Coatney's Call: UNK Game Preview

Nebraska (24-9, 10-6 Big Ten) 
vs. UNK (8-19, 8-14 RMAC)
Sunday, Nov. 4, 2:05 p.m. (central)
Bob Devaney Sports Center (Lincoln, Neb.)
Radio: 25-Station Husker Sports Network (Matt Coatney-PBP; Jeff Griesch-Analyst)
The Wolf 93.3 FM-KFFF (Omaha); KHAS 1230 (Hastings), KNEB 94.1 FM (Scottsbluff) 
Internet: Free live audio on Huskers.com
Internet Video: HuskersNside (with Huskers.com audio)   

Talk about a great way to start a season!  The 18th-ranked Nebraska women's basketball team sprinted out to a 22-0 lead, went to the halftime break ahead 44-7 and defeated Pittsburg State 78-34 in the exhibition season opener last Monday night in Lincoln. 

The Huskers had a stifling defensive effort, holding PSU, a team that returned three starters off an Elite Eight finish last season, to just 2-of-17 shooting from the floor in the first half.  Junior National Player-of-the-Year candidate Jordan Hooper almost posted a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds in just 20 minutes of play.  For the game, NU hit 13-of-24 three point attempts. 

Next up for Nebraska is a Sunday afternoon exhibition season finale against the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers at the Devaney Center. UNK lost five seniors from last year's team that finished 8-19.  Those five players accounted for 58 percent of the Lopers' scoring and 46 percent of their rebounding.  

Shelby Zimmerman, a 5-10 junior forward, is Nebraska-Kearney's top returning scorer.  The Tri-County High graduate started 21 of UNK's 25 games last year and was third on the team in scoring (6.9 ppg) and rebounding (4.6 rpg).  Melissa Norman, a 6-2 sophomore forward, started 12 games during her freshman campaign and led the team in blocked shots.  She averaged 4.4 ppg.  Nicole Arp, a 5-6 junior point guard, has the most experience of any player on UNK's roster.  She has started 36 games in her career, including 20 last season. The Kearney native added 4.1 points per game in 2011-12.

Third-year UNK head coach Kevin Chaney was an assistant coach for 16 years, including 10 at Solano Community College in California. He is the sixth head coach in Loper history.

This will be the 12th consecutive preseason game between UNK and Nebraska. The Huskers have won all previous 11 exhibition meetings, including last year's 85-55 game at the Devaney Center in Lincoln. Jordan Hooper had 28 points to lead NU.

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and me for Nebraska women's basketball on the Husker Sports Network.  Our radio broadcast Sunday afternoon beings with the Husker Courtside pre-game show at 1:45 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 2:05 p.m. on the Husker Sports Network. There will not be any local radio coverage in Lincoln, but it can be heard on other select stations in Nebraska, including KFFF 93.3FM (The Wolf) in Omaha, KHAS 1230 in Hastings, and KNEB 94.1 FM in Scottsbluff.  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