Huskers Open Season Series with Hoosiers Sunday

Nebraska Cornhuskers (16-6, 7-4)
at Indiana Hoosiers (14-9, 6-5)

Sunday, Feb. 7, 1 p.m. - Assembly Hall (Bloomington, Ind.)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Matt Coatney, Jeff Griesch)

Sunday's Stations

• KBBK 107.3 FM, Lincoln
• KXSP 590 AM, Omaha
• KRVN 880 AM, Lexington
• KWBE 1450 AM, Beatrice
• KRGI 1430 AM, Grand Island
• KSWN 93.9 FM, McCook
• KHAS 1230 AM, Hastings
• KNCY 1600 AM, 105.5 FM, Nebraska City
• KHUB 1340 AM, Fremont
• KSID 1340 AM, Sidney
• KHAQ 98.5 FM, North Platte
• KNEB 94.1 FM, Scottsbluff
• KBRB 1400 AM, Ainsworth

Free Live Audio: Huskers.com
Live Premium Video: BTN Plus

Huskers Open Season Series with Hoosiers Sunday
The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns to action after its longest layoff of the Big Ten season when the Big Red battle Indiana on Super Bowl Sunday in Bloomington. Tip-off between the Huskers (16-6, 7-4 Big Ten) and the Hoosiers (14-9, 6-5) is set for 1 p.m. (central) at Assembly Hall.

The live Husker Sports Network radio call of Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch can be heard on B107.3 FM (Lincoln), ESPN 590 AM (Omaha), KRVN 880 AM (Lexington) and for free on Huskers.com. A live premium video stream will be available on BTN Plus.

Nebraska, which has won seven of its last eight games, is coming off an 87-69 home win over Penn State at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Tuesday night. The Huskers, who improved to 13-1 at home this season, got one of their most balanced and complete efforts of the season against the Lady Lions.

Freshman phenom Jessica Shepard notched her 13th 20-point performance of the season, while sophomore shooting sensation Natalie Romeo continued to lead the nation from long rang by knocking down 5-of-10 threes on her way to 19 points. Senior Anya Kalenta, who spent her sophomore season as an NJCAA All-American at Vincennes University in Indiana, added the best performance of her career with 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Fellow senior Rachel Theriot flirted with a triple-double with nine points, eight rebounds and 14 assists against the Lady Lions.

Like Nebraska, Indiana has been terrific at home this season, carrying a 10-0 record to Sunday’s game after a 79-74 win over Iowa Thursday. The Hoosiers, who are in the midst of playing four of five games at home, trailed the Hawkeyes by 17 points in the third quarter before rallying. IU comes to Lincoln Feb. 24.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (16-6, 7-4 Big Ten)
32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 20.4 ppg, 8.9 rpg
22 - Allie Havers - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 7.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg
4 - Kyndal Clark - 5-7 - RSr. - G - 5.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg
5 - Natalie Romeo - 5-7 - So. - G - 16.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg
33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Sr. - G - 11.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg
Off the Bench
43 - Rachel Blackburn - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 4.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg
24 - Maddie Simon - 6-2 - Fr. - G - 3.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg
31 - Anya Kalenta - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 3.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - So. - G - 3.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg
50 - Darrien Washington - 6-2 - RFr. - F - 2.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg
12 - Emily Wood - 5-5 - So. - G - 1.2 ppg, 0.7 rpg
11 - Esther Ramacieri - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 0.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986)
14th Season at Nebraska (278-159); 26th Season Overall (473-299)

Indiana Hoosiers (14-9 Overall, 6-5 Big Ten)
33 - Amanda Cahill - 6-2 - So. - F - 14.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg
43 - Jenn Anderson - 6-3 - Jr. - C - 7.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg
3 - Tyra Buss - 5-8 - So. - G - 18.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg
21 - Karlee McBride - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 7.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg
23 - Alexis Gassion - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 10.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg
Off the Bench
2 - Jess Walter - 6-0 - So. - G - 3.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg
11 - Kim Royster - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg
24 - Tyshee Towner - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 2.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg
32 - Laken Wairau - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 0.5 rpg
40 - Lyndsay Leikem - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 2.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg
44 - Danielle Williams - 6-4 - Fr. - C - 0.4 ppg, 0.8 rpg
Head Coach: Teri Moren (Purdue, 1992)
Second Season at Indiana (29-25); 12th Season Overall (228-155)

Husker Nuggets
• Nebraska leads the all-time series with Indiana 4-2, including a perfect 4-0 mark as Big Ten opponents. Last year, Nebraska escaped from Bloomington with a 67-64 win on Feb. 21, 2015. The Huskers also rolled to a 67-38 win at Assembly Hall on Jan. 10, 2013. Indiana defeated Nebraska, 67-61, in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge on Dec. 5, 2010, in Bloomington, in Nebraska’s final season in the Big 12. The Hoosiers won the first meeting in series history, 83-80 in overtime in Lincoln on Nov. 26, 1994.

• This season is the first that Nebraska and Indiana are scheduled to play a home-and-home series. The Hoosiers make a return trip to Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m.

• Jessica Shepard earned her eighth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award on Jan. 25, tying the Big Ten record for most awards in a season by a single player. She swept the Big Ten Player and Freshman honors for the second time on Jan. 25, while adding espnW and College Sports Madness National Player-of-the-Week honors. Shepard has added two appearances on the NCAA.com “Starting Five” (Dec. 23, Jan. 27) and is a two-time USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Dec. 22, Jan. 26).

• Shepard owns 13 20-point games on the season, including two Nebraska freshman record 35-point performances (at Michigan, Jan. 24; vs. Northern Arizona, Dec. 19), and two 29-point games (Illinois, Jan. 10; at Penn State, Jan. 13).

• Natalie Romeo tied her own school record with eight threes against Wisconsin (Jan. 27). It marked the school-record seventh time in 45 career games that Romeo has hit six or more threes, including the fourth time this season. Romeo owns three 30-point performances this year, including two in Big Ten play.

Nebraska Streaks and Milestones
• Natalie Romeo needs seven three-pointers to tie the Nebraska single-season school record of 85. She entered the weekend with a nation-leading 78 threes as a sophomore. Romeo tied her own school record with eight threes (8-of-14 shooting) in the win over Wisconsin (Jan. 27), which she set originally at Penn State (Jan. 13). Romeo is averaging 3.55 threes to per game to rank No. 2 among NCAA Division I. Romeo ranks seventh on the Nebraska season list with 78 threes and needs two more to catch Jordan Hooper (80, 2013-14) in sixth. Hooper was a first-team All-American for the Huskers as a senior in 2013-14. Romeo needs three more threes to join Hooper (2012-13) and Hardy (2005-06) in a tie for fourth with 81. Hardy (2004-05) and Amy Stephens (1988-89) own the Nebraska season record with 85 threes.

• Romeo is averaging a Big Ten-best 4.18 threes through 11 conference games. The only other Big Ten shooters averaging 3.0 or more threes per game in conference play are Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell (3.5), Minnesota’s Rachel Banham (3.4) and Wisconsin’s Nicole Bauman (3.0). Romeo’s three-point shooting percentage (.474) in league play is better than Bauman (.471), Banham (.389) and Mitchell (.388).

• Romeo owns a pair of 30-point efforts in Big Ten play this season (32 at Penn State, Jan. 13; 30 vs. Wisconsin, Jan. 27), becoming just the eighth Husker in history with multiple 30-point games in conference play. The only two players in Nebraska history who have posted more than two 30-point games in league play in a season are Karen Jennings (5, 1992, Big Eight) and Maurtice Ivy (4, 1987, Big Eight). Jennings and Ivy own two of Nebraska’s three all-time retired jerseys.

• Jessica Shepard needs 13 points to match the Nebraska freshman record for points in a season. The 6-4 forward from Fremont, Neb., ranks No. 4 on the Husker freshman list with 448 points. She needs one point to catch Kathy Hagerstrom (449, 1979-80), six points to reach Jordan Hooper (454, 2010-11) and 13 to match record-holder Debra Powell (461, 1981-82).
• Shepard needs five rebounds to become the fifth Husker freshman in history to grab 200 boards. Angie Miller (1983-84) ranks fifth all-time among NU freshmen with 199 rebounds. Jordan Hooper (2010-11) ranks fourth with 205, and Emily Cady (2011-12) ranks third with 216. Debra Powell (1981-82) ranks No. 2 at 229, while Kathy Hagerstrom (1979-80) owns the Nebraska freshman rebounding record with 277.

• With eight double-doubles, Shepard needs one more to match the Nebraska freshman record of nine double-doubles held by Debra Powell (1981-82). Only seven previous Huskers (11 times) have ever produced 10 double-doubles in a single season.

• Rachel Theriot needs 10 assists to become the third Husker in history to distribute 600 in a career. Lindsey Moore (699, 2010-13) owns the school record, while Meggan Yedsena (696, 1991-94) ranks second on the NU career list. Theriot, who had 14 assists in Tuesday’s win over Penn State, owns a school-record 10 double-digit assist games. She has 590 assists in her career.

• Theriot’s 96.2 free throw percentage (25-26) in Big Ten play leads the conference.

• Jasmine Cincore made her first career start at Michigan (Jan. 24). Cincore has made 23 consecutive free throws and is a perfect 17-for-17 in Big Ten play. She has not met the Big Ten minimum requirement of 2.0 made free throws per game to qualify for the lead in conference-only statistics.

• Senior Kyndal Clark is tied with Natalie Romeo for the team lead with 28 steals this season. Clark’s next steal will be the 200th of her collegiate career. Clark’s next field goal with be the 500th of her career and she is 11 rebounds away from No. 500 in her career.

Fast Five: Husker Quick Hitters
#33, Rachel Theriot, 6-0, Sr., G, Middleburg Heights, Ohio (11.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 7.0 apg)
• Rachel Theriot ranks seventh nationally with 7.0 assists per game. She is a Naismith Trophy, All-America, Lieberman Award, Senior CLASS Award, CoSIDA Academic All-America and WBCA Allstate Good Works Team candidate as a senior. Theriot missed Nebraska’s win at Michigan with a foot injury.
• A two-time preseason first-team All-Big Ten choice (2014, 2015), Theriot was an honorable-mention AP All-American as a sophomore in 2014, after leading the Big Red to their first Big Ten Tournament title as the MVP. She was a first-team All-Big Ten pick in 2014, and a Big Ten All-Freshman pick as a starter on Nebraska’s 2013 NCAA Sweet 16 team.
• Theriot set the Nebraska single-season record with 234 assists as a sophomore in 2013-14. Her 15 assists at California on Dec. 12 marked the second-best performance of her career and tied for the fourth-best single-game total in school history. She owns 590 in her career to rank third all-time at NU, following her 14 assists in Tuesday’s win over Penn State.
• Theriot is averaging 11.8 ppg as a senior, and ranks No. 17 in career points at Nebraska with 1,270. She needs 14 points to catch Janet Smith (No. 16, 1,284, 1979-82) on NU’s all-time scoring list.
• Theriot produced her seventh career double-double and second of the season with 17 points and 15 assists at Cal on Dec. 12. She also had 20 points and 11 assists in NU’s win over NC State on Dec. 3. She owns 13 career 20-point efforts and 10 career double-digit assist games. Her six career games with 12 or more assists are the most by a Husker in history.

#4, Kyndal Clark, 5-7, Sr., G, Webb City, Mo. (5.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.3 spg)
• The 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year as a junior, Kyndal Clark was a two-time all-conference player at Drake (2013, 2014). She was also an MVC All-Defensive choice as a sophomore in 2013, after earning a spot on the Valley All-Freshman Team in 2012. She was a member of the 2015 WBCA Allstate Good Works Team.
• Clark suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first game of her senior season at Drake (vs. South Dakota, Nov. 14, 2014). She graduated from Drake in May of 2015, after majoring in information systems.
• She produced a breakout performance with 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting from three-point range in the win over Evansville. Clark added a season-high four steals against the Purple Aces and matched that mark the next time out at California on Dec. 12. She owns four double-figure scoring efforts this season, including a season-high 22 points in NU’s win over Arkansas State on Dec. 21. She scored a personal Big Ten-best 15 points, while knocking down five first-half three-pointers at Michigan.
• She owns 76 career double-figure scoring performances, including 25 20-point games and four career 30-point efforts with a career high of 41.
• She scored 1,418 points and hit 222 three-pointers in her Drake career. She averaged 19.3 points per game and set the Missouri Valley Conference single-season record with 116 threes in 2013-14.

#5, Natalie Romeo, 5-7, So., G, Martinez, Calif. (16.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.3 spg)
• A high-energy guard who brings intensity and toughness to both ends of the court, Natalie Romeo is one of the Big Ten’s most explosive players. She produced a career-high 32 points at Penn State (Jan. 13) when she hit a school-record eight threes. She tied her own three-point record two weeks later in a win over Wisconsin (Jan. 27), capping her third 30-point performance of the season. She added a career-high six rebounds to her 30 points. Romeo opened the year with 30 points by hitting 6-of-9 threes against Arkansas Pine Bluff on Nov. 14. She has added three other 20-point games this season, including 24 points and six more threes in her return home to the Bay Area in an overtime loss at No. 22 Cal on Dec. 12. She closed non-conference play with 20 points and eight assists in a win over Arkansas State.
• Romeo is one of only seven players in Nebraska history to score 30 or more points twice in the same conference season, joining Karen Jennings (5, 1992, Big Eight; 2, 1991, Big Eight), Maurtice Ivy (4, 1987, Big Eight), Amy Stephens (2, 1989, Big Eight), Nicole Kubik (2, 1999, Big 12), Kelsey Griffin (2, 2010, Big 12) and Jordan Hooper (2, 2014, Big Ten).
• Romeo leads the nation with 78 threes and 3.55 threes per game. She is shooting 44.3 percent (11th nationally) from long range. She ranks second among sophomores and seventh overall on the Nebraska single-season lists with 78. Kiera Hardy (85, 2004-05) and Amy Stephens (85, 1988-89) share the Nebraska season three-point record.
• Romeo is tied for eighth in Nebraska history with 129 career three-pointers. Romeo needs six threes to post the highest freshman/sophomore combined season total in Husker history. Nebraska career three-point leader Jordan Hooper hit 134 threes in her first two seasons (67, 2010-11; 67, 2011-12). She needs 16 to match Kate Galligan (145, 1993-96) in seventh on the NU all-time list.
• Romeo led Nebraska by averaging 20.0 points in a pair of Big Ten Tournament games, including a season-high 26 points in a win over Illinois March 5. She tied a then-school record with seven threes against the Illini to set Nebraska’s all-time conference tournament record. She also tied the Nebraska NCAA Tournament record with five threes in a 72-69 loss to Syracuse on March 20, 2015.

#32, Jessica Shepard, 6-4, Fr., F, Fremont, Neb. (20.4 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.0 apg)
• An eight-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week and two-time Big Ten Player of the Week (Dec. 21, Jan. 25), Jessica Shepard was the espnW and College Sports Madness National Player of the Week (Jan. 25). Her most recent honors came after becoming the first player in Nebraska history to produce a 30-point, 20-rebound performance at Michigan Jan. 24. She tied her own NU freshman record with 35 points against the Wolverines, while adding a career-high 20 rebounds. She had 23 points and 15 boards in the second half against the Wolverines. Shepard was the USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Dec. 22, Jan. 26) after her NU freshman-record 35-point performances (Northern Arizona, Dec. 19; at Michigan, Jan. 24). Shepard owns 13 games with 20 points, 19 double-figure scoring performances and eight double-doubles.
• Shepard is averaging 21.3 points and 9.8 rebounds in Big Ten play, including 35 points and 20 rebounds at Michigan (Jan. 24) and 29 points and 19 rebounds in a win over Illinois (Jan. 10). She also had 29 points and 10 boards at Penn State Jan. 13. She had 28 points and eight rebounds against Iowa (Dec. 31), 23 points and four boards at Rutgers (Jan. 30) after notching 22 points and eight boards in the win over Rutgers (Jan. 16). She also had 22 points and six boards in the win at Purdue (Jan. 20) to go along with 20 points, four rebounds and four assists in a win over Penn State (Feb. 2).
• Shepard reached the 100-point (5 games), 200-point (11 games), 300-point (16 games) and 400-point (20 games) scoring marks faster than any Husker freshman in history. She already ranks fourth on Nebraska’s freshman season scoring list with 448 points and is just 13 points away from Debra Powell’s Nebraska freshman record point total of 461 (1981-82). Shepard leads NU in scoring (20.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 ppg), and both season numbers would be Husker freshman records (Debra Powell, 15.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1981-82).
• The top recruit in Nebraska history, Shepard was the No. 1 post and No. 3 overall recruit in the nation by ESPN last season. A first-team Parade All-American as a senior despite missing nearly all of her final year (ACL tear, Dec. 29, 2014), Shepard was the 2013 and 2014 Nebraska High School Player of the Year.
• Shepard averaged 12.8 points and 3.8 rebounds while helping the USA Basketball U18 Team to a 5-0 record and a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas Championship.

#22, Allie Havers, 6-5, Jr., C, Mattawan, Mich. (7.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.1 bpg)
• One of the tallest Nebraska women’s basketball players in history, Allie Havers is playing the best basketball of her career for the Huskers. Havers had 11 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in a win over Wisconsin (Jan. 27) for her second double-double of the season. She also had 15 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five assists at Michigan (Jan. 24) in her only return to her home state this season.
• Havers has started the last 13 games inside for the Huskers, replacing a then-ill/injured Rachel Blackburn in game 10 this season. Havers had 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists at Penn State (Jan. 13). She added eight points, seven rebounds against the Lady Lions (Feb. 2). Her 29 assists this season have surpassed her previous career total (21) entering 2015-16.
• Havers had a career-high 18 points at No. 22 Cal on Dec. 12. She played a career-high 39 minutes at Rutgers (Jan. 30). She produced her first career double-double with 14 points and a then-career-best 12 rebounds in a win over Evansville (Dec. 8).
• Havers owns single-season career-best totals of 145 rebounds, 29 assists and 24 blocks. She ranks 13th in the Big Ten with 6.6 boards per game, and tied for 10th with 1.1 blocks per contest.
• Havers, who averaged 4.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game as NU’s top post off the bench in 2014-15, owns 12 double-figure scoring games in her career, including five this season and five as a sophomore last season. Two of her double-figure efforts have come in the Big Ten Tournament, including a career-high 17 points in a semifinal win over No. 19 Michigan State on March 8, 2014.

Scouting The Indiana Hoosiers
Coach Teri Moren has her Indiana team in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament bid in her second year at the helm of the Hoosiers. Indiana heads into Sunday’s game against Nebraska with a 14-9 overall record, including a 6-5 Big Ten mark with a No. 47 NCAA RPI. The Hoosiers improved to 10-0 at home for the first time since 1973 with a 79-74 come-from-behind win over Iowa on Thursday. Indiana trailed by 17 points in the second half before rallying to victory.

Sophomore guard Tyra Buss has provided the Hoosiers with one of the Big Ten’s best scorers, averaging 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game. She had 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the win over the Hawkeyes. She is joined in an experienced backcourt by 5-11 junior guard Alexis Gassion, who has added 10.5 points and 5.0 boards per game. Fellow junior Karlee McBride, a 5-10 guard, rounds out IU’s starting backcourt with 7.2 points and 1.8 rebounds.

While Buss leads a consistent backcourt, 6-2 sophomore forward Amanda Cahill adds 14.7 points and a team-best 7.9 boards per game. She led Indiana with 24 points against Iowa. Jenn Anderson, a 6-3 junior center, adds 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds, while anchoring the back of Indiana’s defense. Anderson played one of her best games of the season against Iowa with 18 points and six rebounds despite playing with a broken finger.

Freshman Kim Royster, a 6-2 forward, has added to IU’s frontcourt rotation with 4.0 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Indiana’s lone senior, Lyndsay Leikem, a 6-1 forward, adds to IU’s post game with 2.3 points and 2.5 boards per contest, while 6-4 freshman center Danielle Williams has added depth.

Sophomore Jess Walter (3.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg), junior Tyshee Towner (2.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg) and Laken Wairau (1.0 ppg, 0.5 rpg) round out Indiana’s contributors.

As a team, Indiana is averaging 70.8 points per game on the season, while allowing 68.2 points. Indiana is shooting 43.5 percent from the field on the season, including 33.8 percent of their threes. The Hoosiers are also a solid 73.1 percent at the free throw line. IU owns a 0.7 rebound per game disadvantage and a 0.2 turnover per game deficit.

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Indiana 4-2, including a 4-0 record as Big Ten foes. The Huskers escaped from Assembly Hall in Bloomington last year with a 67-64 win on Feb. 21, 2015. NU rolled to a 67-38 win at Assembly Hall on Jan. 10, 2013, and the Huskers have won both meetings in Lincoln as Big Ten teams. On Dec. 5, 2010, Nebraska dropped a 67-61 decision in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge to the Hoosiers in Bloomington. It was Nebraska’s final season in the Big 12. The Hoosiers won the first meeting in series history, 83-80 in overtime in Lincoln Nov. 26, 1994.

This season is the first that Nebraska and Indiana are scheduled to play a home-and-home conference series. The Hoosiers make a return trip to Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.

Shepard Playing Big in Big Ten
Nebraska freshman Jessica Shepard ranks fourth in the Big Ten in scoring (20.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 rpg) as the leading contender for Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year honors and a threat for first-team All-Big Ten accolades as well.

Shepard is one of only three freshmen, joining Penn State’s Teniya Page (19th, 15.9 ppg) and Michigan’s Hallie Thome (24th, 14.0 ppg) to rank among the conference’s top-30 scorers.

Shepard is also one of only three freshmen, joining Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah (11th, 6.7 rpg) and Alex Wittinger (13th, 6.4 rpg) to rank among the Big Ten’s top-20 rebounders. Shepard is tied for third in the conference with 3.2 offensive rebounds per game, and ranks ninth in the league in field goal percentage (.544).

Shepard is also one of the best post passers in the Big Ten. Among forwards and centers, Shepard’s 45 assists rank third in the conference, trailing only Indiana sophomore Amanda Cahill’s 54. Northwestern junior Nia Coffey, who has spent considerable time in her career on the wing, ranks just ahead of Shepard with 46 assists. Purdue’s Bridget Perry (42) is the only other Big Ten post with more than 40 assists.

Romeo Rockin’ from Long Range
Nebraska sophomore Natalie Romeo has developed into one of the nation’s premier three-point shooters in her second season. Through games Feb. 4, the 5-7 guard from Martinez, Calif., leads the nation with 78 three-pointers and 3.55 threes per game. 

Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell entered the weekend with 74 threes to rank second in the Big Ten and tied for third nationally through 22 games (3.36 pg, 4th).

Romeo ranks second in the Big Ten with her 44.3 percentage, which ranks 11th nationally, despite having more attempts (176) than any shooter other than Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell (184, .402, 46th) in the top 50 in shooting percentage.

Romeo’s explosive shooting has included a school-record eight threes at Penn State (Jan. 13) and against Wisconsin (Jan. 27). Both of those games featured her hitting six first-half threes. In 46 career games, she owns seven shooting nights with six or more threes - more than any other Husker in history.

Romeo is on pace to become the first Husker to hit 100 threes in a season. The school season record is 85 (Kiera Hardy, 2004-05; Amy Stephens, 1988-89). Romeo needs just five more threes to match school career record holder Jordan Hooper for the most three-pointers at the conclusion of a sophomore season. Hooper hit 134-of-394 attempts her first two seasons, while Romeo has knocked down 129-of-320.

Romeo’s consistent shooting has pushed her to 17th in the conference in scoring at 16.3 points per game. Through 11 Big Ten games, Romeo leads the league with 4.18 threes per game while connecting on 47.4 percent (4th in Big Ten) of her three-point attempts to average 17.2 points per game (13th in Big Ten). Romeo has hit eight more threes than any other Big Ten shooter in conference play.

Theriot Leads Big Ten in Assists
Nebraska point guard Rachel Theriot leads the Big Ten with 7.0 assists per game. Theriot owns 146 assists in 21 games as a senior, 37 more than she produced in 21 games during an injury-shortened junior season. Her assist total this season has come in 104 fewer minutes on the court than a year ago.

In Big Ten play only, Theriot is averaging 6.9 assists per game despite battling injury. She also leads the Big Ten with her 96.2 free throw percentage (25-26) in conference games.

Havers Filling Right Side from Inside
One of the tallest Huskers in history at 6-5, center Allie Havers has stepped into the starting lineup and stepped up her production on the right side of the stat sheets.

Havers, a junior from Mattawan, Mich., ranks 12th in the Big Ten with 6.6 rebounds per game, while her 1.1 blocked shots per game are tied for 10th in the conference.

Havers is also proving herself as a talented passer inside, totaling 29 assists through 22 games to surpass her total (21) from the first 65 games of her career.

Her most improvement has come in assist-to-turnover. Through her first two seasons as Nebraska’s top post off the bench, Havers totaled 21 assists and 68 turnovers. This season, Havers owns 29 assists against 33 turnovers, including 21 assists and 22 turnovers in Big Ten play.

Triple Threats: Three Things to Talk About
#11, Esther Ramacieri, 5-8, Jr., G, Repentigny, Quebec, Canada (0.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg)
• Esther Ramacieri made her second career start and first of the season at Penn State Jan. 13, filling in for Rachel Theriot. Ramacieri notched career highs with four rebounds and three assists in a career-high 23 minutes in the win over the Lady Lions, helping the Huskers jump to a 33-13 lead. She earned a second straight start in the win over Rutgers Jan. 16.
• Ramacieri had two points and two rebounds in two minutes against Northern Arizona on Dec. 19, in her return after missing four games with a concussion. She hit her first field goal (37th career game) in the closing minute of NU’s win over North Carolina Central on Nov. 21. She added her first Big Ten field goal with a layup against No. 14 Northwestern on Jan. 3. She added an assist and two rebounds in 10 minutes at No. 8 Maryland Jan. 7. Ramacieri appeared in 17 games in each of her first two seasons, with one career start (vs. Penn State, Jan. 15, 2015).
• Ramacieri missed much of the summer and preseason with a knee injury, but was cleared to play for the start of the 2015-16 regular season. She missed NU’s wins over NC State, Creighton and Evansville with a concussion suffered outside of competition/practice. She did not play at No. 22 California but was available. She missed the Big Ten opener against Iowa (Dec. 31) with an Achilles strain. She has missed the last four games with illness.
• Ramacieri is the fourth Canadian to play for the Huskers under Coach Yori, including Chelsea Aubry (2004-07), Kaitlyn Burke (2008-12) and Harleen Sidhu (2009-12).

#12, Emily Wood, 5-5, So., G, Salina, Kan. (1.2 ppg, 0.7 rpg)
• Emily Wood is making solid, consistent and reliable contributions as a sophomore, producing 18 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 78 minutes off the bench. She enjoyed a career night with six points on the first two three-pointers of her career while adding two rebounds, an assist and a steal in Nebraska’s win over North Florida on Nov. 16. She added a three while notching career highs of five assists, three rebounds and 23 minutes played against Evansville on Dec. 8.
• Wood played in 10 games as a freshman after walking on to the Nebraska program. She claimed Nebraska’s Teammate Award for her commitment to the Husker program in 2014-15. Wood had two points and five rebounds in 29 minutes as a freshman. In the summer of 2015, Wood started for NU on its four-game Australian Tour, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 26 minutes per game.
• Wood was a first-team Kansas Class 5A all-state selection as a senior at Salina Central High School in 2014. Wood averaged 16.0 points per game as a senior, while hitting a school-record 91 threes. She hit 42.1 percent of her threes and 86.2 percent of her free throws as a senior.

#24, Maddie Simon, 6-2, Fr., G, Lincoln, Neb. (3.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg)
• Maddie Simon was growing her game quickly as a key contributor in the Husker lineup before suffering a broken arm in a fall outside of basketball activities on Dec. 7. Her recovery went well and she returned to action at No. 8 Maryland on Jan. 7. After missing six games, Simon scored nine points off the bench as one of Nebraska’s leading scorers against the Terps. Simon produced two double-figure efforts before the injury, including 11 points and three assists in a win over Southern (Nov. 23) and 10 points and three assists against NC State (Dec. 3).
• Simon averaged 6.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist during Nebraska’s four-game summer tour of Australia in August of 2015. The 2015 Nebraska High School Player of the Year, Maddie Simon was a two-time first-team Super-State selection while leading Lincoln Pius X to the 2015 Class B state championship. She was the No. 149 player in the nation according to Blue Star and the No. 22 guard by ESPN in 2015.
• A tremendous all-around athlete, Simon won the Class A 100- and 300-meter hurdles championships at the 2015 Nebraska State Track & Field Championships. Her mother, Nicole Ali Simon, was the first female CoSIDA Academic All-American in the history of Nebraska athletics, competing for Coach Gary Pepin’s national champion Huskers in 1983 and 1984.

#31, Anya Kalenta, 6-3, Sr., F, Minsk, Belarus (3.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
• Anya Kalenta is coming off the best game of her career, tying her career high with 14 points while adding 11 rebounds for her first double-double in Nebraska’s win over Penn State (Feb. 2). Kalenta produced several strong games in non-conference play this season, including seven points and a career-high 14 rebounds in a win over Northern Arizona (Dec. 19). She also had career bests with three blocks and 26 minutes. She produced the fourth double-figure scoring effort of her Nebraska career and second of the season with 11 points and six rebounds in a 21 minutes off the bench in NU’s win over NC State (Dec. 3). She had 10 points and eight rebounds in just 13 minutes in a win over North Florida (Nov. 16). She had eight points, eight rebounds, two assists and her first career steal against Evansville (Dec. 8).
• Kalenta owns more points (84/38), rebounds (87/17), assists (8/1), blocks (7/3) and steals (4/0) than she had last season. She appeared in 12 games at Nebraska in 2014-15, competing in five of NU’s first six games before missing NU’s next nine games with a stress fracture in her foot. She also suffered a broken nose in preseason practice (Oct. 29, 2014), and battled anemia throughout the year. She established career highs with 14 points and eight rebounds in a season-opening win over Pepperdine Nov. 15, 2014.
• Kalenta earned third-team NJCAA All-America honors in 2013-14 at Vincennes University in Indiana. She transferred to Vincennes after spending her freshman season at Broward College in Florida in 2012-13. She ranked in the NJCAA’s top 25 in scoring (20.8 ppg, 13th), rebounding (10.7 rpg, 22nd) and blocked shots (2.1 bpg, 20th) in her only season with the Trailblazers at Vincennes in 2013-14.

#34, Jasmine Cincore, 5-10, So., G, Arlington, Tenn. (3.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.1 apg)
• A two-time Tennessee Class 2-AA Player of the Year (2013, 2014), Jasmine Cincore battled ankle and foot injuries to play in 20 games for the Huskers as a true freshman. She enjoyed a strong offseason and made her first career start in her 39th career game in Nebraska’s 93-81 win at Michigan Jan. 24. Cincore played a career-high 32 minutes against the Wolverines, recording eight points, three assists, a block and a steal. She replaced an injured Rachel Theriot in the starting lineup in Ann Arbor.
• Cincore has set or tied career bests in every category, including a career-high nine points at No. 8 Maryland on Jan. 7. She had a career-high four steals against North Florida on Nov. 16. She produced a solid all-around game with five points, a career-high four rebounds and a career-best four assists in Nebraska’s win over Penn State (Feb. 2).
• During Nebraska’s 2015 summer tour of Australia, Cincore was NU’s second-leading scorer with 10.0 points per game, while adding 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in four games against Australian pro teams.

#43, Rachel Blackburn, 6-3, Fr., F, Leavenworth, Kan. (4.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.3 apg)
• A fiery workhorse as a freshman, Rachel Blackburn was a leader for the Big Red on the glass and on the defensive end before missing three straight games with illness. She returned to the court in a reserve role at No. 14 Northwestern, scoring four points and grabbing a pair of rebounds in 15 minutes. She played 14 minutes off the bench at No. 8 Maryland (Jan. 7). Blackburn was sidelined by illness against Northern Arizona (Dec. 19) and Arkansas State (Dec. 21), before missing the Big Ten opener against Iowa (Dec. 31) with both illness and a strained knee. She played a major role in Nebraska’s win at Purdue, producing five points, a career-high three blocks and a game-high eight rebounds in just 15 minutes. She added six points, five rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in NU’s win at Michigan Jan. 24. She played limited minutes before aggravating an existing injury against Wisconsin (Jan. 27), and she did not play at Rutgers (Jan. 30) or against Penn State (Feb. 2).
• The No. 63 player in the nation by Blue Star and No. 69 by Prospects Nation, Blackburn was ranked as the No. 17 post in the country by ESPN coming out of high school last year. She became the first Husker to take four charges in a game (vs. NC State, Dec. 3) since All-American Kelsey Griffin did it at Baylor on Jan. 17, 2010. She was directly responsible for 10 first-half defensive stops to fuel a 20-0 second-quarter run in NU’s win over NC State Dec. 3. Blackburn erupted for a career-high 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting against Evansville on Dec. 8. She added six rebounds and three assists in just 23 minutes against the Purple Aces.
• Blackburn averaged 7.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game in Nebraska’s four-game tour of Australia in August of 2015. She led the Huskers by shooting 65 percent from the field. She led Leavenworth High School to back-to-back Kansas Class 5A state titles in 2014 and 2015. She set the Leavenworth High School record with a career 67.5 field goal percentage.

#50, Darrien Washington, 6-2, RFr., F, Oakland, Calif. (2.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
• Darrien Washington is coming off the best Big Ten effort of her career with five points, one rebound and her first career block in six minutes off the bench in Nebraska’s win over Penn State (Feb. 2). It was just the third Big Ten performance of Washington’s career. She produced six points, five rebounds and an assist in eight minutes off the bench in her career debut against Arkansas Pine Bluff after enjoying a strong redshirt season in 2014-15. She added three points, five rebounds and her first career steal in six productive minutes against North Florida on Nov. 16. She did not play in seven consecutive games (coach’s decision) before returning to action for one first-half minute against Northern Arizona on Dec. 19.
• Washington has totaled 17 points and 13 rebounds in just 28 minutes of action this season, including three points and two rebounds in five minutes in her Big Ten debut at No. 8 Maryland on Jan. 7.
• A first-team All-Oakland performer at Skyline High School, Washington averaged 16.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game as a senior. She scored 1,181 career points and came up just short of 1,000 career rebounds in high school. She played on the Cal Stars Elite with current Husker sophomore guard Natalie Romeo.