Nebraska WBB vs Penn State: Preview and Game Thread

Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-6, 2-3 Big Ten) vs. Penn State Lady Lions (11-5, 2-3 Big Ten)

Wednesday, January 11, 2023, 7 p.m. (CT)

Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska

Live Video: B1G+

Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (6:45 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (107.3 FM & 1400 AM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

Special Event: Australia Night

Nebraska and Penn State are tied for seventh in the 14-team Big Ten standings. The Huskers will try to snap a three-game losing skid, while the Lady Lions come to Lincoln having won three of their last four games, including a 70-60 victory over Purdue on Saturday in University Park.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-6, 2-3 Big Ten)
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 11.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - So. - C/F - 12.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 14.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 7.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg
42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - So. - G - 4.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Off the Bench
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - So. - F - 6.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg
44 - Maggie Mendelson - 6-5 - Fr. - F/C - 5.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - So. - G - 3.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 3.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - So. - F/G - 2.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg
2 - Trinity Brady - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner (Out) - 5-10 - So. - G - 10.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Seventh Season at Nebraska (106-90); 16th Season Overall (299-199)

Penn State Lady Lions (11-5, 2-3 Big Ten)
10 - Chanaya Pinto - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 6.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg
24 - Alexa Williamson - 6-2 - Gr. - F - 6.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg
4 - Shay Ciezki - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 10.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg
5 - Leilani Kapinus - 5-10 - RSo. - G - 11.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg
20 - Makenna Marisa - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 18.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg

Off the Bench
23 - Taniyah Thomson - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 7.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg
1 - Ali Brigham - 6-4 - Jr. - F - 4.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg
33 - Johnasia Cash - 6-3 - Gr. - F - 3.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg
22 - Alli Campbell - 6-1 - RSo. - G - 3.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg
11 - Anna Camden - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 2.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg
2 - Aicha Dia - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 1.4 ppg, 0.5 rpg
0 - Ivane Tensaie - 5-7 - So. - G - 1.2 ppg, 0.2 rpg
12 - Kayla Thomas - 6-3 - So. - F - 1.2 ppg, 0.7 rpg

Head Coach: Carolyn Kieger (Marquette, 2006)Fourth Season at Penn State (38-61); Ninth Season Overall (137-125)

Scouting Penn State

Since opening 7-0, Penn State has gone 4-5 with Big Ten losses at Minnesota (98-96 2OT), to No. 4 Indiana (67-58) and at No. 14 Michigan (82-72). PSU also dropped an 86-82 overtime decision at Drexel. The Lady Lions got their first Big Ten victory with a 90-72 home win over Rutgers (Dec. 30).

Despite some recent struggles, Penn State is squarely in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament berth, if they can run off some Big Ten wins. The Lady Lions were No. 58 in the Jan. 9 NET rankings.

Penn State is strong on offense, averaging 75.6 points while hitting 45.1 percent of its shots from the field, including 37 percent of its threes. The Lady Lions own a plus-3.0 rebound margin and plus-4.6 turnover margin despite averaging 17.3 turnovers per game. Defensively, PSU is allowing 65.1 points while opponents are hitting 41 percent of their shots, including 31.1 percent of their threes.

Husker Numbers to Watch

Amy Williams is one win away from the 300th of her collegiate head coaching career, including 97 victories at Rogers State (NAIA, 2007-12), 96 at South Dakota (2013-16) and 106 at Nebraska (2016-present).

Isabelle Bourne is nine points away from 1,000 in her career. She is two games away from her 100th career game as a Husker. Her older sister, Callie, recently reached the 1,000-point mark in her fifth season at Idaho State, achieving the milestone at San Diego (Nov. 25) in career game No. 118.

Jaz Shelley is 58 points away from 1,000 in her college career (646-Nebraska; 296-Oregon).

Sam Haiby is 10 points away (1,423) from matching Diane DelVigna for No. 14 on Nebraska’s all-time scoring list (1,433 points, 1978-79, 1979-80).

Nebraska vs. Penn State Series History

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Penn State, 10-8, including a 76-61 victory over the Lady Lions in NU’s last home game with PSU at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Feb. 3, 2022).