Nebraska WBB vs Missouri Preview

Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0) at Missouri Tigers (1-0)
Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019, 2 p.m. (CT)
Mizzou Arena (15,061) - Columbia, Mo.
Live Video: SECN+ (Ben Arnet, Lauren Aldridge)
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (1:45 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln - 107.3 FM; Omaha - ESPN 590 AM, Lexington - 880 AM KRVN, Huskers.com, Huskers App, TuneIn
Series Record: The Huskers own a 40-32 lead all-time in the series.

As usual, we will have a game thread this afternoon for you to cheer on the ladies or update us on your NFL team.

The Husker women were workmanlike in winning their season opener 68-46 against an overmatched non-conference opponent in Alabama A&M. Now, they face an offensive-minded Mizzou squad that will test how much of the defensive improvements we saw in the season opener are for real.

Senior guard Hannah Whitish led four Huskers in double figures by scoring 12 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting. Junior Kate Cain and sophomores Ashtyn Veerbeek and Leigha Brown each pitched in 10 points. Nebraska’s defense held Alabama A&M in check early, building a 46-14 lead with 6:22 left in the third quarter.

Missouri returns three starters and seven letterwinners from a team that finished 24-11 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round. The Tigers went 10-6 to finish fifth in the SEC. Missouri’s top returning scorer is senior Amber Smith, who averaged 12.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last season. Smith opened this season with a huge 27-point, 15-rebound effort in a 97-89 overtime win over Western Illinois at Mizzou Arena on Tuesday night.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
13 - Ashtyn Veerbeek - 6-2 - So. - F - 10.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg
31 - Kate Cain - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 10.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 12.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - So. - G - 8.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - Sr. - G/F - 4.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg

Off the Bench
32 - Leigha Brown - 6-1 - So. - G/F - 10.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
33 - Taylor Kissinger - 6-1 - Jr. - G/F - 4.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
44 - Kayla Mershon - 6-3 - So. - F - 4.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
11 - Kristian Hudson - 5-5 - RSr. - G - 4.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 2.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg
14 - Grace Mitchell - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 0.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
1 - Makenzie Helms - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
2 - Trinity Brady - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998) Fourth Season at Nebraska (43-49); 13th Season Overall (236-158)

Missouri Tigers (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
22 - Jordan Roundtree - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 14.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
23 - Amber Smith - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 27.0 ppg, 15.0 rpg
24 - Jordan Chavis - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 18.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
33 - Aijha Blackwell - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
43 - Hayley Frank - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg

Off the Bench
12 - Elle Brown - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 15.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
13 - Hannah Schuchts - 6-2 - RSr. - F - 11.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg
10 - Nadia Green - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 2.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
11 - Haley Troup - 5-10 - So. - G - 0.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
45 - Brittany Garner - 6-4 - RFr. - F - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg

Head Coach: Robin Pingeton (St. Ambrose, 1990) 10th Season at Missouri (172-119); 25th Season Overall: (507-276)

Scouting Missouri

Coach Robin Pingeton brings her 10th Missouri Tiger team into the 2019-20 season. Missouri has earned seven straight postseason bids, including four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. Pingeton took over the Missouri job in 2010-11 - Nebraska’s final season in the Big 12. Pingeton spent seven seasons in the Missouri Valley Conference at Illinois State prior to becoming the top Tiger.

The biggest loss for the Tigers from a year ago is senior Sophie Cunningham, who averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Cunningham - a hometown product from Columbia, Mo. - finished her career with 2,187 points, 701 rebounds and 390 assists.

Cierra Porter, the SEC Sixth Player of the Year as a 6-4 senior, is also gone. Porter, who averaged 7.8 points and 5.0 rebounds last year, finished her career with 1,167 points, 769 rebounds and 112 blocks. She was also a high school teammate of Cunningham at Rock Bridge.

Husker Nuggets

Hannah Whitish hit 4-of-6 threes against Alabama A&M to push her career 3FGM total to 199. She will become just the third Husker in history to hit 200 threes with her next three-pointer. Whitish, who recorded her 100th career steal in the win over Alabama A&M, needs 22 points and 34 assists to reach the combined career milestones of 1,000 points and 400 assists.

Nebraska’s bench outscored Alabama A&M’s 24-7 in the opener, marking the 29th time in the last 31 games that the Husker bench has outscored the opponent reserves.

The Husker bench has outscored the opponent bench by double digits 22 times in the last 31 games, including a 30-1 edge in a loss to 2019 NCAA Elite Eight qualifier Iowa (Feb. 25, 2019).