Huskers Head to Minnesota for Big Ten Battle
The Nebraska women’s basketball team shoots for its best six-game start to the Big Ten season since joining the conference in 2011-12 when the Huskers travel to Minnesota on Sunday.
Tip-off between Nebraska (12-4, 4-1) and the Golden Gophers (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten) in a game between a pair of NCAA NET Top 40 teams at Williams Arena in Minneapolis is set for 2 p.m. (CT).
Fans who are B1G+ subscribers can watch the live video stream provided by Minnesota, and Nebraska fans can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com, as Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch team up for their 750th broadcast together. Pregame starts at 1:30 p.m. (CT).
Nebraska takes aim at its first-ever 5-1 start to Big Ten play, after the Huskers improved to 4-1 with a 56-48 win over Illinois Thursday in Lincoln. The Huskers led from start to finish in a low-scoring defensive struggle with the Illini that helped NU match its best five-game Big Ten start in history (4-1, 2011-12).
Alexis Markowski produced her Big Ten-leading 10th double-double with 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds against Illinois. Markowski, who leads the Big Ten with 10.0 rebounds per game, including 11.8 in league action, also ranks fifth in the conference with 17.3 points per game. The two-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate has scored in double figures in all 16 games, including five 20-point performances.
Two-time Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award candidate Jaz Shelley has added 12.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and team bests of 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals. She owns two double-doubles this season, including 13 points and 11 assists in a win over Maryland (Dec. 31). The 5-9 guard from Moe (pronounced MOE-ee), Australia, is the first Husker in history to record multiple career triple-doubles after getting 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over UNCW (Dec. 5). She is coming off a 17-point, five-rebound, six-assist, five-steal performance in the win over Illinois (Jan. 11).
Four-time Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week Natalie Potts is leading all league freshmen in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg), including 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in the win over Maryland (Dec. 31). She also had 16 second-half points in a win over Wisconsin (Jan. 4) before getting nine points, four rebounds and a career-high four assists against Indiana. The two-time Missouri MaxPreps High School Player of the Year out of Incarnate Word Academy has scored in double figures 10 times this season. She also leads Nebraska with 12 blocks on the year, while leading the Huskers in conference play with nine steals (1.8 spg).
Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-4, 4-1 Big Ten)
at Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten)
Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, 2 p.m. (CT)
Williams Arena - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Live Video: B1G+
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (1:30 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
B107.3 FM (Lincoln), 590 AM (Omaha), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-4, 4-1 Big Ten - NCAA NET 31)
22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 11.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 17.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg
0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 8.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 12.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg
42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 3.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg
Off the Bench
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 7.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 6.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 3.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 2.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 1.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Eighth Season at Nebraska (126-103); 17th Season Overall (319-212)
Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten - NCAA NET 37)
24 - Mallory Heyer - 6-1 - So. - F - 9.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg
52 - Sophie Hart - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 10.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg
3 - Amaya Battle - 5-11 - So. - G - 10.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg
10 - Mara Braun - 6-0 - So. - G - 19.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg
25 - Grace Grocholski - 5-10 - Fr. - G/F - 11.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg
Off the Bench
30 - Janay Sanders - 5-11 - Gr. - G - 5.3 ppg, 0.9 rpg
41 - Niamya Holloway - 6-0 - RFr. - F - 4.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg
5 - Maggie Czinano - 6-0 - Jr. - G - 3.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg
1 - Ayianna Johnson - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 3.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg
12 - Ajok Madol - 6-2 - Fr. - G/F - 2.1 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Head Coach: Dawn Plitzuweit (Michigan Tech, 1995)
First Season at Minnesota (12-3); 17th Season Overall (377-144)
Scouting the Minnesota Golden Gophers
Dawn Plitzuweit guides an improving group of Gophers in her first season as Minnesota’s head coach. Plitzuweit spent six seasons as the head coach at South Dakota following Amy Williams’ departure from Vermillion to take the Nebraska job in 2016-17. Plitzuweit, who previously coached at Grand Valley State and Northern Kentucky, led USD to the 2022 NCAA Sweet Sixteen before taking the head coaching job at West Virginia for the 2022-23 season. She left the Mountaineers after one season to take the top job at Minnesota on March 18, 2023.
The Gophers enter Sunday’s game with a 12-3 record that includes a 2-2 Big Ten mark following an 82-66 win at Michigan (Jan. 9). Minnesota’s only losses have come to UConn, Iowa and Maryland.
The outstanding sophomore trio of Mara Braun, Amaya Battle and Mallory Heyer form a young nucleus to build around for the Gophers, who have not had a winning season since going 16-15 in 2019-20.
Mara Braun, a 6-0 guard from Wayzata, Minn., ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten in scoring with 19.7 points while adding 4.3 rebounds per game. A member of the Big Ten All-Freshman team last year, Braun ranked 12th in the conference in scoring (15.6 ppg) last year. Braun, who was the No. 28 player in the nation coming out of high school by ESPN, also leads Minnesota with 52 three-pointers (.394). Braun led Minnesota with 28 points and seven rebounds in last season’s 95-92 win over Nebraska in Minneapolis (Feb. 15).
Another Minnesota high school star, Amaya Battle was the No. 39 recruit in the country by ESPN, as Minnesota’s Miss Basketball in 2022 at Hopkins High School. The 5-11 point guard is averaging 10.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and a team-best 5.7 assists. She had 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists against the Huskers last season.
A third Minnesota high school standout, Mallory Heyer was the nation’s No. 55 recruit by ESPN coming out of Chaska High School in 2022. The 6-1 forward is averaging 9.9 points and a team-best 8.1 rebounds while hitting 39.5 percent (30-76) of her three-pointers as a stretch-four for the Gophers. Heyer grabbed eight rebounds but managed just two points last season against the Huskers.
Newcomer Sophie Hart, a 6-5 junior transfer from Farmington, Minn., by way of NC State, has solidified the Gophers inside with 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Hart replaces Alanna Micheaux, who transferred to Virginia Tech, following the departure of head coach Lindsay Whalen. Micheaux had 16 points against Nebraska last season.
Freshman Grace Grocholski (North Prairie, Wis.) has also made a major impact in a balanced Minnesota starting five. The 5-10 wing ranks second among Big Ten freshmen in scoring (11.1 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.7 rpg), while hitting 35.7 percent (35-98) of her three-point attempts. She also owns a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio (34-17) while ranking second on the team behind only Braun in minutes played (32.2 mpg).
Grad transfer Janay Sanders (5.3 ppg), who started her career at La Salle before spending the past four seasons at Appalachian State, has solidified the Gopher bench, along with Minnesota High School stars Niamya Holloway (4.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and Maggie Czinano (3.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg). Holloway was a top-100 player in the national recruit rankings in 2022 at Eden Prairie High School but missed all of last season with an injury. Czinano (Watertown-Mayer), the younger sister of former Iowa star Monika Czinano, started against the Huskers in Minnesota’s win last season but did not score and played just five minutes.
Last season, Minnesota averaged just 68.5 points while allowing 79.5 points in going 4-14 in Big Ten play. Through four league games this season, the Gophers are averaging 69.3 points while allowing 72.5 points per contest. Minnesota owns Big Ten wins over Purdue and Michigan, while suffering losses at Iowa and at home to Maryland.
Nebraska vs. Minnesota Series History
Nebraska leads the all-time series with Minnesota 17-13, but the Golden Gophers notched a 95-92 win over the Huskers at Williams Arena in Minneapolis (Feb. 15, 2023). Jaz Shelley led Nebraska with a career-high 37 points on 7-of-13 three-pointers, but Mara Braun led five Gophers in double figures with 28 points.
The two teams combined for 118 points (NU-61; MINN-57) in the second half - the highest-scoring half in Nebraska history.
The Huskers swept the season series with the Golden Gophers in 2021-22 by working their way to a 70-67 road win in Minneapolis to open 2021-22 Big Ten play (Dec. 6, 2021). Nebraska followed with a 93-70 run past Minnesota at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Feb. 20, 2022).
The Huskers also defeated Minnesota 72-61 at the 2021 Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.
Nebraska owns a 12-4 all-time edge in Lincoln and is 2-0 at the Big Ten Tournament, but the Huskers are 3-9 against the Gophers in Minneapolis. NU owns a 12-8 advantage as Big Ten foes.
Although women’s basketball was not a full varsity sport at Nebraska until 1975-76, a women’s team from Nebraska suffered its first defeat at Minnesota in 1904 after going unbeaten in 1897 and 1903. Two weeks after the first meeting with Minnesota, Nebraska beat the same team in Lincoln.
Minnesota’s Laura Coenen scored 42 points for the Gophers in a 90-79 win over the Huskers on Nov. 30, 1984. That effort is tied for the most points by any opponent individual against the Huskers.
Husker Roster Features Minnesota Flavor
• Nebraska’s 11-player active roster includes three players from Minnesota high schools, including senior Annika Stewart (Plymouth, Minn/Wayzata), junior Kendall Coley (Minneapolis/St. Louis Park) and Callin Hake (Victoria, Minn./Chanhassen). Additionally, Husker freshman Logan Nissley (Bismarck, N.D.) played AAU for North Tartan, along with Stewart and former Husker Sam Haiby.
Husker Numbers to Watch
• Alexis Markowski is 3 rebounds from 750, which would move her into a tie for No. 10 on the Nebraska career rebound list with Debra Powell (1982-85).
• Markowski needs 10 points to reach 1,100 in her Husker career.
• Jaz Shelley is 7 rebounds away from 500 in her career. She is 6 points from 1,100 as a Husker and 10 points from 1,400 points in her college career. Shelley is also 7 three-pointers away from becoming just the fourth player to hit 200 threes as a Husker.
• Darian White is 11 rebounds away from 700 in her career.
• Natalie Potts is 8 rebounds away from 100 in her career and 20 points shy of 200 as a Husker.
• The Huskers Radio Network broadcast team (Matt Coatney & Jeff Griesch) will call their 750th game together at Minnesota.
Nebraska Notables
• Two-time All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) was the Big Ten’s top rebounder with 322 rebounds in 2022-23. She was the only Big Ten player to average a double-double (12.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg) during regular-season conference play.
• Alexis Markowski is No. 5 on Nebraska’s career double-doubles list (31) after notching her 10th double-double of the season with 14 points and 15 rebounds in the win over Illinois (Jan. 11). She needs two double-doubles to catch Emily Cady at No. 4 (33). The Husker record for career double-doubles is 40 by first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2006-10) and Jordan Hooper (2011-14).
• Jaz Shelley (537) and Darian White (501) both own 500 assists in their college careers. Only five previous Huskers in history had totaled 500 collegiate assists (Lindsey Moore, Meggan Yedsena, Rachel Theriot, Jina Johansen, Nicole Kubik).
• Darian White is 153 points away from 2,000 in her college career.
• Darian White has scored in double figures 102 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 5, Nebraska). She scored a season-high 16 points against unbeaten TCU (Nov. 25).
• Callin Hake is proving herself as one of the Big Ten’s most improved players from a year ago. The 5-8 sophomore from Victoria, Minn., already owns more assists (+17), free throws made (+11), rebounds (+7), steals (+2) and blocks (+1) than all of last season in 113 fewer minutes. She is also shooting a team-best 45.7 percent (21-46) from three-point range while averaging 7.1 points per game compared to 4.3 points per game last season.
• Maddie Krull (Omaha, Neb./Millard South HS) was a two-year starter at guard as a freshman and sophomore at South Dakota for current Minnesota Head Coach Dawn Plitzuweit. Krull helped the Coyotes to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2021-22, before Plitzuweit left USD to take the top job at West Virginia for the 2022-23 season.
Husker Nuggets
• Natalie Potts earned her conference-leading fourth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award on Jan. 8. No other league freshman has won more than one award. Potts won the first weekly honor Nov. 13, before adding her second award on Nov. 27. She claimed her third honor Dec. 11. Potts leads Big Ten freshmen in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg).
• Alexis Markowski has been named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll five times in eight weeks in 2023-24, including Jan. 8. She also earned a spot on the St. Pete Showcase All-Tournament Team (Nov. 25). She leads the Big Ten in rebounding (10.0 rpg) while ranking fifth in scoring (17.3 ppg) and seventh in field goal percentage (.502).
• The Huskers had seven players produce double figures in points against UNCW, which is believed to be the first time that has been accomplished in school history. It is the second time this season the Huskers have had six players score in double figures in a game (Northwestern State, Nov. 6).
• Three Huskers (Alexis Markowski, Natalie Potts, Jaz Shelley) recorded double-doubles in the win over Maryland (Dec. 31), which is the first time a Husker trio notched doubles in the same game since Jordan Hooper (23 points, 11 rebounds), Emily Cady (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Rachel Theriot (10 points, 12 assists) did it in an NCAA first-round win over Fresno State in Los Angeles on March 22, 2014.
• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 480 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 359 consecutive games.
• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 34 times in the last 88 games, including seven times in 2023-24. The Huskers hit a season-high 16 threes against UNCW (Dec. 5), and sank 12 triples vs. Southern (Dec. 17). NU hit 10 threes vs. Northwestern State (Nov. 6), Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29), Georgia Tech (Dec. 2), Michigan State (Dec. 9) and Maryland (Dec. 31).
• Through the first 20 seasons with the three-point shot in women’s basketball (1988-2007), Nebraska hit 10 threes in a game just six times (591 games).
