Nebraska WBB vs Arizona State: NCAA Tourney Game Thread

Lots of women’s games going on today. It is business-as-usual for UConn who hung 140 points on St Francis PA. The Huskies scored 55 in the FIRST QUARTER and were up to 94 points at halftime.

Minnesota and Michigan won their games, with the Gophers having to pull the upset over mid-major powerhouse Green Bay. My SDSU Jackrabbits fell to Villanova in overtime. As I write this, Ohio State is leading George Washington at halftime. Iowa and Creighton will tipoff shortly after the Husker game finishes. Maryland advanced to the second round and will play NC State tomorrow (Sunday).

(10) Nebraska Cornhuskers (21-10, 11-5 Big Ten) vs. (7) Arizona State Sun Devils (21-12, 10-8 Pac-12)
Saturday, March 17, 2:30 p.m.
Television: ESPN2/Watch ESPN (Pam Ward, Gail Goestenkors)
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (2 p.m.); Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst); Lincoln - B107.3 FM; Omaha - ESPN 590 AM
Free Live Audio: Huskers.com/Huskers & TuneIn Apps
Austin First & Second Round Central
NCAA Interactive Bracket

The stats of both of these teams says this one is shaping up to be a slow, defensive game. Of course, that means someone will develop a hot hand and offensive fireworks will ensue. Let’s hope it is Hannah Whitish lighting the fuse if that comes to pass.

Husker Nuggets

• Nebraska is 11-4 away from home this season, with its only losses to Maryland (RPI 18, road and neutral), Buffalo (RPI 22, neutral) and Indiana (RPI 54, road). The Huskers own top 50 RPI road wins over Iowa (21), Michigan (39, neutral), Rutgers (40) and Minnesota (41), while adding quality road wins at Drake (63) and Michigan State (65).

• Kate Cain owns the Nebraska season record for blocks with 100, surpassing the previous mark held by Olympic bronze medalist Danielle Page (78, 2007-08). Cain has a block in all 31 games this season.

• Cain’s 100 blocks rank No. 4 in the nation while her 3.2 blocks per game rank fourth in the country through games March 2. No Nebraska individual has ever averaged 2.0 blocks per game in a career, and only two Huskers (Danielle Page, 2.4 bpg, 2007-08; Catheryn Redmon, 2.5 bpg, 2010-11) have ever averaged 2.0 blocks per game in a single season.

• Nebraska’s Taylor Kissinger came off the bench throughout Big Ten play as one of the top freshman scorers in the conference. The 6-1 guard from Minden, Neb., is averaging 9.8 points per game on the year.

• Cain (10.1 ppg) and Kissinger (9.8 ppg) have a chance to become just the second pair of Husker freshmen and the first since 1982-83 to each average double figures in the same season, joining Debra Powell (15.4 ppg) and Crystal Coleman (12.3 ppg).

• Kissinger needs three three-pointers to move into a tie for third on Nebraska’s freshman season three-point list with 51. Hannah Whitish is No. 2 on that list with 57 in 2016-17.

• Junior Maddie Simon (+6.3 ppg) is one of the Big Ten’s most improved players in 2017-18. Simon, a 6-2 forward, is averaging 10.4 points per game after averaging 4.1 points through all 29 games a year ago.