The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns to Big Ten road action when the Huskers take on Penn State in University Park on Sunday.
Tip-off between the Big Red (13-5, 5-2) and the Lady Lions (12-5, 3-3 Big Ten) at the Bryce Jordan Center is set for Noon (CT) with a live video stream available for subscribers of B1G+.
Fans also can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action. Pregame starts at 11:30 a.m. (CT).
Nebraska is coming off one of its best defensive efforts of the season in a 62-43 win over Michigan in Lincoln on Wednesday night. The Huskers held the Wolverines to just 32.6 percent (15-46) shooting, while out-rebounding Michigan 46-28 and winning the turnover battle 18-15.
Five-time Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week Natalie Potts notched her third double-double of the season with game highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds against Michigan. The 6-2 forward from O’Fallon, Mo., leads all league freshmen in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounding (6.0 rpg), including 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in a win over Maryland (Dec. 31). She also had 16 second-half points in a win over Wisconsin (Jan. 4). Potts, who has won the past two Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards, was a two-time Missouri MaxPreps High School Player of the Year out of Incarnate Word Academy. She has scored in double figures 12 times this season. She also leads Nebraska with 13 blocks on the year, while leading the Huskers in conference play with 10 steals (1.4 spg).
Alexis Markowski owns a Big Ten-best 11 double-doubles after getting game highs of 17 points and 14 rebounds at Minnesota (Jan. 14). The 6-3 center from Lincoln owns 32 career double-doubles, including five in Big Ten play this season. Her next double-double will move her into a tie for fourth on Nebraska’s career list with Emily Cady, who had 33 from 2012 to 2015. Markowski leads the Big Ten with 10.1 rebounds per game, including 11.4 in league action. A two-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate, Markowski has scored in double figures in all 18 games this season, including five 20-point performances.
Two-time Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award candidate Jaz Shelley has added 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and team bests of 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals. She owns two double-doubles this season, including 13 points and 11 assists in a win over Maryland (Dec. 31). The 5-9 guard from Moe (pronounced MOE-ee), Australia, is the first Husker in history to record multiple career triple-doubles after getting 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over UNCW (Dec. 5). She is two three-pointers away from becoming the fourth Husker in history with 200 triples.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-5, 5-2 Big Ten)at Penn State Lady Lions (12-5, 3-3 Big Ten)Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, Noon (CT)Bryce Jordan Center – University Park, Pa.Live Video: B1G+Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (11:30 a.m.)Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)B107.3 FM (Lincoln), 590 AM (Omaha), Huskers.com, Huskers AppLive Stats: Huskers.com
Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-5, 5-2 Big Ten – NCAA NET 29)22 – Natalie Potts – 6-2 – Fr. – F/G – 11.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg40 – Alexis Markowski – 6-3 – Jr. – C/F – 16.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg0 – Darian White – 5-6 – Gr. – G – 8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg1 – Jaz Shelley – 5-9 – Gr. – G – 12.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg42 – Maddie Krull – 5-9 – Gr. – G – 2.9 ppg, 2.1 rpgOff the Bench14 – Callin Hake – 5-9 – So. – G – 6.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg2 – Logan Nissley – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 6.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg12 – Jessica Petrie – 6-2 – Fr. – F – 4.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg21 – Annika Stewart – 6-3 – Sr. – F – 3.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg32 – Kendall Coley – 6-2 – Jr. – F – 2.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg15 – Kendall Moriarty – 6-1 – Jr. – G – 2.3 ppg, 1.1 rpgHead Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Eighth Season at Nebraska (127-104); 17th Season Overall (320-213)
Penn State Lady Lions (12-5, 3-3 Big Ten – NCAA NET 31)1 – Ali Brigham – 6-4 – Sr. – F – 10.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg2 – Tay Valladay – 5-6 – Gr. – G – 12.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg4 – Shay Ciezki – 5-7 – So. – G – 14.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg5 – Leilani Kapinus – 5-10 – RJr. – G – 10.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg20 – Makenna Marisa – 5-11 – Sr. – G – 15.2 ppg, 3.3 rpgOff the Bench0 – Ashley Owusu – 6-0 – Gr. – G – 18.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg12 – Jayla Oden – 5-8 – Jr. – G – 6.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg3 – Moriah Murray – 5-8 – RFr. – G – 6.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg10 – Chanaya Pinto – 6-1 – Gr. – F – 6.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg22 – Alli Campbell – 6-0 – RJr. – G – 3.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg14 – Kylie Lavelle – 6-2 – So. – F – 3.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg7 – Grace Hall – 6-2 – RSo. – F – 2.7 ppg, 2.2 rpgHead Coach: Carolyn Kieger (Marquette, 2006)Fifth Season at Penn State (53-78); 10th Season Overall (152-143)
Scouting The Penn State Lady Lions
Coach Carolyn Kieger brings her most talented Penn State team into Sunday’s game with Nebraska, after the Lady Lions pulled to .500 (3-3) in the Big Ten with a Thursday night win over Purdue. PSU is ranked No. 31 in the NET rankings and carries a 12-5 overall record.
Penn State features an experienced lineup with returning starters Makenna Marisa, Leilani Kapinus, Shay Ciezki and Ali Brigham, while adding Virginia graduate transfer Tay Valladay, who was recruited to Marquette originally by Kieger, to the starting five.
Perhaps even more importantly, 2021 and 2022 All-American and 2021 Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award winner Ashley Owusu made her Penn State debut with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists off the bench against Rutgers (Jan. 14) and added 19 points and five boards in a win over Purdue (Jan. 18). The 6-0 graduate guard who spent three seasons at Maryland, before helping Virginia Tech win the 2023 ACC title and advance to the NCAA Final Four last season, will be playing against Nebraska in her third uniform. She was injured in the Hokies’ win over the Huskers last season in Blacksburg (Dec. 1, 2022). Owusu owns 1,409 career points, 406 rebounds and 470 assists.
The Lady Lions are also getting consistent production and three-point shooting from Illinois transfer Jayla Oden (6.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg), Drexel transfer Moriah Murray (6.1 ppg, 1.5) and returning part-time starter Chanaya Pinto (6.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg), who transferred into the program from Oregon prior to 2022-23 after being named the 2021 NJCAA Player of the Year at Northwest Florida State.
Overall, PSU’s 13-player roster features nine Division I transfers.
Fifth-year senior Makenna Marisa has provided the nucleus for the Lady Lions the last five seasons. The first-team All-Big Ten guard is averaging 15.3 points and 3.3 rebounds despite missing four games this season with injury. She has started 125 of 127 games in her PSU career and has totaled 1,982 points, 546 rebounds, 480 assists and 175 steals. She has hit 205 career three-pointers.
In six career games against Nebraska, Marisa has averaged 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists, including three 20-point games.
Redshirt junior Leilani Kapinus is one of the Big Ten’s most explosive athletes, averaging 10.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.0 block. At 5-10, Kapinus leads Penn State in steals (35), defensive rebounds (79) and blocks (17). She was a member of the Big Ten All-Defensive Team and an honorable-mention all-conference choice last season.
Sophomore Shay Ciezki has emerged as one of the Big Ten’s elite three-point shooters. Ciezki is not only averaging 2.7 made threes per game, but is hitting 40.4 percent (46-114) from long range and 90.6 percent (29-32) from the free throw line while averaging 14.6 points per game. She also leads the team with 49 assists (2.9 apg).
Tay Valladay, a 5-6 guard, has taken some of the ball-handling load off Marisa and Ciezki, averaging 2.7 assists to go along with her 12.5 points per game. She is also hitting a team-best 58.6 percent (17-29) of her three-point attempts.
Ali Brigham, a 6-4 senior post, has been a part-time starter the past two years before starting all 17 games this season. She is averaging career bests of 10.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in 2023-24.
Penn State owns one of the most explosive offenses in the Big Ten, averaging 87.2 points per game while hitting 50.9 percent of its field goals and a blistering 41.5 percent of its threes. PSU has nine players shooting better than 36 percent from long range. The Lady Lions have hit 74.1 percent of their free throws and own a plus-3.5 rebound margin and a plus-3.7 turnover margin.
Penn State is 0-5 against current NCAA NET Top 30 teams but 12-0 against everybody else, including top-100 wins over Kansas (47), Oklahoma State (53), Purdue (79) and St. John’s (86).
Nebraska vs. Penn State Series History
Nebraska leads the all-time series with Penn State, 11-8, including an 80-51 victory over the Lady Lions in Lincoln last season (Jan. 11, 2023). The Huskers have won three of the last four meetings and 10 of the last 13 overall with PSU. However, Penn State has won three of the last four contests at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park.
Alexis Markowski (11 points, 15 rebounds) and Jaz Shelley (10 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds) both recorded double-doubles in last year’s win, leading five Huskers in double figures against Penn State. Callin Hake added a career-high 16 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting off the bench, while Maddie Krull contributed 14 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting. The Huskers connected on 13-of-28 three-pointers for the game, while holding PSU to just 5-for-21.
Makenna Marisa led Penn State with 14 points but went just 5-for-19 from the field, including 1-for-8 from long range. In six all-time meetings against Nebraska, Marisa has averaged 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists, including 27 points in the last meeting in University Park.
The Huskers have won eight consecutive home games against Penn State at Pinnacle Bank Arena dating back to an 82-67 loss to the Lady Lions in Nebraska’s final home game at the Bob Devaney Sports Center (March 3, 2013).
Nebraska has suffered setbacks in its last two trips to University Park, including an 83-76 loss in the latest meeting with the Lady Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center (Feb. 17, 2022).
In three career meetings with Penn State, Alexis Markowski has averaged 17.3 points and 8.7 rebounds, while Jaz Shelley has averaged 8.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists.
Penn State won five of the first six all-time meetings, dating back to a 102-66 win over the Huskers in University Park on Jan. 2, 1993.
Nebraska is 8-2 all-time against Penn State in Lincoln, including 8-0 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. PSU owns a 5-3 advantage all-time in the series at University Park.
Fourteen of the 19 meetings in the series have been decided by double digits.
Potts Claims Five Big Ten Freshman AwardsTwo-time Missouri MaxPreps High School Player of the Year Natalie Potts has made an instant impact on Nebraska’s lineup. The 6-2 forward from O’Fallon, Mo., has claimed five of the first nine Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards with the most recent coming on Jan. 15.
In addition to her conference honors, Potts was named the No. 14 impact freshman in the nation by ESPN on Dec. 22. She leads all Big Ten freshmen in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounding (6.0 rpg) while also leading the Huskers with 13 blocks through the first 18 games of her career. In conference games-only, Potts also leads Nebraska with 10 steals through seven games (1.4 spg).
Potts has scored at least eight points in each of NU’s first seven Big Ten games, including five games in double figures after getting her third career double-double with game highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Michigan (Jan. 17). She ranks second among the Huskers in scoring (11.9 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg) in league play.
She posted her second double-double with 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in NU’s win over Maryland (Dec. 31), including 13 points and 12 boards in the second half.
Potts scored 16 in a win at Wisconsin (Jan. 4) when she got all 16 in the second half.
She opened Big Ten play with 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks in the win over NCAA NET No. 8 Michigan State (Dec. 9).
Potts produced 10 points and six rebounds at Minnesota (Jan. 14).
She had 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes in a win over UNCW (Dec. 5).
Potts won her second Big Ten Freshman award (Nov. 22) after averaging 14.0 points in two games at the St. Pete Showcase. She opened the week with a career-high 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field, including a three-pointer, in a 75-61 win over Lamar.
Husker Numbers to Watch
• Alexis Markowski (768) is 10 rebounds from catching Nebraska Athletic Hall of Famer and retired jersey honoree Maurtice Ivy at No. 9 on NU’s career rebound list (778). Markowski is 12 shy of Kate Cain (780) at No. 8 on the same list.
• Jaz Shelley is 2 three-pointers away from becoming the fourth Husker to hit 200 threes.
• Darian White is 4 rebounds away from 700 in her career.
• Kendall Moriarty is 1 point away from 200 in her career.
• Maddie Krull is expected to make her 99th collegiate start (60, South Dakota; 38, Nebraska) against Penn State (Jan. 21).
Nebraska Notables
• Two-time All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski (Lincoln, Neb.) was the Big Ten’s top rebounder with 322 rebounds in 2022-23. She was the only Big Ten player to average a double-double (12.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg) during regular-season conference play.
• Alexis Markowski is No. 5 on Nebraska’s career double-doubles list (32) after notching her 11th double-double of the season with 17 points and 14 rebounds at Minnesota (Jan. 14). Her next double-doubles will tie her with Emily Cady at No. 4 (33). The Husker record for career double-doubles is 40 by first-team All-Americans Kelsey Griffin (2006-10) and Jordan Hooper (2011-14).
• Jaz Shelley (551) and Darian White (502) both own 500 assists in their college careers. Only five previous Huskers in history had totaled 500 collegiate assists (Lindsey Moore, Meggan Yedsena, Rachel Theriot, Jina Johansen, Nicole Kubik).
• Darian White is 135 points away from 2,000 in her college career.
• Darian White has scored in double figures 103 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 6, Nebraska). She scored a season-high 16 points against TCU (Nov. 25).
• Callin Hake is proving herself as one of the Big Ten’s most improved players from a year ago. The 5-8 sophomore from Victoria, Minn., already owns more assists (+22), free throws made (+11), rebounds (+11), steals (+5) and blocks (+1) than all of last season in 86 fewer minutes. She is also shooting a team-best 45.1 percent (23-51) from three-point range while averaging 6.8 points per game compared to 4.3 points per game last season.
Husker Nuggets• Natalie Potts earned her conference-leading fifth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award on Jan. 15. No other league freshman has won more than one award. Potts won the first weekly honor Nov. 13, before adding awards Nov. 27, Dec. 11, Jan. 8 and Jan. 15. Potts leads Big Ten freshmen in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounding (6.0 rpg).
• Alexis Markowski has been named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll six times in nine weeks in 2023-24, including Jan. 15. She also earned a spot on the St. Pete Showcase All-Tournament Team (Nov. 25). She leads the Big Ten in rebounding (10.1 rpg) while ranking fifth in scoring (16.8 ppg).
• The Huskers had seven players produce double figures in points against UNCW, which is believed to be the first time that has been accomplished in school history. It is the second time this season the Huskers have had six players score in double figures in a game (Northwestern State, Nov. 6).
• Three Huskers (Alexis Markowski, Natalie Potts, Jaz Shelley) recorded double-doubles in the win over Maryland (Dec. 31), which is the first time a Husker trio notched doubles in the same game since Jordan Hooper (23 points, 11 rebounds), Emily Cady (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Rachel Theriot (10 points, 12 assists) did it in an NCAA first-round win over Fresno State in Los Angeles on March 22, 2014. • The Huskers have hit at least one three in 482 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 361 consecutive games.
• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 34 times in the last 90 games, including seven times in 2023-24. The Huskers hit a season-high 16 threes against UNCW (Dec. 5), and sank 12 triples vs. Southern (Dec. 17). NU hit 10 threes vs. Northwestern State (Nov. 6), Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29), Georgia Tech (Dec. 2), Michigan State (Dec. 9) and Maryland (Dec. 31).
• Through the first 20 seasons with the three-point shot in women’s basketball (1988-2007), Nebraska hit 10 threes in a game just six times (591 games).
