Flakes: Women’s Basketball, Team Meteor, and What If?

The Husker women’s basketball team is ²⁄₃ of the way through a triumvirate of games against ranked teams. Last Saturday, the Husker women lost a heartbreaker to #23 Michigan in overtime 69-64. Last night, they knocked off #20 Iowa at home 74-65 behind 19 points from Maddie Simon, 18 from Hannah Whitish and 12 from Taylor Kissinger. This is despite Nebraska only going 17 of 35 (.486) from the free throw line.

Not only does this team rank dead last in the Big Ten in free throw %, they are rapidly approaching the cellar of all NCAA Division 1 teams. That is the bad news. The good news is that they are not only much improved from last season, but are getting better as the season goes on. Simon might be the most improved player in the conference after making the switch from guard to forward this season. Freshmen Kate Cain and Taylor Kissinger are adjusting to college basketball with aplomb. Hannah Whitish, who was only the second-best* point guard in her original recruiting class here at Nebraska, has grown into the heart and soul of this team.

*Kathleen Doyle, who defected to Iowa after Connie Yori resigned was a higher-ranked recruit. Doyle has done very well for Iowa, but it is now hard to imagine this team with anyone but Whitish at the helm.

The Husker women are now 13-6 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten. After Ohio State had their perfect conference record ruined, the Huskers are within a game of the top teams in the Big Ten. There are six teams in that logjam, so it probably doesn’t mean a whole lot yet.

The Husker women face their third ranked team in a row when they visit #25 Rutgers on Sunday. Tipoff is 5 pm central. Rutgers has outdone the Huskers in turnaround seasons. The Scarlet Knights are at 17-3 and 5-1 in the conference (one of three teams on top of the standings). Last season, they suffered through a year more miserable than Nebraska’s and finished 6-24.

Frosted Flakes

Connecticut native commits to NU women's program | Husker Sports | fremonttribune.com
Makenzie Helms planned on being in Iowa this weekend for a recruiting trip to visit the Iowa State women’s basketball program, but plans have changed.

McKewon: With Amy Williams in charge, Husker women on the rise | Women's Basketball | omaha.com
At 12-6 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten, they’re on track to at least double their wins from last season.

Husker bowling strikes 2nd-place finish at Mid-Winter Classic | Sports | dailynebraskan.com
The Nebraska bowling team had another successful tournament this past weekend at the Mid-Winter Classic in Jonesboro, Arkansas, finishing in second place out of 20 teams. The Huskers finished the

Three-pointer at the buzzer gives Huskers 64-63 win over Illinois | Sports | dailynebraskan.com
Most nights, games like this don’t end in Nebraska’s favor.

Tshimanga remains with the Huskers | KLIN-AM
Head coach Tim Miles announced Monday evening that Tshimanga will return to the Nebraska men’s basketball team on Tuesday.

Elsewhere In Sports

USA Gymnastics revokes fine for McKayla Maroney after Chrissy Teigen offers to pay - ABC News

Jill’s note: And some people have the gall to ask why women don't speak up more often. Non-disclosure agreements are going to carry very little weight in the future, if they ever did.

Former sports doctor Larry Nassar's alleged victims recount sex abuse as youngsters – LA Times
Nearly 100 women and girls planned to speak or have their statements read during former sports doctor Larry Nassar's four-day sentencing hearing.

Jaden Newman ties national high school record with 17 3-pointers in 70-point game on Tuesday
Do not adjust your eyes or your screen. Jaden Newman, who is 13 years old, actually made 17 3-pointers in a 70-point outburst during her high school team's win on Tuesday.

What if UCF had made the College Football Playoff? - SBNation.com
Could the Knights have outscored Clemson? If so, could they have slowed down Georgia’s running game?

North and South Korea to march under same flag at Winter Olympics in diplomatic breakthrough
North and South Korea have agreed to form a joint women's hockey team and march under the same flag for a parade at next month's Winter Olympics, in a major step towards easing tensions on the peninsula.

With One Billboard Inside Tuscaloosa, Ala., UCF Fans Drum Up A Little Drama : The Two-Way : NPR
Alabama won the national title. But so did the University of Central Florida — according to UCF backers, at least. And some enterprising fans took their trolling to the heart of Crimson Tide country.

Washington State QB Tyler Hilinski found dead in apparent suicide, police say
Police said Washington State quarterback Tyler Hilinski was found dead of an apparent suicide Tuesday in an apartment in Pullman.

This is so incredibly sad. I have never had anyone close to me show any outward signs of being suicidal, so I have no idea if I would be perceptive enough to notice and try to get help. I hope I would be bold enough to do it. I hope I never have to find out.

Then There’s This

For any of you that have cheered for #meteor during a Michigan sporting event...you sort of got your wish

Michigan meteor: Here's everything we know
Space rock rips through sky at 28,000 m.p.h.

Meteor credited for bright light, noise rattling Michigan - ABC News
The American Meteor Society says it received hundreds of reports of a fireball Tuesday night over the state, including many in the Detroit area. Reports also came in from several other states and Ontario, Canada.