Huskers Take on SWAC Power Southern Sunday

The Nebraska women’s basketball team closes its home non-conference schedule on Sunday when the Huskers take on 2023 NCAA Tournament qualifier and SWAC Champion Southern.

Tip-off between the Huskers (8-2) and Jaguars (1-7) at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for Noon (CT) with live television coverage from Nebraska Public Media with Larry Punteney and Kara Graham on the call. A live video stream of the NPM production will be available to subscribers of B1G+.

Nebraska fans can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, the Huskers App and Huskers.com, as Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch team up for their 23rd season. Pregame starts at 11:30 p.m. (CT). 

Nebraska is riding a four-game winning streak after an impressive 80-74 win at then-NCAA NET No. 8 Michigan State (Dec. 9). Alexis Markowski led four Huskers in double figures with her fifth consecutive double-double, registering 13 points and 17 rebounds. Jaz Shelley added 11 points, seven boards and nine assists just days after notching her second career triple-double in a rout of UNCW (Dec. 5). Nebraska led the Spartans by 17 points with just over two minutes left in the game.

Two-time Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award candidate Jaz Shelley notched her second career triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in 26 minutes against UNCW. The 5-9 guard from Moe (pronounced MOE-ee), Australia, is the first Husker in history to record multiple career triple-doubles (also vs. North Carolina Central, Nov. 20, 2021). Shelley surpassed 500 career assists in the win at Michigan State and needs just two three-pointers to catch current WNBA player and 14-year international pro Yvonne Turner for fourth on the Nebraska career three-point list (183).

Two-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate Alexis Markowski is the only Big Ten player averaging a  double-double (16.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg) and owns six double-doubles this season. Markowski, who ranks fifth in Husker history with 27 career double-doubles, needs 18 points to reach 1,000 in her career.

Natalie Potts continued her first season by averaging 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks last week to claim her third Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Dec. 11). Potts, who has scored in double figures in four straight games and eight of the first 10 to open her career, is averaging 12.2 points and 5.4 rebounds while hitting 76.8 percent (43-56) of her two-point field goal attempts. 

Darian White, a four-year starter and three-time All-Big Sky performer at Montana State before transferring to Nebraska as a graduate student, gives Nebraska another potent weapon. The 5-6 guard is averaging 9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists, which ranks eighth in the Big Ten.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten)
vs. Southern Jaguars (1-7, 0-0 SWAC)
Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, Noon (CT)
Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, Nebraska
Tickets: Huskers.com/Tickets
Special Event: Happy Husker Holidays
Television: Nebraska Public Media 
Live Video: B1G+ (subscription)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (11:30 a.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Huskers.com, Huskers App
Live Stats: Huskers.com

Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten - NCAA NET 18)
22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - Fr. - F/G - 12.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Jr. - C/F - 16.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg
0 - Darian White - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 9.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 13.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg
42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 2.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg
Off the Bench
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - So. - G - 7.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 6.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 6.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 3.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Eighth Season at Nebraska (122-101); 17th Season Overall (315-210)

Southern Jaguars (1-7, 0-0 SWAC)
14 - Soniyah Reed - 6-0 - Jr. - G - 7.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg
15 - Sky Castro - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 4.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg
2 - Aleighyah Fontenot - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 8.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg
3 - Taylor Williams - 5-8 - Gr. - G - 8.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg
4 - Chloe Fleming - 5-6 - Gr. - G - 7.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg
Off the Bench
22 - Sirviva Legions - 5-7 - So. - G - 6.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg
24 - Kyanna Morgan - 5-10 - Sr. - G - 5.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg
21 - Tionna Lidge - 6-4 - Jr. - C - 3.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg
11 - Cayla Obillo - 5-2 - Gr. - G - 1.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg
23 - Osha Cummings - 5-6 - Sr. - G - 1.3 ppg, 0.1 rpg
25 - Genovea Johnson - 5-8 - Gr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
44 - Raven White - 6-1 - Sr. - F - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
Head Coach: Carlos Funchess (ULM, 1992)
Sixth Season at Southern (81-77); Sixth Season Overall (81-77)

Scouting The Southern Jaguars

Coach Carlos Funchess brings his Southern Jaguars to Lincoln in the midst of one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation. Funchess, who is in his sixth season at Southern and has led the Jaguars to a pair of SWAC titles and NCAA Tournament appearances (2019, 2023), was the 1991 College Slam Dunk Champion and played professionally across many levels including the NBA, before joining the Southern coaching staff as an assistant 20 years ago. 

The Jags, who went 18-15 overall and 12-6 in the SWAC before winning the conference tournament title last season to advance to the NCAA First Four, opened 2023-24 with an 85-53 loss to current No. 10 Baylor (Nov. 6), before falling 80-35 at current No. 5 Texas (Nov. 8). SU battled Purdue to a 67-50 loss at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. (Nov. 12), before fighting current top-25 Miami down to the wire in a 61-57 loss in Coral Gables (Nov. 17). The Jaguars suffered a 78-60 loss at Iowa State (Nov. 20), before playing their first home game of the season against Northwestern State (Dec. 3). That game resulted in a surprising 46-35 loss to a team Nebraska defeated 90-42 at PBA to open the season (Nov. 6).

Southern notched its first win with a 101-45 victory over NAIA Louisiana Christian at home in Baton Rouge (Dec. 9), before suffering a 67-37 loss at Oregon (Dec. 11).

Chloe Fleming, who started in Southern’s last appearance at PBA back in 2019, leads SU with 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and a team-best 3.4 assists per game. Fleming is 4-for-8 from three-point range after going just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc all of last year. The 5-6 graduate guard has made 41 straight starts for the Jags, including all 33 games last year. She averaged 4.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and team bests of 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 2022-23. 

Current Jaguars Genovea Johnson and Raven White were also starters on the 2019-20 squad that came to Lincoln, but neither Johnson nor White have played yet this season for Southern. Johnson, a 1,000-point career scorer who has been Southern’s top point producer each of the last three seasons, led SU in scoring (11.4 ppg) and rebounding (4.8 rpg) a year ago. She was also a member of the 2023 SWAC All-Tournament Team. White, who has made 102 career starts, added 6.5 points and 4.0 rebounds while making 31 starts. 

Graduate Taylor Williams has stepped up her production early this season in the absence of Johnson and White. The 5-8 guard is averaging a team-best 8.9 points to go with 3.2 rebounds, after averaging 4.0 points per game a year ago when she made 21 starts.

Junior guards Aleighyah Fontenot (8.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and Soniyah Reed (7.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and senior forward Sky Castro (4.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg) have joined Fleming in the starting five for all eight games this season. Reed has hit 11-of-30 three-pointers (.367). Fontenot leads the Jaguars with 13 threes but is hitting just 22.4 percent of her long-range attempts.

Sirviva Legions has made two starts in place of Williams. A 5-7 sophomore, Legions has contributed 6.0 points and 1.2 boards.

Kyanna Morgan (5.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg), a 5-10 senior, has appeared in all eight contests, while 6-4 junior center Tionna Lidge (3.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg) is SU’s top rebounder this season. Cayla Obillo, a 5-2 graduate guard, also has played in all eight contests.

As a team, Southern is averaging 53.5 points but has surrendered 66.1 points per game to some of the nation’s best teams. The Jaguars have been outrebounded, 42.3-33.1, but own a plus-1.4 turnover margin. SU is shooting 36.4 percent from the field, 26.6 percent from three-point range and 48.7 percent from the free throw line.

 

Nebraska vs. Southern Series History

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Southern 3-0, including a 73-39 win over the Jaguars in Lincoln in the last meeting on Nov. 20, 2019.

Current Jaguars Chloe Fleming, Genovea Johnson and Raven White were starters in that game. Fleming led the SU starters with eight points, four rebounds and two assists. White managed four points and two boards, while Johnson added two points and a rebound before fouling out. SU’s starters combined for just 19 points in the game. Amani McWain led SU with 15 points in 20 minutes off the bench, including a trio of three pointers.

Nebraska rolled to an 89-38 win over Southern on Nov. 23, 2015, after leading 49-12 at the half.

The Huskers met the Jaguars in the fifth regular-season women’s basketball game in the history of Pinnacle Bank Arena, as Nebraska battled to an 87-64 win over Southern on Nov. 24, 2013. All-American Jordan Hooper led the Huskers with 23 points, while Emily Cady added a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds for the No. 11 Huskers. Southern guard Kendra Coleman led all scorers with 30 points on 7-of-12 shooting from three-point range. She entered the game just 3-for-25 from beyond the arc.

 

Nebraska Notes from Michigan State

• Nebraska opened Big Ten play with a road win for the third consecutive year after defeating NCAA NET No. 8 Michigan State, 80-74, in East Lansing (Dec. 9). The Huskers defeated AP No. 20 Maryland 90-67 (Dec. 4, 2022), after knocking off Minnesota 70-67 (Dec. 6, 2021).

• The Huskers improved to 11-6 all-time against the Spartans, including 3-3 in the last six games despite playing five of the last six games against MSU away from Lincoln with four true road contests.

• Alexis Markowski recorded her fifth consecutive double-double this season with 13 points and 17 rebounds. It was her third straight double-double against the Spartans. 

• Jessica Petrie matched her career high for the second straight game with 11 points in just over 11 first-half minutes against the Spartans.

• Kendall Coley tied her season high with eight points on 3-for-3 shooting - all in the first half. Coley hit a pair of first-half buzzer beaters, knocking down a huge three at the end of the first quarter before getting a two-pointer at the end of the second quarter.

• Nebraska hit 10-of-23 three-pointers at Michigan State to mark its fourth consecutive game with 10 or more threes. The Huskers have hit 10 or more threes five times this season.

Notes from Nebraska’s Win over UNCW

• Nebraska’s 108-35 win over UNCW (Dec. 5) left some significant marks in the Husker record book, starting with a 73-point victory margin that was the largest in school history over an NCAA Division I team. The only greater margins came with an 87-point win over NCAA Division III Nebraska Wesleyan (Jan. 22, 1975) in the fourth game in program history, prior to women’s basketball becoming a full varsity sport, and a 76-point win over InterAmerican (Dec. 21, 1993).

• NU’s 62 first-half points tied the school record (Oral Roberts, Dec. 29, 2013)

• The Big Red’s 12 points allowed to UNCW in the first half tied for the second fewest allowed by the Huskers in a first half in history, which also occurred earlier this season against Northwestern State (Nov. 6) and 

five other times.

• Nebraska’s 31 first-quarter points tied for the most in an opening quarter since the quarter system took effect (2015-16).

• NU’s 108 points scored tied for the 10th most in a game in school history and tied for the second-highest total under Coach Amy Williams at Nebraska (113 vs. NC Central, Nov. 20, 2021).

• Seven Huskers scored in double figures, which has not previously been recorded in Nebraska history. It is the second time this season that six different Huskers scored in double figures in a game. 

• Jaz Shelley recorded the fifth triple-double in school history and became the first Husker to record two triple-doubles in a career with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Shelley had eight points, eight rebounds and 10 assists in 13 first-half minutes.

• Nebraska hit 16 three-pointers against the Seahawks, which tied for the second-highest total in a game in school history.

• The Huskers improved to 10-0 all-time at home against teams from the state of North Carolina, and stretched their overall winning streak to nine straight games against North Carolina schools (including wins over NC State, Duke (2) and Wake Forest) during that stretch.

Husker Nuggets
• Natalie Potts earned her third Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Dec. 11) in five weeks. She won the first weekly honor (Nov. 13) before adding her second award (Nov. 27). Potts (23rd, 12.2 ppg) is the only Big Ten freshman to rank in the top 25 in the league in scoring. She also leads all Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (5.4 rpg).

• Alexis Markowski was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll three of the first four weeks of the 2023-24 season. She also earned a spot on the St. Pete Showcase All-Tournament Team after averaging 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds over two games in Florida.

• Markowski leads the Big Ten in rebounding (10.3 rpg) while ranking eighth in scoring (16.8 ppg) and fourth in field goal percentage (.534).

• Jaz Shelley earned a spot on the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll (Dec. 11) after averaging 15.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 10.0 assists last week. Nebraska has put a player on the honor roll in four of the first five weeks this season.

• 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).

• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 474 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two threes in 353 consecutive games.

• Nebraska has hit 10 or more threes 32 times in the last 82 games, including five times in 2023-24. The Huskers hit a season-high 16 threes against UNCW (Dec. 5). NU hit 10 threes vs. Northwestern State (Nov. 6), Florida Atlantic (Nov. 29), Georgia Tech (Dec. 2) and Michigan State (Dec. 9).

• 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).

Husker Numbers to Watch

•  Darian White is seven assists away from 500 in her career. Jaz Shelley reached the 500 mark in her college career by notching nine assists at Michigan State (Dec. 9) to push her total to 507. Only five previous Huskers in history have totaled 500 collegiate assists (Lindsey Moore, Meggan Yedsena, Rachel Theriot, Jina Johansen, Nicole Kubik). 

• Jaz Shelley is two three-pointers from catching WNBA star Yvonne Turner (2007-10) at No. 4 on the Nebraska career three-point list (183). Shelley owns 181 threes as a Husker. 

• Maddie Krull is 12 points away from 700 in her career.

• Alexis Markowski is 18 points (982) from reaching 1,000 career points.

• Markowski is 10 rebounds away from 700 in her career and just 60 rebounds from 750, which would move her into a tie for No. 10 on the Nebraska career rebound list.

• Annika Stewart is four points away from 500 in her career.

 

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 (27) after notching her sixth double-double of the season in the win at Michigan State (Dec. 9). She needs six double-doubles to catch 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).

• Darian White is 188 points away from 2,000 in her college career.

• Natalie Potts reached 100 career points in her eighth career game. She is in line with some of the best Husker freshmen in recent history in the pace of reaching the 100-point mark, including Jordan Hooper (6th game), Kelsey Griffin (7th), Kate Cain (10th), Sam Haiby (10th), Alexis Markowski (12th), Emily Cady (14th), Isabelle Bourne (20th).

• Darian White has scored in double figures 102 times in her college career (97, Montana State; 5, Nebraska). She scored a season-high 16 points against unbeaten TCU (Nov. 25).

 

White Shines in Starting Role for Huskers

Nebraska has received an immediate boost in the backcourt from three-time first-team All-Big Sky guard Darian White.

Through 10 games, White is averaging 9.6 points and 5.9 rebounds while ranking eighth in the Big Ten with 4.4 assists. She scored a season-high 16 points against TCU (Nov. 25).

The 5-6 graduate student transferred into the Husker program during the summer after averaging 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.

She was also a two-time Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year (2021, 2022) and the 2020 Big Sky Freshman of the Year.

White was the 2019 Idaho Gatorade High School Player of the Year and joins three-time North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year Logan Nissley, two-time Missouri MaxPreps Player of the Year Natalie Potts and Australian National Program forward Jessica Petrie in Nebraska’s group of four newcomers for 2023-24.

White produced her first Husker double-double with season highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds against No. 22 Creighton (Nov. 19).

In her Nebraska regular-season debut, White scored 13 points, including six in a 16-0 run to start the game, while adding game highs of nine rebounds and three steals to go along with four assists in Nebraska’s 90-42 win over Northwestern State (Nov. 6).

She was strong in all phases of her first road game as a Husker, contributing 11 points, four rebounds and two assists in a 71-52 victory at Wyoming.

White had 11 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals in a season-low 20 minutes in the win over UNCW (Dec. 5). 

She made her Big Ten debut with nine points, six rebounds, five assists and her first blocked shot of the season in an 80-74 win at NCAA NET No. 8 Michigan State (Dec. 9).

White took the court for the first time at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Nebraska’s exhibition win over Dakota Wesleyan (Oct. 29), producing 13 points, seven rebounds and game highs of eight assists and four steals.

 

Potts Claims Three 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., claimed her third Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award (Dec. 11) over the first five weeks of the season after averaging 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and an assist in two Husker wins.

Potts capped Nebraska’s four-game winning streak with her fourth straight double-figure scoring effort by getting 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks in the win over NCAA Net No. 8 Michigan State (Dec. 9). She opened the week with 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in just 21 minutes in a win over UNCW (Dec. 5). 

She won her second Big Ten Freshman award (Nov. 22) after averaging 14.0 points in two games at the St. Pete Showcase. Potts 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 a career-high 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 added 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 a then-career-high 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).

Potts, who is averaging 12.2 points and 5.4 rebounds through 10 games, is the only Big Ten freshman among the conference’s top 25 in scoring while leading league freshmen in rebounding.

Through 10 games, Potts has hit 43-of-56 (.768) two-point field goal attempts. She owns eight double-figure scoring efforts on the season. 

 

Nebraska Posts 19th Straight Perfect GSR

In the eyes of the NCAA’s Division I Graduation Success Rate (GSR), the Husker women’s basketball program has been perfect for 19 consecutive years. Nebraska is the only program among the 14 Big Ten Conference schools to accomplish the perfect score for 19 straight seasons.

The NCAA announced the release of its annual Graduation Success Rate report Dec. 6, 2023, and Nebraska was a national leader in women’s basketball for the 19th straight season, dating back to the initial public tracking of the GSR since 2004-05.

The Nebraska women’s basketball program joins the Husker women’s tennis and volleyball programs as Husker teams that have produced perfect 100 percent rates each of the last 19 years.

Overall, the Nebraska Athletic Department produced a GSR of 94 percent. In all, 11 Husker sports posted perfect 100 percent GSR last season, including softball, soccer, swimming and diving, women’s gymnastics, women’s golf, bowling, rifle and men’s tennis.

Nebraska continues to lead NCAA Division I in Academic All-Americans across all sports (351) and NCAA Today Top Ten Award winners (18). More than 100 Huskers have also earned NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships in history.