Nebraska women’s basketball hosts Purdue (photo/NU Athletics)
The Boilermakers have advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament each of the past four years, but they still at 2-4 in conference play right. They have the 2nd toughest schedule in D-I women’s basketball up to this point. Don’t let their record fool you. They’ll be a tough match for the 17th ranked Huskers. NU has lost five straight against Purdue.
Purdue sophomore Ashley Morrissette has taken over for Houser at the point. Morrissette is averaging 11.7 points and 3.5 assists per game. She has hit 30 threes but is shooting 29.4 percent from long range.
Freshman Andreona Keys made her first career start in the loss at Iowa. The 5-10 Keys is averaging 5.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, while knocking down 10 threes. Keys replaced 6-2 sophomore Bridget Perry in Purdue’s starting five. Perry is averaging 9.3 points and 4.0 rebounds and started 14 of Purdue’s first 15 games, before being injured early in the loss at Maryland. Perry, who suffered a high ankle sprain, has hit 6-of-13 threes on the year. She did not play in Thursday’s loss to Wisconsin.
Nebraska is coming off an impressive 73-45 win over Penn State on Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Huskers, who had all 12 players in uniform and available to play for the first time all season, got career highs of 18 points and six three-pointers from freshman Natalie Romeo. The 5-7 guard from Martinez, Calif., played a career-high 26 minutes while making her first career start. She added three rebounds and three assists in a tremendous all-around effort.
Romeo’s outburst from long range allowed the Huskers to hit a season-high 11 three-pointers against the Lady Lions. Romeo led four Huskers in double figures, including 12 points from Tear’a Laudermill, 11 from Allie Havers and 10 from Brandi Jeffery.