Women's Basketball
The No. 19 Nebraska women’s basketball team opens a two-game Big Ten road trip when the Huskers travel to East Lansing to take on Michigan State Thursday night.
Tip-off between the defending Big Ten Tournament champion Huskers (10-3, 0-2 Big Ten) and the defending Big Ten co-champion Spartans (8-6, 0-3 Big Ten) is set for 7:30 p.m. (central) with live national television coverage by the Big Ten Network with Lisa Byington and Stephanie White on the call.
Live radio coverage will be provided by the Husker Sports Network, with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on the call on stations across the network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and 93.3 FM in Omaha. Free live audio also will be available on Huskers.com.
#19 Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-3, 0-2 Big Ten)
3 - Hailie Sample - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 6.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg
23 - Emily Cady - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 13.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg
1 - Tear’a Laudermill - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 12.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg
13 - Brandi Jeffery - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 7.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg
33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Jr. - G - 17.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg
Michigan State Spartans (8-6, 0-3 Big Ten)
23 - Aerial Powers - 6-0 - So. - F - 19.3 ppg, 11.9 rpg
52 - Becca Mills - 6-4 - Sr. - F - 10.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg
1 - Tori Jankoska - 5-8 - So. - G - 18.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg
14 - Anna Morrissey - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 5.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg
21 - Jasmine Lumpkin - 6-0 - Fr. - G/F - 5.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg
Men's Basketball
Game #15 vs. Rutgers
Date: Thursday, Jan. 8
Time: 8:05 p.m. (CT)
Arena: Pinnacle Bank Arena
Capacity: 15,000
Nebraska Cornhuskers
2014-15 Record: 8-6, 0-2 Big Ten
Head coach: Tim Miles
Record at Nebraska: 42-37 (Third year)
Career Record: 325-257 (20th year)
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
2014-15 Record: 9-6, 1-1 Big Ten
Head coach: Eddie Jordan
Record at Rutgers: 21-27 (Second year)
Career Record: Same
Broadcast Information
Television: ESPNU
Announcers: Adam Amin and Craig Robinson
Online: WatchESPN.com
Radio: IMG Husker Sports Radio Network, including KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln, KFAB (1110 AM) in Omaha and KRVN (880 AM) in Lexington. Also available online at Huskers.com, on the Huskers App and on TuneIn Radio and the TuneIn Radio App.
Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka
Expert Analysis: Matt Davison
Satellite Radio: Sirius (84), XM (84)
Live Stats: Huskers.com
The Huskers (8-6, 0-2 Big Ten) look to avoid an 0-3 conference start after falling at Iowa, 70-59, on Monday night in Iowa City. Junior forward Shavon Shields led Nebraska with 25 points and six rebounds, but Iowa went 31-of-38 from the foul line, including 9-of-11 in the final 2:38 to pull away in the final minute.
Shields has become one of the Big Ten’s most consistent scorers this season and is averaging 22.3 points per game over the last three contests. Entering Wednesday’s action, Shields leads the Big Ten in scoring in conference play at 22.5 points per game. He combines with All-American candidate Terran Petteway to give the Huskers a pair of high-scoring wings.
Thursday’s matchup features a pair of teams who defend well. Nebraska is holding opponents to 38.7 percent shooting this season, including 29 percent from 3-point range, while Rutgers has limited teams to 38.9 percent shooting, including just 30 percent from 3-point range. Nebraska has limited four of its last five teams to under 40 percent shooting, while Rutgers (9-6, 1-1 Big Ten) is allowing a Big Ten-low 48.5 points per game in Big Ten play.
Thursday’s contest continues a busy week for the Huskers, as they are in the middle of playing three games in a seven-day stretch. AfterSunday’s home game with Illinois, they play only once until Jan. 20. The game with Rutgers also begins a stretch where four of the next five are at Pinnacle Bank Arena.