Nebraska WBB vs Purdue Preview

Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-4, 3-4 Big Ten) vs. Purdue Boilermakers (13-7, 4-5 Big Ten)

Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, 2 p.m. (CT)

Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska

Live TV/Video: Nebraska Public Media/B1G+ Larry Punteney (PBP), Jami Hagedorn (Analyst)

Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (1:45 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (ESPN 590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

The Huskers sported a new starting lineup in a 77-44 victory over Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Thursday night. The Huskers welcomed the return of Sam Haiby, Jaz Shelley and Bella Cravens to the starting lineup in the win over the Badgers. Haiby and Shelley both missed Nebraska’s loss at Iowa (Jan. 16) - Haiby with injury and Shelley because of health and safety protocols. Cravens made her first start since suffering a lower leg injury at Michigan State (Dec. 30).

Haiby finished with 11 points against UW, while Shelley led NU with nine rebounds and nine assists to go with five points. Cravens added seven points and seven rebounds. Alexis Markowski had replaced Cravens in the starting lineup because of her injury and upon Bella’s return, Coach Williams decided to have Isabelle Bourne came off the bench for the first time this season. Markowski led Nebraska with 15 points, producing her sixth straight game in double figures while making her fifth consecutive start. In Big Ten play, Markowski is averaging a team-best 15.4 points per game.

Jaz Shelley is the only Big Ten player to rank in the conference’s top 20 in scoring (13.2 ppg), rebounding (7.6 rpg), assists (4.7 apg), blocks (1.2 bpg) and steals (1.8 spg).

All-Big Ten guard Sam Haiby is averaging 11.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-4, 3-4 Big Ten)

14 - Bella Cravens - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 7.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Fr. - F/C - 11.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg
0 - Ashley Scoggin - 5-7 - RSo. - G - 9.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - So. - G - 13.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 11.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg

Off the Bench

34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - So. - F - 9.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 6.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 5.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 3.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg
11 - Ruby Porter - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 2.9 ppg, 0.8 rpg
10 - Whitney Brown - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 2.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg
5 - MiCole Cayton - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.0 ppg, 1.1 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 1.9 ppg, 0.5 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998) Sixth Season at Nebraska (86-79); 15th Season Overall (279-188)

Purdue Boilermakers (13-7, 4-5 Big Ten)

35 - Rickie Woltman - 6-4 - Jr. - F - 5.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg
5 - Cassidy Hardin - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 9.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg
10 - Jeanae Terry - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 7.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg
23 - Abbey Ellis - 5-6 - Jr. - G - 11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg
33 - Madison Layden - 6-1 - So. - G - 13.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg

Off the Bench

24 - Ra Shaya Kyle - 6-6 - So. - C - 11.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg
0 - Brooke Moore - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 10.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg
2 - Rokia Doumbia - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 4.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg
3 - Jayla Smith - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 4.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg
14 - Ava Learn - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 3.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg
4 - Mide Oriyomi - 6-0 - Jr. - G/F - 2.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg
30 - Nyagoa Gony - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 1.0 ppg, 0.9 rpg
13 - Ajah Stallings - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 0.5 rpg

Head Coach: Katie Gearlds (Purdue, 2007) First Season at Purdue (13-7); Ninth Season Overall (229-51)

Through games Jan. 27, the Huskers ranked among the top 25 teams nationally in scoring margin (6th, +20.1), scoring offense (8th, 81.2 ppg), assist-to-turnover ratio (12th, 1.27), defensive rebounds per game (14th, 29.7 rpg), assists per game (15th, 17.8 apg), field goal percentage (16th, .460), rebounds per game (16th, 43.0 rpg), three-point field goals made per game (20th, 8.8 pg), assists (22nd, 320), three-point field goal percentage (24th, .362), three-pointers made (25th, 158) and three-point field goal percentage defense (25th, .258).

Nebraska leads the Big Ten in scoring margin (+20.1 ppg), total rebounds (43.0 rpg) and field goal percentage defense (.364). Nebraska is the only team in the nation with two shooters (Scoggin, 12th; Shelley, 24th) ranked among the top 25 in three-point field goal percentage

Jaz Shelley is the only Big Ten player to rank among the top 20 in the conference in all five major statistical categories: scoring (16th), rebounding (10th), assists (7th), blocks (6th), steals (8th).

Nebraska’s backcourt has taken care of the ball while creating opportunities. Jaz Shelley (2.1) and Sam Haiby (1.8) rank No. 5 and 10, respectively in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio based on the NCAA minimum of 3.0 assists per game. Husker reserves Ruby Porter (2.9) and Allison Weidner (2.3), who don’t meet the NCAA minimums, own better assist-to-turnover ratios.

Scouting Purdue

First-year Purdue head coach Katie Gearlds leads the Boilermakers to Lincoln with a 13-7 overall record that includes a 4-5 Big Ten Conference mark. Gearlds graduated from Purdue in 2007 after earning All-America honors as a player, when she helped the Boilermakers to four NCAA Tournament bids, including the NCAA Elite Eight as a senior.

Purdue has nearly doubled its season victory total from a year ago, when the Boilermakers closed the season 7-16 (4-14 Big Ten) in former coach Sharon Versyp’s final season.

The 2021-22 Boilers own Big Ten wins over Rutgers, Michigan State, Illinois and Minnesota, while all five losses have come to the league’s top teams, including double-digit setbacks to Maryland (86-71), Ohio State (70-53) and Iowa (79-66, 93-83) along with a 72-65 OT loss to Indiana (Jan. 16).

Purdue has established a solid hierarchy, led by the sophomore forward Madison Layden, who is averaging team bests with 13.2 points and 1.8 steals to go with 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

The Boiler backcourt trio of Abbey Ellis (11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.3 apg), Cassidy Hardin (9.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.8 apg) and Jeanae Terry (7.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 5.6 apg) has started all 20 games alongside each other. Terry and Ellis, a Cal Poly transfer from Melbourne, Australia, have made major impacts.

Rickie Woltman, a 6-4 junior forward, has moved into Purdue’s starting lineup in Big Ten play after early season starter Ra Shaya Kyle suffered an injury. Woltman is averaging 6.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in league action.

Series History

Purdue leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 10-6, including an 83-72 victory at Mackey Arena on Dec. 23, 2020. Isabelle Bourne led Nebraska with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Sam Haiby and Ashley Scoggin each pitched in 16 points for the Huskers. Bella Cravens added six points and 10 rebounds. All 72 points for Nebraska came from starters, including 12 from Kate Cain.

Overall, the Boilermakers own a three-game winning streak in the series, including a 76-68 win at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 22, 2020. The Huskers also ended the 2018-19 season with a 75-71 loss to the Boilers in the Big Ten Tournament.