Coatney's Call: Northwestern Game Preview

#16 Nebraska (19-5, 8-4) vs. Northwestern (13-12, 3-9)
Thursday, Feb. 16, 7:05 p.m. (central)
Bob Devaney Sports Center (Lincoln, Neb.)
Radio: 25-Station Husker Sports Network (Matt Coatney-PBP; Jeff Griesch-Analyst)
B107.3 FM-KBBK (Lincoln); The Wolf 93.3 FM-KTWI (Omaha); 880 AM-KRVN (Lexington); 1400 AM-KCOW (Alliance); 1230 AM-KHAS (Hastings); 960 AM-KNEB (Scottsbluff); 1450 AM-KWBE (Beatrice)
Internet: Free live audio on Huskers.com
Live Internet Video: BTN.com All-Access (subscription required) 

I've said this from the beginning of the season and it bears repeating now: with a group as young as the Nebraska women's basketball team, there are going to be some very high 'highs' and low 'lows'.  It's part of the learning curve and in the last two games, the Huskers have had to rally from large deficits. 

Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to recover from trailing by 27 points, but NU almost did in last Thursday's loss to Michigan. Monday night in Minneapolis, the Huskers gave up a 20-0 run to the Golden Gophers and were behind by 16 points. Still, Nebraska rallied to tie the game, but Minnesota came away with a 64-58 win. Wade Trophy candidate Jordan Hooper led Nebraska with 20 points and four three-pointers. 

The Huskers will try to break their two-game losing streak when they return home to open a two-game Big Ten home stand on Thursday night when they take on Northwestern. Thursday's game will feature Pepsi Pack the House with $1 general admission tickets available right now at Huskers.com. Fans can also enjoy 24-ounce Pepsi fountain products for just $1, or Pepsi souvenir cups for just $2 on the night of the game.

Northwestern opened the regular season with a 9-1 record, with impressive wins over North Carolina State, LSU, Missouri and UNLV.  Since that time, injuries have wreaked havoc with the Wildcats. Senior forward Brittany Orban suffered a torn ACL 12 minutes into the NC State game.   

Junior Danielle Diamant, a 6-5 center, missed the Wildcats' last game, a 77-63 loss to Penn State, after suffering a concussion at Michigan State.  Her status for Thursday night's game at Nebraska is unknown.  She leads the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg) is third on the team in three-pointers (26), leads the squad in three-point field goal percentage (.400) and is third on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg).  The Wildcats have only won four of their last 15 games and are 3-9 in Big Ten action, losing six of their last seven games.  Northwestern has defeated Indiana twice and Illinois in league play.

Junior Kendall Hackney, a 6-2 forward, leads the Wildcats in scoring (15.1 ppg), and is second on the team in three-pointers (35).  She and 6-2 freshman guard Morgan Jones account for 49 percent of Northwestern's offensive production.  Jones is second on the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and leads the team in three-pointers (50).  Freshman Karly Roser, a 5-10 guard, only played 18 minutes in the loss at Penn State due to an unspecified injury.  She has started all 25 games this year, leads the team in assists and averages 8.0 points per game. Senior guard Allison Mocchi (MOCK-ee) has started 19 games and averages 3.0 points per game. 

Joe McKeown is in his fourth season as Northwestern's head coach.  He has won 566 games in a 29-year career that included stops at New Mexico State and George Washington.  McKeown has led the Wildcats to the WNIT the past two seasons.

Nebraska leads the all-time series 4-1, including 2-0 at the Devaney Center.  The Huskers defeated the Wildcats 73-58 on Dec. 16, 2006 in Lincoln. 

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and me for Nebraska women's basketball on the Husker Sports Network.  Our radio broadcast Thursday 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 the Husker Sports Network, including Lincoln affiliate KBBK 107.3 FM (B107.3), KTWI 93.3 FM (The Wolf 93.3) in Omaha, KRVN 880 in Lexington, KCOW 1400 in Alliance, KWBE 1450 in Beatrice, KHAS 1230 in Hastings, KNEB 960 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 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