Nebraska WBB vs Duke: Preview of the B1G/ACC Challenge

Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-1) vs. Duke Blue Devils (6-2)
Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019, 6 p.m. (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,000) - Lincoln, Neb.
Live TV: BTN (Larry Punteney, Brenda VanLengen)
Live Radio: Husker Sports Network (5:45 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln - B107.3 FM; Omaha-CD105.9 FM; Huskers.com, Huskers App

The Huskers will face another big challenge tonight when they take on the Duke Blue Devils in the B1G/ACC challenge. Duke is 6-2 on the season with their losses coming to a ranked Texas A&M team and Northwestern. Duke is a team that can put a lot of height on the floor and (I’m guessing from the makeup of their starting lineup and some of their season stats) that they excel at scoring and defending in the paint.

Duke averages five blocked shots per game (wow!), more than 40 rebounds/game and nearly 10 steals/game. They don’t take a lot of three-point shots but get to the free throw line often (and make 71% of their attempts there).

It will be interesting to see how Amy Williams plays this game tonight. Two of Nebraska’s leading scorers (Haiby and Brown) tend to be slashers that try to get to the basket. I wonder if their game will be muddied up with the amount of height Duke puts on the floor (although Brown is 6’1” herself). The Huskers have two sharpshooters in Whitish and Kissinger. If they can hit a few long-range shots early, it might force Duke to extend their defense and give Brown and Haiby a few creases to do their work.

We will have a combined game thread tonight (the Husker men play Georgia Tech).

Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-1, 0-0 Big Ten)

13 - Ashtyn Veerbeek - 6-2 - So. - F - 9.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg
31 - Kate Cain - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 8.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg
3 - Hannah Whitish - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 7.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - So. - G - 10.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg
5 - Nicea Eliely - 6-1 - Sr. - G - 8.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg

Off the Bench

32 - Leigha Brown - 6-1 - So. - F - 14.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg
33 - Taylor Kissinger - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 5.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg
14 - Grace Mitchell - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 2.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg
11 - Kristian Hudson - 5-5 - RSr. - G - 1.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg
44 - Kayla Mershon - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg
1 - Makenzie Helms - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 0.7 ppg, 0.7 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Fourth Season at Nebraska (49-50); 13th Season Overall (242-159)

Duke Blue Devils (6-2, 0-0 ACC)

5 - Leaonna Odom - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 14.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg
24 - Onome Akinbode-James - 6-3 - So. - F/C - 6.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg
25 - Jade Williams - 6-5 - Jr. - F/C - 7.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg
2 - Haley Gorecki - 6-0 - Gr. - G - 18.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg
3 - Miela Goodchild - 5-10 - So. - G - 11.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg

Off the Bench

11 - Azana Baines - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 6.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg
4 - Jada Claude - 6-0 - Fr. - G/F - 4.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
15 - Kyra Lambert - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg
0 - Jaida Patrick - 5-10 - Fr. - G/F - 2.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg
13 - Uchenna Nwoke - 6-6 - So. - C - 0.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg
30 - Emily Schubert - 6-4 - Sr. - C - 0.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg

Head Coach: Joanne P. McCallie (Northwestern, 1987)13th Season at Duke (323-97); 28th Season Overall: (634-245)