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Shepard Sweeps Big Ten Weekly HonorsShepard Sweeps Big Ten Weekly Honors
Women's Basketball

Shepard Sweeps Big Ten Weekly Honors

Lincoln - Nebraska's Jessica Shepard swept the Big Ten Player and Freshman-of-the-Week awards on Monday after her record-setting performance in the Husker women's basketball team's victory on Saturday.

Shepard, a 6-4 forward from Fremont, Neb., erupted for a Nebraska freshman-record 35 points in NU's 90-67 win over Northern Arizona Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. She added a career-high four steals while pulling down eight rebounds.

Shepard hit 12-of-16 shots from the floor against the Lumberjacks and set an overall school record by getting to the free throw line 20 times.

She scored 14 of Nebraska's 16 points in the first quarter, then pumped in 15 points in just over eight fourth-quarter minutes to help the Huskers pull away.

Shepard's 35 points surpassed Nebraska's previous freshman mark of 34 points held by Debra Powell since Feb. 25, 1982, when she produced that number in an overtime game against Notre Dame. 

In addition to claiming the first Big Ten Player-of-the-Week award from the conference office on Monday, she was also named the Big Ten Player of the Week by College Sports Madness for the second time this season. She is Nebraska's first Big Ten Player of the Week from the conference since Emily Cady earned the honor on Dec. 16, 2014.

The only freshman on the Naismith Trophy Watch List, Shepard has won or shared four of the first six Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards this season from the conference. Through 10 games, Shepard is averaging 19.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the 8-2 Huskers.

Shepard and the Huskers are back in action at Pinnacle Bank Arena tonight, when they take on Arkansas State, which features five senior starters from a team that won 24 games a year ago. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Red Wolves is set for 7 p.m. and tickets are available now at Huskers.com or tonight at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Box Office, beginning at 5:30.

Big Ten Weekly Honors (Dec. 21)

Player of the Week - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
Honor Roll - Chatrice White (Illinois), Nia Coffey (Northwestern), Ameryst Alston (Ohio State)

Freshman of the Week - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska

2015-16 Big Ten Awards

Player of the Week

  • Dec. 21 - Jessica Shepard, Nebraska
  • Dec. 14 - Rachel Banham, Minnesota
  • Dec. 7 - Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Maryland (Honor Roll - Rachel Theriot, Nebraska)
  • Nov. 30 - Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
  • Nov. 23 - Ashley Deary, Northwestern
  • Nov. 16 - Mikayla Bailey, Minnesota (Honor Roll - Natalie Romeo, Nebraska)

Freshman of the Week