Husker WBB Falls to Maryland 69-54

I was travelling during the game, so fortunately I didn’t watch the carnage. Listening was tough enough. Things still don’t get easier for the ladies as Iowa is next on the schedule.

The normal starting five was on the floor - Shelley, Bourne, Markowski, Haiby and Krull.

First Half

Maryland scored the first four points and the Huskers found the basket (4-2 Maryland). After trading baskets, the score stayed at 6-4 (Terps) for several minutes.

Maryland held just an 8-6 edge with three minutes left in the first quarter before closing the period on a 10-0 run that included one field goal and 8-for-8 free throw shooting by the Terps. Once the lead got to double digits, Maryland never relinquished the double-figure lead. The run grew to 12-0 to start the second quarter before Shelley snapped it with a three-pointer with 8:13 left in the half.

It was the only field goal for the Huskers in the first eight minutes of the second quarter, as the Terps pushed the lead to 37-14 at the half. The 14 points were the fifth-fewest scored by Nebraska in a first-half in school history.

The Huskers (12-8, 4-5 Big Ten) went just 4-for-24 from the field in first 20 minutes while losing the first-half turnover battle 14-2 against the Terrapins (16-4, 7-2 Big Ten). Maryland used the extra opportunities to outscore Nebraska 17-0 in points off turnovers in the half.

Second Half

The Huskers refused to stop fighting, outscoring the Terps 20-18 in the third quarter and 20-14 in the fourth. Kendall Coley provided a spark off the bench for Nebraska as she scrapped to give the Huskers a few extra possessions and slow the Maryland transition game down.

By the end of the day, Nebraska hit just 30.8 percent (19-62) of its shots including 5-of-27 three-pointers (.185) to go along with 11-of-20 free throws (.550). But the Huskers out-rebounded Maryland 56-47, including 16 offensive boards.

Jaz Shelley led Nebraska with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Sam Haiby (nine points; 12 rebounds) and Annika Stewart (nine points; nine rebounds) missed double-doubles for the Big Red.

Every Huskers sans Issie Bourne committed at least one turnover as the Huskers combined for 22 as a team; Maryland committed 10 TOs.

Next Game

The Huskers will play at No. 10 Iowa on Saturday. Tip-off between is set for Noon (CT) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City with national television coverage on FOX.