Nebraska Women vs. Creighton

The Nebraska women’s basketball team renews its annual in-state series with Creighton. Fans are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to benefit children in the Lincoln community as part of the Marines Toys for Tots program and Military Appreciation Day.

Scouting The Creighton Bluejays
Coach Jim Flanery brings his 14th Creighton team to Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon to battle the Huskers. The Bluejays come to Lincoln with a 4-3 record after suffering a 67-54 loss at Kansas on Wednesday. It was the second loss in the last three games for CU, including a 75-52 setback to No. 19 Northwestern at the Lone Star Showcase in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 27.

Creighton bounced back with a 66-60 overtime win over Eastern Washington in Texas on Nov. 28. However, the Bluejays were dealt a blow with the loss of All-Big East guard Marissa Janning. The 5-8 senior from Watertown, Minn., suffered a fractured fibula. Janning was averaging 10.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists before the injury. She ranks ninth all-time at Creighton with 1,563 career points.

The Bluejays had already been hit with the loss of fourth-year junior Brianna Rollerson. The 6-0 forward out of Omaha Central broke a bone in her right foot in practice after averaging 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in just 14 minutes per game in Creighton’s wins over Wichita State and Marist to open the season.

The Bluejays still have plenty of young weapons. Audrey Faber, a 6-2 freshman forward from Clive, Iowa, leads the team with 15.6 points per game. She also leads CU with 16 threes through seven games, while hitting 44.4 percent of her long range attempts and 91.3 percent (21-23) of her free throws. Faber is also a capable passer, averaging 2.0 assists per game. Faber had 10 points and six rebounds at Kansas.

Sophomore Sydney Lamberty has pitched in double figures with 10.0 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. The 5-10 guard from Cottage Grove, Minn., also leads the Jays with 11 total steals.
Junior guard MC McGrory is the most experienced player in CU’s starting five. The 5-8 guard from Edina, Minn., is averaging 9.7 points and 3.4 rebounds, while hitting 9-of-19 threes (.474) on the year. McGrory led the Jays with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including both of her three-point attempts, at Kansas on Wednesday. She had 14 points and two threes in last season’s 60-57 loss to Nebraska.

Jade Owens, a 5-6 sophomore guard from River Forest, Ill., replaced Janning in the starting lineup at Kansas. Owens had eight points, including a pair of threes, four rebounds and five turnovers against the Jayhawks. Owens is averaging 5.3 points, 2.7 boards and 3.0 assists on the season.
Bailey Norby, a 6-2 sophomore forward from Forest Lake, Minn., rounds out CU’s starting five with 2.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Lincoln Southwest grad Lauren Works has been a part-time starter for CU and has averaged 7.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Works started in wins over Wichita State and Marist, before scoring a season-high 13 points in a loss at Drake on Nov. 24. She was replaced by Faber in the starting five for East Carolina, when Faber scored a career-high 25. Works had five points and a team-high six rebounds at Kansas.

The Jays get consistent contributions from 5-7 sophomore Myah Mellman (3.4 ppg), 6-1 freshman Ali Greene (2.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 5-11 senior Tessa Leytem (2.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg) and 6-3 sophomore Kylie Brown (0.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg).

As a team, Creighton is averaging 71.9 points per game and shooting a stellar 39.7 percent (71-179) from three-point range. At Kansas, CU hit 11-of-23 (.478) three-pointers, but just 8-of-32 (.250) from inside the arc. Overall, the Jays are shooting 43.1 percent from the floor and 79.1 percent at the free throw line. They have outrebounded a solid group of opponents, 35.0-33.0, and own a plus-0.7 team turnover margin. They have held opponents to 64.1 points per game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
43 - Rachel Blackburn - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 4.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg
32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 19.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg
4 - Kyndal Clark - 5-7 - RSr. - G - 3.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg
5 - Natalie Romeo - 5-7 - So. - G - 16.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg
33 - Rachel Theriot - 6-0 - Sr. - G - 11.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Off the Bench
31 - Anya Kalenta - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 7.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg
24 - Maddie Simon - 6-2 - Fr. - G - 6.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg
22 - Allie Havers - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 5.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - So. - G - 4.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg
50 - Darrien Washington - 6-2 - RFr. - F - 4.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg
12 - Emily Wood - 5-5 - So. - G - 2.2 ppg, 1.2 rpg
11 - Esther Ramacieri - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 0.4 ppg, 0.2 rpg
52 - Alicia Ostrander - 6-3 - Sr. - F - DNP
Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986)
14th Season at Nebraska (267-154); 26th Season Overall (462-294)

Creighton Bluejays (4-3, 0-0 Big East)
11 - Bailey Norby - 6-2 - So. - F - 2.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg
45 - Audrey Faber - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 15.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg
1 - Jade Owens - 5-6 - So. - G - 5.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg
3 - MC McGrory - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 9.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg
14 - Sydney Lamberty - 5-10 - So. - G - 10.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg 
Off the Bench
12 - Lauren Works - 5-7 - Jr. - G - 7.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg
2 - Myah Mellman - 5-7 - So. - G - 3.4 ppg, 0.3 rpg
40 - Ali Greene - 6-1 - Fr. - F - 2.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg
20 - Tessa Leytem - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 2.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg
4 - Aimee Rischard - 5-5 - So. - G - 2.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg 
33 - Kylie Brown - 6-3 - So. - F - 0.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg
21 - Olivia Elger - 5-7 - Fr. - G - 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
23 - Marissa Janning (OUT) - 5-8 - Sr. - G - 10.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg
50 - Brianna Rollerson (OUT) - 6-0 - Jr. - F - 7.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg
Head Coach: Jim Flanery (Creighton, 1987)
14th Season at Creighton (256-168); 14th Season Overall (256-168)

*Information from Huskers.com