WBB vs Alcorn State Preview

Reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week Natalie Potts has made an instant impact on Nebraska’s lineup. The 6-2 forward averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 block in her opening week of the regular season. In Nebraska’s 71-52 road win at Wyoming, Potts was a catalyst at both ends of the court, erupting for 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, while adding two steals and a blocked shot. Potts was a menace defensively, creating easy offensive opportunities with deflections at the front of Nebraska’s press to help turn an early Husker deficit into a double-digit road victory over the Cowgirls.

Another Husker newcomer given the backcourt an immediate boost; All-Big Sky guard Darian White. The 5-6 graduate student averaged 14.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals over 120 starts in four seasons at Montana State. The No. 2 scorer in Montana State history, White finished with 1,716 points, 612 rebounds, 449 assists and 260 steals. White was the 2022 Big Sky Tournament MVP, leading the Bobcats to the conference title and a trip to the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

Jaz Shelley is 13 assists from joining the top 10 at Nebraska in career assists. Shelley heads into the Alcorn State game with 379 assists in two-plus years at Nebraska. All-American and two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge ranks 10th in school history with 392.

Alexis Markowski needs two double-doubles to climb into a tie for sixth in Nebraska history with Nafeesah Brown (24, 1992-94). Markowski is currently tied for seventh with Janet Smith (22, 1979-82).

Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. Alcorn State Lady Braves (0-1, 0-0 SWAC)
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, 7 p.m. (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska
Special Event: Military Appreciation
Live Video: B1G+ (subscription)
Live Stats: Huskers.com (StatBroadcast)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (6:30 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 12.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 15.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg
0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 12.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 16.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 1.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg

Off the Bench
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 9.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 1.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 0.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998) Eighth Season at Nebraska (116-99); 17th Season Overall (309-208)

Alcorn State Lady Braves (0-1, 0-0 SWAC)
2 - Nakia Cheatham - 6-0 - Sr. - G/F - 8.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg
5 - Destiny Brown - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 3.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
1 - Ashanti Backus - 5-4 - Sr. - G - 3.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
11 - Zy’nyia White - 5-6 - Jr. - G - 11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
24 - Kiarra Henderson - 5-9 - Sr. - G/F - 5.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg

Off the Bench
21 - Akryiale Ford - 6-2 - Gr. - F - 8.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
15 - Jeanee Anderson - 5-7 - Sr. - G - 2.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
0 - Jazmine Jackson - 5-8 - So. - G - 2.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
30 - Maya Claytor - 6-0 - Fr. - F - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
32 - Milia Gibson - 5-6 - Jr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
14 - Arene Iyekekpolor - 6-0 - Fr. - F - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg

Head Coach: Nate Kilbert (MVSU, 1987) Fourth Season at Alcorn State (22-53); 22nd Season Overall (201-399)

Scouting The Alcorn State Lady Braves

Alcorn State returns four starters and its top four scorers from a team that finished 12-17 overall and 8-10 in the SWAC last year. The Lady Braves opened this season with a 77-42 loss at Mississippi State.

Destiny Brown, a 6-3 junior forward and preseason All-SWAC selection, managed just three points and seven boards in the loss to the Bulldogs. Last season, Brown led the Lady Braves with 13.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. ASU was led in the opener by 5-6 junior guard, Zy’nyia White, who had 11 points and five rebounds. White averaged 9.5 points and 2.9 rebounds a year ago as a starter.

Nakia Cheatham, a 6-0 senior guard/forward, added eight points and four boards. Cheatham averaged 7.1 points and 6.0 rebounds as a regular starter last season. Kiarra Henderson, a 5-9 senior starter, pitched in five points and seven rebounds. She averaged 5.1 points and 4.4 boards primarily off the bench last season. Senior guard Ashanti Backus rounded out the Alcorn State starting five with three points. She made six starts last season but averaged just 2.1 points per game.

Nebraska vs. Alcorn State Series History

No. 16 Nebraska defeated Alcorn State 83-49 (Nov. 16, 2014) in the only previous meeting between the two schools. Long-time head coach Nate Kilbert returns to Lincoln for his fifth game as head coach with a third school. Kilbert, who is in his 22nd season as an NCAA Division I women’s basketball coach, made his first trip to Lincoln as the coach of Mississippi Valley State for a 99-53 loss to the Huskers at the Devaney Center on Nov. 15, 2011. He went on to be the 2012 SWAC Coach of the Year in his final season leading the Delta Devilettes.

Kilbert returned to Lincoln two years later as the head coach of Arkansas Pine Bluff on Nov. 21, 2013. The eventual Big Ten Tournament champion and No. 11 Huskers defeated UAPB 78-55. Kilbert had captured his second straight SWAC Coach of the Year award in his first year at Pine Bluff in 2012-13. He was back at Pinnacle Bank Arena two years later with UAPB in a 96-46 loss to the Huskers on Nov. 14, 2015, before leading the Lady Lions back to PBA for a 73-52 loss on Dec. 2, 2017 against the eventual NCAA Tournament-qualifying Huskers.