI 93.3 FM (Twister 93.3) in Omaha, KCOW 1400 in Alliance, KNEB 94.1 in Scottsbluff and available to our entire 25 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. 

There are a number of ways to get enhanced information about our broadcast and Husker Women's Basketball via social media.  You can learn more about the team on the Nebraska There are a number of ways to get enhanced information about our broadcast and Husker women's basketball via social media.  You can learn more about the team on the Nebraska Women's Basketball Facebook  page or follow the team on their official Twitter  page @huskerswbb.  I also invite you to friend me on Facebook (Matt Coatney) or follow me on Twitter @coatman1.

Go Big Red! 

Matt