Coatney's Call: Wayne State Preview

#16 Nebraska vs. #6 Wayne State
Sunday, Nov. 2, 2 p.m. (central)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Neb.)
Radio: Husker Sports Network
(Matt Coatney-PBP; Jeff Griesch-Analyst)
Internet: Free live audio on Huskers.com

Huskers Open Exhibition Play with Wayne State        

You’ve all probably seen it.  It’s one of the neatest television commercials never to play during the Super Bowl! A season ticket promo starring Nebraska Women’s Basketball Coach Connie Yori carrying the Big Ten Conference Tournament Trophy all over the place with her, much  to the chagrin of Huskers’ Men’s Basketball Coach Tim Miles’ chagrin.

While I don’t think Coach Yori will be holding that impressive piece of hardware on the sidelines during games, it’s important to remember that she has racked up a notable list of accomplishments heading into her 13th season as coach of Nebraska. She’s won conference titles in two different leagues in the past five years, ran the table with an undefeated team during the 2010 regular season, achieved the program’s first number one seed ever in an NCAA Tournament, sent three players to the WNBA as first round draft picks, was named National Coach of the Year (2010), and conference coach of the year three times, including each of the past two years in the Big Ten.

This year’s edition of Nebraska Women’s Basketball includes a core group of four returning starters who have combined to play in 23 NCAA Tournament games. Seniors Emily Cady and Hailie Sample have started every game in their careers, 100 games straight. Guard Tear’a Laudermill had a breakout junior season and those three, along with fellow senior Brandi Jeffery have been a part of 75 wins in their first three years, the most successful stretch in school history. They also have a chance to become the first Huskers in history to advance to four consecutive NCAA tournaments in 2015. Junior point guard Rachel Theriot established herself as one of the premier point guards in the nation last year, and was named Big Ten Tournament MVP. These five veterans will join the nation’s ninth-ranked recruiting class to bring a great mix of veterans and youth to the Huskers.

Nebraska will kick off season two at the spectacular Pinnacle Bank Arena with an exhibition game Sunday afternoon, Nov. 2 at 2:05 p.m. against an in-state foe - the Wayne State College Wildcats.

WSC was 28-5 last season, winning the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) regular season title for the third time in the last four seasons. Wayne State made the NCAA Division II national tournament for the fourth time in five years in 2013-14. They return their top three scorers from last season and enter Sunday’s matchup with Nebraska ranked sixth in the Women’s Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25 poll.

A very familiar face to Husker fans will be in uniform for Wayne State. Sadie Murren transferred to  WSC after last season. Expected to play the point guard for the Wildcats, Murren averaged 2.6 points for Nebraska in 2013-14.

Jordan Spencer, a 5-11 senior forward, led the team in scoring (16.2 ppg), rebounds (6.2 rpg) and steals last season. The Millard West product gained first-team All-NSIC honors last season and set the single-season school record for most free throws attempted by a Wildcat player (136-of-226, .602).  Her father Bryan Muellner played college basketball at Nebraska-Omaha while their mother Amy Spencer competed for Creighton.

Ashton Yossi, a 5-8 senior, started all 33 games at shooting guard for WSC as a junior. She ranked second on the team in scoring (11.5 ppg) and led the team in three-pointers with 68.

Millie Niggeling, a 6-1 senior forward, also returns this season for Wayne State. The U-Mass transfer appeared in all 33 games last year as a reserve forward and ranked third on the team in scoring at (11.3 ppg). She recently underwent shoulder surgery and may not be available for action against Nebraska.

Chris Kielsmeier enters his seventh season as head women's basketball coach at Wayne State College. Kielsmeier has a 144-40 record at WSC and a 323-84 record in 14 years overall as a head coach, including eight years at Howard Payne University in Texas. He has taken his teams to the NCAA Division II Tournament eight times with one national title.

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 begins with the pre-game show at 1:45 p.m. (central) with the tip-off scheduled for 2:05 p.m. on the Husker Sports Network including select stations throughout Nebraska.  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