Red Hot Huskers Tip Big Ten Play at Penn State
NCAA NET No. 11 Nebraska aims for its ninth consecutive win to open the season while shooting for its school-record ninth straight game with 80 or more points when the Huskers travel to Penn State to open Big Ten Conference play on Saturday afternoon.
Tip-off between the Huskers (8-0) and the Lady Lions (6-1) at the Bryce Jordan Center is set for Noon (CT) with live audio available from the Huskers Radio Network on Huskers.com, the Huskers App, 107.3 FM in Lincoln and 1490 AM/97.3 FM/97.7 HD3 in Omaha with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on the call together for their 25th consecutive season.
A live video stream will be available to subscribers of B1G+.
Nebraska improved to 8-0 with an impressive 92-53 win over Bradley in Lincoln on Wednesday night. Nancy Lieberman Award candidate Britt Prince led five Huskers in double figures with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while adding five assists and four rebounds. Prince, a 5-11 sophomore point guard, was named the MVP of the Emerald Coast Classic Beach Bracket (Nov. 24-25) after averaging 24.0 points and 6.5 assists in tournament wins over Purdue Fort Wayne and Virginia in Niceville, Fla. Prince, who ranks second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.654) and fourth in scoring (21.4 ppg), owns a pair of 30-point scoring efforts (Virginia & Oral Roberts) early this season.
While Prince has produced double figures in all eight games, junior Jessica Petrie has put up double-digit points in seven of eight contests including her first double-double of the year with 15 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's win over Bradley. The 6-2 forward from Gold Coast, Australia is averaging 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds.
Sophomore Amiah Hargrove has split time with Petrie and has been nearly as productive. The 6-2 forward from Christopher, Ill., earned a spot on the Emerald Coast Classic Beach Bracket All-Tournament Team after a 17-point, eight-rebound effort in the championship game win over Virginia. She is averaging 10.8 points and a team-best 6.8 rebounds after going for 13 points and six boards in 13 minutes off the bench in the win over Bradley. Hargrove is shooting 59.3 percent from the field.
Graduate forward Eliza Maupin (9.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg) gives Nebraska another explosive option off the bench inside behind starting center Petra Bozan. The 6-3 Croatian is averaging 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds after her 12-point, nine-board night against Bradley.
Senior Callin Hake adds a dynamic play-maker at both ends. The 5-8 guard from Victoria, Minn., is one of the Big Ten's top defenders, leading the Huskers in steals (13) and charges drawn. She adds a team-best 4.6 assists to go with her 8.6 points per game.
As a team, Nebraska leads the Big Ten and ranks second nationally by shooting 54 percent from the field through eight games. Only two Husker teams have ever hit 50 percent or better from the field - 1991-92 (.503) and 1987-88 (.500).
(NET 11) Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
4 - Petra Bozan - 6-3 - So. - F - 8.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 12.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg
1 - Hailey Weaver - 6-0 - Gr. - G - 4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-8 - Sr. - G - 8.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg
23 - Britt Prince - 5-11 - So. - G - 21.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg
Off the Bench
33 - Amiah Hargrove - 6-2 - So. - F - 10.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg
21 - Eliza Maupin - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 9.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg
5 - Claire Johnson - 5-9 - So. - G - 6.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - Jr. - G - 6.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg
34 - Emily Fisher - 6-0 - Jr. - G/F - 2.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg
15 - Kennadi Williams - 5-4 - RFr. - G - 2.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg
00 - Alanna Neale - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 1.6 ppg, 0.4 rpg
22 - Natalie Potts - 6-2 - RSo. - F - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner [Out] - 5-10 - Gr. - G - Redshirt
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
10th Season at Nebraska (166-123); 19th Season Overall (359-232)
(NET 65) Penn State Lady Lions (6-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
14 - Amiya Evans - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 2.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg
44 - Gracie Merkle - 6-6 - RJr. - C - 23.0 ppg, 8.9 rpg
3 - Moriah Murray - 5-8 - RJr. - G - 12.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg
19 - Tea Cleante - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 11.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg
23 - Kiyomi McMiller - 5-8 - So. - G - 19.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg
Off the Bench
7 - Viktoria Ranisavljevic - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 7.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg
25 - Rachael Okokoh - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 3.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg
2 - Shaelyn Steele - 5-6 - So. - G - 3.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg
10 - Vitoria Santana - 5-8 - Sr. - G - 3.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg
24 - Shayla Smith - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 2.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg
8 - Nyla McFadden - 6-0 - Fr. - G/F - 2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg
Head Coach: Carolyn Kieger (Marquette, 2006)
Seventh Season at Penn State (79-106); 11th Season Overall (178-171)
Nebraska 1 of 5 Unbeaten Basketball Schools
• Nebraska is one of just five remaining NCAA Division I schools with undefeated men's and women's basketball programs.
• The Husker men's team coached by Fred Hoiberg (8-0) and the women's team coached by Amy Williams (8-0) join LSU, Vanderbilt, Iowa State and Michigan State as unbeaten basketball schools, after Iowa (men) and Arizona (women) suffered their first losses earlier this week.
• It is the first time the NU men's and women's basketball teams have started 8-0 the same season.
• The Husker men play Creighton in Lincoln on Sunday afternoon.
Huskers Hitting 80 at Historic Rate
• The only other time Nebraska produced 80 or more points in eight consecutive games came from the 1987-88 Big Eight Champion Huskers in an eight-game span from Jan. 6 at Maine (L, 82-89) through a 94-82 win at Oklahoma (Jan. 27). The 1987-88 Huskers went 7-1 during the stretch - the longest streak of scoring 80 or more points in school history.
Big Red Spreading the Wealth, Sharing the Rock
• As a team, NU ranks 10th nationally in scoring offense (89.4 ppg), while ranking second in field goal percentage (.540), 12th in scoring margin (31.6 ppg) and 27th in three-point percentage (.372).
• NU ranks 10th nationally in assists per game (20.5 apg) and 13th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.50).
• Nebraska's early season depth has been remarkable, especially considering the Huskers have been playing without injured Katrina McClain Award candidate Natalie Potts and Allison Weidner, a graduate guard redshirting in 2025-26 with an injury. In 1,400 game minutes, Nebraska's five starters have combined for approximately 900 minutes, while the reserves have played approximately 700.
• Nebraska ranks seventh nationally in bench scoring (34.6 ppg).
Scouting the Penn State Lady Lions
• Penn State opens Big Ten play with a 6-1 record and a No. 65 NCAA NET ranking after an 82-64 win over Yale in State College on Sunday.
• Penn State's lone loss came with a 100-93 setback to Princeton at the Battle 4 Atlantis (Nov. 22), before bouncing back with an 83-67 win over San Diego State (Nov. 24) in the Bahamas.
• Like Nebraska, Penn State features an explosive offense that has produced at least 80 points in each of its first seven games this season. As a team, the Lady Lions are averaging 86.0 points on 51.9 percent shooting, including 38.8 percent from three-point range. PSU has hit just 68.1 percent of its free throws. The Lady Lions own a plus-9.3 rebound margin and a positive turnover margin, but have been surrendering 71.7 points per game.
• Gracie Merkle enters the game ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring at 23.0 points per game while shooting a staggering, Big Ten-best 74 percent from the field. The 6-6 center has added 8.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game to go along with 1.4 blocks.
• Kiyomi McMiller has added a dangerous threat on the perimeter. The 5-8 sophomore transfer from Rutgers is averaging 19.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and team bests of 6.0 assists and 2.7 steals. McMiller pumped in a career-high 33 points on 14-of-28 shooting for Rutgers in a 69-62 loss to Nebraska last season (Jan. 12, 2025).
• Redshirt junior Moriah Murray has supplied a steady hand as well. The 5-8 guard is averaging 12.0 points while hitting a team-best 23 threes on 48.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc. She has pitched in 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals.
• Freshman Tea Cleante has provided a reliable starter as well, averaging 11.3 points while hitting 42.3 percent (11-26) of her three-point attempts.
• Penn State has been auditioning players for its fifth starting spot, most recently going with 6-2 Georgia transfer Amiya Evans in a win over Yale. The senior is averaging 2.6 points and 5.0 rebounds.
• Shaelyn Steele, a 5-6 sophomore, started the win over San Diego State and is averaging 3.0 points and 3.1 rebounds.
• Viktoria Ranisavljevic, a 5-7 freshman from Switzerland, made four starts in PSU's first five games and is averaging 7.0 points and 2.9 rebounds. Vitoria Santana, a 5-8 senior from Sao Paulo, Brazil, has earned one start while averaging 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds.
• The Lady Lions also have received contributions from 6-4 freshman Rachael Okokoh (3.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg), 5-9 freshman Shayla Smith (2.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg) and 6-0 freshman Nyla McFadden (2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg).
Nebraska vs. Penn State Series History
• Nebraska leads the all-time series with Penn State, 12-9, including a 72-61 win over the Lady Lions in Lincoln last season (Jan. 5, 2025). Callin Hake led Nebraska with 16 points, while Alexis Markowski added a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Britt Prince pitched in 13 points, while Petra Bozan contributed eight points and six rebounds off the bench. The Huskers held Gracie Merkle to seven points and seven rebounds in just 17 minutes of action. Merkle was whistled for four fouls.
• The Huskers suffered an 82-73 setback to PSU in their last trip to the Bryce Jordan Center (Jan. 21, 2024). Nebraska has dropped three consecutive road games in the series with Penn State, including an 83-76 loss on Feb. 17, 2022 and an 85-74 setback on Feb. 4, 2021. Nebraska's last road win in State College came with a 79-74 victory on March 2, 2019.
• The Huskers have won nine 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).
• 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 9-2 all-time against Penn State in Lincoln, including 9-0 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. PSU owns a 6-3 advantage all-time in the series at University Park.
• Fifteen of the 21 meetings in the series have been decided by double digits.
Prince Named to Nancy Lieberman Watch List
• Nebraska's Britt Prince was named to the list of 20 women's college basketball players on the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Preseason Watch List on Oct. 27. The Lieberman Award was the first of the Naismith Starting 5 award watch lists announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
• Fan voting for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award is open at http://www.hoophallawards.
• Prince, a 5-11 sophomore from Omaha, Neb., returns for her second season at Nebraska after averaging 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals as a true freshman.
• Through eight games this season, she is averaging a team-best 21.4 points per game while hitting 65.4 percent (70-107) of her shots from the field, including 12-of-22 threes (.545).
• Prince was named the MVP of the Emerald Coast Classic Beach Bracket (Nov. 24-25) after leading the Huskers to the tournament title with 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting in a 91-82 win over Virginia. She averaged 24.0 points and 6.5 assists in the two tournament games, including 18 points and a season-high seven assists in a win over Purdue Fort Wayne.
• Prince established her career high with 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting in a win over Oral Roberts (Nov. 19).
• She opened 2025-26 with 19 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal in a win over Northwestern State (Nov. 3).
• Prince followed with 23 points, two assists and two steals in a win over Samford (Nov. 8), before getting 18 points and a season-high seven rebounds in a win over Creighton (Nov. 12).
• She added 16 points, two rebounds and three assists in a win over North Dakota State in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Nov. 16).
• Prince had 17 points, four rebounds and five assists in Wednesday's win over Bradley.
• Prince, a two-time Gatorade and MaxPreps Nebraska High School Player of the Year at Elkhorn North, earned Big Ten All-Freshman honors while leading the Huskers to the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
• In the NCAA Tournament, Prince led the Big Red with 14 points and six assists against Louisville, after powering Nebraska to two wins at the Big Ten Tournament by averaging 17.0 points and 5.3 assists over three games, including a season-high-tying 24 points against Big Ten Tournament champion and NCAA No. 1 seed UCLA.
• Prince was the USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Jan. 21) after going for 22 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a career-high six steals in a road win at Iowa (Jan. 16), when she hit a career-high five three-pointers.
Potts Earns Spot on Katrina McClain Watch List
• Nebraska's Natalie Potts was included on the list of 20 women's college basketball players named to the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Preseason Watch List on Oct. 30. The McClain Award was the fourth of the Naismith Starting 5 award watch lists announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
• Fan voting for the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award is open at http://www.hoophallawards.com.
• Potts, a 6-2 redshirt sophomore from O'Fallon, Mo., returns for her third season at Nebraska in 2025-26. She was the 2023-24 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the fifth game of the 2024-25 campaign. Potts was averaging team bests of 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds through the first four games prior to her injury. She was shooting 69.4 percent from the field, including 72.7 percent (8-11) from three-point range to lead the Big Red to a No. 19 national ranking and a 4-0 start.
• In 40-minute production, Potts put up eye-popping numbers of 28.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per 40 to rank among the best players in the Big Ten through the first four games last season.
• In 2023-24, Potts led all Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (5.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.489), while ranking second among league freshmen in scoring (10.2 ppg) and free throw percentage (.829) in 2023-24. She started all 35 games for the 23-12 Huskers, who advanced to the Big Ten Championship Game and the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Potts, who won 8-of-15 Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards during the regular season, was the most consistent freshman in the conference from start to finish. She won the inaugural weekly honor on Nov. 13, 2023, before claiming the final two freshman awards on Feb. 26 and March 4. She won at least one weekly honor during all five months of the season. Her eight weekly awards matched the total of fellow Nebraska Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alexis Markowski in 2022.
• Potts, who also claimed an honorable-mention All-Big Ten award from the conference media, was a unanimous choice on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team by the conference coaches.
• After sustaining her knee injury against North Alabama (Nov. 19, 2024), Potts underwent knee surgery (Dec. 4). She continues to rehab with hopes of returning to the court mid-season.
Nebraska By The Numbers
• Britt Prince (574) needs 26 points to reach 600 in her career. She crossed the 500-point mark in Nebraska's home win over Oral Roberts (Nov. 19).
• Nebraska (.540 FG%) leads the Big Ten and ranks second nationally in team field goal percentage.
• Nebraska (89.4 ppg) ranks 10th nationally and third in the Big Ten in scoring offense.
• Nebraska (34.6 ppg) ranks seventh nationally and third in the Big Ten in bench scoring.
• Nebraska (20.5 apg) ranks 10th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten in assists per game.
• Nebraska (+31.6 ppg) ranks 12th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten in scoring margin.
• Nebraska (1.50) ranks 13th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Toys 4 Tots Collection for Omaha Game (Dec. 9)
• The Nebraska women's basketball program will participate in the annual U.S. Marines Toys 4 Tots drive during its game with Omaha on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
• Fans are encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys or cash, which will be collected by U.S. Marines positioned at both of the main entrances to Pinnacle Bank Arena.