2007-08 WOMEN S BASKETBALL SID Contact: Jeff Griesch Office Phone: (402) 472-7775 Cell Phone: (402) 540-0279 Fax Number: (402) 472-2005 E-Mail: jgriesch@huskers.com 2007-08 schedule/results (13-4, 2-1) Date Opponent Time/Result Nov. 1 Nebraska-Kearney (exhibition) W, 62-48 Nov. 5 Nebraska-Omaha (exhibition) W, 78-50 Nov. 9 UTEP (HuskersNside) W, 81-74 Nov. 11 Mississippi (HuskersNside) W, 80-59 Nov. 17 Florida (Huskers.com/Toys for Tots) W, 90-63 Nov. 23-25 at Oahu Classic (Honolulu, Hawaii) Nov. 23 vs. Marist L, 59-66 Nov. 24 vs. Utah L, 44-56 Nov. 25 vs. Akron W, 75-47 Nov. 30 Creighton (HuskersNside) W, 79-65 Dec. 2 Robert Morris (HuskersNside) W, 73-58 Dec. 8 USC (HuskersNside) W, 87-69 Dec. 13 at Cal State Bakersfield W, 66-62 Dec. 15 at Long Beach State W, 75-52 Dec. 22 at #18 Ohio State (HuskersNside) L, 74-86 Dec. 30 Denver (Huskers.com) W, 73-38 Jan. 2 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (HuskersNside) W, 67-39 Jan. 9 #15 Texas (HuskersNside)^ W, 56-45 Jan. 12 Kansas (FSN/Alumni)^ W, 71-51 Jan. 16 at #11 Oklahoma (SSN/DirecTV Ch. 25)^ L, 72-80 Jan. 19 at Iowa State (HuskersNside)^ 7 p.m. Jan. 23 Texas A&M (FSN Midwest/Huskers.com)^ 7:05 p.m. Jan. 26 at Baylor ^ 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 Kansas State (HuskersNside)^ 7:05 p.m. Feb. 3 at Missouri (FSN)^ 3 p.m. Feb. 6 at Colorado (FSNRM)^ 9 p.m. Feb. 10 Oklahoma State (ESPN2/Red Cross)^ 1:15 p.m. Feb. 17 at Kansas (ESPN360/Think Pink)^ 2 p.m. Feb. 21 Missouri (FSNMW/Huskers.com/$ Days)^ 7:05 p.m. Feb. 24 at Texas Tech^ 2 p.m. Feb. 27 at Kansas State (FSNMW)^ 7 p.m. March 2 Colorado (HuskersNside)^ 2:05 p.m. March 5 Iowa State (HuskersNside/Senior Night)^ 7:05 p.m. March 11-15 at Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship (Municipal Auditorium - Kansas City, Mo.) All times listed are Central. ^- Denotes Big 12 Conference game. FSN - Fox Sports Net National TV; FSNMW - FSN Midwest TV; FSNRM - FSN Rocky Mountain TV; SSN - Sooner Sports Network TV; HuskersNside - Premium video stream on Huskers.com for subscribers; Huskers.com - Free video stream on Huskers.com for all users; All Nebraska games can be heard live on the Husker Sports Network, including 98.1 FM KFGE in Lincoln and for free on Huskers.com. Home games in bold at the Devaney Center. This Week in Husker Women s Basketball Game 18 Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-4, 2-1) at Iowa State Cylcones (12-4, 1-2) Hilton Coliseum (14,356) Ames, Iowa Saturday, Jan. 19 7 p.m. Television: None Radio: Husker Sports Network (98.1 FM-KFGE, Lincoln, 1110 AM-KFAB, Omaha) Live Internet Audio: Huskers.com (free) Live Internet Video: HuskersNside (premium subscribers) HUSKERS.COM Huskers Head to Hilton Coliseum to Clash with Cyclones The Nebraska women s basketball team (13-4, 2-1) hopes to complete the first quarter of Big 12 Conference action on a strong note when the Huskers collide with the Iowa State Cyclones (12-4, 1-2 Big 12) on Saturday. Tip-off with the Cyclones is set for 7 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum, with live radio coverage provided by the Husker Sports Network, including 98.1 FM-KFGE in Lincoln and 1110 AM-KFAB in Omaha. Huskers.com will carry a free live audio broadcast with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action, while a live video stream will be available to premium subscribers on HuskersNside through cooperation with Cyclones.com. Nebraska and Iowa State will both be hungry to get back on the winning track after suffering road losses at top-25 Big 12 South Division teams on Wednesday. The Huskers lost their first league game with an 80-72 setback at No. 11 Oklahoma, while Iowa State took a 59-56 loss to No. 24 Texas in Austin. Not only did ISU lose the game, the Cyclones also suffered a major injury to one of their most experienced starters. Nicky Wieben, a 6-4 junior center, went down with a knee injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Wieben has started all 16 games for ISU this season and has averaged 12.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while blocking a team-high 35 shots. The injury to Wieben followed a season-ending knee injury to senior forward Toccara Ross near the end of nonconference play. Ross, who averaged 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds a year ago for ISU, suffered the injury in the final seconds of the first half of the Cyclones loss at Minnesota on Dec. 21. While the Cyclones may be short-handed against the Huskers, they still have history on their side in Hilton Coliseum. Nebraska has not left Ames with a win in hand since a 76-52 victory on Jan. 30, 1997. During Iowa State s current 10-game home winning streak against the Huskers, Nebraska has only hung within single digits on one occasion, a 62-57 loss on March 1, 2003. Although Iowa State has been dominant at home, the series has been extraordinarily competitive, with ISU holding a narrow 6-4 edge over the past 10 games, including a 79-76 overtime win for the Cylones in the last meeting between the two clubs at the 2007 Big 12 Tournament. 2007-08 Nebraska Cornhuskers No. Name Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown (High School/Other School) Worth Noting 5 Kaitlyn Burke G 5-7 Fr. North Vancouver, B.C. (National Elite Development Academy) Leads Nebraska with 19 3FG and 45 assists (2.6 apg) 11 Nicole Neals* G 5-6 So. Chandler, Ariz. (St. Mary s) One of Nebraska s most improved players (13 3FG) 13 Kala Kuhlmann* G 5-8 So. Charter Oak, Iowa (Charter Oak-Ute) 2006 Iowa Athlete of the Year; 5.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg in Big 12 15 Monique Whittaker G 5-10 Fr. Onalaska, Texas (Livingston) Texas All-Stater, averaged 20.9 ppg, 9.9 rpg in 2006-07 22 Yvonne Turner* G 5-8 So. Omaha, Neb. (Bellevue East) 2006 WBCA HS All-American; 9.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.0 spg last 7 games 23 Kelsey Griffin** F 6-2 Jr. Eagle River, Alaska (Chugiak) 2007 First-Team All-Big 12; 15th Husker with 1,000 pts., 500 reb. (career) 24 Dominique Kelley G 5-7 Fr. Lincoln, Neb. (Northeast) 2007 Nebraska Player of the Year; 15 pts., 9 reb. vs. Denver 32 Tay Hester G 5-10 Jr. Moreno Valley, Calif. (Perris/UTEP/Mt. San Antonio College) MVP of 2007 Calif. State JUCO Tourn.; 13 pts., 12 reb., vs. UTEP 35 Jessica Periago C 6-4 Fr. Toulon, France (National Sport School) French Senior National Team 40 Cory Montgomery* F 6-2 So. Cannon Falls, Minn. (Cannon Falls) Started 4 games in place of Griffin; 12 games in double figures 42 Nikki Bober* C 6-4 So. Murdock, Neb. (Elmwood-Murdock) One of NU s most improved players; 3.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg in Big 12 44 Catheryn Redmon C 6-3 Fr. Grand Prairie, Texas (Mansfield Timberview) No. 14 Post Player in the Nation in 2006; 9 pts., 3 reb. vs. Akron 52 Danielle Page*** F 6-2 Sr. Monument, Colo. (Lewis-Palmer) No. 2 at NU in Career Blocks (172); Big 12 Player of the Week (11/12) Head Coach: Connie Yori, Sixth Year (Creighton, 1986), 293-213 (18th season overall) 98-73 (Sixth season at Nebraska) Assistant Coaches: Sunny Smallwood, Third Year (Boise State, 1983); Tory Verdi, Third Year (Keene State, 1996); Kellie Lewis-Jay, First Year (Boise State, 1998) Director of Operations: Angela Timmons, Sixth Year (Creighton, 2001); Administrative Assistant/Video Coordinator: Steph Clark, Fourth Year (Creighton, 1993)
Nebraska Women s Basketball Page 2 at Iowa State Jan. 19, 2008 Huskers.com Saturday s Probable Starters Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-4, 2-1) No. Player Ht. Yr. Pos. PPG RPG 23 Kelsey Griffin 6-2 Jr. F 11.8 6.0 52 Danielle Page 6-2 Sr. F 11.9 7.3 22 Yvonne Turner 5-8 So. G 6.9 3.1 24 Dominique Kelley 5-7 Fr. G 6.8 3.5 32 Tay Hester 5-10 Jr. G 7.9 4.5 Off the bench 40 Cory Montgomery 6-2 So. F 11.1 5.4 5 Kaitlyn Burke 5-7 Fr. G 6.1 1.9 11 Nicole Neals 5-6 So. G 3.6 0.5 13 Kala Kuhlmann 5-8 So. G 3.7 2.6 44 Catheryn Redmon 6-3 Fr. C 2.8 2.6 42 Nikki Bober 6-4 So. C 2.3 1.9 Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986) Sixth Season at NU (98-73); 18th Season Overall (293-213) Iowa State Cyclones (12-4, 1-2) No. Player Ht. Yr. Pos. PPG RPG 32 Amanda Nisleit 6-0 Jr. F 6.6 4.4 44 Jocelyn Anderson 6-4 Jr. F 5.2 4.4 4 Alison Lacey 6-0 So. G 14.2 3.6 10 Denae Stuckey 5-8 So. G 4.4 5.3 15 Heather Ezell 5-9 Jr. G 9.5 3.1 Off the bench 11 Kelsey Bolte 6-1 Fr. G 9.5 5.0 Injured 5 Nicky Wieben 6-4 Jr. F 12.7 5.6 41 Toccara Ross 5-9 Sr. F 6.4 3.7 Head Coach: Bill Fennelly (William Penn, 1979) 13th Season at ISU (271-123); 20th Season Overall (437-176) Inside the Numbers Nebraska Iowa State Scoring Average 71.9 67.4 Opponent Scoring Average 58.1 53.9 Scoring Margin +13.8 +13.5 Field Goal Percentage 46.2% 43.1% Opponent FG Percentage 36.8% 35.9% 3FG Percentage 28.2% 38.4% Opponent 3FG Percentage 32.5% 30.6% Free Throw Percentage 63.9% 66.5% Opponent FT Percentage 72.1% 70.1% Rebound Margin +5.6 +6.0 Assists Per Game 16.3 14.8 Turnovers Per Game 19.1 14.1 Turnover Margin +2.0 +1.6 Blocks Per Game 4.8 5.5 Steals Per Game 9.1 6.5 Nebraska vs. Iowa State History Nebraska Leads 36-31 Last 10 Meetings: Iowa State Leads 6-4 Last Nebraska Win: NU, 62-49, Jan. 31, 2007 Last Nebraska Win in Ames: NU, 76-52, Jan. 30, 1997 Last Meeting: ISU, 79-76 OT (Oklahoma City, March 7, 2007) Last Meeting in Ames: ISU, 64-53, Feb. 20, 2007 First Meeting: NU, 59-40, Jan. 7, 1978 (Lawrence, Kan.) Largest Iowa State Margin: 43 (89-46, Jan. 13, 2001 at ISU) Largest Nebraska Margin: 49 (89-40, Feb. 28, 1993 at NU) Nebraska Nuggets: TEam Notes 4Nebraska has started the Big 12 season no worse than 2-1 in the last five years. Oklahoma has handed the Huskers their first Big 12 loss on three occasions during that span (70-51, Jan. 7, 2003). 4Nebraska's 45 points allowed in a 56-45 win over No. 15 Texas were the fewest scored by a top-25 opponent in school history against the Huskers. 4Nebraska s win over No. 15 Texas was its third consecutive win over a top-25 opponent at the Devaney Center. Nebraska defeated No. 13 Baylor, 76-67, in an FSN national telecast on Feb. 3, 2007, after running past No. 25 Kansas State, 70-63, on Jan. 17, 2007. 4The Huskers are 10-0 at the Devaney Center this season, outscoring opponents by 19.6 points per game (75.7-56.1). NU is also plus-8.5 on the boards at home. Nebraska s home schedule has included traditional NCAA powers Texas, USC, Mississippi, Florida and Kansas. UTEP, which is 12-2 this season, is the only team to play Nebraska within single digits at home this year. 4Nebraska (30-32) and Kansas (7-8) combined to hit 37-of-40 free throws on Saturday. The 92.5 percent free throw shooting was the best combined mark by both teams in Husker history, surpassing a 34-of-37 effort (91.9 percent) between Nebraska (18-19) and Oklahoma (16-18) in the Sooners 91-69 win at the Lloyd Noble Center on Feb. 5, 2000. 4With a halftime score of 19-17, Nebraska's win over No. 15 Texas tied for the lowest-scoring first half combined by both teams in school history. It matched a 1979 defensive struggle with Oklahoma. The 36 points represent the lowest total in more than 1,000 games in school history. 4Nebraska is the only team in the Big 12 without a player among the top 30 in minutes. Through three Big 12 games, 114 players saw more than 30 minutes of action in at least one game, including 18 who played 40 or more minutes in a contest. Danielle Page is the only Husker to play more than 30 minutes in a game (31 vs. KU, 30 vs. OU). Husker Hype: Individual Notes 4Kelsey Griffin enjoyed a strong return to the court to open Big 12 play after sitting out Nebraska s final four non-conference games with a rib injury. The first-team All-Big 12 forward posted her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds in NU s 56-45 win over No. 15 Texas, before adding a game-high 15 points and six rebounds in a 71-51 win over Kansas. 4Griffin has moved into 19th on Nebraska s career scoring list with 1,058 points. She needs 11 points to catch Kate Galligan in 18th place on the list with 1,069, and 16 to reach Tina McClain in 17th with 1,074. 4Danielle Page produced one of her most complete stat lines of the year with eight points, seven rebounds, seven blocks and career-high tying totals of four assists and three steals against Kansas. Page, who has blocked a shot in 13 straight games and 16 of 17 games this season, has 43 on the year and 172 in her career. 4Page s seven blocks against Kansas marked the second time in six games that the 6-2 forward had produced seven in a game, joining her seven-block effort at Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 13. Page has blocked seven or more shots three times in the last 27 games, including a school-recond nine-block effort against Baylor on Feb. 3, 2007. 4A defensive star for the Huskers, Yvonne Turner has recorded 20 steals over NU s last four games, including six steals against No. 15 Texas and five steals against Kansas. Turner turned the tide for NU in the second half against UT, scoring all nine of her points after halftime to turn a 19-17 NU deficit into a 50-34 lead late in the game. At Oklahoma, Turner erupted for a career-high 18 points. 4Turner has 50 steals on the year, which is 14 more steals than NU s leader - Kelsey Griffin - had in 2006-07. 4Cory Montgomery, who started NU s last four non-conference games in place of Kelsey Griffin, came off the bench to score 10 points and grab eight boards at Oklahoma. It was Montgomery s 12th game in double figures this season. Montgomery is the only non-starter in the Big 12 to rank among the top 30 players in the league in scoring. Huskers Playing Huge at Home to Open Season Nebraska has enjoyed great success at home during non-conference action. Not only have the Huskers bolted to a 10-0 start at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, they have done it in dominant fashion. The Huskers are shooting 47.3 percent on their homecourt this season, leading to a scoring average of 75.7 points per game. NU has outscored the opposition by an average of 19.6 points at home, holding opponents to 56.1 points per game. Husker foes are shooting just 34.4 percent from the field in Lincoln. The Huskers also own a plus-8.5 rebounding margin and a plus-2.1 team turnover margin at home. Jan. 14 - Monday Practice 4:15-6:30 p.m. (Lift - 3:10 p.m.) (Scout - 3:40 p.m.) Media Availability 2:30 p.m. Jan. 15 - Tuesday Practice 4-6 p.m. Media Availability 2:30 p.m. Depart Lincoln: 7 p.m. Charter Flight For Norman, Okla. Jan. 16 - Wednesday Shoot-around Noon - 1 p.m. Game Day Nebraska at Oklahoma Noble Center, 7 p.m. Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (Huskers.com - Free) Live TV: DirecTV Ch. 25 My TV Ch. 110 (Lincoln) Charter Ch. 17 (Kearney/GI) Jan. 17 - Thursday Practice 5:15-7 p.m. (Scout 4:35) No Media Availability Connie Yori Radio Show 7 p.m. Jan. 18 - Friday Practice 4-6 p.m. (Lift 3:30 p.m.) Media Availability 2:30 p.m. Depart Lincoln: 7 p.m. Charter Bus For Ames, Iowa Jan. 19 - Saturday Shoot-around 9-10 a.m. Game Day Nebraska at Iowa State Hilton Coliseum, 7 p.m. Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (Huskers.com - Free) Jan. 20 - Sunday No Practice
Nebraska Women s Basketball Page 3 at Iowa State Jan. 19, 2008 Huskers.com Those numbers are made even more impressive considering the strength of Nebraska s home schedule early in the season. The only team to play the Huskers within single digits was UTEP (81-74). The Miners, who won 22 games last season, are off to a 12-2 start and ranked No. 28 according to CollegeRPI.com, with their only other loss coming on the road at Kansas State. Along with its most recent wins over No. 15 Texas (56-45) and Kansas (71-51), Nebraska sprinted to an 80-59 victory over 2007 NCAA Elite Eight qualifier Mississippi, before galloping past the Florida Gators, 90-63. NU defeated in-state rival Creighton, 79-65, after leading by 30 points midway through the second half, before rolling to a 73-58 win over 2007 NCAA Tournament participant Robert Morris. The Huskers cruised to an 87-69 win over traditional power USC, before notching their most lopsided win of the year with a 73-38 win over a Denver club that was coming off a 20-win season in 2006-07. Scouting The Iowa State Cyclones Coach Bill Fennelly and the Iowa State Cyclones head into Saturday s game at Hilton Coliseum seeking refuge from a storm of on-court adversity the past month. ISU lost its lone senior - Toccara Ross - to a season-ending knee injury on the last play of the first half at Minnesota on Dec. 21. ISU closed the non-conference season with three wins, before battling to a 67-64 loss to No. 6 Oklahoma to open Big 12 play at home on Jan. 9. Following the heart-breaking loss to the Sooners, the Cyclones outlasted Colorado in an 84-77 double-overtime thriller in Boulder. On Wednesday, ISU found itself in another barn-burner down in Austin, suffering a 59-56 defeat. Not only did the Cyclones lose to the Longhorns, they may have also lost another one of their most experienced players to a season-ending knee injury, as junior forward Nicky Wieben went down against Texas. The loss of Wieben leaves ISU without a single starter from last year s club that finished in a tie with the Huskers for fourth in the final Big 12 standings and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. All-Big 12 point guard Lyndsey Medders and senior Megan Ronhovde were lost to graduation, while physical freshman forward/center Rachel Pierson elected to transfer at the end of the season. Ross and Wieben completed ISU s starting five for the majority of last season. Junior Heather Ezell and sophomore Alison Lacey are left to carry the scoring and leadership load for the Cyclones. Lacey, a 6-0 guard from Canberra, Australia, is averaging team-bests of 14.2 points and 4.6 assists per game. She is also shooting a sizzling 46 percent (46-100) from three-point range. Ezell has contributed 9.5 points and 3.3 assists per game, while adding 35 three-pointers on 33.3 percent shooting. Freshman Kelsey Bolte, a 6-1 guard, has added 9.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game off the bench, including a 22-point, nine-rebound effort at Texas on Wednesday. Bolte has started one game for ISU, and may move into a starting role on Saturday. Freshman Jocelyn Anderson, a 6-4 junior forward, may also be called on as a starter. Anderson has averaged 5.2 points and 4.4 rebounds for ISU. Junior Amanda Nisleit (6.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and Denae Stuckey (4.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) round out ISU s starting five. The Cyclones continue to be one of the most dangerous three-point shooting teams in the nation, hitting 38.4 percent of their shots from beyond the arc, while knocking down 8.2 threes per game. However, as a team they are shooting just 43.1 percent overall from the field and just 66.5 percent from the free throw line. ISU owns a plus-6.0 team rebounding mark and plus-1.6 team turnover margin. Nebraska vs. Iowa State Series History Saturday s meeting with Iowa State will be the 68th in series history, and Nebraska owns a narrow 36-31 edge all-time with the Cyclones. ISU won the last meeting between the two schools with a 79-76 overtime victory over Nebraska s 2007-08 Roster in Depth No. Player Ht. Cl. Pos. G-GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG 5 Kaitlyn Burke 5-7 Fr. G 17-0 6.1 1.9 2.6 0.9 0.1 11 Nicole Neals 5-6 So. G 17-0 3.6 0.5 1.4 0.4 0.0 13 Kala Kuhlmann 5-8 So. G 14-0 3.7 2.6 1.9 0.4 0.0 15 Monique Whittaker 5-10 Fr. G 7-0 1.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 22 Yvonne Turner 5-8 So. G 17-17 6.9 3.1 1.9 2.9 0.2 23 Kelsey Griffin 6-2 Jr. F 13-13 11.8 6.0 1.2 1.3 1.0 24 Dominique Kelley 5-7 Fr. G 17-17 6.8 3.5 2.2 0.5 0.0 32 Tay Hester 5-10 Jr. G 17-17 7.9 4.5 2.2 1.2 0.2 35 Jessica Periago 6-4 Fr. C 8-0 1.1 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.0 40 Cory Montgomery 6-2 So. F 17-4 11.1 5.4 0.7 0.3 0.1 42 Nikki Bober 6-4 So. C 17-0 2.3 1.9 0.7 0.2 0.4 44 Catheryn Redmon 6-3 Fr. C 13-0 2.8 2.6 0.2 0.3 0.6 52 Danielle Page 6-2 Sr. F 17-17 11.9 7.3 1.5 0.9 2.5 Husker Pronunciation Guide Nikki Bober...........................BO-ber Kala Kuhlmann.............. KAY-luh KOOL-man Jessica Periago..................PAIR-ee-ah-go Husker Homes The 13 members of the 2007-08 Husker women's basketball team come to Nebraska from three countries, including eight states across America. Alaska (1): Kelsey Griffin Arizona (1): Nicole Neals California (1): Tay Hester Colorado (1): Danielle Page Iowa (1): Kala Kuhlmann Minnesota (1): Cory Montgomery Nebraska (3): Nikki Bober, Dominique Kelley, Yvonne Turner Texas (2): Catheryn Redmon, Monique Whittaker Canada (1): Kaitlyn Burke France (1): Jessica Periago Huskers By Class Senior (1): Danielle Page Juniors (2): Kelsey Griffin, Tay Hester Sophomores (5): Nikki Bober, Kala Kuhlmann, Cory Montgomery, Nicole Neals, Yvonne Turner Freshmen (5): Kaitlyn Burke, Dominique Kelley, Jessica Periago, Catheryn Redmon, Monique Whittaker Huskers By Major Accounting: Cory Montgomery Biological Sciences: Kelsey Griffin Business Administration: Nicole Neals Communications: Danielle Page Education: Yvonne Turner General Studies: Nikki Bober, Kaitlyn Burke, Kala Kuhlmann, Jessica Periago, Monique Whittaker Pre-Veterinary Science: Catheryn Redmon Psychology: Tay Hester Sports Management: Dominique Kelley Nebraska Women s Basketball Radio and Television Shows The Nebraska Women s Basketball Show with Coach Connie Yori and host Jeff Griesch, will air for the first time on WOWT, Channel 6 in Omaha on Sunday night, Dec. 9 and on Monday evenings on KOLN/KGIN (My TV) in Lincoln. For a complete listing of airtimes, please visit Huskers.com and click on Coaches Show on the women s basketball home page. Coach Yori s radio show with host Matt Coatney tipped off on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. The show moved to Thursday nights and expanded to one hour starting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 29.
Nebraska Women s Basketball Page 4 at Iowa State Jan. 19, 2008 Huskers.com Head Coach Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986) (98-73, Sixth Season at NU) (293-213, 18th Season) NCAA Division III Season School Won Lost Pct. 1990-91 Loras College 10 15.400 1991-92 Loras College 15 10.600 Totals 2 seasons 25 25.500 NCAA Division I 1992-93 Creighton 20 8.714 1993-94 Creighton 24 7.774 1994-95 Creighton 18 9.667 1995-96 Creighton 15 13.536 1996-97 Creighton 8 19.296 1997-98 Creighton 16 12.571 1998-99 Creighton 16 14.533 1999-00 Creighton 12 15.444 2000-01 Creighton 17 11.607 2001-02 Creighton 24 7.774 2002-03 Nebraska 8 20.286 2003-04 Nebraska 18 12.600 2004-05 Nebraska 18 14.563 2005-06 Nebraska 19 13.594 2006-07 Nebraska 22 10.688 2007-08 Nebraska 13 4.765 Div. I Totals 16th season 268 188.588 Overall 18th season 293 213.579 Yori in the Postseason Year (Tournament) Results 2007 (NCAA) L, Temple, 61-64 2006 (WNIT) L, at Kansas State, 63-77 W, at Wyoming, 72-67 W, Drake, 62-59 2005 (WNIT) L, Iowa, 67-71 W, Marquette, 66-57 2004 (WNIT) L, Oregon State, 67-75 W, Drake, 73-60 2002 (NCAA) L, Fla. International, 58-73 1999 (WNIT) L, at Kansas State, 60-71 1994 (NCAA) W, Bowling Green, 84-73 L, Texas Tech, 65-75 Noting Coach Yori First coach in Nebraska history to lead the Huskers to four consecutive postseason bids Seven all-time postseason tournament appearances Three NCAA Tournament appearances Led Huskers to second-highest win total in school history in 2006-07 (22) Led Nebraska to an average of 19 wins over the past four seasons Coached Huskers to four first-team All-Big 12 awards over past four seasons First Nebraska coach to have two first-team All-Big 12 players in the same season (Kiera Hardy, Kelsey Griffin 2006-07) Huskers have won two Nebraska Life Skills Team Awards honoring the NU team most committed to all areas of life skills and community involvement (2004, 2006) Huskers have finished among the top two teams in each of the four Life Skills Team Award competitions the Huskers in the second round of the 2007 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships in Oklahoma City. The Cyclones also won last year s meeting in Ames, 64-53, on Feb. 20, 2007. It was the 10th straight win for ISU against the Huskers at Hilton Coliseum. Although Iowa State has controlled the series recently in Ames, Nebraska has notched four straight wins against the Cyclones in Lincoln, including last year s 62-49 victory on Jan. 31. HuskerS Fall at No. 11 Oklahoma Yvonne Turner scored a career-high 18 points, including a trio of three-pointers, but it wasn t enough to help the Nebraska women s basketball team stop No. 11 Oklahoma in an 80-72 loss to the Sooners at the Lloyd Noble Center on Wednesday night. Nebraska slipped to 13-4 overall and 2-1 in the Big 12 with its first conference loss, while OU improved to 11-3 on the season and 2-1 in the league in the Sooners Big 12 home opener. Although the final margin swung in OU s favor, the Huskers were in a dogfight with the Sooners through the first 28 minutes. After tying the game on three occassions in the second half, Nebraska trailed just 49-48 following Dominique Kelley s running jumper with 11:42 remaining in the game. But the Sooners erupted on a quick 7-0 run over the next two minutes to regain control of the game. After a jumper by Tay Hester stopped the run and cut the OU lead to 56-50 with 9:40 left, the Sooners went on a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to give OU a 66-50 edge with seven minutes left. In addition to the career-high 18 points from Turner, senior forward Danielle Page added 12 points and six rebounds, while Hester and Cory Montgomery each managed 10 points for NU. Kelsey Griffin scored all seven of her points in the second half. Danielle Robinson led the Sooners with 22 points, while Courtney Paris added her 75th consecutive double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Amanda Thompson (15) and Jenna Plumley (11) added double figures for OU. Turner got the Huskers off to a strong start by scoring a career-high 13 points in the first half alone, despite being strapped with two early fouls. Turner was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers, while hitting 2-of-3 first-half free throws. Turner scored five points in the first two minutes to give NU a 7-5 lead before OU erupted on a 16-2 surge to take control of the game at 21-9 with just over 10 minutes left in the half. Page then sparked the Huskers with a pair of jumpers and Turner s second three-pointer of the game pulled NU within 23-18 with 7:40 left. Turner kept the Huskers rolling with three more points on back-to-back possessions to draw NU to 23-21 with 6:57 left. Oklahoma managed to push the lead back to eight points at 38-30 after four straight points from Robinson, but Nebraska carried momentum to the locker room after Nicole Neals buried a pair of three-pointers in the final minute to pull the Huskers to 38-36 at halftime. Nebraska hit 43 percent of its field goals for the game, compared to 44 percent shooting for OU. The Huskers hit 6-of-17 three-pointers and 16-of-23 free throws, while OU managed 3-of-9 three-point shooting while hitting 19-of-20 free throws. OU outrebounded NU, 41-34, while the Sooners also won the turnover battle by forcing 25 miscues by the Huskers. OU committed 21 turnovers of its own. Griffin s Back and You re Gonna Be in Trouble First-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin returned to Nebraska s starting lineup against No. 15 Texas after missing NU s last four non-conference games with a rib injury. Griffin announced her presence with authority by posting her second double-double of the season and 15th of her career with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the win over the Longhorns. She added a blocked shot and a pair of steals in 25 minutes of action. She led NU with 15 points and six boards in Saturday s win over Kansas. The 6-2 forward from Eagle River, Alaska, did not practice or play from Dec. 14 to Jan. 3, while trying to recover from a cracked rib suffered in NU s final exhibition game against Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 5. Despite the injury, she has started 13 games and has taken a team-leading 13 charges. Lone Senior Page Leading Huskers Across the Board Nebraska senior Danielle Page ranks among Husker statistical leaders in several categories. The 6-2 forward from Monument, Colo., is averaging 11.9 points and team-best marks of 7.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game. She ranks 22nd in the Big 12 in scoring, is tied for 10th in rebounds and ranks fourth in blocked shots. Page has scored in double figures 11 times this season, including a pair of 20-plus efforts. She erupted for a career-high 27 points in an 80-59 win over Mississippi on Nov. 11, and averaged 23.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in NU s opening weekend. She earned the first Big 12 Conference Player-of-the-Week award on Nov. 12. Page added one of the best defensive efforts of her career when she pulled down 13 defensive rebounds, blocked seven shots and notched one steal in Nebraska s win over Cal State Bakersfield. She added seven more blocks to go along with eight points, seven boards, four assists and three steals in the win over Kansas. Against USC, Page had 21 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in in NU s 87-69 win. Page produced her first double-double of the year and third of her career with 11 points and 10 rebounds in NU s win over Florida on Nov. 17. She nearly added her second straight double-double with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and nine rebounds in NU s loss to Marist on Nov. 23. She scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and tied a career high with four assists while blocking three shots
Nebraska Women s Basketball Page 5 at Iowa State Jan. 19, 2008 Huskers.com in Nebraska s win over Robert Morris on Dec. 2. She added a 17-point effort in a win over Creighton that included five rebounds and three blocked shots on Nov. 30. Page pumped in 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a loss at No. 18 Ohio State on Dec. 22, before scoring 10 points and grabbing eight boards to go along with a season-high three steals in NU s run past Denver on Dec. 30. Last year, Page bounced back quickly from ACL surgery on her right knee on June 29, 2006, to appear in NU s first game. She enjoyed her best season, averaging 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds, including a season-high 17 points against Kansas on Jan. 27. It was one of seven double-figure scoring performances for Page as a junior, including her second career double-double with 11 points and 10 boards in NU s win over No. 25 Kansas State on Jan. 17. Page showed her defensive dominance throughout the season by setting NU s junior single-season record with 60 blocked shots, including a record-setting nine blocks, while tying a career high with 11 rebounds in Nebraska s 76-67 win over No. 13 Baylor on Feb. 3. Page s effort against the Lady Bears was one of the best individual defensive performances in school history. She tied the previous school record with seven blocks in just 13 first-half minutes, before adding a pair after halftime. She also grabbed nine defensive rebounds. She added a strong effort in the NCAA Tournament with eight points, a game-high eight rebounds and an NU NCAA Tournament record five blocks in a loss to Temple on March 18. She added 16 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in NU s 79-76 overtime loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals (March 7). Page scored eight straight points at the end of regulation and the start of overtime, including a pair of free throws with 9.7 seconds left in regulation to give NU a 70-67 lead over ISU. Montgomery May Be Big 12 s Best Off the Bench Although Cory Montgomery made four consecutive starts to close non-conference action, the 6-2 sophomore forward returned to her role as one of the Big 12 Conference s best off the bench for the start of league play against No. 15 Texas when first-team All-Big 12 forward Kelsey Griffin returned to the lineup. Montgomery continued to supply big minutes for the Huskers by scoring 10 points and grabbing six rebounds in the win over the Longhorns. She added 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds at No. 11 Oklahoma on Wednesday, and through NU s first 17 games, Montgomery ranks 29th in the Big 12 in scoring despite playing just 20.2 minutes per contest. Montgomery s presence on the league s scoring chart is notable, since she is the only player with fewer than nine starts on the list. Missouri s Jessra Johnson, who has started nine of MU s 16 games, is the only other player among the top 30 scorers in the Big 12 who is not a fixture in her team s starting lineup. Johnson, who is averaging 15.1 points per game, has started MU s last five games and is expected to be the Tigers regular starter in the post during conference play. Johnson is averaging 24.4 minutes per game for the Tigers. Montgomery gives the Huskers a trio of potent weapons inside, spelling both Danielle Page and Kelsey Griffin in NU s forward rotation. Through 17 games, Montgomery is averaging 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-best 53.1 percent from the field. She made her first career start in Nebraska s 75-52 win at Long Beach State on Dec. 15, and scored 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, including her fourth three-pointer of the season against the 49ers. She added 14 points and six rebounds in a career-high 32 minutes in her second career start at No. 18 Ohio State on Dec. 22. Montgomery also knocked down a career-best two three-pointers against the Buckeyes. She pumped in 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds in a win over Denver on Dec. 30, to produce her 10th double-figure scoring effort of the season. Montgomery came up big in Nebraska s 87-69 victory over USC on Dec. 8, by scoring a career-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field to go along with six rebounds. She scored seven points in the final 3:14 to help NU turn a seven-point lead into an 18-point win, while scoring 14 of her game-high 21 points in the second half. In NU s win over Cal State Bakersfield, Montgomery scored nine points in the final eight minutes to help the Huskers surge to victory down the stretch. She hit 5-of-7 shots from the field for the game, missing only a pair of three-point attempts, to finish with 12 points. Montgomery produced the first double-double of her career with 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds in Nebraska s win over Robert Morris on Dec. 2. She earned a spot on the five-player all-tournament team at the Oahu Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, by averaging 10.3 points off the bench in three tournament games. Minimizing Minutes, Maximizing production Senior forward Danielle Page is leading the Huskers in playing time with 26.4 minutes per game. While she leads the Huskers, Page does not even crack the Big 12 s list of 30 leaders in playing time so far this season. In fact, Nebraska is the only team in the Big 12 that does not have a player who ranks among the top 30 in the league in minutes. The only other team with fewer than two players is Texas Tech (Dominic Seals, 28.8 mpg). Oklahoma and Kansas each have four players among the top 30 in the league in minutes played, while Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Missouri and Texas A&M each have three players listed among the top 30. Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Texas each have a pair of players logging big minutes. On the opening night of Big 12 action, 43 players around the league played at least 30 minutes, including four players who competed for the full 40. Page and Kaitlyn Burke led the Huskers with just 26 minutes each. On opening weekend, 39 more Big 12 players battled for more than 30 minutes, including 14 who played 40 or more minutes thanks to overtime games at Colorado (ISU/CU, 2OT) and Texas (UT/KSU). Page is the only Husker to play more than 30 minutes in Big 12 play, registering 31 minutes against Kansas and 30 at Oklahoma. Nebraska Quick Facts Institution...University of Nebraska Location...Lincoln, Neb. Population... 241,167 Founded... 1869 Nickname... Cornhuskers, Huskers Colors...Scarlet and Cream Home Arena...Bob Devaney Sports Center Capacity... 13,595 Conference...Big 12 Interim Athletic Director... Tom Osborne 2006-07 Overall Record...22-10 Home Record...10-4 Away Record...9-4 Neutral Record...3-2 Head Coach...Connie Yori Alma Mater/Year...Creighton/1986 Record at Nebraska... Sixth season (98-73) Career Record...293-213 (18th season) NCAA Div. I Record...268-188 (16th season) Home Record...62-27 Big 12 Conference Record...36-47 Big 12 Home Record...21-20 Assistant Coaches...Sunny Smallwood, Tory Verdi...Kellie Lewis-Jay Director of Operations... Angela Timmons Administrative Assistant...Steph Clark Graduate Assistant Manager...Tia Davis Strength Coach...Rusty Ruffcorn Athletic Trainer... Dawn Wedeking Basketball Office Phone... (402) 472-6462 Basketball Office Fax... (402) 472-0849 Women s Basketball Contact...Jeff Griesch Media Relations Office Phone... (402) 472-2263 Griesch s Direct Line... (402) 472-7775 Griesch s Cell Phone... (402) 540-0279 Griesch s Home Phone... (402) 328-8992 Griesch s E-mail... jgriesch@huskers.com Media Relations Fax... (402) 472-2005 Best Time to Contact Yori...Through Griesch 2006-07 Starters Returning/Lost...1/4 2006-07 Letterwinners Returning/Lost...7/5 2007-08 Newcomers... 6 visit D s Diary on Huskers.com Throughout the 2007-08 season, senior forward Danielle Page will be a regular contributor on Nebraska women s basketball home page on Huskers.com. D s Diary will feature Page s thoughts and experiences during her life as a Husker. To read D s Diary, just visit Huskers.com and select (W) Basketball from the drop-down menu under Teams. On the left-side menu items, click on D s Diary to find Page s most recent entries from the season.
Nebraska Women s Basketball Page 6 at Iowa State Jan. 19, 2008 Huskers.com Nebraska Individual Career Highs Scoring Player (Game, Date) Points Kelsey Griffin (vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 11/27/05) 31 Danielle Page (vs. UTEP, 11/11/07) 27 Cory Montgomery (vs. USC, 12/8/07) 21 Yvonne Turner (at Oklahoma, 1/16/08) 18 Dominique Kelley (vs. Florida, 11/17/07) 16 Kaitlyn Burke (at Cal State Bakersfield, 12/13/07) 15 Tay Hester (at Ohio State, 12/22/07) 14 Kala Kuhlmann (vs. Florida, 11/17/07) 11 Nikki Bober (vs. Florida Atlantic, 11/12/06) 10 Nicole Neals (vs. Minnesota, 12/5/06) 9 Catheryn Redmon (vs. Akron, 11/25/07) 9 Jessica Periago (at Long Beach State, 12/15/07) 5 Monique Whittaker (vs. Akron, 11/25/07) 4 Rebounding Player (Game, Date) Rebounds Kelsey Griffin (vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 11/27/05) 14 Danielle Page (at Cal State Bakersfield, 12/13/07) 13 Tay Hester (vs. UTEP, 11/9/07) 12 Cory Montgomery (vs. Robert Morris, 12/2/07) 11 Dominique Kelley (vs. Denver, 12/30/07) 9 Kaitlyn Burke (at Long Beach State, 12/15/07) 7 Nikki Bober (vs. Texas, 1/9/08) 6 Kala Kuhlmann (vs. Texas, 1/9/08) 6 Nicole Neals (vs. Michigan, 12/9/06) 6 Catheryn Redmon (Three Times, vs. UAPB, 1/2/08) 6 Yvonne Turner (vs. Denver, 12/30/07) 6 Monique Whittaker (vs. Akron, 11/25/07) 3 Jessica Periago (vs. Florida, 11/17/07) 2 Assists Player (Game, Date) Assists Kaitlyn Burke (at Cal State Bakersfield, 12/13/07) 7 Yvonne Turner (vs. Florida Atlantic, 11/12/06) 6 Kala Kuhlmann (vs. Florida, 11/17/07) 5 Nicole Neals (vs. Akron, 11/25/07; vs. Nicholls St., 12/21/06) 5 Kelsey Griffin (vs. Robert Morris, 12/2/07; vs. Northwestern, 12/16/06) 4 Tay Hester (Four Times at Ohio State, 12/22/07) 4 Dominique Kelley (Four Times, vs. Oklahoma, 1/16/08) 4 Danielle Page (Three Times, vs. Kansas, 1/12/08) 4 Nikki Bober (vs. Akron, 11/25/07) 3 Cory Montgomery (vs. Denver, 12/30/07) 3 Jessica Periago (vs. Akron, 11/25/07) 1 Catheryn Redmon (vs. Oklahoma, 1/16/08; vs. Florida, 11/17/07) 1 Steals Player (Game, Date) Steals Yvonne Turner (vs. UAPB, 1/2/08; vs. Florida, 11/17/07) 8 Kelsey Griffin (vs. Robert Morris, 12/2/07; vs. Iowa St., 2/1/06) 4 Tay Hester (vs. Denver, 12/30/07) 4 Danielle Page (Eight Times, vs. Kansas, 1/12/08) 3 Nikki Bober (vs. Texas, 1/9/08; vs. UTPA, 11/28/06) 2 Kaitlyn Burke (Five Times, 1/9/08) 2 Dominique Kelley (vs. UAPB, 1/2/08) 2 Cory Montgomery (vs. Florida Atlantic, 11/12/06) 2 Nicole Neals (vs. UTPA, 11/28/06; vs. FAU, 11/12/06) 2 Kala Kuhlmann (Seven Times, vs. Kansas, 1/12/08) 1 Catheryn Redmon (Four Times, vs. UAPB, 1/2/08) 1 Blocked Shots Player (Game, Date) Blocks Danielle Page (vs. Baylor, 2/3/07) 9 Kelsey Griffin (at Kansas State, 2/4/06) 3 Catheryn Redmon (vs. Denver, 12/30/07; vs. Florida, 11/17/07) 2 Nikki Bober (Seven Times, vs. Texas, 1/9/08) 1 Kaitlyn Burke (vs. UAPB, 1/2/08) 1 Tay Hester (Three Times, vs. Robert Morris, 12/2/07) 1 Kala Kuhlmann (at KSU, 2/7/07; vs. OU, 1/6/07) 1 Cory Montgomery (Five Times, vs. Texas, 1/9/08) 1 Yvonne Turner (Five Times, vs. Denver, 12/30/07) 1 Minutes Played Player (Game, Date) Minutes Danielle Page (vs. Baylor, 1/12/05) 39 Kaitlyn Burke (at Cal State Bakersfield, 12/13/07) 34 Kelsey Griffin (at Kansas State, 2/4/06) 33 Cory Montgomery (at Ohio State, 12/22/07) 32 Tay Hester (vs. UTEP, 11/9/07) 31 Yvonne Turner (vs. UTEP, 11/9/07; vs. Texas Tech, 2/14/07) 30 Nicole Neals (vs. Minnesota, 12/5/06) 29 Dominique Kelley (vs. USC, 12/8/07) 27 Kala Kuhlmann (vs. Texas, 1/9/08) 24 Nikki Bober (vs. Denver, 12/30/07) 16 Catheryn Redmon (at Long Beach State, 12/15/07) 15 Jessica Periago (vs. Akron, 11/25/07) 10 Monique Whittaker (vs. Akron, 11/25/07) 10 Turner Turning Up Defensive Heat for Huskers Sophomore Yvonne Turner is making a name for herself as an explosive defensive player in Nebraska s lineup this season. The 5-7 point guard leads the Huskers with 50 steals this season, already giving her 14 more steals than any Husker during the entire 2006-07 campaign (Kelsey Griffin, 36). Turner is averaging 11.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game to open Big 12 play, including a careerhigh 18 points at No. 11 Oklahoma on Jan. 16. It was her fourth double-figure scoring effort of the season, including her third in the last seven games. She had 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and eight steals against Arkansas-Pine Bluff to close non-conference action on Jan. 2. She added 11 points in a win over Ole Miss on Nov. 11, and 10 points at Long Beach State on Dec. 15. She opened Big 12 play with nine points, five rebounds and six steals against No. 15 Texas. Turner enters Saturday s game at Iowa State averaging 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.9 steals per game. Turner, who has 20 steals in her last four games, had her second eight-steal performance of the year in NU s win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Jan. 2. The mark gave her two of the top-10 individual single-game steals efforts in school history and made her one of only three players in NU history to record eight or more steals on two occasions in her career. She added her most impressive defensive performance of the season with a career-high eight steals in Nebraska s 90-63 win over Florida on Nov. 17. Turner nabbed five steals in the first 1:31 of the second half, while her eight steals tied for the eighth-highest total in school history, just two shy of Kathy Hawkins school record. Amazingly, Turner recorded her eight steals in her first 12 minutes of action on the court in the game s first 22 minutes. Turner has also shown some offensive explosiveness during her second season with the Huskers. In addition to her eight steals in NU s non-conference finale against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Jan. 2, Turner scored 10 points, dished out five assists and grabbed five rebounds for the Huskers. Turner added eight points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals at No. 18 Ohio State on Dec. 22. She also contributed one of the best all-around games of her career with eight points, four rebounds and three steals in Nebraska s 87-69 win over USC on Dec. 8. Griffin Reaches Milestone in Win over USC Junior forward Kelsey Griffin became the 23rd player in Nebraska women s basketball history to reach the 1,000- point mark in her career when she scored the game s first points in NU s 87-69 win over USC on Dec. 8. Griffin finished the USC game with 13 points, and has since increased her total to 1,058 points to rank 19th on NU s career scoring list. She also has 535 career rebounds, making her one of just 15 players in school history to amass 1,000 points and 500 boards in their careers. The 6-2 forward from Eagle River, Alaska, is poised to make a major jump up Nebraska s scoring and rebounding charts. She needs just 11 points to catch Kate Galligan at No. 18 with 1,069 points, and just 16 points to match Tina McClain at No. 17 with 1,074 points. To join Nebraska s top-10 list as a scorer by the end of her junior season, Griffin will need to catch Diane DelVigna at 1,433 points. To become one of NU s top-10 career rebounders, Griffin (529) needs 112 more boards to catch Tina McClain at 641. Griffin also needs just seven more blocked shots to crack NU s career top 10 in that category. She owns 56 blocks in her career and has 13 blocks through her first 13 games this season. Pyra Aarden and Karen Jennings are tied for ninth on NU s career chart with 63 blocks. Hester Gives Huskers All-Around Threat On The Wing Junior guard Tay Hester has given Nebraska an all-around offensive and defensive threat on the wing early in her Husker career. The 5-10 guard from Moreno Valley, Calif., produced her first career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds in the season opener against her former teammates from UTEP. Hester s double-double was the first by a Husker wing player since Keasha Cannon-Johnson had 11 points and 10 rebounds in NU s Postseason WNIT victory over Drake on March 18, 2004. Hester closed her strong weekend by adding 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the win over Ole Miss on Nov. 11. Hester added a team-high four assists, to go along with four rebounds and a steal against the Rebels. The California native has produced double figures six times, including a career-high 14 points and four assists in a loss at No. 14 Ohio State on Dec. 22. She had 10 points and five rebounds at Oklahoma on Jan. 16. She also pitched in 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in Nebraska s 87-69 win over USC on Dec. 8. Hester scored 10 of her 12 points in the second half to help the Huskers turn a two-point halftime lead into an 18-point victory over the Women of Troy. Hester had 11 points and six rebounds in a win over Robert Morris on Dec. 2, after producing eight points, eight rebounds and three assists in a win over Creighton on Nov. 30. Through 17 games, Hester is averaging 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, while ranking second among the Huskers with 38 assists. She has added 21 steals and three blocked shots on the year.
Nebraska Women s Basketball Page 7 at Iowa State Jan. 19, 2008 Huskers.com Freshman Kelley Produces Solid Early Numbers Lincoln native Dominique Kelley has her Husker career off to a strong start. The Lincoln Northeast High School graduate ranks sixth on the team in scoring with 6.8 points per game, while adding 3.5 rebounds per contest. Kelley ranks among the top 10 freshmen in the Big 12 in scoring (ninth), rebounding (seventh) and assists (fourth). Her 11 made three-pointers also rank eighth among league freshmen. She scored a game-high 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field in NU s 67-39 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Jan. 2. That effort followed a 15-point performance that included a career-high nine rebounds in a 73-38 win over Denver on Dec. 30. Kelley also knocked down a career-high three three-pointers against the Pioneers. Kelley established her career high with 16 points in a 90-63 win over Florida on Nov. 17, before leading the Huskers with 13 points and seven boards in a 75-47 win over Akron on Nov. 25. She added a strong effort with nine points, five rebounds and two assists at No. 18 Ohio State on Dec. 22. Kelley is shooting a team-best 36.7 percent (11-30) from three-point range and her 11 made three-pointers rank third on the team, trailing only fellow freshman Kaitlyn Burke s 19, and Nicole Neals 13. Kelley has been hot from long range in recent weeks, hitting 8-of-18 three-point attempts over the last eight games. The 2007 Nebraska High School Player of the Year and a WBCA Honorable-Mention High School All-American, Kelley produced one of the best prep careers in Nebraska history at Lincoln Northeast. Kelley led the Rockets to a 70-3 record in her final three seasons, scoring 595 points as a senior, just 19 points shy of the Class A single-season scoring record set by former Husker and 1988 Big Eight Player-of-the-Year Maurtice Ivy. Kelley averaged 24.7 points per game last year. Burke Earns Nomination For Best Supporting Role No stranger to the spotlight, Kaitlyn Burke has certainly earned a nomination for best supporting role by a Husker non-starter in her young Nebraska career. The former childhood actress played starring roles in Nebraska s wins in California. The 5-7 guard from North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, erupted for career highs of 15 points, five threepointers and seven assists in a career-best 34 minutes off the bench in NU s win at Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 13. She provided an impressive encore by leading the Huskers in scoring, rebounding and assists with 14 points, a career-high seven boards and five assists in a 75-52 run past Long Beach State on Dec. 15. Nebraska s leader in both assists (45) and three-pointers made (19), Burke is averaging 6.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. She ranks 10th among Big 12 freshmen in scoring, second in assists and fifth in three-pointers made. Burke brought her talents to the Devaney Center stage in her career-opening performance against UTEP on Nov. 9. She poured in 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers, to help the Huskers to an 81-74 win over the Miners. She added a solid encore in Nebraska s win over Ole Miss on Nov. 11, when she scored nine points, grabbed two steals and dished out an assist in 21 minutes to conclude a strong opening weekend. Burke turned her focus from feature films such as Questar s Ms. Bear (1997) and Bear with Me (2000), to athletics seven years ago, after appearing with such Hollywood stars as Lindsay Lohan, Tyra Banks and Henry Winkler. Last year, Burke played on the international stage as a member of the Canadian Junior National Team and was one of the first members of the Canadian National Development Academy in 2006-07. Four Huskers Own Double-Doubles Nebraska is displaying impressive athleticism across the board early in the 2007-08 season. Through the first 17 games, four different Huskers have put up double-doubles in points and rebounds, while freshman guard Dominique Kelley just missed her first career double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds against Denver on Dec. 30. Kelsey Griffin is the most recent Husker to notch a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds to open Big 12 play in a win over No. 15 Texas on Jan. 9. It was Griffin s second double-double of the season. Newcomer Tay Hester was the first Husker to notch a double-double on the year with 13 points and 12 rebounds in NU s opening-night win over UTEP on Nov. 9. Hester became the first NU wing player since Keasha Cannon-Johnson on March 18, 2004, to claim a double-double. Senior forward Danielle Page joined Hester with a double-double by producing 11 points and 10 boards in Nebraska s win over Florida on Nov. 17. It was Page s third career double-double. Against Robert Morris on Dec. 2, both Griffin and Cory Montgomery produced their first double-doubles of the season, as Griffin rolled to 15 points and 12 rebounds in just 17 minutes, while Montgomery notched her first career double-double with 16 points and 11 boards in 22 minutes. Last season, Griffin claimed 10 double-doubles on the season, but Page was the only other Husker to manage a double-double on the year with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Kansas State on Jan. 17. NU Season 3FG By A Freshman Player (Year) 3FG Made 1. Anna DeForge (94-95) 46 2. Kiera Hardy (03-04) 30 3. Nicole Kubik (96-97) 29 4. Shannon Howell (00-01) 24 5. TK LaFleur (05-06) 20 -- Kaitlyn Burke (07-08) 19 Griffin Doubles (15-Career, 2-2007-08) 2007-08 Pts.-Reb. Opponent 13-10 Texas 15-12 Robert Morris 2006-07 23-13 Baylor 24-10 Kansas 16-10 at Texas A&M 18-13 at Kansas 15-13 at Florida 18-10 vs. NC State 13-11 at Creighton 22-10 at USC 13-12 at UC Irvine 17-12 CS Fullerton 2005-06 28-12 at K-State 16-12 Missouri 31-14 vs. TAMUCC Preseason Big 12 Conference Poll Team (1st Place Votes) Points 06-07 Finish 1. Texas A&M (7) 117 Tie-1st 2. Oklahoma(5) 115 Tie-1st 3. Baylor 97 3rd 4. Texas 86 Tie-7th 5. Oklahoma State 66 6th 6. Iowa State 64 Tie-4th 7. Nebraska 56 Tie-4th 8. Kansas State 54 Tie-11th 8. Texas Tech 54 Tie-7th 10. Kansas 43 Tie-11th 11. Colorado 29 T-7th 12. Missouri 11 10th Preseason All-Big 12 Teams Player of the Year: Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, 6-4, Jr., C Newcomer of the Year: Dominic Seals, Texas Tech, 6-2, Jr., F Freshman of the Year: Tyra White, Texas A&M, 6-0, Fr., G First-Team Kelsey Griffin 6-2 Jr. F Nebraska Jackie McFarland 6-3 Sr. F Colorado Courtney Paris 6-4 Jr. C Oklahoma A Quonesia Franklin 5-3 Sr. G Texas A&M Takia Starks 5-8 Jr. G Texas A&M Honorable-Mention Angela Tisdale (Baylor), Danielle McCray (Kansas), Ashley Paris (Oklahoma), Andrea Riley (Oklahoma State), Morenike Atunrase (Texas A&M), Danielle Gant (Texas A&M) this week in the big 12 conference Wednesday, Jan. 16 Baylor 59, Kansas 35 (CSTV) Texas 59, Iowa State 56 (FSNSW) Oklahoma 80, Nebraska 72 (SSN, DirecTV 25, My TV 110) Kansas State 71, Texas Tech 45 (FSNMW) Oklahoma State 76, Missouri 41 Texas A&M 72, Colorado 68 Saturday, Jan. 19 Oklahoma State at Texas A&M, 1 p.m. (FSN) Missouri at Kansas, 2 p.m. (ESPN 360) Colorado at Kansas State, 6 p.m. (FSNMW) Nebraska at Iowa State, 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20 Baylor at Oklahoma, 2 p.m. (ESPN2) Iowa State at Colorado, 3 p.m. (FSN) Nebraska Big 12 Players of the Week 2007-08 Player, Class, Position Date Danielle Page, Senior, Forward Nov. 12, 2007 2006-07 Player, Class, Position Date Kelsey Griffin, Sophomore, Forward Feb. 5, 2007 Kelsey Griffin, Sophomore, Forward Jan. 8, 2007 Nebraska Big 12 Rookies of the Week 2007-08 Player, Class, Position Date Kaitlyn Burke, Freshman, Guard Dec. 17, 2007 2005-06 Player, Class, Position Date Kelsey Griffin, Freshman, Forward Feb. 6, 2006 Kelsey Griffin, Freshman, Forward Jan. 9, 2006 2004-05 Danielle Page, Freshman, Forward Feb. 14, 2005 Danielle Page, Freshman, Forward Jan. 31, 2005