Nebraska WBB vs Iowa Preview

Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-1, 2-1 Big Ten) vs. 22/21 Iowa Hawkeyes (7-4, 1-1 Big Ten)

Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, 1 p.m. (CT)

Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska

Live TV: FS1 (Sloane Martin, Christy Winters Scott)

Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (12:45 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (ESPN 590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

Fresh off a demolition of the #8 Michigan Wolverines, the Huskers take on yet another ranked opponent in the #22 Hawkeyes. Freshman Alexis Markowski drew her first start against the Maize and Blue (Bella Cravens has a sprained ankle) and poured in 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Jaz Shelley did Jaz Shelley things and recorded another double double (12 points 12 rebounds).

Husker freshman Annika Stewart (6.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg) and Kendall Coley (3.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg) both have strong connections to the Iowa programs as their older sisters, Hannah Stewart and Chase Coley, were teammates at Iowa from 2015-16 to 2017-18.

Iowa comes to Lincoln looking to bounce back from a 77-69 home loss to Northwestern on Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year Caitilin Clark had 30 points and All-Big Ten teammate Monika Czinano added 20 in the loss. Clark is already a 1000 point scorer only 40 games into her Hawkeye career.

Through games Jan. 6, the Huskers ranked among the top 20 teams nationally in scoring margin (2nd, +25.4 ppg), defensive rebounds per game (4th, 31.4 rpg), win-loss percentage (5th, .929), free throws made (7th, 211), assists (8th, 255), three-point field goal percentage defense (9th, .234), scoring offense (10th, 82.1 ppg), field goal percentage defense (10th, .336), assists per game (13th, 18.2 apg), blocked shots (13th, 74), field goal percentage (13th, .468), rebounds (14th, 617), rebounds per game (14th, 44.1 rpg), three-point field goals made (14th, 121), free throw attempts (14th, 294), assist-to-turnover ratio (16th, 1.27) and three-point field goal percentage (19th, .370).

Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-1, 2-1 Big Ten)
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Fr. - F/C - 9.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - So. - F - 10.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg
0 - Ashley Scoggin - 5-7 - RSo. - G - 8.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - So. - G - 13.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 10.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg

Off the Bench
14 - Bella Cravens - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 7.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 6.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 5.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 3.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg
11 - Ruby Porter - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 2.8 ppg, 0.9 rpg
5 - MiCole Cayton - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 1.6 ppg, 0.4 rpg
10 - Whitney Brown - 5-8 - Fr. - G - 1.7 ppg, 0.7 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998) Sixth Season at Nebraska (85-76); 15th Season Overall (278-185)

#22/21 Iowa Hawkeyes (7-4, 1-1 Big Ten)
14 - McKenna Warnock - 6-1 - Jr. - G/F - 12.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg
25 - Monika Czinano - 6-3 - Sr. - F/C - 18.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg
20 - Kate Martin - 6-0 - RJr. - G - 6.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg
22 - Caitlin Clark - 6-0 - So. - G - 24.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg
24 - Gabbie Marshall - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 6.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Off the Bench
4 - Kylie Feuerbach - 6-0 - So. - G - 4.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg
44 - Addison O’Grady - 6-4 - Fr. - F/C - 3.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg
1 - Tomi Taiwo - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 3.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg
3 - Sydney Affolter - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 2.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg
34 - AJ Ediger - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 1.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg
23 - Logan Cook - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 1.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg

Head Coach: Lisa Bluder (Northern Iowa, 1983) 22nd Season at Iowa (446-238); 38th Season Overall (802-380)

• Iowa comes to Lincoln with a 7-4 overall record and a 1-1 Big Ten mark after a 77-69 home loss to Northwestern on Thursday night. The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 22 by the Associated Press and No. 21 by the coaches but slipped to No. 40 in the NET ranking with the loss.

Last season, Iowa advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen before falling to UConn (92-72) in San Antonio. The Hawkeyes (20-10, 11-8 Big Ten) also advanced to the Big Ten Championship Game.

The Hawkeyes missed three non-conference contests (Drake, Seton Hall, USC) because of COVID cancellations and have had two Big Ten games (Penn State, Illinois) postponed by protocols.

Iowa starters Monika Czinano (18.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and McKenna Warnock (12.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg) have missed games due to COVID protocols but are expected to be a “go” against Nebraska.

Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year Caitlin Clark leads the Hawkeyes with 24.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game after going for 30 points in the loss to Northwestern. Clark averages 19 field goal attempts per game for the Hawkeyes and is shooting 90.5 percent (67-74) from the free throw line. This season, she has hit just 24.3 percent (25-103) of her three-point attempts.

Gabbie Marshall (6.5 ppg, 1.6 apg, 1.6 spg) and Kate Martin (6.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.5 spg) do tons of little things to make Iowa better on both ends of the court. Marshall is a 40 percent (18-45) three-point shooter and has hit nearly 90 percent of her free throws (8-9).

Nebraska vs. Iowa Series History

Iowa leads the all-time series with Nebraska 17-15, including a sweep of the season series in 2020-21. The Hawkeyes won the last meeting, 83-75, in Iowa City (March 6, 2021), after posting an 88-81 win over the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Feb. 11, 2021).