If you have been on the fence about getting Husker women’s basketball season tickets, this is the year to get off and get ‘r done. The Big Ten announced who the Huskers will play in the 18 game conference schedule for 2022-23. There are some really, really good matchups on tap at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Home Schedule
Nebraska (ESPN preseason #22) draws home games against ESPN preseason #6 Iowa, #15 Ohio State, #18 Maryland and 2022 NCAA Elite Eight participant Michigan. The Huskers also will face Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State, Wisconsin and Illinois during its nine-game home conference schedule.
Road Schedule
While the home schedule will offer Husker fans marquee matchups all season long, Nebraska’s road Big Ten schedule will be just as challenging. Nebraska’s conference double-plays include road games at #6 Iowa, #18 Maryland and Michigan, along with road tests at Northwestern and Illinois.
Nebraska’s four road-only matchups feature a battle at #12 Indiana, which advanced to its second straight NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2022, along with tests at 2022 WNIT participants Minnesota and Purdue, and a clash at traditional power Rutgers.
Husker Team Outlook
The Huskers are returning all five end-of-season starters after posting a 24-9 record and a trip to the 2022 NCAA Tournament. No dates or times have been set, as the league scheduling process continues throughout the summer. A complete schedule with television designations is not expected until early fall.
Nebraska is the preseason No. 22 team in the nation according to the most recent ESPN rankings. In addition to the return of Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alexis Markowski and All-Big Ten players Sam Haiby, Jaz Shelley and Isabelle Bourne, the Huskers also return starting guard Allison Weidner. Sophomore transfer Maddie Krull (Millard South), who started 60 straight games at South Dakota the past two seasons, has been added to the mix after helping South Dakota advance to the 2022 NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
Nebraska also features a strong supporting cast of returning players in Annika Stewart, Kendall Coley, Kendall Moriarty, Trinity Brady and Nailah Dillard, while welcoming freshmen Callin Hake and two-sport (basketball/volleyball) star Maggie Mendelson.
The Huskers lost five players to the transfer portal. MiCole Cayton (graduate student, guard), Ruby Porter (junior guard, returning to Australia), Tatiana Popa (freshman post, not on the active roster in 2021-22), Whitney Brown (junior walk-on guard), and Bella Cravens (senior, post player who was replaced as a starter by Alexis Markowski). These losses mostly affect the defensive side of the ball as Cayton was a lockdown defender and Cravens was a dependable rebounder. The four that played last season struggled to find consistency on the offensive side of the ball (or playing time at all) and are looking elsewhere for greener pastures. Nebraska also replaced one assistant coach, Chuck Love, with Jessica Keller. That is the first change Amy Williams has made to her coaching staff (that I’m aware of) since she brought the entire group with her from South Dakota.
Schedule Analysis
As I mentioned at the top, this looks to be a great home slate. The Huskers are playing some very good teams and look to have a good team themselves. Last season, the Huskers only played perennial conference power Maryland in their building but have to face them twice this year. The home-and-away slate includes two teams that should be very good, two that will be good, and Illinois. A very good Ohio State squad has to come to PBA, which plays into Nebraska’s favor. That is balanced by having to go to Indiana. The away-only slate looks like they will be the better teams compared to the home-only draw, but you never know in the B1G.
Nebraska’s 2022-23 Big Ten Home Opponents (9)
Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Northwestern, Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois
Nebraska’s 2022-23 Big Ten Road Opponents (9)
Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers, Illinois
Nebraska 2022-23 Big Ten Double Plays
Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern, Illinois
Nebraska 2022-23 Big Ten Home-Only Plays
Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin
Nebraska 2022-23 Big Ten Away-Only Plays
Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers
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