The Nebraska women’s basketball team returns to Big Ten road action when the Huskers take on Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday.
Tip-off between the Big Red (13-6, 5-3) and the Hawkeyes (18-2, 7-1 Big Ten) in Iowa City is set for 1 p.m. (CT) with live television coverage provided by the Big Ten Network with Sloane Martin and Brenda VanLengen on the call.
Fans also can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and 105.9 FM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch calling the action. Pregame starts at 12:30 p.m. (CT).
Nebraska is coming off an 82-73 loss at Penn State last Sunday, while Iowa is coming off its first Big Ten loss of the season with a 100-92 overtime setback at No. 18 Ohio State.
Alexis Markowski produced her Big Ten-leading 12th double-double with 16 points and a career-high 19 rebounds at Penn State. It was the sixth Big Ten double-double in eight games for the 6-3 center from Lincoln, moving her into a tie for fourth on Nebraska’s career list with Emily Cady (2012-15) at 33. Markowski leads the Big Ten with 10.5 rebounds per game, including 12.4 in league action, while ranking sixth in scoring (16.8 ppg). A two-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate, Markowski has scored in double figures in all 19 games this season, including five 20-point performances.
First-team All-Big Ten guard Jaz Shelley has added 12.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and team bests of 5.3 assists and 1.8 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 hit her 200th three-pointer as a Husker at Penn State, when she finished with 12 points and a career-high six steals against the Lady Lions.
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 (Jan. 17). The 6-2 forward from O’Fallon, Mo., ranks among Big Ten freshman leaders in scoring (10.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 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). The two-time Missouri MaxPreps High School Player of the Year out of Incarnate Word Academy has scored in double figures 12 times this season. She also leads Nebraska with 13 blocks on the year.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-6, 5-3 Big Ten) at 5/5 Iowa Hawkeyes (18-2, 7-1 Big Ten)Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, 1 p.m. (CT)Carver-Hawkeye Arena – Iowa City, IowaTelevision: BTN (Sloane Martin & Brenda VanLengen)Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (12:30 p.m.)Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)B107.3 FM (Lincoln), 105.9 FM (Omaha), Huskers.com, Huskers AppLive Stats: Huskers.com
Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-6, 5-3 Big Ten – NCAA NET 29)22 – Natalie Potts – 6-2 – Fr. – F/G – 10.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg40 – Alexis Markowski – 6-3 – Jr. – C/F – 16.8 ppg, 10.5 rpg0 – Darian White – 5-6 – Gr. – G – 8.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg1 – Jaz Shelley – 5-9 – Gr. – G – 12.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg42 – Maddie Krull – 5-9 – Gr. – G – 2.8 ppg, 2.1 rpgOff the Bench14 – Callin Hake – 5-9 – So. – G – 6.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg2 – Logan Nissley – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 5.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg12 – Jessica Petrie – 6-2 – Fr. – F – 4.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg21 – Annika Stewart – 6-3 – Sr. – F – 3.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg32 – Kendall Coley – 6-2 – Jr. – F – 2.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg15 – Kendall Moriarty – 6-1 – Jr. – G – 2.6 ppg, 1.1 rpgHead Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)Eighth Season at Nebraska (127-105); 17th Season Overall (320-214)
5/5 Iowa Hawkeyes (18-2, 7-1 Big Ten – NCAA NET 6)45 – Hannah Stuelke – 6-2 – So. – F – 13.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg1 – Molly Davis – 5-7 – 5th – G – 6.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg20 – Kate Martin – 6-0 – Gr. – G – 12.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg22 – Caitlin Clark – 6-0 – Sr. – G – 31.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg24 – Gabbie Marshall – 5-9 – 5th – G – 5.2 ppg, 1.0 rpgOff the Bench3 – Sydney Affolter – 5-11 – Jr. – G – 7.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg40 – Sharon Goodman – 6-3 – RJr. – C – 6.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg44 – Addison O’Grady – 6-3 – Jr. – F/C – 4.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg2 – Taylor McCabe – 5-9 – So. – G – 3.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg4 – Kylie Feuerbach – 6-0 – RJr. – G – 3.0 ppg, 1.5 rpgHead Coach: Lisa Bluder (Northern Iowa, 1983)24th Season at Iowa (512-251); 40th Season Overall (868-393)
Scouting the No. 5 Iowa Hawkeyes
Coach Lisa Bluder brings a top five Iowa team into Saturday’s game against Nebraska at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa is 18-2 overall and 7-1 in the Big Ten after suffering its first Big Ten loss in a 100-92 overtime setback at No. 18 Ohio State last Sunday. Iowa had won 15 straight games dating back to a 65-58 loss to Kansas State in Iowa City (Nov. 16).
All-American Caitlin Clark headlines the Hawkeye starting five with a nation-leading 31.7 points, while ranking second nationally with 7.7 assists. She adds 7.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals. Clark owns 3,351 career points and 952 career assists. She is 42 points from Missouri State legend Jackie Stiles at No. 3 (3,393) on the NCAA career scoring list. Washington’s Kelsey Plum (3,527) and Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell (3,402) are the only other players ahead of Clark on the chart. Clark is eighth on the NCAA career assist list.
Clark, who is coming off a season-high 45 points in the loss at Ohio State, has scored 20 or more points in all 20 games this season, including 44 against Virginia Tech and 40 against Michigan State. She had 30 points and eight assists in Iowa’s 80-60 win at Nebraska last season (Feb. 18), after getting 33 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in an 80-76 win in Iowa City (Jan. 28).
In seven career games against Nebraska, Clark has averaged 34.3 points (240), 8.9 rebounds (62) and 7.9 assists (55). She has scored at least 30 points in all seven meetings, including 41 in the 2022 Big Ten semifinals, and Iowa is 7-0 against the Huskers.
Graduate guard Kate Martin (12.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.5 apg) has stepped up her production in her fifth season. Martin recently joined Iowa’s 1,000-point club and has added more than 600 rebounds and 400 assists in her Hawkeye career. She is hitting a career-best 53.3 percent of her field goals this season, including 37.1 percent (23-62) of her threes and 90.9 percent (40-44) of her free throws. She has started 120 games in her career.
Fellow fifth-year guard Gabbie Marshall gives Iowa the Big Ten’s most experienced backcourt. The 5-9 guard averages just 5.2 points but supplies stellar defense on the perimeter. Despite averaging less than 7.0 points per game for all but one of her five seasons at Iowa (9.1 ppg, 2020-21), Marshall is just 40 points shy of reaching 1,000 in her career. She has started 118 career games for Iowa.
Another fifth-year guard, Molly Davis has stepped into the starting lineup this season and is averaging 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists. A three-year starter at Central Michigan before transferring to Iowa prior to 2022-23, Davis is shooting 54.1 percent from the field. Davis made one of her two starts last season in Iowa’s win over Nebraska in Iowa City.
Sophomore Hannah Stuelke, a 6-2 forward, has been Iowa’s most productive player in the post, averaging 13.0 points and 6.9 rebounds. Stuelke is shooting 61.8 percent from the field but just 57.4 percent from the free throw line. Over the past four games, her production has slipped to 8.8 points and 6.3 rebounds.
Sydney Affolter, a 5-11 junior, adds versatility off the bench with 7.4 points and 6.5 rebounds while 6-3 junior post players Sharon Goodman (6.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and Addison O’Grady (4.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg) provide Iowa size and depth inside. Taylor McCabe (3.3 ppg) and Kylie Feuerbach (3.0 ppg) round out the top 10 players in Iowa’s rotation.
Iowa possesses one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, averaging 90.9 points while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point range. Iowa carries a plus-23.7 scoring margin, a plus-9.9 rebound margin and a plus-1.3 turnover margin. The Hawkeyes are averaging 91.0 points on 50 percent shooting in Big Ten play, including 39.2 percent from three-point range. They own a plus-6.9 rebound margin in league action.
Nebraska vs. Iowa Series History
Iowa leads the all-time series with Nebraska 22-15, including eight consecutive wins. The Hawkeyes swept the season series against Nebraska last year with an 80-76 win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City (Jan. 28, 2023), before running to an 80-60 win over the Huskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena (Feb. 18, 2023).
Iowa secured three wins over the Huskers in 2022-23, including a 93-83 win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Jan. 16, 2022). Iowa also eliminated NU from the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis (83-66). The Huskers also suffered a 95-86 loss to Iowa in Lincoln (Jan. 9, 2022).
Nebraska won the first eight games in the series with Iowa upon joining the Big Ten (2011-12 to 2013-14). The Huskers capped that three-year run with a 72-65 win over the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis (March 9, 2014).
The win by the Huskers in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game marked the third consecutive season that Nebraska eliminated the Hawkeyes from the conference tournament.
Iowa won the next five meetings before the Huskers swept the Hawkeyes on their way to an NCAA Tournament bid in 2017-18, including a 92-74 win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Jan. 28, 2018) – Nebraska’s last win in Iowa City.
The Huskers are 6-9 all-time against Iowa in Lincoln, dating back to a 67-66 win over the Hawkeyes at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Dec. 22, 1979.
The Huskers are 4-10 all-time against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City.
Nebraska is 5-3 all-time against Iowa on neutral courts dating back to the first meeting in the series, a 71-63 Husker win at the Jennies’ Classic in Warrensburg, Mo.
Potts Claims Five Big Ten Freshman Awards
Two-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 10 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 ranks among the top Big Ten freshmen in scoring (10.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 rpg) while also leading the Huskers with 13 blocks through the first 19 games of her career.
Potts scored at least eight points in each of NU’s first seven Big Ten games, including five games in double figures, before being held to three points at Penn State (Jan. 21). She produced 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 (10.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.9 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.
She opened another strong week by notching her first double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in a win over Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29). She followed with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in a win over Georgia Tech (Dec. 2)
Potts averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 block to earn her first Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Nov. 13).
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.
In her regular-season collegiate debut, Potts had 10 points, five rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block while hitting 5-of-7 shots from the field in a 90-42 win over Northwestern State (Nov. 6).
She backed up her opening-week efforts by averaging 11.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in her second week. Potts capped the week with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting against No. 22 Creighton (Nov. 19), after getting seven points and career highs of 11 rebounds and three blocks in a win over Alcorn State (Nov. 14).
Through 19 games, Potts has hit 74-of-110 (.673) two-point field goal attempts and 37-of-44 (.841) free throws.
Husker Numbers to Watch
• Alexis Markowski (787) is 13 rebounds away from No. 800 in her career and 17 rebounds from catching two-time WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge (1995-98) at No. 7 on Nebraska’s career rebounding list with 804.
• Jaz Shelley and Darian White are both expected to play in their 140th career games as college guards when the Huskers travel to Iowa on Saturday. It is also expected to be White’s 140th career collegiate start (120, Montana State; 20, Nebraska).
• Darian White is 2 rebounds away from 700 in her career.
• Jaz Shelley (466) needs four assists to catch Hannah Whitish (470, 2017-20) in seventh on the Nebraska career assist list. Shelley is 11 assists shy of Sam Haiby in sixth (477, 2019-23).
• Maddie Krull is expected to make her 100th collegiate start (60, South Dakota; 39, Nebraska) at Iowa (Jan. 27).
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 tied for No. 4 on Nebraska’s career double-doubles list (33) after notching her 12th double-double of the season with 16 points and a career-high 19 rebounds at Penn State (Jan. 21). She is tied 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). Nebraska’s 1993 Wade Trophy winner Karen Jennings (1990-93) ranks third at NU with 36 career double-doubles.
• Jaz Shelley (558) and Darian White (510) 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 123 points away from 2,000 in her college career.
• Darian White has scored in double figures 104 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 7, 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 (+25), free throws made (+14), rebounds (+14), steals (+6) and blocks (+1) than all of last season in 61 fewer minutes. She is also shooting 43.6 percent (24-55) from three-point range while averaging 6.8 points per game compared to 4.3 points per game last season.
Husker Trio Earns Endowed Scholarships
• Nebraska Athletics will announce the recipients of three endowed scholarships for women’s basketball at its next three home games at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
• The first scholarship announcement will come on Wednesday, Jan. 31 when Nebraska takes on Purdue, as the Huskers present the first Stephanie Bolli #34 Women’s Basketball Scholarship to sophomore guard Allison Weidner.
• Bolli was a four-time women’s basketball letterwinner (1985-88) as a 5-10 forward from Burwell, Neb. She served as a senior captain on Nebraska’s 1988 Big Eight championship team that advanced to the school’s first NCAA Tournament. Bolli was also a two-time Academic All-American, including Nebraska’s first College Sports Communicators First-Team Academic All-American for women’s basketball in 1988. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Nebraska in 1989.
• Preference for the awarding of the Stephanie Bolli #34 Women’s Basketball Scholarship is given to a graduate of a Nebraska high school outside the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas who displays a Nebraska work ethic, prioritizes team goals over personal goals, and meets or exceeds current Academic All-Big Ten standards/demonstrates a high level of academic achievement.
• Another new endowed scholarship will be presented at Nebraska’s game with Iowa on Feb. 11, with the inaugural announcement of the Stone Family Women’s Basketball Scholarship. The scholarship, which is being presented by Joe and Chris Stone to Darian White, requires high character and values, along with grit and an outstanding work ethic.
• The Huskers will announce the winner of their first endowed scholarship for women’s basketball at the home game against Rutgers on Saturday, Feb. 3. The Latimer Family Women’s Basketball Scholarship will be presented to Maddie Krull after generous donations from Gary and Janet Latimer. It will be the third time the Latimer Family Women’s Basketball Scholarship has been awarded, after presenting its inaugural scholarship to Isabelle Bourne in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
• The Latimer Family Women’s Basketball Scholarship is presented to a Husker who demonstrates a high level of academic and athletic achievement, effective leadership skills, integrity and a commitment to excellence in all endeavors.
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 two awards. 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 (10.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 rpg).
• Alexis Markowski has been named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll six times in 10 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 (10.5 rpg) while ranking sixth 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 483 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 362 consecutive games.
• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 34 times in the last 91 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).
