Huskers Hope to Rebound Against Fighting Illini

• The AP No. 24 Nebraska women's basketball team returns home hoping to bounce back from a pair of one-score road losses when the Huskers play host to Illinois on Saturday in Lincoln.

• Tip-off between the NCAA NET 21 Huskers (14-5, 3-5 Big Ten) and the NET 34 Fighting Illini (15-5, 5-3 Big Ten) at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 1 p.m. (CT) with tickets available for Pack PBA now at Huskers.com.

• Free live audio from the Huskers Radio Network will be available on Huskers.com, the Huskers App, 107.3 FM in Lincoln and Sirius XM Chs. 138 or 196 with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on the call for their 25th consecutive season.

• Saturday's game will be televised by BTN with Kylen Mills and Brenda VanLengen on the call.

• Nebraska is coming off a 63-60 road loss at Wisconsin. The Huskers rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit against the Badgers to take a six-point fourth-quarter lead but got outscored 10-2 in the final 3:30 to suffer their third consecutive Big Ten road loss.

• Four of Nebraska's five losses this season have come to AP top-20 teams at game time, including a 73-71 road loss at NET No. 9 Michigan State (Jan. 15).

• Senior Eliza Maupin provided a bright spot at Wisconsin on Wednesday, notching her second double-double of the season with 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. She added a career-high four assists to go along with a career-high-tying two steals and two blocks. The 6-3 senior, who has made six straight starts, is averaging 9.2 points and 4.8 rebounds. Maupin has scored in double figures in six of her last eight games, including her first Husker double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds at No. 14 Iowa (Jan. 1).

• Britt Prince, a Nancy Lieberman Award candidate, added 11 points and a season-high five steals against the Badgers. The 5-11 sophomore point guard out of Elkhorn North High School is trying to help guide the Huskers through the gauntlet of the Big Ten schedule. Nebraska's leading scorer at 17.8 points per game, Prince owns six 20-point efforts, including a pair of 30-point games.

• Prince ranks ninth in the Big Ten in scoring (17.8 ppg) and 11th in assists (4.3 apg), while ranking fifth in the league in field goal percentage (.565) and second in free throw percentage (.909), including a perfect 30-for-30 in Big Ten play. She also leads Nebraska with 30 steals. 

• Fellow sophomore Amiah Hargrove is emerging as a star in the conference. A contender for Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year, Hargrove ranks second on the team in scoring (12.6 ppg) while leading the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg) after putting up 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting at Wisconsin. The 6-2 forward from Christopher, Ill., produced 21 points by hitting 9-of-11 shots at No. 15 Michigan State (Jan. 15). Hargrove is shooting 56.8 percent from the field, including 40.6 percent from three-point range and 82.2 percent from the free throw line on the year. She has hit 64.7 percent (11-17) of her threes in league play. She opened Big Ten play with a career-high 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting (4-5 3FG) at Penn State (Dec. 6). She missed the loss at No. 14 Iowa (Jan. 1) after suffering a mild concussion in the fourth quarter in the loss to No. 17 USC (Dec. 29).   

• Junior Jessica Petrie has provided consistency and leadership at both ends in her second season as a starter. The 6-2 forward from Gold Coast, Australia, ranks third on the team in scoring (11.7 ppg) and second in rebounding (4.9 rpg). Petrie has produced double figures 13 times and scored at least seven points in all 19 games this season. She also leads Nebraska with a career-high-tying 20 blocks and owns a career-high 17 steals this season after getting 12 total steals her first two years.

• Callin Hake provides veteran leadership and the emotional heartbeat for the Big Red. The 5-8 senior guard from Victoria, Minn., is averaging 8.3 points and 4.1 assists per game. Hake, who has added 28 steals, also leads the Big Red with 23 charges drawn through 19 games.

• Logan Nissley has made six straight starts. The 6-0 guard is averaging 6.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists while hitting 46.2 percent (28-61) of her threes.

 

NET 21 Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-5, 3-5 Big Ten)
21 - Eliza Maupin - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 9.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 11.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Jr. - G - 6.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-8 - Sr. - G - 8.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg
23 - Britt Prince - 5-11 - So. - G - 17.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg
Off the Bench
33 - Amiah Hargrove - 6-2 - So. - F - 12.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg
4 - Petra Bozan - 6-3 - So. - F - 6.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg
5 - Claire Johnson - 5-9 - So. - G - 4.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg
1 - Hailey Weaver - 6-0 - Gr. - G - 3.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg
15 - Kennadi Williams - 5-4 - RFr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 0.8 rpg
34 - Emily Fisher - 6-0 - Jr. - G/F - 1.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg
00 - Alanna Neale - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 1.3 ppg, 0.3 rpg
22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - RSo. - F - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner [Out] - 5-10 - Gr. - G - Redshirt
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
10th Season at Nebraska (172-128); 19th Season Overall (365-237)

NET 34 Illinois Fighting Illini (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten)
23 - Berry Wallace - 6-1 - So. - F - 19.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg
30 - Cearah Parchment - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 11.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg
2 - Destiny Jackson - 5-6 - Fr. - G - 7.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg
8 - Jasmine Brown-Hagger - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 5.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg
34 - Maddie Webber - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 11.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg
Off the Bench
4 - Gretchen Dolan - 5-11 - RSo. - G - 13.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg
1 - Aaliyah Guyton - 5-7 - So. - G - 6.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg
35 - Lety Vasconcelos - 6-3 - RSo. - F - 3.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg
6 - Irene Noya Catoira - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg
21 - Naomi Benson - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 0.9 ppg, 0.8 rpg
5 - Hayven Smith - 6-6 - So. - C - 0.2 ppg, 0.6 rpg
Head Coach: Shauna Green (Canisius, 2002)
Fourth Season at Illinois (80-39); 12th Season Overall (234-114)

Scouting the Illinois Fighting Illini
• Head Coach Shauna Green has Illinois hunting its third 20-win campaign in her fourth season with the Fighting Illini. Last season, she led the Illini to a 22-10 season that included an 11-7 Big Ten mark, culminating with a trip to the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

• Illinois lost a lot from a year ago, including All-Big Ten forward Kendall Bostic and guards Makira Cook, Genesis Bryant and Adalia McKenzie along with forward Brynn Shoup-Hill.

• However, a new-look rotation that does not include anyone above a true junior in class standing has helped Illinois to a 15-4 overall record and a 5-3 Big Ten mark.

• The Illini were ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll (Jan. 12), before suffering an 85-69 loss at No. 8 Michigan. Illinois played that game without redshirt sophomore starter Gretchen Dolan. The 5-11 guard who is averaging 13.6 points and 3.6 rebounds was a late scratch because of a knee injury. She also missed Sunday's 74-71 win over in-state rival Northwestern.

• Maddie Webber, a 5-11 junior guard who transferred from Villanova, earned starts in both games last week. She is averaging 11.3 points and 2.8 rebounds on the season. A knock-down three-point shooter, Webber has hit 45.3 percent (34-75) of her long-range attempts.

• Sophomore Berry Wallace is a budding star for the Fighting Illini. The 6-1 forward is averaging 19.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, while hitting 52.4 percent of her shots from the field, including 36.5 percent (27-74) of her threes. She is also a stellar 87.9 percent (80-91) free throw shooter. In Sunday's win over Northwestern, Wallace scored 29 points and added nine rebounds while playing the full 40 minutes. She hit 9-of-10 free throws.

• Cearah Parchment, a 6-3 freshman forward from Whitby, Ontario, Canada, has filled some of the void left by the graduation of Bostic. Parchment is averaging 11.3 points and team bests of 7.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. She has finished 47.3 percent of her shots, including a solid 39.4 percent (13-33) from beyond the arc. In Sunday's win over the Wildcats, Parchment notched a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

• Fellow freshman Destiny Jackson has made an instant impact. The 5-6 guard out of Chicago's Whitney Young High School is averaging 7.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and a team-best 4.9 assists.

• Jackson, has regularly been backed up by another diminuitive guard, Aaliyah Guyton. The 5-7 Iowa transfer is averaging 6.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 18 minutes per game after making her first start of the season alongside Jackson in the win over Northwestern. Guyton stood out with 13 points, three rebounds and three assists while hitting 3-of-5 three-pointers against the Wildcats.

• Junior Jasmine Brown-Hagger rounds out the significant contributors to the Illini lineup. The 5-9 guard started 17 games for Illinois last season, finishing with averages of 8.1 points and 2.3 rebounds. She is contributing 5.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steal this season.

• Illinois gets additional help inside from 6-3 redshirt sophomore Lety Vasconcelos (3.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg), 6-3 sophomore Irene Noya Catoira (1.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg), 6-2 freshman Naomi Benson and 6-6 sophomore Hayven Smith. Vasconcelos contributed eight points, five rebounds, two assists and a block in just 14 minutes off the bench in the win at Northwestern.

• As a team, Illinois is averaging 79.2 points while holding the opposition to just 63.1 points on 39.7 percent shooting on the season, including just 28.5 percent from three-point range. The Illini also own a plus-6.7 rebound margin and a plus-3.3 turnover margin on the season. Illinois is hitting 45.8 percent of its shots from the floor, including 34.5 percent of its threes, while knocking down a spectacular 83.5 percent of its free throws. The Illini have outscored the opposition 16.5-11.7 (+4.8) per game at the free throw line.

Nebraska vs. Illinois Series History
• Nebraska leads the all-time series with Illinois 21-8, including a 74-70 win over the Illini in the 2025 Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis (March 6). Nebraska's victory avenged a 77-68 loss to the Fighting Illini in Champaign (Feb. 16, 2025). Illinois also defeated Nebraska, 74-73 (March 3, 2024), in Champaign, after the Huskers clawed their way to a 56-48 win over Illinois in the last meeting in Lincoln (Jan. 11, 2024).

• In last season's Big Ten Tournament victory, Nebraska's Britt Prince led a balanced Big Red effort with 17 points and five assists. Jessica Petrie and Petra Bozan each contributed 11 points, while Logan Nissley added eight points and a game-high seven rebounds.

• In the loss at Illinois, Alexis Markowski led NU with 28 points and eight rebounds, while Prince added nine points and eight assists despite suffering an ankle injury late in the game while landing on a three-point attempt. Adalia McKenzie led Illinois with 23 points and eight rebounds, while Kendall Bostic added a double-double with 19 points and 11 boards. Berry Wallace contributed 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-4 three-pointers, off the bench.

• The last win for Illinois in Lincoln came in Head Coach Shauna Green's first trip to Pinnacle Bank Arena with a 72-64 win on Feb. 9, 2023.

• The Huskers lead the all-time series in Lincoln, 9-2. Nebraska leads the all-time series in Champaign, 9-4, and carries a 3-2 series lead on neutral courts, including a Big Ten Tournament win in Indianapolis (March 3, 2022).

• Nebraska is 18-6 against Illinois as Big Ten Conference foes, including 15-5 in Big Ten regular-season conference games.

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

Prince Named to Nancy Lieberman Watch List
• Nebraska's Britt Prince was named to the list of 20 women's college basketball players on the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Preseason Watch List on Oct. 27. The Lieberman Award was the first of the Naismith Starting 5 award watch lists announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

• Fan voting for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award is open at http://www.hoophallawards.com.

• Prince, a 5-11 sophomore from Omaha, Neb., returns for her second season at Nebraska after averaging 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals as a true freshman.

• Through 19 games this season, she is averaging a team-best 17.8 points per game while hitting 56.5 percent (130-230) of her shots from the field, including 28-of-56 threes (.500).

• Prince was the MVP of the Emerald Coast Classic Beach Bracket (Nov. 24-25) after leading the Huskers to a tournament title with 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting in a 91-82 win over Virginia. She averaged 24.0 points and 6.5 assists in the tournament, including 18 points and a season-high seven assists in a win over Purdue Fort Wayne.

• Prince established her career high with 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting in a win over Oral Roberts (Nov. 19).

• She produced a 27-point performance at No. 14 Iowa (Jan. 1), when she also recorded five rebounds and four steals, before getting a game-high 17 points to go with a team-high four rebounds in the win over Purdue (Jan. 4).

• Prince opened Big Ten play with 20 points in a win at Penn State (Dec. 6) and produced her third 20-point effort in conference play this season with 20 points and seven assists in a win over Indiana (Jan. 8). She also led all players with 18 points and seven assists against No. 17 USC (Dec. 29).

• She tipped 2025-26 with 19 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal in a win over Northwestern State (Nov. 3).

• Prince followed with 23 points, two assists and two steals in a win over Samford (Nov. 8), before getting 18 points and a season-high seven rebounds in a win over Creighton (Nov. 12).

• Prince had 17 points, four rebounds and five assists in a 92-53 win over Bradley (Dec. 3).

• She had 16 points and three assists in a win over North Dakota State in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Nov. 16).

• Prince also had 16 points, four rebounds and four assists at No. 15 Michigan State (Jan. 15).

• Prince, a two-time Gatorade and MaxPreps Nebraska High School Player of the Year at Elkhorn North, earned Big Ten All-Freshman honors while leading the Huskers to the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

• In the NCAA Tournament, Prince led the Big Red with 14 points and six assists against Louisville. She averaged 17.0 points and 5.3 assists over three Big Ten Tournament games, including a season-high-tying 24 points against tourney champion and NCAA No. 1 seed UCLA.

• Prince was the USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Jan. 21, 2025) after going for 22 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a career-high six steals in a win at Iowa (Jan. 16, 2025), when she hit a career-high five three-pointers.

Potts Earns Spot on Katrina McClain Watch List

• Nebraska's Natalie Potts was included on the list of 20 women's college basketball players named to the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Preseason Watch List on Oct. 30. The McClain Award was the fourth of the Naismith Starting 5 award watch lists announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

• Fan voting for the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award is open at http://www.hoophallawards.com.

• Potts, a 6-2 redshirt sophomore from O'Fallon, Mo., returns for her third season at Nebraska in 2025-26. She was the 2023-24 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the fifth game of the 2024-25 campaign. Potts was averaging team bests of 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds through the first four games prior to her injury. She was shooting 69.4 percent from the field, including 72.7 percent (8-11) from three-point range to lead the Big Red to a No. 19 national ranking and a 4-0 start.

• In 40-minute production, Potts put up eye-popping numbers of 28.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per 40 to rank among the best players in the Big Ten through the first four games last season.

• In 2023-24, Potts led all Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (5.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.489), while ranking second among league freshmen in scoring (10.2 ppg) and free throw percentage (.829) in 2023-24. She started all 35 games for the 23-12 Huskers, who advanced to the Big Ten Championship Game and the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

• Potts, who won 8-of-15 Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards during the regular season, was the most consistent freshman in the conference from start to finish. She won the inaugural weekly honor on Nov. 13, 2023, before claiming the final two freshman awards on Feb. 26 and March 4. She won at least one weekly honor during all five months of the season. Her eight weekly awards matched the total of fellow Nebraska Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alexis Markowski in 2022.

• Potts, who also claimed an honorable-mention All-Big Ten award from the conference media, was a unanimous choice on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team by the conference coaches.

• After suffering her knee injury against North Alabama (Nov. 19, 2024), Potts underwent knee surgery (Dec. 4). She continues to rehab but has not yet returned to practice with the team.

Nebraska Excels in NCAA Stat Rankings

• Through 19 games, Nebraska ranks among the top 25 teams in 10 NCAA categories.
• FG% - .494 ranks 8th nationally and 3rd in the Big Ten.
• Bench Scoring - 30.4 ppg ranks 9th nationally and 1st in the Big Ten.
• Assists Per Game - 19.0 ranks 12th nationally and 5th in the Big Ten.
• Assist-to-Turnover - 1.43 ranks 12th nationally and 4th in the Big Ten.
• Average Home Attendance - 5,476 ranks 15th nationally and 6th in the Big Ten.
• FT% - .780 ranks 17th nationally and 3rd in the Big Ten.
• Scoring - 82.4 ppg ranks 17th nationally and 6th in the Big Ten.
• NCAA NET - Nebraska ranks 21st nationally and 8th in the Big Ten.
• Scoring Margin - +19.5 ppg ranks 22nd nationally and 6th in the Big Ten.
• Turnover Margin - +6.11 pg ranks 25th nationally and 5th in the Big Ten.

Big Red Triple Threats

• Nebraska is hitting 35.7 percent of its shots from three-point range and averaging 7.9 made threes per game with shooters up and down the lineup.

• Six Huskers are shooting better than 35 percent from long range: Britt Prince (.500), Logan Nissley (.462), Amiah Hargrove (.406), Callin Hake (.392), Hailey Weaver (.360) and Eliza Maupin (.353).

• In Big Ten play, the Huskers have knocked down 36.5 percent of their threes while averaging 7.8 makes per game.

• Hargrove (.647) leads the Huskers from beyond the arc in league play, while Prince (.520), Nissley (.432), Eliza Maupin (.364) and Hake (.346) give Nebraska five players hitting 34 percent or better from long range through eight Big Ten contests.

Husker Forwards Producing Career Years

• Sophomore Amiah Hargrove is proving herself as one of the Big Ten's most improved players in 2025-26. Hargrove's 226 total points are 70 more than the 156 she scored for the Huskers over 33 games as freshman in 57 fewer total minutes. The 6-2 forward also has more than double her total steals this season (14) compared to last season (6).

• Junior Jessica Petrie has totaled 222 points through 19 games, surpassing her previous season-best total of 210 points (2024-25) in 226 fewer minutes. Petrie's 17 steals are also a career best, exceeding her previous career total of 12 through her first two seasons as a Husker. Petrie also has matched her previous career-best total of 20 blocked shots on the year.

• Senior Eliza Maupin has scored 147 points for the Huskers through her 16 games this season, already surpassing her previous career-best season total of 146 points as a freshman at Kansas State (2022-23). Maupin's six three-pointers this season have far exceeded the one triple she hit in her first three seasons at K-State. Her 35 free throws made are also the most in a season during her career.