Lincoln - All-American Jordan Hooper scored the first 12 points of the game in little more than three minutes to spark the No. 11 Nebraska women's basketball team to a 78-55 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Nebraska improved to 4-0 on the season, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff slipped to 1-4. Hooper scored 17 points in her first eight minutes of the game to power the Huskers to as much as a 38-7 first-half lead.
The 6-2 senior forward from Alliance, Neb., finished with a game-high 23 points, finishing 9-of-13 from the field and 3-of-6 from three-point range. Sophomore guard Sadie Murren added a career-high 12 points on 4-of-4 three-point shooting, while Emily Cady added 11 points and eight rebounds.
Junior forward Hailie Sample added eight points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal, while sophomore point guard Rachel Theriot pitched in nine points, six assists and a career-high four steals.
As a team, the Huskers finished 29-of-60 (.483) from the field, including a season-best 11-of-27 (.407) from three-point range. NU outrebounded the Lady Lions, 42-28, but lost the turnover battle, 20-19.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff closed the night 24-of-56 (.429) from the field, including 2-of-6 from three-point range as Nebraska played man-to-man defense throughout the night. Jazmyne Victorian led UAPB with 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting from the field, while Cassidy Wright added 12 points, including a pair of three-pointers. Carlisha Walker gave the Lady Lions three players in double figures with 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.
Nebraska raced to a 38-7 lead in the first 14 minutes. The hot-shooting Huskers went 15-of-20 from the field and 6-of-7 from three-point range in the first 12 minutes. Hooper led the Huskers by going 7-for-7 during the stretch, including 3-for-3 from long range. She scored all 17 of her first-half points in the first 10 minutes of the half.
Freshman guard Hannah Tvrdy added back-to-back threes, the first of her career, during the opening surge, while Theriot dished out five assists in the opening 10 minutes.
The Huskers hit just 2-of-9 shots the last six minutes of the half, including 0-for-5 from long range. The cold shooting carried over to the start of the second half, before Murren heated up by hitting all four of her three-pointers after halftime.
The Huskers continue their four four-game home stand on Sunday when they take on Southern University. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Jaguars is set for 2 p.m. with tickets available now at Huskers.com.
Official Basketball Box Score Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs Nebraska 11/21/13 7:06 p.m. at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Neb.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VISITORS: Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-4 TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 13 Campbell, Mollie.... f 2-3 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 1 4 1 2 0 0 18 15 Wormley, Makayla.... f 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 24 Thompson, Marion.... f 0-3 0-0 0-0 1 4 5 4 0 0 2 0 0 28 04 Lasane, Christina... g 4-16 0-2 2-4 1 2 3 4 10 2 2 0 0 27 20 Wright, Cassidy..... g 5-11 2-3 0-0 0 1 1 0 12 0 4 0 1 32 03 Carr, Charisse...... 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 3 2 1 2 0 1 17 05 Haggie, Amber....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 9 14 Ham, Destiny........ 1-5 0-0 2-2 0 2 2 4 4 2 4 0 4 28 23 Walker, Carlisha.... 5-10 0-1 0-1 1 4 5 0 10 0 0 0 3 16 34 Johnson, Jasmine.... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 35 Victorian, Jazmyne.. 6-6 0-0 1-1 1 2 3 3 13 0 2 0 0 13 43 Campbell, Erin...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 TEAM................ 1 3 4 1 Totals.............. 24-56 2-6 5-8 5 23 28 19 55 7 19 0 9 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 8-26 30.8% 2nd Half: 16-30 53.3% Game: 42.9% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-4 25.0% 2nd Half: 1-2 50.0% Game: 33.3% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 0-1 0.0% 2nd Half: 5-7 71.4% Game: 62.5% 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOME TEAM: Nebraska 4-0 TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS ## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN 03 Sample, Hailie...... f 4-8 0-0 0-1 5 3 8 1 8 4 2 0 1 23 23 Cady, Emily......... f 3-6 1-3 4-6 0 8 8 1 11 0 1 1 1 26 35 Hooper, Jordan...... f 9-13 3-6 2-2 1 5 6 0 23 1 1 1 1 21 01 Laudermill, Tear'a.. g 0-4 0-3 2-2 0 4 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 13 33 Theriot, Rachel..... g 4-5 1-1 0-0 0 2 2 1 9 6 3 0 4 15 10 Tvrdy, Hannah....... 2-6 2-5 0-0 3 0 3 1 6 3 2 0 0 24 11 Ramacieri, Esther... 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 13 Jeffery, Brandi..... 1-3 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 3 2 2 1 0 1 16 14 Simon, Katie........ 1-4 0-1 0-1 1 1 2 1 2 0 1 1 0 14 21 Murren, Sadie....... 4-4 4-4 0-2 2 1 3 2 12 0 5 0 0 25 22 Havers, Allie....... 1-6 0-2 1-2 1 4 5 3 3 1 3 1 0 19 TEAM................ 1 1 1 Totals.............. 29-60 11-27 9-16 13 29 42 14 78 17 20 4 8 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 17-29 58.6% 2nd Half: 12-31 38.7% Game: 48.3% DEADB 3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 6-12 50.0% 2nd Half: 5-15 33.3% Game: 40.7% REBS F Throw % 1st Half: 2-3 66.7% 2nd Half: 7-13 53.8% Game: 56.3% 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Officials: Dee Kantner, Laura Morris, Katie Lukanich Technical fouls: Arkansas-Pine Bluff-None. Nebraska-None. Attendance: 4599 Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total Arkansas-Pine Bluff........... 17 38 - 55 Nebraska...................... 42 36 - 78