Huskers Close Road Swing at Illinois

Nebraska Cornhuskers (17-6, 6-6 Big Ten)
at Illinois Fighting Illini (6-13, 1-7 Big Ten)
Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, 2 p.m. (CT)
State Farm Center - Champaign, Illinois
Live Video: B1G+ (subscription required)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (1:45 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (ESPN 590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

Huskers Close Big Ten Road Swing at Illinois
Nebraska wraps up its three-game Big Ten road trip by taking on Illinois on Saturday afternoon at the State Farm Center in Champaign. The game was originally scheduled to be played Jan. 23, but was postponed because of health and safety protocols within the Nebraska program.

Tip-off between the Huskers (17-6, 6-6 Big Ten) and the Fighting Illini (6-13, 1-7 Big Ten) is set for 2 p.m. (CT) with a live video stream for B1G+ subscribers.

Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will have the call on the Huskers Radio Network (B107.3 FM, Lincoln; ESPN 590 AM, Omaha), the Huskers App and Huskers.com.

The Huskers will be looking to rebound from back-to-back road losses to top-25 opponents after falling 80-70 at No. 21 Ohio State on Thursday in Columbus. It was NU's fifth loss to a current top 25 team this season, including the fourth on the road.

Alexis Markowski, a six-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week and a leading contender for Big Ten Freshman of the Year, notched her fourth double-double with 23 points and a career high-tying 15 rebounds against the Buckeyes. The 6-3 forward/center has taken over Nebraska's team lead in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg), including 16.3 points and 7.9 rebounds in Big Ten play.

Jaz Shelley added 14 points and five assists against the Buckeyes. The 5-9 sophomore from Moe, Australia, ranks among the top 25 players in the Big Ten in scoring (11.9 ppg, 22nd), rebounding (7.3 ppg, 9th), assists (5.0 apg, 6th), blocks (1.3 bpg, 2nd) and steals (1.7 spg, 13th). 

Isabelle Bourne, a 2021 honorable-mention All-Big Ten forward from Canberra, Australia, is averaging 10.0 points and 4.7 after getting 12 points and six rebounds at Ohio State. The 6-2 sophomore has produced double figures 12 times, including each of the last three games.

Returning All-Big Ten guard Sam Haiby gives Nebraska four players averaging in double figures on the year with 10.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists. In two wins over the Illini last season, Haiby averaged 27.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists. She accounted for 55 of NU's 135 combined points in the two games. Haiby ranks among the top 20 players in Husker history in points (18th, 1,254) and the top 10 in assists (10th, 370). 

Ashley Scoggin is expected to make her team-leading 50th consecutive start for the Huskers on Saturday. She erupted for a career-high 20 points with a career-high six three-pointers at No. 17 Maryland (Feb. 6). Scoggin ranks 24th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.426).

Freshman Allison Weidner has continued to grow her game throughout the season. The 5-10 guard from Humphrey, Neb., is averaging 8.3 points over the last 10 games.

Nebraska Numbers to Watch
• Through games Feb. 10, the Huskers ranked among the top 25 teams nationally in scoring margin (10th, +16.5), scoring offense (12th, 78.4 ppg), assists (13th, 403), rebounds (13th, 991), assists per game (14th, 17.5 apg), rebounds per game (16th, 43.1 rpg),three-point field goals made (18th, 197), assist-to-turnover ratio (18th, 1.21), defensive rebounds per game (20th, 29.3 rpg) and three-point field goals made per game (21st, 8.7 pg).

• Nebraska leads the Big Ten in scoring margin (+16.5 ppg), total rebounds (43.1 rpg), field goal percentage defense (.369) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.272).

• Alexis Markowski has hit 57.1 percent (12-21) of her three-point attempts as a starter, despite missing her last six three-point attempts over NU's last four games.

• Nebraska guard Jaz Shelley is the only player to rank among the top 25 players in the Big Ten in scoring (22nd, 11.9 ppg), rebounding (9th, 7.4 rpg), assists (6th, 5.0 apg), blocked shots (2nd, 1.3 bpg) and steals (13th, 1.7 spg).

• Huskers Ashley Scoggin (12th, 2.3 pg) and Jaz Shelley (14th, 2.1 pg) rank among the top players in the Big Ten in three-point field goals made per game. 

• Nebraska's backcourt has taken care of the ball while creating opportunities. Jaz Shelley (2.1) and Sam Haiby (1.6) rank No. 5 and No. 13, respectively in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio based on the NCAA minimum of 3.0 assists per game. Husker reserve Ruby Porter (3.1), who does not meet the NCAA minimum, owns Nebraska's best assist-to-turnover ratios (25-8).

• Nebraska ranks 12th nationally in scoring offense with 78.4 points per game. The only time in the last 25 years NU has averaged more than 75 points per game in a season came in 2009-10 (77.4 ppg). That Husker team went unbeaten in the regular season, won the Big 12 regular-season title and advanced to Nebraska's first NCAA Sweet Sixteen as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.    

• Sophomore point guard Jaz Shelley has pulled down 161 total rebounds in 640 minutes this season. In two seasons (971 minutes) at Oregon (2019-20, 2020-21), the 5-9 Shelley totaled 70 rebounds.

• Jaz Shelley leads Nebraska with 28 blocked shots in 22 games. She had six blocks in 55 games over two seasons at Oregon.

• In 23 games in 2021-22, Nebraska has far surpassed its season steals total (120, 26 games) from a year ago. The Huskers own 179 steals this season.

• Nebraska's minus-21 foul disparity (28-7) at Iowa (Jan. 16) marked the largest foul differential in program history (by NU or opponent) in 1,451 games over 48 seasons. It marked the first time in history that a Husker team held a negative foul differential of greater than 17. In NU's other 22 games this season, the Huskers own a positive foul differential of +1.6.

Scouting The Illinois Fighting Illini
• Coach Nancy Fahey brings Illinois into Saturday's contest with a 6-13 overall record that includes a 1-7 Big Ten mark after a 93-61 loss to No. 6 Indiana on Wednesday night in Champaign.

• The Fighting Illini have not registered a win since Jan. 9, suffering five straight Big Ten losses. Illinois also did not play a game from Jan. 24 through Feb. 5 because of health and safety protocols.

• Saturday's game will be the Illini's third since returning to action with a 70-62 loss at Wisconsin (Feb. 6). Illinois defeated the Badgers 68-47 in the first meeting between the two teams on Jan. 9 at the State Farm Center.

• Sophomore Aaliyah Nye leads Illinois as its only double-figure scorer, averaging 11.1 points per game. Nye, a 5-11 guard, has hit 36.5 percent (46-126) of her three-point attempts to lead the Illini.

• Jada Peebles has joined Nye in the starting five for 17 of the Illini's 19 games and is averaging 7.6 points, while hitting 37.5 percent of her threes (21-56).

• Kendall Bostic, a 6-2 forward, is the only Illini player to start all 19 games. She is averaging 6.7 points and a team-best 11.7 rebounds. Bostic is 0-for-18 from three-point range but did hit six three-pointers for Michigan State last season.

• Sara Anastasieska (5.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg) and Jayla Oden (7.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg) round out the Illinois probable starting five. In Wednesday's loss to Indiana, Oden scored 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting with a 5-for-5 effort at the free throw line.

• Illinois also features a productive bench, led by guards De'Myla Brown (9.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg) and Adalia McKenzie (8.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg). McKenzie led the Illini with 14 points off the bench in the loss to the Hoosiers Wednesday.

• Experienced Illinois post players Eva Rubin and Geovana Lopes along with sophomore Erika Porter give the Illini depth inside. Solape Amusan and Lyric Robins add familiar names on the scouting report.

• As a team, Illinois has hit 40 percent of its shots, including 32.4 percent of its three-point attempts, while averaging 6.2 made threes per game. Illinois is shooting just 65.9 percent at the free throw line. The Illini have been out-rebounded (38.3-37.6) on the season and carry a minus-2.3 turnover margin.

• In eight Big Ten games, Illinois carries a plus-2.5 rebound margin, but opponents are hitting 48.5 percent of their shots, including 42.9 percent of their threes with more than 10 made threes per game. The Illini carry a minus-3.1 turnover margin in Big Ten contests. Illinois is allowing 79.5 points per Big Ten game, while scoring just 64.4 points per contest.

Nebraska vs. Illinois Series History
• Nebraska leads the all-time series with Illinois 16-5, including six consecutive victories. Last season, the Huskers scrapped their way to a 57-53 victory over the Illini at the State Farm Center (Jan. 25, 2021). Sam Haiby led all scorers with 22 points, while Annika Stewart added 12 points off the bench, including a trio of three-pointers. Ruby Porter contributed 11 points and three threes as a starter in place of an injured Isabelle Bourne. 

• Haiby scored 12 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter. With NU leading 55-53 with 10 seconds left, Haiby stole an Illinois inbounds pass and was fouled, sinking a pair of free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

• Seconds earlier, MiCole Cayton stole an Illini inbounds pass and was fouled, sinking 1-of-2 free throws to put NU up 55-53. It was Cayton's first game as a Husker. She finished with three points.

• Aaliyah Nye led Illinois with 15 points off the bench, including a trio of threes. Eva Rubin added nine points and six rebounds, while former Illini Kennadi Myles (9 points, 9 rebounds), J-Naya Ephraim  (8 points, 5 rebounds) and Jeanae Terry (6 points, 5 rebounds) rounded out the Illinois starters.

• Nebraska is 13-3 against Illinois as Big Ten Conference foes, including 12-2 in Big Ten regular-season conference games. The last win in the series for Illinois came with a 79-70 decision over the Huskers at the Big Ten Tournament (March 1, 2017).

• Nebraska owns three straight wins over the Illini in Champaign and six straight over Illinois at Pinnacle Bank Arena. NU is 8-1 against the Illini in Lincoln. The only Illinois win came with a 62-52 victory over the Huskers on Jan. 17, 2013.

• The series dates back to an 89-86 Nebraska win over the Illini on March 3, 1982 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Markowski Making Mark as Freshman
• Alexis Markowski is making her mark as a true freshman for her hometown Huskers. The 6-3 forward/center from Lincoln leads Nebraska with 12.8 points per game and 7.4 rebounds.

• A six-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Markowski has increased her production to 18.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals over the past 10 games as a Big Ten starter. She has hit 56.2 percent from the field and 57.1 percent (12-21) from three-point range in league play.

• Markowski has captured four of the past five Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards and was named the USBWA Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week (Jan. 11).

Nebraska Streaks
• Isabelle Bourne and Alexis Markowski are the only Huskers to score in all 23 games in 2021-22.

• Ashley Scoggin has started a team-best 49 consecutive games.

• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 421 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 300 consecutive games.

Deep Bench Boosts Big Red
• The Husker bench has outscored opponent reserves 619-321 (+13.0 ppg) through 23 games, including a 444-229 edge (+15.4 ppg) in 14 games at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

• A total of 10 Huskers are averaging better than 10.0 points per 40 minutes, including two Huskers (Alexis Markowski, 27.4 pp40, 15.9 rp40 and Annika Stewart, 22.7 pp40; 9.5 rp40) who are averaging better than 20 points per 40 minutes. 

• No Husker ranks among the top 25 players in the conference in minutes per game. Jaz Shelley leads Nebraska with 29.1 minutes per game, while Braxtin Miller from Ohio State ranks 25th in the conference (30.4 mpg).