Coatney's Call: Wisconsin Game Preview

#16 Nebraska (19-6, 8-5) vs. Wisconsin (8-17, 4-9)
Sunday, Feb. 19, 1:05 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); 1400 AM-KCOW (Alliance); 1230 AM-KHAS (Hastings); 960 AM-KNEB (Scottsbluff); 
Internet: Free live audio on Huskers.com
Live Television: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Vera Jones) 

This Sunday afternoon's game in Lincoln between No. 16 Nebraska and Wisconsin will be a matchup of two teams desperately trying to find their offenses. The Huskers have failed to reach 60 points in their last three consecutive losses, while the Badgers have not scored more than 58 in their last three games, including just 46 points against Michigan State Thursday. 

All fans attending the 1:05 p.m. game are encouraged to wear pink to the game in honor of Play4Kay Day, the WBCA cancer initiative that honors former North Carolina State coach Kay Yow and promotes cancer awareness.

Wisconsin has lost four games in a row, including last Thursday night's 62-46 loss to Michigan State in Madison.  The Badgers are 8-17 overall and sport a 4-9 record in Big Ten Conference action.  UW is shooting just 38.5 percent from the field in its last three games, and shot a season-low 8.3 percent (1-of-12) from beyond the arc in a Feb. 9 loss at Penn State.  Perhaps the most telling statistic about Wisconsin is that the Badgers are 1-12 when getting outrebounded by their opponents.

Junior Taylor Wurtz is one of the most improved players in terms of offensive production in the league this season. The 6-0 guard has improved her scoring average by 7.6 points per game this year and leads the team in scoring (15.9 ppg), rebounds (7.4 rpg) steals and three-pointers (61).  She had a team-high 20 points and four three-pointers in UW's 75-69 loss to Nebraska in Madison on Jan. 12. 

Senior Anya (ON-yay) Covington has played in the last two games after missing two games due to illness.  The 6-2 forward came off the bench against Penn State to score a game-high 20 points and led the Badgers with 10 points last Thursday night against Michigan State.  She has six career double-doubles, including a 14-point, 11-rebound effort earlier this season against the Huskers.  Covington ranks second on the team in scoring (10.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg).  

Sophomore Morgan Paige had 14 points against Nebraska in Madison. The 5-9 guard averages 9.3 ppg and and is second on the team in three-pointers (36).  Jade Davis, a 5-9 senior point guard, joins Wurtz as the only Badgers who have started all 25 games this year. Davis averages 6.9 points per game and leads the team in assists.  She had 13 points and six assists earlier this year against NU. 

Senior forward Ashley Thomas has been the fifth regular starter for Wisconsin, but came off the bench Thursday night against MSU. She adds 4.8 points per game.

First-year Badger Head Coach Bobbie Kelsey was a long-time assistant at Stanford and five other schools before becoming the sixth head coach in Wisconsin history.  She was a team captain at Stanford and helped the Cardinal to the 1992 NCAA Championship.

Nebraska's win at Madison earlier this season was the first in school history in six tries against the Badgers.  Lindsey Moore had 28 points to lead the Huskers while Rebecca Woodberry came off the bench to add 14 career-high points. Wisconsin won its last game in Lincoln, a 92-85 overtime win in 1999.

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and me for Nebraska women's basketball on the Husker Sports Network.  Our radio broadcast Sunday begins with the Husker Courtside pre-game show at 12:45 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 1:05 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, KCOW 1400 in Alliance, 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