Huskers Open Big Ten Holiday Road Trip at No. 1 UCLA

The Nebraska women’s basketball team embarks on its first Big Ten Conference road trip of 2024-25 by battling unbeaten and No. 1 UCLA in Los Angeles on Sunday, Dec. 29.

Tip-off between the Huskers (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten) and the Bruins (12-0, 1-0 Big Ten) at historic Pauley Pavilion is set for 4 p.m. (CT).

A live video stream of the game will be available to B1G+ subscribers.

Nebraska fans can listen across the Huskers Radio Network, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and 590 AM in Omaha, the Huskers App and Huskers.com. Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will be on the radio call with pregame beginning at 3:30 p.m. (CT).

Nebraska's Big Ten road opener at No. 1 UCLA will be its second straight road game against an unbeaten opponent, after suffering a 72-61 setback at then-No. 17 Georgia Tech (Dec. 21) before heading home for the holiday break. The Yellow Jackets improved to 13-0 and jumped to No. 13 in the AP rankings after beating the Big Red.

All-America candidate Alexis Markowski led the Huskers at Georgia Tech with 20 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season and school-record 45th of her career. She also pushed her career totals to 1,543 points and 1,055 rebounds. The Naismith, Wooden and Lisa Leslie Award candidate is one of just four Huskers in history to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds - joining only first-team All-Americans Karen Jennings (1993), Kelsey Griffin (2010) and Jordan Hooper (2014). All three of those Huskers have their jerseys retired and are in Nebraska’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Markowski, a three-time All-Big Ten choice, is averaging team bests of 15.0 points and 8.3 rebounds this season.

Big Ten Freshman of the Year candidate Britt Prince is off to a strong start, ranking second among the Huskers in scoring (13.1 ppg), assists (3.1 apg) and steals (1.5 spg) while adding 3.9 rebounds. The two-time Nebraska High School Player of the Year has put up double figures in eight of her 11 games and has scored no fewer than six points in any contest.

Fellow freshman Amiah Hargrove made her first career start in the win over Chattanooga (Dec. 15) before getting her second start at Georgia Tech. She has produced double figures three times and is averaging 4.4 points and 3.3 rebounds while trying to help the Huskers overcome the loss of 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Natalie Potts to a season-ending knee injury against North Alabama (Nov. 19). Potts was Nebraska's leading scorer (17.5 ppg) and rebounder (8.0 rpg) through four games. She underwent surgery on Dec. 4 and is expected to regain the season of eligibility.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten)
at 1/1 UCLA Bruins (12-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
Sunday, December 29, 2024, 4 p.m. (CT)
Pauley Pavilion - Los Angeles, California
Live Video: B1G+
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (3:30 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Live Stats: Huskers.com (StatBroadcast - Public)

Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten)
33 - Amiah Hargrove - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 4.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - Sr. - C/F - 15.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg
5 - Alberte Rimdal - 5-9 - Sr. - G - 7.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 7.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg
23 - Britt Prince - 5-11 - Fr. - G - 13.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg
Off the Bench
2 - Logan Nissley - 6-0 - So. - G - 7.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg
44 - Petra Bozan - 6-3 - Fr. - F/C - 5.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - Sr. - G - 4.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg
12 - Jessica Petrie - 6-2 - So. - F - 3.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner - 5-10 - RJr. - G - 3.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - Gr. - F/G - 3.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg
22 - Natalie Potts [Out] - 6-2 - So. - F - 14.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg
4 - Kennadi Williams - 5-4 - Fr. - G - Redshirt
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998)
Ninth Season at Nebraska (147-113); 18th Season Overall (340-222)

 

1/1 UCLA Bruins (12-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
0 - Janiah Barker - 6-4 - Jr. - F - 10.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg
32 - Angela Dugalic - 6-4 - Gr. - F - 9.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg
1 - Kiki Rice - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 12.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg
7 - Elina Aarnisalo - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 8.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg
11 - Gabriela Jacquez - 6-0 - Jr. - G - 10.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg
Off the Bench
51 - Lauren Betts - 6-7 - Jr. - C - 19.8 ppg, 10.0 rpg
30 - Timea Gardiner - 6-3 - Jr. - F - 8.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg
3 - Londynn Jones - 5-4 - Jr. - G - 7.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg
35 - Tianna Thompson - 5-10 - Fr. - G - 3.4 ppg, 1.0 rpg
22 - Kendall Dudley - 6-2 - Fr. - F - 2.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg
2 - Avary Cain - 6-1 - Fr. - G - 2.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg
6 - Zania Socka-Nguemen - 6-3 - Fr. - F - 2.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg
Head Coach: Cory Close (UC Santa Barbara, 1993)
14th Season at UCLA (299-140); 14th Season Overall (299-140)

 

Scouting the No. 1 UCLA Bruins

• No. 1 UCLA closes 2024 at home in Pauley Pavilion against the Huskers. It will be the unbeaten Bruins' second straight game against an opponent from the Cornhusker state after heading to the holiday break with a 70-41 pounding of Creighton in San Francisco (Dec. 20). UCLA also eliminated Creighton in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament (67-63) in Los Angeles, before falling to LSU (78-69) in the 2024 NCAA Sweet Sixteen in Albany, N.Y.

• Nebraska suffered an 80-74 setback at Creighton (Nov. 22), the first game the Huskers played without 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Natalie Potts, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second quarter of Nebraska's win over North Alabama (Nov. 19).

• Kiki Rice led UCLA with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists against Creighton, while 6-4 forward Angela Dugalic was the only other Bruin in double figures against the Jays with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Rice is averaging 12.4 points and 3.6 assists, while Dugalic is averaging 9.3 points and 7.2 rebounds on the season.

• UCLA center Lauren Betts, who leads the Bruins with 19.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, sat out for the second straight contest in the win over Creighton. The 6-7 Betts suffered a leg injury in a win over Long Beach State (Dec. 14). She was replaced in the starting five by 6-4 junior Janiah Barker, who managed four points and 11 rebounds against CU. Barker is averaging 10.2 points and 8.1 boards on the year, after transferring from Texas A&M. Barker had 11 points and five rebounds in a 61-59 loss to Nebraska in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament in Corvallis, Ore. (March 22).

• Junior guard Gabriela Jacquez contributes 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds, while Elina Aarnisalo has rounded out the UCLA starting five with 8.2 points, 3.4 boards and a team-best 5.3 assists per game.

• The Bruins have shown their quality and depth despite playing without Charlisse Leger-Walker, who will miss the 2024-25 season with an injury. A transfer from Washington State, Leger-Walker was a three-time midseason finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award and a three-time honorable-mention All-American. She averaged 13.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Cougars last season.

• Timea Gardiner, a 6-3 junior has produced 8.9 points and 4.2 rebounds for the Bruins after transferring from Oregon State. Gardiner had 17 points, seven rebounds and a career-high four blocks as a starter for the Beavers in a 61-51 second-round NCAA Tournament win over Nebraska in Corvallis (March 24, 2024). The 2024 Pac-12 Sixth Player of the Year, Gardiner leads the Bruins with 23 three-pointers on 45.1 percent shooting this season.

• Londynn Jones, a 5-4 junior who set UCLA's single-season school record with 87 threes last season, has added 7.3 points per game. Jones has hit 20 threes this season. Jones stands out as the only undersized player on a tall and lengthy UCLA roster that features seven players 6-2 or taller.

• UCLA's size and athleticism has translated into a massive plus-19.3 team rebounding margin while going head-to-head against quality opponents such as defending national champion South Carolina, Louisville, Arkansas, Creighton and Washington to open Big Ten play.

• The Bruins also own a plus-2.6 turnover margin. They have attempted 99 more field goals than their opponents and 37 more free throws than the opposition. UCLA is shooting a strong 49.1 percent from the field, including 33.1 percent from three-point range and 70.6 percent from the free throw line. The Bruins are holding opponents to just 31 percent shooting from the floor. UCLA has outscored opponents by an average of 32.2 points per game (82.8-50.7).

Nebraska vs. UCLA Series History
• Although Sunday's game between Nebraska and UCLA will be their first as Big Ten foes, the Huskers and Bruins have met seven times. UCLA leads the all-time series, 4-3, but the Bruins have not beaten the Big Red since the turn of the century.

• The Huskers have earned three straight wins against UCLA, including a 71-66 win at Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 28, 2014.

• The previous season, Nebraska beat the Bruins 77-49 in the opening game of Pinnacle Bank Arena on Nov. 8, 2013 in Lincoln.

• Nebraska's current winning streak against the Bruins began with an 83-70 victory in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The Huskers were the No. 1 seed and ranked No. 4 in the country, while the Bruins were ranked No. 22 nationally.

• The Huskers were ranked in the AP Top 25 in each of the last four meetings in the series, including No. 24 Nebraska's 85-67 loss to No. 12 UCLA at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Hawaii, Nov. 27, 1998.

• Nebraska's series with UCLA dates back to a 68-53 loss to the No. 11 Bruins in Los Angeles on Jan. 11, 1977, in a game that featured four-time All-American and 1976 Olympian Ann Meyers.

• The Huskers lost to No. 14 UCLA, 72-63, at the Devaney Center on Feb. 3, 1979 before dropping an 84-54 decision in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 1984, in the only game that featured two unranked teams.

Markowski In NU's 1,500-Point/1,000-Rebound Club
• With 20 points and 10 rebounds at No. 17 Georgia Tech, Alexis Markowski increased her career totals to 1,543 points and 1,055 rebounds. She is just the fourth Nebraska player to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds.

• The quality of that short list is undeniable. Karen Jennings (2,405 points/1,000 rebounds, 1990-93) won the 1993 Wade Trophy, was a first-team All-American and the 1993 Big Eight Player of the Year.

• Kelsey Griffin (2,033 points/1,019 rebounds, 2006-10) won the 2010 Senior CLASS Award, was a first-round WNBA Draft pick, a first-team All-American and the 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year.

• Jordan Hooper (2,357 points/1,110 rebounds, 2011-14) was a first-team All-American, the 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year and the first pick of the second round in the 2014 WNBA Draft.

Markowski Joins Elite Rebounders in NU History

• Nebraska All-America candidate Alexis Markowski joined one of the most elite groups in Husker history by pulling down her 1,000th career rebound in the fourth quarter at Creighton (Nov. 22).

• The 6-3 center from Lincoln became just the sixth Husker women’s basketball player and just the eighth Nebraska men’s or women’s player to reach the 1,000 milestone on the boards.

• Markowski finished the game with 1,001 career boards to push past 1993 Wade Trophy winner Karen Jennings into the No. 5 spot on the Husker women’s basketball career chart.

• Markowski has added 54 rebounds over the past six games to push her career rebound total to 1,055, passing first-team All-American Kelsey Griffin at No. 4 on Nebraska’s career rebound list. Markowski enters the UCLA game 65 rebounds behind first-team All-American and 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year Jordan Hooper (1,110) at No. 3 on the Nebraska all-time rebound list. Hooper grabbed her rebounds in 4,030 career minutes (11.0 rp40), while Markowski’s boards have come in just 2,907 minutes (14.5 rp40).

• On the men’s side of Nebraska basketball, Venson Hamilton (1996-99) owns the all-time record with 1,080 rebounds while Aleks Maric (1,015, 2005-08) is the only other player with 1,000 boards.

 

Prince Battling for Big Ten All-Freshman Honors

• Britt Prince is off to one of the best starts by a freshman in the Big Ten Conference in 2024-25. The 5-11 point guard from Omaha ranks second among the Huskers with 13.1 points, while adding 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals over her first 11 games.

• The two-time Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year has produced double-figure points eight times, including a career-high 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting in Nebraska’s record-setting 113-70 win over South Dakota (Nov. 16). She added four assists and two steals in front of a sellout crowd at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.

• She added the second 20-point effort of her career with 20 points and six rebounds in a career-high 37 minutes in the loss at Creighton (Nov. 22).

• Prince produced a game-high 19 points to go with five rebounds in a low-scoring win over Tarleton State (Dec. 11). She hit a career-high three threes against the Texans while also going a career-best 6-for-6 at the free throw line.

• Prince contributed 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 26), before notching her fifth straight double-digit performance with a game-high 14 points in a win over Lindenwood (Dec. 3). She also had 13 points and a career-high six assists against North Alabama (Nov. 19) during the five-game stretch. Prince added a career-high two blocks against the Lions.

• She became the first Husker freshman point guard in history to reach 100 points through her first eight games, when she put up seven points and a career-high seven rebounds in a win over Minnesota (Dec. 8). The only other Husker point guard to score 100 points in 10 or fewer games was Nicole Kubik (10 games, 1996-97).

• One of Nebraska’s most efficient players, Prince is shooting 52.5 percent from the field, including 44.1 percent (15-34) from three-point range, and 88.5 percent (23-26) at the free throw line.

• Prince, who won four consecutive Nebraska Class B state high school championships at PBA while playing for her mother, Ann Prince at Elkhorn North (2021-22-23-24), was the No. 16 recruit in the country according to Prospects Nation and No. 28 according to ESPN.

• An honorable-mention high school All-American last year by the Naismith award and MaxPreps, Prince produced one of the best senior seasons in Nebraska high school history in 2023-24. She averaged 27.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.9 steals. She led the state in both scoring and assists as a senior on her way to finishing with a Class B record 2,491 points, surpassing Husker All-American Jordan Hooper’s previous mark of 2,078.

• Prince also matched Hooper for No. 2 in state tournament history with 271 career points.

• In addition to being a four-time Super-State selection in basketball, Prince was a six-time gold medalist and two-time silver medalist at the Nebraska State Track & Field Championships.

• She was the 2024 Nebraska Girls Athlete of the Year across all sports.

• Prince missed Nebraska’s win over Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 9) with a lower leg injury, but returned for six points, four assists and three steals as a starter in a win over Southern (Nov. 12).

Husker Freshmen Featuring Efficiency

• Britt Prince is the leader of a talented freshman trio for Nebraska. While Prince has earned headlines by starting at point guard and putting up some of the best numbers in history by a Big Red rookie, fellow freshmen Amiah Hargrove and Petra Bozan have been dynamic inside.

• Hargrove erupted for a career-high 13-point effort in a career-high 21 minutes in the win over Tarleton State (Dec. 11). Hargrove hit 5-of-6 shots from the floor, including a three-pointer, while adding three rebounds and a steal. It was Hargrove’s third double-digit scoring effort in four games, including a 10-point performance that included a career-high eight rebounds in a Big Ten-opening win over previously unbeaten Minnesota (Dec. 8). The 6-1 forward from Christopher, Ill., added 10 points and seven rebounds in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 26). She made back-to-back starts against Chattanooga (Dec. 15) and No. 17 Georgia Tech (Dec. 21).

• Bozan, a 6-5 center from Croatia, also owns three-double digit scoring efforts early this season, including 12 in an opening-day win over Omaha and 11 against Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 9). She went a combined 9-for-11 from the field, including 4-for-4 from three-point range in those two games. Bozan added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting in a win over Lindenwood (Dec. 3), before getting nine points and five rebounds in her Big Ten debut against Minnesota (Dec. 8).

• On the season, Bozan has produced per 40 minute averages of 17.7 points and 11.8 rebounds while hitting 54 percent of her shots from the field, including 45.5 percent (5-11) of her threes.

Big Red Spread Scoring

• Nebraska has shown a consistent, efficient and explosive offense through 12 games, averaging 79.1 points per game on 46.6 percent shooting, including 38.7 percent from long range.

• The Huskers have put at least five players in double figures in four of the first 12 contests. In three other games, Nebraska has put four players in double figures with the fifth-highest scorer adding nine points.

• Perhaps the most amazing part of the double-figure scoring performances for the Big Red through 12 games, is that all four games have featured a different group of scorers that have ultimately included all 12 players on the active roster at the start of the season.

• In the opener with Omaha (Nov. 4), six Huskers produced double-digit points, including Alexis Markowski-14, Natalie Potts-14, Petra Bozan-12, Logan Nissley-12, Allison Weidner-11 and Britt Prince-10.

• In a win over South Dakota in Sioux Falls (Nov. 16), five Huskers finished in double figures, including Britt Prince-23, Natalie Potts-22, Alexis Markowski-14, Kendall Moriarty-13 and Kendall Coley-12.

• In a victory over North Alabama (Nov. 19), five Huskers scored in double figures, including Callin Hake-17, Jessica Petrie-14, Britt Prince-13, Alberte Rimdal-13 and Alexis Markowski-10.

• Nebraska put five players in double figures in its second straight home game in a win over Kansas City (Nov. 22), including Callin Hake-16, Alberte Rimdal-15, Britt Prince-13, Alexis Markowski-10 and Amiah Hargrove-10.

• The only Huskers to score in double figures in each of the four games with at least five players in double figures were Alexis Markowski and Britt Prince.

Markowski Named to Naismith, Wooden Watch Lists

• Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski was among the 50 women’s college basketball players named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Watch List, announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club (Oct. 28) and the Wooden Award Watch List by the Los Angeles Athletic Club (Nov. 7).

• Markowski, a 6-3 center out of Lincoln Pius X High School, earned her third consecutive appearance on the Naismith Trophy preseason list.

• A three-time preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection, Markowski earned first-team All-Big Ten honors a year ago after averaging 15.7 points and 10.5 rebounds in 2023-24. She also earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Tournament Team after powering the Big Red to the Big Ten Championship Game.

• A three-time Lisa Leslie Center-of-the-Year Award candidate, Markowski was a second-team All-Big Ten choice as a freshman and sophomore. She was also the 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Markowski Earns Preseason All-Big Ten Honors

• Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski captured Preseason All-Big Ten honors for the third consecutive season when the conference announced its annual awards on Sept. 26.

• The 6-3 center from Lincoln, Neb., was one of 10 players across the conference’s 18 teams to earn preseason recognition from both the Big Ten coaches and media. She also earned preseason All-Big Ten honors as a junior in 2023-24 and as a sophomore in 2022-23, after being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year following the 2021-22 season.

• A three-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate, Markowski claimed first-team All-Big Ten honors at the conclusion of a 2023-24 season when she led Nebraska to an appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

• Markowski, who led Nebraska with team-best averages of 15.7 points and 10.5 rebounds while starting all 35 games for the 23-12 Huskers in 2023-24, produced 19 double-doubles a year ago.

• She earned a spot on the 2024 Big Ten All-Tournament Team by averaging 16.5 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists over four games, including 23 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in the Big Ten Championship Game.

• Markowski enters the UCLA game with 1,055 career rebounds. She is 225 rebounds away from Janet Smith’s more than 40-year-old Nebraska career rebound record (1,280). Markowski, who had 369 rebounds last season, is also within striking distance of one of the top-five rebounding totals in Big Ten Conference history.

• Markowski, who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore in 2022-23, owns 1,543 career points to rank 13th all-time in scoring at Nebraska.

• USC’s JuJu Watkins was the only unanimous choice of the coaches and media to earn preseason All-Big Ten honors. The sophomore was the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year by both.

• The coaches and media were also in agreement on the top five teams in preseason voting, beginning with No. 1 USC, No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Maryland and No. 5 Indiana.