Nebraska Women’s Basketball vs Penn State: Game Thread

Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-8 Overall, 10-4 Big Ten) vs. Penn State Lady Lions (15-12 Overall, 6-8 Big Ten)
Thursday Feb. 22, 7 p.m. (CT)Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Promotions: Senior Night (Jasmine Cincore, Janay Morton, Emily Wood)
TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Brenda VanLengen)
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst); Lincoln - B107.3 FM; Omaha - ESPN 590 AM
Free Live Audio: Huskers.com/Huskers & TuneIn Apps
Live Stats

The Huskers will shoot for their 11th Big Ten victory of the season, which would secure a top-four seed in next week’s Big Ten Tournament. Nebraska, which could lock up its 17th 20-win season in school history, is also trying to stay in the hunt for the Big Ten regular-season title.

Nebraska, which finished in a tie for last in the Big Ten last season at 3-13, enters the final week of the regular season in the midst of one of the nation’s top turnarounds at plus-12 overall in the win column, including plus-seven in the conference victory column.

Overall, Nebraska will be shooting for its eighth top-100 RPI win of the season against a Penn State squad that entered the week at No. 83. The Huskers own five top-100 wins on the road, including three against top-35 RPI teams Iowa (19), Rutgers (25) and Minnesota (34).

In the last six games, freshman Taylor Kissinger is averaging 18.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per 40 minutes, while senior Janay Morton has added 18.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals per 40.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-8, 10-4 Big Ten)

24 - Maddie Simon - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 10.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg
31 - Kate Cain - 6-5 - Fr. - C - 10.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg
3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - So. - G - 12.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - So. - G - 8.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - Sr. - F - 6.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg

Seniors

12 - Emily Wood - 5-5 - Sr. - G - 4.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg
13 - Janay Morton - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 4.6 ppg, 1.2 rpg
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - Sr. - F - 6.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg

Penn State Lady Lions (15-12, 6-8 Big Ten)

1 - Alisia Smith - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 4.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg
35 - De’Janae Boykin - 6-2 - So. - F - 6.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg
2 - Amari Carter - 5-8 - So. - G - 14.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg
11 - Teniya Page - 5-7 - Jr. - G - 18.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg
31 - Jaida Travascio-Green - 6-2 - So. - G - 12.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg

Scouting the Penn State Lady Lions

• The Lady Lions have had plenty of time and rest to prepare for the Big Red, as Penn State last played at home against Northwestern on Valentine’s Day - a 67-59 victory over the Wildcats.

• Penn State is 1-6 on the road in Big Ten play with its lone victory coming in a 69-62 win at Wisconsin on Jan. 14. Overall, the Lady Lions are 4-10 away from home this season with their only weekday road win at Marshall (80-65) in Huntington, W.Va., in their first road game of the season on Nov. 15.

Nebraska vs. Penn State Series History

• Penn State leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 6-5, including an 86-69 pounding of the Huskers in University Park on Jan. 19, 2017.

• Last year’s Lady Lion win snapped Nebraska’s four-game winning streak in the series, which included an 87-69 victory over Penn State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Feb. 2, 2016.• A young Penn State team that does not feature a senior on its 12-player roster, is led by junior Teniya Page. The 5-7 guard is averaging 18.4 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 35.4 percent (29-82) from three-point range. Page also makes a living at the line where she is an 84.7 percent (116-137) shooter.

• Sophomore guards Amari Carter and Jaida Travascio-Green are the only Lady Lions to start all 27 games for Penn State this season.

• Carter, a 5-8 point guard, ranks second on the team in scoring at 14.7 points while leading the Lady Lions with 3.7 assists and 2.6 steals per game this season. Carter is also better than an 80 percent shooter at the line and has hit 33.3 percent (42-126) of her three-pointers.

• Travascio-Green, a long and athletic 6-2 wing, is Penn State’s most potent three-point threat. She has knocked down a team-best 67 threes (203 attempts) while shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc. She is shooting nearly 84 percent (47-56) at the stripe. She also ranks second on the team with 22 blocks while ranking third on the squad with 12.1 points per game.

• A third sophomore starter, De’Janae Boykin, anchors the Penn State post game. The 6-2 UConn transfer is averaging 6.1 points and a team-best 8.2 rebounds. However, she is shooting just 40.9 percent from the field and just 41.2 percent (21-51) from the free throw line.

• Freshman Alisia Smith made her first career start in the win over Northwestern. The 6-3 forward is averaging 4.8 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 55.8 percent from the field and 78.2 percent (43-55) at the line. However, she has just nine assists compared to 40 turnovers in 13.9 minutes per game.

• Jaylen Williams, a 6-3 junior forward, was a regular starter for the Lady Lions this season, averaging 4.6 points and 5.1 rebounds. Williams also leads the Lady Lions with 37 blocked shots on the year.

• Sophomore Siyeh Frazier adds more depth in the Penn State backcourt. The 5-9 guard contributes 7.7 points and 3.1 rebounds, while ranking second on the squad with 47 steals. Frazier is a talented penetrator and pull-up shooter, but she is just 3-for-11 from three-point range this season.

• Freshmen Kamaria McDaniel (4.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg) and Sam Breen (1.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg) round out Penn State’s nine regular contributors. McDaniel has played in every game and is shooting a solid 33.8 percent (24-71) from three-point range while knocking down 75 percent of her free throws.

• As a team, Penn State is averaging 70 points per game despite shooting just 39.9 percent from the field. The Lady Lions have hit 32.8 percent of their three-pointers and a strong 74.1 percent of their free throws. PSU is minus-2.5 boards per game, but plus-2.6 turnovers per game in a guard-oriented attack.

• On the defensive end, Penn State is surrendering 69.6 points per contest while opponents are shooting 42.5 percent from the field, including 34.9 percent from three-point range. In Big Ten play, the opposition is averaging 75.9 points and shooting a sizzling 46.9 percent from the field, including an incredible 43 percent from three-point range.

Nebraska vs. Penn State Series History

• Penn State leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 6-5, including an 86-69 pounding of the Huskers in University Park on Jan. 19, 2017.

• Last year’s Lady Lion win snapped Nebraska’s four-game winning streak in the series, which included an 87-69 victory over Penn State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Feb. 2, 2016.