Nebraska WBB vs Michigan Preview

Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-1, 1-1 Big Ten) vs. #8 Michigan Wolverines (12-1, 3-0 Big Ten)

Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, 8 p.m. (CT)

Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska

Live TV: BTN (Larry Punteney, Brenda VanLengen)

Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (7:45 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (ESPN 590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

The Nebraska women’s basketball team plays their first Big Ten Conference home game when hosting the No. 8/7 Michigan Wolverines on Tuesday night. The Huskers are looking to rebound from their first loss of the season after a 72-69 setback at Michigan State. The Wolverines carry a five-game winning streak to Lincoln, including back-to-back wins over top-25 foes No. 5 Baylor (74-68 OT, Dec. 19) and No. 25 Ohio State (90-71, Dec. 30).

Huskers by the Numbers

Sam Haiby, a 5-9 junior guard from Moorhead, Minn. will join Nebraska’s all-time top 10 with her next assist. She also needs 17 points to join the top 20 career scorers in Husker history.

Sophomore transfer Jaz Shelley leads Nebraska in scoring (13.8 ppg), rebounding (6.8 rpg), assists (4.8 apg), blocks (1.2 bpg) and steals (22) on the season. The 5-9 guard from Moe, Australia is the only Big Ten player to rank among the top 20 in the conference in all five major statistical categories.

Through games Jan. 1, the Huskers ranked among the top 20 teams nationally in scoring margin (3rd, +25.7 ppg), defensive rebounds per game (3rd, 31.5 rpg), win-loss percentage (5th, .923), assists (6th, 241), scoring offense (9th, 82.4 ppg), free throw attempts (9th, 278), field goal percentage defense (10th, .334), free throws made (12th, 200), assist-to-turnover ratio (13th, 1.34), assists per game (13th, 18.5 apg), blocked shots (13th, 70), rebounds (16th, 575), rebounds per game (17th, 44.2 rpg), three-point field goals made (18th, 113) and field goal percentage (20th, .465).

Nebraska leads the Big Ten in scoring margin (+25.7 ppg), rebounds (44.2 rpg), defensive rebounds (31.5 rpg), field goal percentage defense (.334) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.241).

Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-1, 1-1 Big Ten)
14 - Bella Cravens - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 7.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - So. - F - 10.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg
0 - Ashley Scoggin - 5-7 - RSo. - G - 9.2 ppg, 1.0 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - So. - G - 13.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 10.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg

Off the Bench
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Fr. - F/C - 8.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 7.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 4.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 3.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg
11 - Ruby Porter - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 2.8 ppg, 0.9 rpg
5 - MiCole Cayton - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.5 ppg, 0.9 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 1.7 ppg, 0.5 rpg
10 - Whitney Brown - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 1.7 ppg, 0.7 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998) Sixth Season at Nebraska (84-76); 15th Season Overall (277-185)

8/7 Michigan Wolverines (12-1, 3-0 Big Ten)
00 - Naz Hillmon - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 20.9 ppg, 9.2 rpg
33 - Emily Kiser - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 10.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg
3 - Maddie Nolan - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 7.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg
23 - Danielle Rauch - 5-8 - Sr. - G - 6.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg
32 - Leigha Brown - 6-1 - Sr. - G - 15.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg

Off the Bench
5 - Laila Phelia - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 7.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg
44 - Cameron Williams - 6-3 - So. - F - 3.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg
34 - Izabel Varejao - 6-4 - Jr. - C - 2.3 ppg, 1.1 rpg
24 - Michelle Sidor - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 2.1 ppg, 1.0 rpg
10 - Jordan Hobbs - 6-3 - Fr. - G - 2.0 ppg, 0.4 rpg
30 - Elise Stuck - 6-1 - So. - G/F - 1.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg
25 - Whitney Sollom - 6-4 - So. - F - 1.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg
12 - Ari Wiggins - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 0.8 ppg, 0.9 rpg

Head Coach: Kim Barnes Arico (Montclair State, 1993) 10th Season at Michigan (205-103); 26th Season Overall (475-309)

Scouting Michigan

Michigan’s lone loss came at current No. 3/2 Louisville (70-48) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge (Dec. 2). The Wolverines notched Power Five non-conference wins over then-No. 16 Oregon State and Mississippi State before posting double-digit wins over Wisconsin and Minnesota.

First-team All-Big Ten forward Naz Hillmon leads Michigan in scoring and rebounding with 20.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. The 6-2 forward has hit 57 percent of her shots from the field and 73.3 percent of her free throws. Preseason first-team All-Big Ten guard Leigha Brown has added 15.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists this season. Brown spent her first two seasons at Nebraska and was the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year in 2019-20 before earning second-team All-Big Ten honors for the Wolverines last season.

The Wolverines suffered a setback with an injury to All-Big Ten guard Amy Dilk just 42 seconds into their season-opening overtime win over IUPUI on Nov. 9. Dilk averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists a year ago after earning second-team All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore in 2019-20.

But Michigan has gained production in a big way from senior Emily Kiser. The 6-3 forward is one of just two Wolverines (also Danielle Rauch) to start all 13 games this season, and Kiser is averaging 10.5 points and 8.4 rebounds. Rauch, a 5-8 senior guard, has pitched in 6.6 points, 3.5 boards and 2.3 assists. Rauch has also hit 40 percent (16-40) of her three-point attempts.

Third-year guard Maddie Nolan has made nine starts and is averaging 7.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists, while knocking down a team-best 24 three-pointers (.421).

Series History

Nebraska owns a 14-7 edge in the all-time series with Michigan,but the Wolverines have won back-to-back games, including a 64-62 victory last season in Ann Arbor (Jan. 7).