Nebraska has the top freshman women’s basketball player in the Big Ten again.
After averaging 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots in a pair of games for the Huskers, NU 6-foot-5 center Kate Cain on Monday was named the Big Ten freshman of the week. It was the second time Cain has won or shared the honor over the first four weeks of the season.
Cain notched her second career double-double in a Saturday win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, going for 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. She made 7 of 10 shots from the field.
The native of Middletown, New York, also had a career-best six blocks two days before against Clemson, tying the school single-game record for a freshman (last achieved by Husker career block leader Janet Smith in 1979.
Through eight games with seven starts, Cain is averaging 3.1 blocks per game. The last time a Husker averaged 1.0 or more blocks per game was Catheryn Redmon in 2010-11.
Cain and the Huskers (5-3) play at Kansas (7-0) on Wednesday. It will be the first regular-season meeting between the former Big 12 rivals since the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
After one week at No. 25, Creighton drops out of AP poll
Well, that didn’t last long. The Jays made their first appearance of the season in the AP Top 25 last week and now they’re on the outside looking in.
Creighton received 53 votes in the national writers’ poll, which was released Monday — good for 29th nationally. The Jays were ranked No. 25 last week, but lost 91-74 at Gonzaga on Friday night.
The Zags moved up from No. 15 to No. 12 after that win over Creighton. CU’s only other loss came to Baylor, which dropped from No. 16 to No. 23 following defeats to Xavier and Wichita State.
Creighton also fell out of the coaches Top 25. CU was ranked No. 23 — it then received 36 votes this week (good for 28th).
The Jays will look to get back on track when they face North Dakota Tuesday. The annual in-state rivalry game against Nebraska is set for Saturday.
Creighton’s less than a month away from the start of Big East play. The league has three teams ranked this week: No. 4 Villanova, No. 13 Xavier and No. 19 Seton Hall. Providence is receiving votes.
This week’s full AP poll is below:
Rank, Team, Record, Points, Previous
1. Duke (65) 10-0 1625 1
2. Kansas 7-0 1525 2
3. Michigan State 7-1 1500 3
4. Villanova 8-0 1434 4
5. Florida 5-1 1301 6
6. Wichita State 6-1 1197 8
7. Texas A&M 7-0 1192 9
8. Kentucky 7-1 1174 7
9. Notre Dame 7-1 1156 5
10. Miami 7-0 1122 10
11. North Carolina 8-1 999 13
12. Gonzaga 7-1 856 15
13. Xavier 7-1 768 21
14. Minnesota 8-1 758 12
15. Virginia 8-0 728 18
16. Arizona State 7-0 609 20
17. Cincinnati 7-1 583 11
18. West Virginia 7-1 557 19
19. Seton Hall 7-1 405 NR
20. TCU 8-0 311 23
21. Purdue 8-2 266 NR
22. Nevada 8-0 199 NR
23. Baylor 5-2 182 16
24. Tennessee 6-1 96 NR
25. USC 4-2 90 14
Others receiving votes: Texas Tech 82, UCLA 75, Rhode Island 73, Creighton 53, Louisville 50, Texas 32, Alabama 21, SMU 15, Mississippi St. 11, Kansas St 10, Arizona 10, Washington St 9, Georgia 9, Oklahoma 7, Providence 6, Florida St. 6, Clemson 5, Valparaiso 5, Georgetown 4, Texas Arlington 3, Oklahoma St. 3, Western Kentucky 2, Towson 1.
