Nebraska WBB vs #3 Ohio State Preview and Game Thread

Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-6, 3-3 Big Ten) vs. 3/3 Ohio State Buckeyes (17-0, 6-0 Big Ten)

Saturday, January 14, 2023, 1:30 p.m. (CT)

Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska

Live TV: BTN (Sloane Martin, Brenda VanLengen)

Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (1:15 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

The going gets tough for the Huskers as they host the #3 Buckeyes on Saturday afternoon. Do I think the Huskers are capable of defeating Ohio State? Yes. They have shown they are capable of playing some very high level basketball.

They just haven’t done it consistently enough for me to predict the upset.

Some of the inconsistency is to be expected after Sam Haiby’s preseason injury threw things into turmoil and then two starters have gone down due to injury. Reshuffling the lineup for a coach like Amy Williams is hard. Williams seeems to coach players for a particular role. When things go as planned, it can be really fun to watch her teams. When they don’t, it takes time to find the new mix.

We should know early how this game could go. If the shots fall early for Nebraska, they will play a very competitive game against one of the top teams in the country. If the shooting is cold, it will be a blowout in favor of tOSU. Nebraska hasn’t shown that they can right the ship when the shots don’t fall early.

Here’s hoping the friendly confines of PBA and a good crowd help the ladies play one of their best games of the season.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-6, 3-3 Big Ten)
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 11.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - So. - C/F - 12.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 14.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 7.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg
42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - So. - G - 4.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Off the Bench
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - So. - F - 6.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg
44 - Maggie Mendelson - 6-5 - Fr. - F/C - 5.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 4.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - So. - G - 3.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - So. - F/G - 2.1 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 (107-90); 16th Season Overall (300-199)

3/3 Ohio State Buckeyes (17-0, 6-0 Big Ten)
32 - Cotie McMahon - 6-0 - Fr. - F - 12.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg
23 - Rebeka Mikulasikova - 6-4 - Sr. - F - 13.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg
1 - Rikki Harris - 5-10 - RJr. - G - 7.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg
2 - Taylor Thierry - 6-0 - So. - G/F - 12.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg
24 Taylor Mikesell - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 18.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg

Off the Bench
4 - Jacy Sheldon - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 16.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg
0 - Madison Greene - 5-8 - RJr. - G - 10.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg
3 - Hevynne Bristow - 6-1 - Sr. - G - 4.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg
22 - Eboni Walker - 6-0 - Sr. - F - 3.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg
5 - Emma Shumate - 6-1 - So. - G - 1.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg
11 - Kaia Henderson - 5-6 - Fr. - G - 1.1 ppg, 0.4 rpg
12 - Mya Perry - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 0.2 rpg
20 - Kaitlyn Costner - 5-8 - So. - G - 0.3 ppg, 0.6 rpg

Head Coach: Kevin McGuff (St. Joseph’s, Ind., 1992) 10th Season at Ohio State (161-95); 21st Season Overall (416-191)

Scouting the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes

Coach Kevin McGuff brings his unbeaten Ohio State Buckeyes to Lincoln with a 17-0 record that includes a 6-0 Big Ten mark following an 87-81 come-from-behind overtime win over current-No. 24 Illinois last Sunday at Value City Arena in Columbus.

Ohio State is one of just three remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division I women’s basketball, joining defending national champion South Carolina and LSU.

Ohio State has been led throughout the season by fifth-year senior and two-time transfer Taylor Mikesell, who is averaging 18.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Mikesell is far from a one-woman show for an Ohio State team that has six players averaging in double figures, including a pair of starters (Jacy Sheldon, 16.0 ppg; Madison Greene, 10.9 ppg) currently out of the lineup with injuries.

Nebraska vs. Ohio State Series History

Ohio State leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 12-9, but the Huskers defeated the Buckeyes 63-55 in the most recent meeting at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 16, 2021.

Husker Numbers to Watch

Isabelle Bourne is expected to compete in her 100th career game as a Husker on Saturday against Ohio State. Bourne recently became Nebraska’s 36th career 1,000-point scorer and will move into sole possession of No. 35 on NU’s scoring list with her next point.

Jaz Shelley is 48 points away from 1,000 in her college career (656-Nebraska; 296-Oregon).

Sam Haiby is three points away (1,430) from matching Diane DelVigna for No. 14 on Nebraska’s all-time scoring list (1,433 points, 1978-79, 1979-80).