WBB: B1G Tournament; Game #30 vs Illinois

[Row6Seat10]

No. 7 Nebraska Cornhuskers (20-9) vs. No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini (15-15)

 

Thursday, March 5, 6 p.m.
Sears Centre Arena
 

Social Media:  @HuskersWBB  Nebraska Women's Basketball Instagram

TV: BTN (Eric Collins, Christy Winters Scott)
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (Matt Coatney, Jeff Griesch)
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Free Live Audio: Huskers.com 

 

 

Huskers Open Big Ten Tournament Thursday Against Illinois

 

The Nebraska women’s basketball team opens play in the 2015 Big Ten Tournament by taking on Illinois on Thursday in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

 

Tip-off between the Huskers and the Fighting Illini at Sears Centre Arena is set for 6 p.m.

 

Nebraska closed the Big Ten regular season by winning three of its last five games including its most complete effort of the year with a 74-50 run past Minnesota. The Huskers suffered a 78-60 loss to Big Ten Tournament No. 3 seed Ohio State on Senior Day.

 

Emily Cady and Brandi Jeffery closed their home careers at Nebraska with double-doubles, including 21 points and 13 rebounds for Cady. It was Cady’s 11th double-double of the season and 33rd of her career. She earned second-team All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season.  Jeffery notched the first double-double of her career with 10 points and 13 rebounds to go along with four assists.

 

Tear’a Laudermill added honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades for the Huskers, while Hailie Sample was named Nebraska’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner.

 

Illinois earned the No. 10 seed at the Big Ten Tournament by winning three of its last five games, including a 72-60 victory over Michigan. The Illini also notched a one-point win at No. 14 seed Purdue and a 66-55 win over third-seeded Ohio State.

 

Although Illinois managed just a 6-12 Big Ten mark, the Illini claimed conference wins over tournament No. 2 seed Iowa, No. 3 seed Ohio State and No. 6 seed Minnesota - all by double digits.

However, the Fighting Illini dropped both of their regular-season meetings to Nebraska.

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Illinois 8-3, including a sweep of this season’s series and four straight wins against the Illini overall.

 

Probable Starters:

Nebraska Cornhuskers
3 - Hailie Sample - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 7.4 ppg
23 - Emily Cady - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 12.5
1 - Tear’a Laudermill - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 13.7
5 - Natalie Romeo - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 7.6
13 - Brandi Jeffery - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 7.7

 

Illinois Fighting Illini
34 - Jacqui Grant - 6-3 - So. - F - 9.6 ppg, 
32 - Chatrice White - 6-3 - Fr. - C - 14.8
15 - Kyley Simmons - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 9.8
20 - Brittany Carter - 6-0 - Sr. - G - 8.1
22 - Ivory Crawford - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 15.5

 

• Nebraska secured its fourth straight 20-win season and the school-record 95th victory in the careers of seniors Emily Cady, Brandi Jeffery, Tear’a Laudermill and Hailie Sample.

• The Huskers have produced seven 20-win seasons in the last nine years.

• Nebraska is the only school to post four straight winning Big Ten regular seasons.

• Nebraska ranks No. 4 nationally with 12.6 personal fouls per game.
• Nebraska leads the Big Ten with just 12.9 turnovers per game in conference play.

• Emily Cady ranks third in Husker history and 12th in Big Ten Conference history with 1,089 career rebounds. Only Janet Smith (1,280) and Jordan Hooper (1,110) own more career rebounds.

• Emily Cady has climbed into 12th on the Big Ten career rebound chart and needs one board to move to 11th and five rebounds to join the Big Ten’s all-time top 10.

• Emily Cady enters the Big Ten Tournament game with 4,129 career minutes played, trailing only All-American Lindsey Moore (4,360)

• Emily Cady owns 1,415 points, 1,089 rebounds, 302 assists, 138 steals and 111 blocks. She is the only player in Nebraska history with 1,400 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 assists, 100 steals and 100 career blocks.

• Tear’a Laudermill is averaging 16.4 points per game over the last 12 contests.

• Tear’a Laudermill (123) is one of four Huskers who have played 120 or more career games, joining Emily Cady-129, Hailie Sample-129 and Brandi Jeffery-123.

• Brandi Jeffery is coming off her first career double-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds and four assists against Ohio State. Over the last three games, Jeffery is averaging 9.0 points, 10.7 rebounds.

• Brandi Jeffery’s most impressive gains have come on the glass, where she ranks third among the Huskers with 6.6 rebounds per game. With 186 rebounds this season, she has surpassed her previous career total (184) entering the year. Her 186 rebounds this season have come in 568 fewer minutes than the 184 rebounds she grabbed in 1,425 minutes over her first three years at Nebraska.

• Hailie Sample ranks second in the Big Ten with her 61.1 field goal percentage.

• In nine games as a starter, Natalie Romeo is averaging 12.9 points per game. She has hit 24-of-69 threes (.348) in her nine starts.

• Rachel Theriot underwent season-ending ankle surgery on Feb. 19. She is expected to return for her senior season in 2015-16.

• Nebraska ranks 11th nationally in 2014-15 with 5,857 fans per home game.

 

B1G TOURNAMENT GUIDE:

 

             Beat Illinois!

 

[Row6Seat10]

“We’re a whole lot different with Ivory Crawford on the floor,” coach Matt Bollant said. “She makes big plays. She just does a lot of little things for us, and we don’t have great depth, so taking out your star player makes a big difference.”

Now, the tables will be turned in Illinois’ favor. Rachel Theriot, who leads the Cornhuskers with 16.5 points per game this season, will not be playing due to injury.

 

 

“In the two games we played (Nebraska) over the 80 minutes, we probably led for 75, so I think that gives us some confidence,” Bollant said. “Theriot is out as well, so those things make a difference.”

 

 

For White, playing Nebraska for a third time will provide extra momentum. White, an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten player and member of the Big Ten All-Freshman team, is a native of Shelby, Nebraska.

“We’re so ready to play them, that’s my home state and we’re ready to get after it,” White said.

 

http://www.dailyillini.com/sports/women_sports/women_basketball/article_d8259bd0-c2c9-11e4-8c68-df42f5c59f2d.html

[Row6Seat10]

The Illini will also enter the tournament knowing they’ve been competitive with — or beaten — most of the teams in their half of the bracket. “We’re very excited about the side of the bracket we’re on and who we’re playing first,” redshirt junior guard Kyley Simmons said. “The season’s been so fast, and I don’t think anybody on this team is ready to be completely done.” That being said, Bollant isn’t thinking too far ahead. “I feel good about our draw, but at the same time, if we’re thinking about anyone other than Nebraska, we’re not real intelligent,” he said. “All our focus and all our energy ... that’s all I’ve thought about since we won on Saturday and knew we were playing them.”

 

 

Prediction: Illinois 62, Nebraska 58

Enough is different about this third matchup between the Illini and the Cornhuskers that a different outcome is not out of the question. Illinois led for the bulk of the game the first time the teams met this season, but being outscored 11-2 in the final 51/2 minutes saw Nebraska pull off the come-from-behind win. On the road just more than two weeks later, the Illini held the lead for 38 minutes, 49 seconds. Again, a stalled offense did them in. That changes with Crawford on the court. She’s the team’s best playmaker. If they need offense late in the game, she can deliver. Nebraska playing without its own offensive leader will also make a difference. Nebraska might have the veteran advantage with four seniors and three starters back from last year’s Big Ten tournament champion team. Illinois has just as much to play for. “This game means a heck of a lot. That’s for sure,” Grant said. “We’re definitely going to come ready to play and have a little extra fire in us for this game. It’s for all the marbles.”

http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/womens-basketball/2015-03-04/wbb-preview-big-ten-tourney-opens-nebraska.html

 

                                                  Beat Illinois!

[Merlin]

Will be very difficult to win this one tonight.  Third time around doesn't help, either.

[huskerchode]

We absolutely cannot afford a scoring drought.  T was leaving her jump shots short against OSU.  I think she will be hitting them today, and hopefully Natalie can make some 3s for us.

[Bugeaters1]

They can do this

[whoopdeedoo]

got a glance at the uni's for tonight---kinda like'em! 

 

let's break them in the right way!!! GBR!

[Bugeaters1]

Hope Romeo can keep hitting those shots.

[Tinpanalley]

Natalie is hot early. Hopefully she can keep it up. White's two early fouls can only help us.

[Bugeaters1]

The Huskers are GATA

[Bugeaters1]

Natalie is hot early. Hopefully she can keep it up. White's two early fouls can only helps out.

Should have been another one on Coleman. She almost tackled Cady on a rebound.

[Tinpanalley]

We need to keep taking the ball to the basket and get a third foul on White.

[Tinpanalley]

Love the threes by Natalie but we need to keep going inside and get a third foul on White and Grant.

[Bugeaters1]

So I guess we are seeing why Yori plays Romeo.

[Tinpanalley]

There we go. 3 on White. Now we need to get the third on Grant.

[Bugeaters1]

Amazing what a little rest & practice time can do for a team.

[Tinpanalley]

If we can get there starters to foul out, we should be able to get big minutes from the bench.

[Silverbacked1]

Well I hate to say this but this seems to be the lead we get that then seem to dribble down our leg.

Really hope I am wrong. Hey you know that somebody has to,be negative during a game.

[Silverbacked1]

Starting to see Allie Havers come around a bit. Still think she is going to be above average for us.

[Tinpanalley]

There we go, 3 fouls on Grant. Now we need to attack Crawford.

[Tinpanalley]

We need another big run at the end of this half that could put this game away.

[Bugeaters1]

And thug ball is back.

[Tinpanalley]

We can not afford to commit turnovers.

[Tinpanalley]

Crawford now has three fouls. We should be able to make a run.

[Bugeaters1]

Have to be strong with the ball next half.