Huskers Shoot for Home Win Over No. 20 Spartans
The Nebraska women’s basketball team takes aim at its first win of the season over a top-25 foe when the Huskers battle No. 20 Michigan State Wednesday in Lincoln.
Tip-off between the Huskers (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten) and the Spartans (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten) at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m. (CT).
Live statewide television coverage will be provided by Nebraska Public Media with Larry Punteney and Kara Graham on the call. The statewide production will be shared by video stream with B1G+ subscribers.
Nebraska fans can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com. Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will be on the radio call with pregame beginning at 6:30 p.m. (CT).
Nebraska snapped a three-game losing streak - all against AP Top 20 foes on the road - with a 72-61 win over Penn State at PBA on Sunday afternoon. Callin Hake led three Huskers in double figures with 16 points to go with six rebounds and four assists.
All-America candidate Alexis Markowski contributed her sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds against the Lady Lions. The 6-3 center continues to lead Nebraska in scoring (13.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg). She heads into Wednesday's game with a school-record 46 career double-doubles. She has pushed her career totals to 1,566 points and 1,076 rebounds. The Naismith, Wooden and Lisa Leslie Award candidate is one of just four Huskers in history to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds - joining only first-team All-Americans Karen Jennings (1993), Kelsey Griffin (2010) and Jordan Hooper (2014). All three of those Huskers have their jerseys retired and are in Nebraska’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Big Ten Freshman of the Year candidate Britt Prince added 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and a career-high four steals in the win over Penn State. Prince ranks second among the Huskers in scoring (12.4 ppg) while leading the team in assists (3.2 apg) and steals (1.7 spg) while adding 4.1 rebounds. The two-time Nebraska High School Player of the Year has put up double figures in 10 of her 14 games including 10 points and a career-high-tying eight rebounds to go with a team-leading four assists at No. 4 USC on New Year's Day.
Fellow freshman Amiah Hargrove, sophomore Jessica Petrie and graduate forward Kendall Coley have split starting duties at power forward in place of 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Natalie Potts, who was lost to a season-ending knee injury against North Alabama (Nov. 19). Potts was Nebraska's leading scorer (17.5 ppg) and rebounder (8.0 rpg) through four games. She underwent surgery on Dec. 4 and is expected to regain the season of eligibility.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
vs. #20 Michigan State Spartans
Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 7 p.m. (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska
Tickets: Huskers.com / 1-800-8-BIG-RED
Special Event: Youth Sports Night
Television/Live Stream: NPM/B1G+
Larry Punteney (PBP), Kara Graham (Analyst)
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
Live Stats: Huskers.com (statbroadcast - public)
Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten)
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - So. - F - 4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Sr. - C/F - 13.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - So. - G - 6.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 7.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg
23 - Britt Prince - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 12.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg
Off the Bench
5 - Alberte Rimdal - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 6.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg
44 - Petra Bozan - 6-3 - Fr. - F/C - 5.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg
33 - Amiah Hargrove - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Sr. - G - 3.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner - 5-10 - RJr. - G - 3.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Gr. - F/G - 2.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg
22 - Natalie Potts [Out] - 6-2 - So. - F - 14.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg
4 - Kennadi Williams - 5-4 - Fr. - G - Redshirt
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Ninth Season at Nebraska (148-115); 18th Season Overall (341-224)
Michigan State Spartans (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten)
40 - Julia Ayrault - 6-2 - Gr. - F - 16.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg
15 - Ines Sotelo - 6-3 - Fr. - C - 5.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg
1 - Jaddan Simmons - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 7.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg
4 - Theryn Hallock - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 12.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg
11 - Jocelyn Tate - 5-10 - Jr. - G/F - 8.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg
Off the Bench
14 - Grace VanSlooten - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 13.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg
33 - Juliann Woodard - 6-0 - Fr. - F - 6.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg
35 - Kennedy Blair - 5-9 - RFr. - G - 5.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg
5 - Emma Shumate - 6-1 - Jr. - F - 4.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg
22 - Nyla Hampton - 5-7 - Gr. - G - 4.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg
2 - Abbey Kimball - 5-10 - Jr. - G - 4.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg
Head Coach: Robyn Fralick (Davidson, 2004)
Second Season at Michigan State (34-11); 11th Season Overall (226-87)
Scouting the Michigan State Spartans
• No. 20 Michigan State brings a 12-2 record and a 2-1 Big Ten mark to Lincoln in search of its first-ever road win over Nebraska. The Spartans, who were No. 19 in Monday's NCAA NET rankings, have had a full week to prepare for the Huskers following a 77-59 home win over Purdue on New Year's Day.
• Michigan State opened Big Ten play with a 68-66 win over Iowa in East Lansing (Dec. 15), before dropping a 72-66 decision at top-10 Maryland (Dec. 29).
• In her second season at the helm of the Spartans, Coach Robyn Fralick has designed an aggressive defense for Michigan State that ranks No. 7 nationally in turnovers forced (25.8 pg) and eighth in turnover margin (+10.0). The defensive aggression also has helped the Spartans lead the nation in free throw attempts per game (25.7) while ranking third in free throws made per game (18.1).
• In addition to a plus-10 turnover margin, the Spartans carry a plus-4.9 rebound margin on the season. Through three Big Ten games, MSU has maintained a plus-10.7 turnover margin, but the Spartans have been beaten on the boards by 4.3 rebounds per game.
• For the season, Michigan State is averaging 83.6 points while holding foes to 56.8 points per game, but early in conference play those margins have narrowed to 70.3-65.7.
• Through three Big Ten games, MSU has hit just 36.1 percent of its shots from the field, including 25.7 percent (19-74) of its three-pointers, while knocking down just 65.7 percent (46-70) of its free throws. Those numbers are significantly lower than its overall field goal (.450), three-point field goal (.334) and free throw (.706) percentages on the season.
• Graduate forward Julia Ayrault leads the Spartans. The 6-2 shooter is averaging team bests of 16.2 points and 7.8 rebounds while connecting on 17 three-pointers.
• Junior guards Theryn Hallock (12.1 ppg) and Jocelyn Tate (8.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg) offer both athleticism and experience for the Spartans. Tate has been an efficient scorer early this season as the only Michigan State player to start all 14 games. Hallock leads the Spartans with 3.1 assists and ranks third on the team with 16 made three-pointers.
• Transfers Grace VanSlooten and Jaddan Simmons have made major impacts. VanSlooten, a 6-3 junior from Oregon, ranks second on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.2 rpg), while leading the Spartans with 18 blocks. She has started 12 of her 13 games played, coming off the bench for the first time this season to get 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals in a win over Purdue (Jan. 1). Simmons, a 5-9 graduate from Arizona State, has added 7.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals.
• Two more transfers, Emma Shumate (Ohio State) and Nyla Hampton (Bowling Green/Ball State) have added threats as part-time starters. Shumate leads MSU with 18 made threes while making seven starts and averaging 4.7 points per game. Hampton, who played for Coach Fralick at Bowling Green for three seasons before spending last year at Ball State, has pitched in 4.6 points per game.
• Freshman Ines Sotelo made her first start in place of VanSlooten in the win over Purdue. The 6-3 center from Spain is averaging 5.8 points and 2.8 rebounds.
Nebraska vs. Michigan State Series History
• Nebraska leads the all-time series with Michigan State 12-6 with all 18 meetings as Big Ten foes.
• The Huskers won both games against the Spartans a year ago, including a 73-61 victory over MSU in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament at the Target Center in Minneapolis (March 8, 2024). Nebraska also opened Big Ten play last season with an 80-74 win at Michigan State (Dec. 9, 2023).
• Alexis Markowski produced double-doubles in both wins over the Spartans last season, including 22 points and 12 rebounds at the Big Ten Tournament, after putting up 13 points and 17 rebounds in East Lansing.
• Jessica Petrie (11) and Natalie Potts (10) both produced double figures at the Breslin Center, while Potts added a double-double of her own with 15 points and 11 rebounds in the Big Ten Tournament vicotry for the Huskers.
• Moira Joiner (18) and Theryn Hallock (17) led the Spartans in last year's first meeting with the Huskers, while Julia Ayrault erupted for 25 points against the Big Red at the conference tournament.
• In the last meeting in Lincoln, the Huskers fought to a 71-67 win over the Spartans (Feb. 2, 2023). It is the only game at PBA between NU and MSU in the last seven contests.
• On Feb. 27, 2021, Michigan State chose not to play on Nebraska’s Senior Day, despite traveling to Lincoln. As a result, Nebraska played three consecutive games in the series at East Lansing before the February 2023 win at PBA. The Huskers won the previous meeting in Lincoln, 82-71, Feb. 17, 2019.
• Nebraska is 6-0 all-time in Lincoln against Michigan State.
• The Huskers are 4-5 against Michigan State all-time in East Lansing, and 2-1 against the Spartans at the Big Ten Tournament, including an 85-58 pounding of MSU on March 8, 2014, on the way to Nebraska’s 2014 Big Ten title.
• Seven of Nebraska’s 12 wins have been by 10 points or less, while each of MSU’s last three wins have been by single digits.
• Nebraska is 11-4 in its last 15 meetings with the Spartans, even though 10 of the 15 games have been played away from Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Markowski In NU's 1,500-Point/1,000-Rebound Club
• Alexis Markowski has increased her career totals to 1,566 points and 1,076 rebounds. She is just the fourth Nebraska player to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds.
• The quality of that short list is undeniable. Karen Jennings (2,405 points/1,000 rebounds, 1990-93) won the 1993 Wade Trophy, was a first-team All-American and the 1993 Big Eight Player of the Year.
• Kelsey Griffin (2,033 points/1,019 rebounds, 2006-10) won the 2010 Senior CLASS Award, was a first-round WNBA Draft pick, a first-team All-American and the 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year.
• Jordan Hooper (2,357 points/1,110 rebounds, 2011-14) was a first-team All-American, the 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year and the first pick of the second round in the 2014 WNBA Draft.
Markowski Joins Elite Rebounders in NU History
• Nebraska All-America candidate Alexis Markowski joined one of the most elite groups in Husker history by pulling down her 1,000th career rebound in the fourth quarter at Creighton (Nov. 22).
• The 6-3 center from Lincoln became just the sixth Husker women’s basketball player and just the eighth Nebraska men’s or women’s player to reach the 1,000 milestone on the boards.
• Markowski finished the game with 1,001 career boards to push past 1993 Wade Trophy winner Karen Jennings into the No. 5 spot on the Husker women’s basketball career chart.
• Markowski has pushed her career rebound total to 1,076, passing first-team All-American Kelsey Griffin at No. 4 on Nebraska’s career rebound list. Markowski enters the Michigan State game 44 rebounds behind first-team All-American and 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year Jordan Hooper (1,110) at No. 3 on the Nebraska all-time rebound list. Hooper grabbed her rebounds in 4,030 career minutes (11.0 rp40), while Markowski’s boards have come in just 2,977 minutes (14.5 rp40).
Prince Battling for Big Ten All-Freshman Honors
• Britt Prince is off to one of the best starts by a freshman in the Big Ten Conference in 2024-25. The 5-11 point guard from Omaha ranks second among the Huskers with 12.4 points, while adding 4.1 rebounds and team bests with 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals.
• The two-time Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year has scored in double figures 10 times, including a career-high 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting in Nebraska’s record-setting 113-70 win over South Dakota (Nov. 16). She added four assists and two steals in front of a sellout crowd at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.
• She added her second 20-point effort with 20 points and six rebounds in a career-high 37 minutes in the loss at Creighton (Nov. 22).
• Prince produced a game-high 19 points to go with five rebounds in a low-scoring win over Tarleton State (Dec. 11). She hit a career-high three threes against the Texans while also going a career-best 6-for-6 at the free throw line.
• Prince contributed 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 26), before notching her fifth straight double-digit performance with a game-high 14 points in a win over Lindenwood (Dec. 3). She also had 13 points and a career-high six assists against North Alabama (Nov. 19) during the five-game stretch. Prince added a career-high two blocks against the Lions.
• Prince added her 10th double-figure scoring effort of the year with 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and a career-high four steals in a win over Penn State (Jan. 5). It followed 10 points, a career-high-tying eight rebounds and four assists at No. 4 USC (Jan. 1).
• She became the first Husker freshman point guard to reach 100 points in her first eight games, when she put up seven points and seven boards in a win over Minnesota (Dec. 8). The only other Husker point guard to score 100 points in 10 or fewer games is Nicole Kubik (10 games, 1996-97).
• One of Nebraska’s most efficient players, Prince is shooting 47.1 percent from the field, including 39.6 percent (19-48) from three-point range, and 89.3 percent (25-28) at the free throw line.
• Prince, who won four consecutive Nebraska Class B state high school championships at PBA while playing for her mother, Ann Prince at Elkhorn North (2021-22-23-24), was the No. 16 recruit in the country according to Prospects Nation and No. 28 according to ESPN.
• An honorable-mention high school All-American last year by the Naismith award and MaxPreps, Prince produced one of the best senior seasons in Nebraska high school history in 2023-24. She averaged 27.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.9 steals. She led the state in both scoring and assists as a senior on her way to finishing with a Class B record 2,491 points, surpassing Husker All-American Jordan Hooper’s previous mark of 2,078.
• Prince also matched Hooper for No. 2 in state tournament history with 271 career points.
• In addition to being a four-time Super-State selection in basketball, Prince was a six-time gold medalist and two-time silver medalist at the Nebraska State Track & Field Championships.
• She was the 2024 Nebraska Girls Athlete of the Year across all sports.
• Prince missed Nebraska’s win over Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 9) with a lower leg injury, but returned for six points, four assists and three steals as a starter in a win over Southern (Nov. 12).
Husker Freshmen Featuring Efficiency
• Britt Prince is the leader of a talented freshman trio for Nebraska. While Prince has earned headlines by starting at point guard and putting up some of the best numbers in history by a Big Red rookie, fellow freshmen Amiah Hargrove and Petra Bozan have been dynamic inside.
• Hargrove erupted for a career-high 13-point effort in a career-high 21 minutes in the win over Tarleton State (Dec. 11). Hargrove hit 5-of-6 shots from the floor, including a three-pointer, while adding three rebounds and a steal. Most recently, she led Nebraska with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting at No. 1 UCLA (Dec. 29). It was Hargrove’s fourth double-digit scoring effort, including a 10-point performance that included a career-high eight rebounds in a Big Ten-opening win over previously unbeaten Minnesota (Dec. 8). The 6-1 forward from Christopher, Ill., added 10 points and seven rebounds in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 26). She made back-to-back starts against Chattanooga (Dec. 15) and No. 17 Georgia Tech (Dec. 21).
• Bozan, a 6-5 center from Croatia, also owns three-double digit scoring efforts early this season, including 12 in an opening-day win over Omaha and 11 against Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 9). She went a combined 9-for-11 from the field, including 4-for-4 from three-point range in those two games. Bozan added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting in a win over Lindenwood (Dec. 3), before getting nine points and five rebounds in her Big Ten debut against Minnesota (Dec. 8). She added seven points at UCLA (Dec. 29), as the Husker freshmen provided three of NU's top four scorers against the top-ranked Bruins. Bozan pitched in eight points and six rebounds in just 11 minutes to help the Huskers push past Penn State (Jan. 5).
• On the season, Bozan has produced per 40 minute averages of 17.8 points and 11.5 rebounds while hitting 48.6 percent of her shots from the field, including 33.3 percent (5-15) of her threes.
Big Red Spread Scoring
• Nebraska has put at least five players in double figures in four of the first 15 games. In three other games, NU has put four players in double figures with the fifth-highest scorer adding nine points.
• Perhaps the most amazing part of the double-figure scoring performances for the Big Red through 12 games, is that all four games have featured a different group of scorers that have ultimately included all 12 players on the active roster at the start of the season.
• In the opener with Omaha (Nov. 4), six Huskers produced double-digit points, including Alexis Markowski-14, Natalie Potts-14, Petra Bozan-12, Logan Nissley-12, Allison Weidner-11 and Britt Prince-10.
• In a win over South Dakota in Sioux Falls (Nov. 16), five Huskers finished in double figures, including Britt Prince-23, Natalie Potts-22, Alexis Markowski-14, Kendall Moriarty-13 and Kendall Coley-12.
• In a victory over North Alabama (Nov. 19), five Huskers scored in double figures, including Callin Hake-17, Jessica Petrie-14, Britt Prince-13, Alberte Rimdal-13 and Alexis Markowski-10.
• Nebraska put five players in double figures in its second straight home game in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 22), including Callin Hake-16, Alberte Rimdal-15, Britt Prince-13, Alexis Markowski-10 and Amiah Hargrove-10.
• The only Huskers to score in double figures in each of the four games with at least five players in double figures were Alexis Markowski and Britt Prince.
Markowski Named to Naismith, Wooden Watch Lists
• Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski was among the 50 women’s college basketball players named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Watch List, announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club (Oct. 28) and the Wooden Award Watch List by the Los Angeles Athletic Club (Nov. 7).
• Markowski, a 6-3 center out of Lincoln Pius X High School, earned her third consecutive appearance on the Naismith Trophy preseason list.
• A three-time preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection, Markowski earned first-team All-Big Ten honors a year ago after averaging 15.7 points and 10.5 rebounds in 2023-24. She also earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Tournament Team after powering the Big Red to the Big Ten Championship Game.
• A three-time Lisa Leslie Center-of-the-Year Award candidate, Markowski was a second-team All-Big Ten choice as a freshman and sophomore. She was also the 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Markowski Earns Preseason All-Big Ten Honors
• Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski captured Preseason All-Big Ten honors for the third consecutive season when the conference announced its annual awards on Sept. 26.
• The 6-3 center from Lincoln, Neb., was one of 10 players across the conference’s 18 teams to earn preseason recognition from both the Big Ten coaches and media. She also earned preseason All-Big Ten honors as a junior in 2023-24 and as a sophomore in 2022-23, after being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year following the 2021-22 season.
• A three-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate, Markowski claimed first-team All-Big Ten honors at the conclusion of a 2023-24 season when she led Nebraska to an appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Markowski, who led Nebraska with team-best averages of 15.7 points and 10.5 rebounds while starting all 35 games for the 23-12 Huskers in 2023-24, produced 19 double-doubles a year ago.
• She earned a spot on the 2024 Big Ten All-Tournament Team by averaging 16.5 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists over four games, including 23 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in the Big Ten Championship Game.
• Markowski enters the Michigan State game with 1,076 career rebounds. She is 204 rebounds away from Janet Smith’s more than 40-year-old Nebraska career rebound record (1,280).
• Markowski, who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore in 2022-23, owns 1,566 career points to rank 13th all-time in scoring at Nebraska.