Shepard Claims National, Big Ten Honors

Lincoln - The hardware haul started early for Nebraska freshman Jessica Shepard on Monday.

Just a few hours after making history with her 35-point, 20-rebound performance in Nebraska's 93-81 road win over Michigan at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor on Sunday afternoon, Shepard was named the espnW National Women's Basketball Player of the Week.

The award, chosen each week in voting by ESPN.com's Charlie Creme, Graham Hays and Mechelle Voepel recognized the significance of Shepard's individual accomplishments and the growing success of Coach Connie Yori's Huskers this season. It was announced at 12:47 a.m. (CT).

She added her second national player-of-the-week award at 9:41 a.m., with College Sports Madness announcing her as its winner. She was also the website's Big Ten Player of the Week for the fourth time this season.

At 12:30 p.m., Shepard added her second Big Ten Player-of-the-Week award of the season, completing her second sweep of the official conference honors. The only other player to win two Big Ten Player-of-the-Week awards this season from the conference is Ohio State All-American Kelsey Mitchell, who is also the only other Big Ten player this season to be named the espnW National Player of the Week (Nov. 29, Jan. 4).

Shepard added her eighth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award in 11 weeks this season. It was Shepard's third consecutive freshman award from the conference and fifth in the last six weeks. With eight freshman awards this season, Shepard has tied the Big Ten record set by Penn State's Maggie Lucas (2010-11). Kelsey Mitchell (2014-15) and Amanda Zahui B. (2013-14) each won seven freshman awards. The conference began honoring freshmen with a weekly award in 2009-10.

On Tuesday, Shepard added her second USBWA National Freshman-of-the-Week award. She also claimed the honor on Dec. 22.

Shepard's 35-point effort at Michigan tied her own Nebraska freshman single-game scoring record, which she established just over a month ago in a win over Northern Arizona (Dec. 19). 

Her 20 rebounds against Michigan allowed her to become the first Nebraska player in history to record a 30-point, 20-rebound game. That's right, 1993 Wade Trophy winner Karen Jennings never did it. First-team All-America forwards Jordan Hooper (2014) and Kelsey Griffin (2010) never did it. 

Perhaps even more amazing, it was almost the second time Shepard did it in the last two weeks. In a home win over Illinois (Jan. 10), Shepard scored 29 points and grabbed 19 rebounds - the closest any Husker had come to the illusive 30/20 in more than 40 years of Nebraska women's basketball.

Shepard's game at Michigan, which included a 13-for-22 effort from the field against consistent double and triple teams from Wolverine defenders, came with senior All-America point guard Rachel Theriot out with injury. Shepard's 20 rebounds surpassed the total (19) of the entire Michigan starting five in the game.

Shepard erupted for 23 points and 15 rebounds in the second half alone against the Wolverines.

Her effort at Michigan marked her fifth consecutive 20-point performance during Nebraska's five-game conference winning streak, joining her 22-point, six-rebound night in a 62-61 win at then-Big Ten co-leader Purdue on Wednesday. Shepard scored 10 of Nebraska's 14 fourth-quarter points against the Boilermakers, knocking down 8-of-9 free throws in the final period to seal the win.

Shepard owns 11 20-point performances on the season and has eight double-doubles. She needs just one more double-double to match Debra Powell's 35-year-old freshman record in that category.

For the week, Shepard averaged 28.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks. During Nebraska's five-game winning streak, Shepard is averaging 27.4 points, 12.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 block, marking arguably the most productive five-game stretch by any player in Husker history. 

Through the first eight Big Ten games of her career, Shepard is averaging 22.9 points and 11.6 rebounds to increase her overall season averages to 20.9 points and 9.5 boards per game. No other Nebraska freshman in history has ever averaged 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

In Big Ten games, Shepard ranks third in the conference in scoring, trailing only All-Americans Kelsey Mitchell (Ohio State, 26.4 ppg) and Rachel Banham (25.0 ppg), while leading the conference in rebounding. Overall, Shepard ranks fourth in the conference in scoring and third in rebounding.

Shepard, who was the first freshman in Nebraska history to earn a spot on the Naismith Trophy Watch List, was the preseason Big Ten Freshman of the Year by College Sports Madness. On Dec. 22, Shepard captured her first National Freshman-of-the-Week award from the USBWA and was named to the NCAA.com "Starting Five" on Dec. 23.

Shepard leads the Huskers in search of their sixth consecutive Big Ten win on Wednesday when they play host to Wisconsin. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Badgers is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available now on Huskers.com.