Coatney's Call: Penn State Preview

#17 Nebraska vs. #9 Penn State
Monday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m. (central)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Neb.)
Television: ESPN (Beth Mowins-PBP; Stephanie White-Analyst)
Radio: Husker Sports Network
(Matt Coatney-PBP; Jeff Griesch-Analyst)
107.3 FM-KBBK, Lincoln; 93.3 FM-KFFF, Omaha; 1400 AM-KCOW, Alliance; 94.1 FM-KNEB, Scottsbluff; 1430 AM-KRGI, Grand Island; 1230 AM-KHAS, Hastings; 1400 AM-KBRB, Ainsworth; 1240 KODY & 93.5 FM-KZTL, North Platte
Internet: Free live audio on Huskers.com

No. 17 Huskers Face No. 9 Penn State on Big Monday
It hadn’t happened ever in the long history of the Nebraska women’s basketball program. There had never been three consecutive seasons in which the Huskers had won at least 20 games. And it looked like Nebraska would have to wait at least one more game to get its 20th win this season after Ohio State took a nine-point lead with 10 minutes remaining last Thursday night in Columbus.

But senior All-American Jordan Hooper caught fire and hit three of her five three-pointers in the final 10 minutes to help lead the Huskers to a come-from-behind 67-59 win at Ohio State.  Ohio native Rachel Theriot led Nebraska with a team-high 26 points and closed the game with six straight free throws to secure the win. Hooper ended with 24 points, as Nebraska won its 20th game on the season, marking the first time in program history the Huskers have had three consecutive seasons of at least 20 wins.

NU returns home for a key matchup Monday night as the Huskers host Big Ten-leading Penn State in an ESPN2 “Big Monday” nationally-televised game at 6 p.m. (central) at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln.

Penn State (21-5 overall, 12-2 Big Ten) is a game ahead in the loss column for the conference lead over Nebraska (10-3) and Michigan State (10-3).  The Lady Lions need one win in their final two games to clinch at least a tie for their third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title.  PSU is on a four-game win streak and has won 10 of its last 11 games after defeating Northwestern 82-73 Thursday night at State College. The foul line was the difference in the contest, as Northwestern made three more field goals (29-26) and had three more three-pointers (8-5), but Penn State was 25-of-29 from the foul line while the Wildcats were 7-of-10.

The Lady Lions have been a particularly effective team away from home, and are riding a school-record eight-game Big Ten road winning streak.  In fact, the only road loss this season for Penn State (8-1) came in an 83-79 loss at South Dakota State on Dec. 11.  PSU leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense (.359) and ranks second in blocked shots, rebound margin, and scoring margin.

This edition of the Lady Lions hasn’t been particularly effective shooting from long-range, ranking last in three-pointers (3.5 per game) in the league. However, Penn State has one of the most prolific three-point shooters in Big Ten history in 5-10 senior guard Maggie Lucas. The 2012-13 conference player of the year is second in school and conference history in career three-point field goals (352). Lucas is also tied for fourth on the all-time Big Ten scoring list (2,405 points). She leads Penn State and is second in the league in scoring this season (21.8 ppg). Lucas had 34 points and a building-record eight three-pointers against the Huskers in NU’s final game in the Devaney Center, an 82-67 Penn State win on March 3, 2013. In four career games against Nebraska, she has made 17-of-33 long-range shots (.515).  Lucas also leads the NCAA in free throw percentage (.963) and is just one percentage point off the all-time NCAA single-season record held by former Lady Lion Adrienne Squire (.964).

A player who has had a major impact on Penn State’s run to challenge as repeat Big Ten champions is 5-8 senior point guard Dara Taylor. The Maryland transfer had big shoes to fill at point guard this season after the graduation of first-round WNBA draft pick Alex Bentley.  Taylor leads the Big Ten and ranks 13th in the nation in steals (2.88 spg) and is third on the team in scoring (11.7 ppg).

Ariel Edwards has started every game this season after being one of the top sixth players in the league earlier in her career. The 6-3 senior wing ranks second on the team in scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (6.0 rpg) this year.

PSU has a big, tall and deep front line, led by 6-3 forward Talia East. She ranks ninth in school history in blocked shots and averages 7.7 points and a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per game.

Tori Waldner, a 6-5 junior, rounds out Penn State’s probable starting lineup. Waldner had the best scoring night of her career Thursday against Northwestern, netting 14 points to go along with nine rebounds and a career-high-tying five blocks. She averages 5.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on the season.

Penn State is led by seventh-year Head Coach Coquese Washington. As a player, Washington was a four-year starting point guard and team captain on Muffet McGraw’s first NCAA Tournament team at Notre Dame.

Penn State leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 5-1 and has won the last three games.  In addition to the win in Lincoln last March, Penn State defeated the Huskers 80-58 in State College on Jan. 13, 2013. Nebraska defeated PSU in the Huskers’ first-ever Big Ten Conference game 71-63 on Dec. 30, 2011 at Penn State.

Husker fans can play a major role in helping Jordan Hooper win the Senior CLASS Award.   Fan balloting counts for 1/3 of the overall total. Vote for Hooper at www.seniorclassaward.com. You may vote once a day per device through March 24. Former Husker Kelsey Griffin won this prestigious award in 2010 and Husker fans can help Jordan Hooper win it this season!

I cordially invite you to join Jeff Griesch and me for Nebraska Women’s Basketball on the Husker Sports Network.  Our radio broadcast Monday evening begins with the pre-game show at 5:45 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on the Husker Sports Network including KBBK (B107.3) in Lincoln, KFFF 93.3 in Omaha, KRVN 880 in Lexington, KCOW 1400 in Alliance, KNEB 94.1 in Scottsbluff, KRGI 1430 in Grand Island, KHAS 1230 in Hastings, KBRB 1400 in Ainsworth, KODY 1240 and KZTL 93.5 in North Platte and many others.  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