The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns home looking to rebound from its first Big Ten loss of the season when the Huskers take on No. 24 Minnesota in Lincoln on Saturday. Tip-off between the Huskers (11-2, 1-1 Big Ten) and the Golden Gophers (11-2, 1-1 Big Ten) is set for 5 p.m. (CT) at Pinnacle Bank Arena with tickets on sale now at Huskers.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Box Office beginning 90 minutes before tip-off.
The game will be broadcast on KBBN 95.3 FM with coverage on the Huskers Sports Network beginning at 4:45 pm.
Nebraska opened Big Ten play with a solid 78-69 win over defending Big Ten Tournament champion and NCAA Elite Eight qualifier Iowa on Saturday, Dec. 28, at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. Junior Kate Cain led the Big Red with her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Cain added her second straight double-double with 10 points and a season-high 14 rebounds to go with four blocks in 78-70 overtime loss at Michigan State (Dec. 31).
Cain, a Lisa Leslie Award candidate, is averaging 13.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks to open Big Ten play, increasing her season averages to 10.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks. Cain moved into second place on Nebraska’s career block list (217) at Michigan State.
Despite Cain setting a season high with 14 rebounds, the Huskers were outrebounded 53-35 at Michigan State. NU was minus-16 on the glass in the second half of regulation, allowing the Spartans to rally from a six-point halftime deficit.
Sophomore Sam Haiby led four Huskers in double figures with 19 points at Michigan State, including 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting in the first half. Haiby leads Nebraska’s starters in scoring at 11.3 points per game, including a team-best 14.5 points per game in Big Ten play.
Sophomore Leigha Brown added 10 points at Michigan State and is Nebraska’s leading scorer on the season with 14.0 points per game. Brown is the highest scoring non-starter in the Big Ten and a leading candidate for Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year.
Senior Nicea Eliely had 14 points at Michigan State and is averaging 13.0 points in Big Ten play.
Nebraska vs. Minnesota Series History
• Nebraska leads the all-time series with Minnesota 13-9, including a 63-57 Husker win in Lincoln (Jan. 20, 2019) in the lone meeting between the two schools last season.
• Minnesotan Sam Haiby led Nebraska with 16 points, while Hannah Whitish added 12 points for the Huskers, who outscored the Gophers 25-11 in the fourth quarter last season. Haiby, Whitish and Kissinger combined for all 25 of Nebraska’s points in the quarter, as the Huskers overcame a 46-38 deficit at the end of three quarters.
• Nebraska and Minnesota have met just once in each of the last four seasons, with the Huskers winning the last two meetings including a 79-74 victory in Minneapolis on Dec. 31, 2017.
• Minnesota’s last win was a 79-69 overtime victory on Feb. 4, 2017 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Taiye Bello and Jasmine Brunson both started for the Gophers in that game, while Hannah Whitish and Nicea Eliely were both starters for the Huskers.
• Nebraska owns an 8-4 edge as Big Ten foes.
• Nebraska is 10-3 all-time against Minnesota in Lincoln.The Huskers are 2-6 against Minnesota in Minneapolis and 1-0 against the Gophers in the Big Ten Tournament (March 7, 2014).
• 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 between 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 in a game against the Huskers.
