Sam McKewon has everything you need to know to get ready for Nebraska women’s basketball vs. Samford on Saturday.
Nebraska vs. Samford
Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln
TV | Radio: BTN+ | 107.3 FM in Lincoln
Starters
C — Sussy Ngulefac 6-3 So. 12.2
G — Kathleen Wheeler 5-10 So. 4.5
G — Sanaa Redmond 5-6 So. 5.8
G — Alyssa Tarpley 5-10 Fr. 4.8
G — Andrea Cournoyer 5-4 Sr. 19.3
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C — Alexis Markowski 6-3 So. 13.4
F — Annika Stewart 6-3 So. 12.1
G — Jaz Shelley 5-9 Jr. 15.4
G — Maddie Krull 5-9 So. 4.6
G — Allison Weidner 5-10 So. 10.0
Scouting Samford
One of the top teams in the Southern Conference for the last several years, Samford is struggling some in this season.
Cournoyer, who shoots 43.1% from three-point range, is one of her league’s most dangerous players, but she’s surrounded by youth and turnover-prone teammates.
The Bulldogs average nearly 20 giveaways per game and struggled in an early 30-point loss to Vanderbilt.
A lack of team height — outside of Ngulefac — means rebounding issues, which Nebraska can exploit.
While the Huskers struggled too much with Tarleton earlier this year, Samford is a similar team that NU should be able to beat.
Scouting Nebraska
And then there were eight. Available Husker players, that is.
With Nailah Dillard, Sam Haiby, Trinity Brady and now Isabelle Bourne banged up, NU had to use just eight players in an 82-54 rout of Wisconsin on Wednesday. But Nebraska played one of its best games of the year, with reserves Kendall Moriarty and Kendall Coley playing strong, extended minutes off the bench.
Unless Haiby or Brady come back, Moriarty and Coley, along with freshman guard Callin Hake, could get even more minutes against Samford and Wyoming.
Stewart moved to the starting lineup in Bourne’s absence and may have had one of the best all-around games of her career with 10 points, five rebounds and decent post defense.
“That’s the kind of effort and focus we need from her,” coach Amy Williams said. “When she’s playing on both ends on the floor, she’s just really dangerous. We know can she can score points.”
The Huskers should have little problem creating turnovers and points, and perhaps getting guards Shelley and Weidner a bit of a breather in the fourth quarter.
Of course, with only eight players, that can be challenging.
