Nebraska WBB vs Drake Preview

Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-0, 1-0 Big Ten) vs. Drake Bulldogs (7-2, 0-0 MVC)
Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, Noon (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska
Live TV: BTN (Larry Punteney, Brenda VanLengen)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (11:45 a.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (ESPN 590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Pregame Presentation: Bella Cravens, Nebraska Graduate

Nebraska’s early season success is making waves nationally, with the Huskers sitting at No. 4 in the NET Rankings (Dec. 13). The Huskers received 27 votes to rank No. 30 in the Associated Press Top 25 (Dec. 13), before climbing to No. 31 with 24 votes in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 (Dec. 14). Through games Dec. 12, Nebraska was one of just 10 remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division I women’s basketball and joined No. 1 South Carolina as the only 10-0 teams.

The Huskers lead the nation in defensive rebounds per game (33.4 rpg) and rank No. 3 nationally in field goal percentage (.484), while ranking No. 4 in both scoring margin (+30.5 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (.310). Overall, Nebraska ranks among the top 20 teams in the nation in 17 statistical categories, including scoring offense (6th, 84.1 ppg)

Sophomore transfer Jaz Shelley (Moe, Australia) continues the outstanding start to her Husker career by averaging team bests of 15.2 points, 4.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks while hitting 31-of-58 threes (.534). The 5-9 point guard also ranks second among the Huskers with 6.5 rebounds. Shelley is the only Big Ten player to rank among the top 20 in the conference in all five major statistical categories: scoring (12th), rebounding (12th), assists (8th), blocks (3rd), steals (16th).

Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-0, 1-0 Big Ten)

14 - Bella Cravens - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 8.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - So. - F - 10.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg
0 - Ashley Scoggin - 5-7 - RSo. - G - 8.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - So. - G - 15.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 9.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg

Off the Bench

40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Fr. - F/C - 8.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 5.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 5.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 4.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg
5 - MiCole Cayton - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 3.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
11 - Ruby Porter - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 2.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 2.2 ppg, 0.4 rpg
10 - Whitney Brown - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 2.1 ppg, 0.9 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Sixth Season at Nebraska (82-75); 15th Season Overall (275-184)

Drake Bulldogs (7-2, 0-0 Missouri Valley)

42 - Maggie Bair - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 13.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg
43 - Grace Berg - 6-0 - RJr. - F - 11.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg
2 - Maddie Petersen - 5-8 - Gr. - G - 6.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg
10 - Katie Dinnebier - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 10.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg
11 - Megan Meyer - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 11.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg

Off the Bench

14 - Anna Miller - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 8.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg
32 - Courtney Becker - 6-0 - So. - F - 6.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg
15 - Allie Wooldridge - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 6.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg
23 - Maggie Phipps - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 4.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg
34 - Sara Beth Gueldner - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 3.4 ppg, 0.6 rpg
22 - Hannah Fuller - 5-8 - Gr. - G - 2.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg
12 - Ashley Ilams - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 1.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg

Head Coach: Allison Pohlman (Northern Iowa, 2000) First Season at Drake & Overall (7-2)

First-year Drake Head Coach Allison Pohlman leads a red-hot Bulldogs team to Lincoln riding a six-game winning streak. Drake’s last loss came to nationally ranked Iowa State in Des Moines (98-76, Nov. 18). The Bulldogs also suffered a 61-46 loss to South Dakota at the Knapp Center, following an 82-79 home win over Creighton to open the season on Nov. 10.

This year’s Drake squad has featured a consistent starting five led by junior forward Maggie Bair, who has averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in just 16 minutes per game. Fellow junior forward Grace Berg has pitched in 11.0 points and 4.3 rebounds, while Iowa transfer Megan Meyer leads the Bulldog backcourt with 11.6 points and 2.7 boards per contest. Meyer has knocked down a team-best 20 three-pointers this season. Katie Dinnebier has added 15 threes at a 45.5 percent shooting clip to average 10.8 points, while also leading DU with 4.1 assists per game. Maddie Petersen (6.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg) rounds out the starting five.

Drake ranks among the top 12 teams nationally with 9.7 threes per game, but only Meyer has averaged 2.0 threes per contest. A total of 11 Bulldogs have hit at least three threes this season.

The Bulldogs are outscoring opponents by an average of 14.1 points per game while also carrying a plus-9.4 rebound margin. However, Drake owns a minus-2.9 team turnover margin while committing 18.1 turnovers per game.

Nebraska owns a narrow 11-10 lead in the all-time series with Drake, but the Bulldogs notched an 83-77 victory over the Huskers in the last meeting between the two teams on Nov. 7, 2018, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.