A Husker win over CSUB
The Nebraska women’s basketball squad battled their own demons and a persistent Cal. State/Bakersfield (CSUB) team to come away with a 54 -45 victory on Saturday in Lincoln. Playing in front of an enthusiastic crowd numbering 4,957 at Pinnacle Bank Sports arena, the “Ladysker’s” put their heads down to fight through adversity and outrun the CSUB Roadrunners.
No. 12 Nebraska, now 9 -1 on the season, was slow to start thanks to tired legs and a grueling early season schedule against quality teams. Early season injuries presented additional challenges. The team must now play with a short bench as four team members are riding the pine hobbled with walking boots for ankle and foot issues. Instead of having 12 players available for games, Coach Connie Yori and her staff must set out game strategy using only eight.
Mar 24, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders during the game BYU Cougars during the second half of a women
The Huskers suffered from “cold shooting” in the first half of the game. During an eight minute stretch they couldn’t get any of their shots to fall. Freshman Emily Wood, scoring the first points of her Husker career broke the drought with a 2-pt. bucket. Nebraska scored nine more points to end the first half but went to the locker room down 24 – 22.
Cal. State was not to be taken for granted even though they were missing their “star” player preseason WAC Player of the Year selection Tyonna Outland. The Roadrunners were ready to take on the Huskers. Alyssa Shannon and Shaquita Smith lead the Roadrunners scoring attack in the first half. However, they went into the locker room at half with foul issues.
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The second half of the game saw a rejuvenated Nebraska team spurred on by Coach Yori’s halftime challenge to “play TOUGH.” They showed renewed vitality and purpose as they took the floor. Better shot selection lead to immediate scoring by Emily Cady, Rachel Theriot and Hallie Sample. CSUB kept pace with NU as low scoring continued to plague both teams. The Roadrunners continued getting into foul trouble sending the Huskers to the line. (By the way, the lady Huskers set a school record by committing only four personal fouls in the entire game.) In the end, the Nebraska defense lead by Hallie Sample saved the day for the Cornhuskers.
This victory was Connie Yori’s 250th win at Nebraska having been hired as head coach in 2002. Yori won the Big Ten Coach of the year award in 2013 and 2014.
Huskers sports will go quiet for a week during finals. Nebraska finishes up their non-conference schedule meeting High Point at Pinnacle Bank Sports Arena on Dec. 20 with the tip off at 3pm CST. Conference competition begins Dec. 29th when the Cornhuskers travel to the twin cities to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers women. GO BIG RED!!