Lincoln – The Big Ten Conference announced Tuesday a pair of men's basketball schedule changes after rescheduling the Nebraska-Ohio State game from Jan. 22. The game was originally postponed due to health and safety protocols within the Husker program.

Nebraska will now face Ohio State on Tuesday, March 1, at 6 p.m. (central). and the game will be televised by BTN and carried on the Huskers Radio Network.  Ohio State won the first matchup in Lincoln, 87-79, in overtime on Jan. 2.

In addition, Nebraska's game at Penn State, originally scheduled for Monday, Feb. 28, will now take place on Sunday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m.  That will also be on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network It is the only scheduled matchup of the season between the Huskers and Nittany Lions.
 
Updated Nebraska Men's Basketball Schedule (Feb. 27-March 1)

Date	Opponent	Time	TV
Sunday, Feb. 27	at Penn State	6 p.m. (CT)	BTN
Tuesday, March 1	at Ohio State	6 p.m. (CT)	BTN

Huskers Collide with No. 21 Buckeyes

Nebraska Cornhuskers (17-5, 6-5 Big Ten)
at 21/21 Ohio State Buckeyes (17-4, 9-3 Big Ten)
Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, 6 p.m. (CT)
Schottenstein Center - Columbus, Ohio
Live TV: FS1
Lisa Byington (PBP), Christy Winters Scott (Analyst)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (5:45 p.m.)
Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)
Lincoln (107.3 FM & 1400 AM), Omaha (ESPN 590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

Huskers Continue Road Swing at No. 21 Ohio State  
Nebraska continues a challenging three-game road swing by tangling with No. 21 Ohio State on Thursday evening in Columbus.

Tip-off between the Huskers (17-5, 6-5 Big Ten) and the Buckeyes (17-4, 9-3 Big Ten) is set for 6 p.m. (CT) at the Schottenstein Center with live national television coverage by FS1.

Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will have the call on the Huskers Radio Network (B107.3 FM & KLIN 1400 AM, Lincoln; ESPN 590 AM, Omaha), the Huskers App and Huskers.com.

The Huskers go hunting for a marquee road win against an Ohio State squad that has won eight of its last nine games, including wins over top-25 Maryland and Iowa teams in its last five contests.

Ohio State ranks in the top five nationally in scoring offense (5th, 82.1 ppg) and field goal percentage (3rd, .473) while featuring Division I's best three-point offense (.400, 9.1 3FG pg). 

Alexis Markowski, a six-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week and a leading contender for Big Ten Freshman of the Year, leads Nebraska with 12.3 points per game. The 6-3 forward/center from Lincoln also ranks second on the team with 7.0 rebounds. In Big Ten play, Markowski is averaging 15.7 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Jaz Shelley has starred in her first season at Nebraska. The 5-9 guard from Moe, Australia, who was a teammate of Ohio State starting guard Taylor Mikesell at Oregon last season, owns six double-doubles including one triple-double this season. Shelley ranks in the top 10 in the Big Ten in rebounding (7.5 ppg, 8th), assists (5.0 apg, 7th), blocks (1.3 bpg, 2nd) and steals (1.7 spg, 10th). She also ranks second among the Huskers and 23rd in the Big Ten in scoring (11.8 ppg).

Returning All-Big Ten guard Sam Haiby continues her steady all-around play, averaging 10.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals. Haiby ranks among the top 20 players in Husker history in points (18th, 1,252) and the top 10 in assists (10th, 367).

Isabelle Bourne, a 2021 honorable-mention All-Big Ten forward from Canberra, Australia, is averaging 9.9 points and 4.6 boards as another steady presence for the Huskers.

Ashley Scoggin, a second-year starter who has made 48 straight starts for the Big Red, is coming off a career-high 20-point effort at No. 17 Maryland that included a career-high six threes. Scoggin ranks 15th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.440).

Nebraska Numbers to Watch
• Through games Feb. 6, the Huskers ranked among the top 25 teams nationally in scoring margin (8th, +17.7), scoring offense (11th, 78.8 ppg), assists (12th, 390), assists per game (12th, 17.7 apg), assist-to-turnover ratio (15th, 1.23), rebounds (16th, 943), three-point field goals made (17th, 191), defensive rebounds per game (19th, 29.4 rpg), rebounds per game (19th, 42.9 rpg),  three-point field goals made per game (21st, 8.7 pg) and three-point field goal percentage defense (25th, .263).
 
• Nebraska leads the Big Ten in scoring margin (+17.7 ppg), total rebounds (42.9 rpg), field goal percentage defense (.365) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.263).

• Alexis Markowski has hit 60 percent (12-20) of her three-point attempts as a starter, despite missing her last five three-point attempts over NU's last three games.

• Nebraska guard Jaz Shelley is the only player to rank among the top 25 players in the Big Ten in scoring (23rd, 11.8 ppg), rebounding (8th, 7.5 rpg), assists (7th, 5.0 apg), blocked shots (2nd, 1.3 bpg), steals (10th, 1.7 spg), three-point field goal percentage (9th, .391), three-pointers made per game (14th, 2.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (5th, 2.1).

• Huskers Ashley Scoggin (8th, 2.3 pg) and Jaz Shelley (14th, 2.1 pg) rank among the top players in the Big Ten in three-point field goals made per game. 

• Nebraska's backcourt has taken care of the ball while creating opportunities. Jaz Shelley (2.1) and Sam Haiby (1.6) rank No. 5 and No. 13, respectively in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio based on the NCAA minimum of 3.0 assists per game. Husker reserve Ruby Porter (3.4), who does not meet the NCAA minimum, owns Nebraska's best assist-to-turnover ratios (24-7).

• Nebraska ranks 11th nationally in scoring offense with 78.8 points per game. The only time in the last 25 years NU has averaged more than 75 points per game in a season came in 2009-10 (77.4 ppg). That Husker team went unbeaten in the regular season, won the Big 12 regular-season title and advanced to Nebraska's first NCAA Sweet Sixteen as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.    

• Sophomore point guard Jaz Shelley has pulled down 158 total rebounds in 605 minutes this season. In two seasons (971 minutes) at Oregon (2019-20, 2020-21), the 5-9 Shelley totaled 70 rebounds.

• Jaz Shelley leads Nebraska with 27 blocked shots in 21 games. She had six blocks in 55 games over two seasons at Oregon.

• In 22 games in 2021-22, Nebraska has far surpassed its season steals total (120, 26 games) from a year ago. The Huskers own 177 steals this season.

• Nebraska's minus-21 foul disparity (28-7) at Iowa (Jan. 16) marked the largest foul differential in program history (by NU or opponent) in 1,450 games over 48 seasons. It marked the first time in history that a Husker team held a negative foul differential of greater than 17. In NU's other 21 games this season, the Huskers own a positive foul differential of +1.8.

Scouting the Ohio State Buckeyes
• Ohio State brings one of the nation's most explosive teams in Thursday's meeting with Nebraska. The Buckeyes (17-4, 9-3 Big Ten) are averaging 82.1 points while hitting a scaulding hot 40 percent (191-478) from three-point range.

• The Buckeyes lead the nation in three-point percentage, while leading the Big Ten and ranking 16th nationally with 9.1 made threes per game.

• OSU ranks No. 3 nationally in field goal percentage (.473), trailing only Iowa (.497) and South Dakota State (.474). The Buckeyes rank fifth nationally in scoring offense, trailing only DePaul (90.2 ppg), Oklahoma (86.2 ppg), Iowa (84.5 ppg) and Florida Gulf Coast (82.5).

• The Buckeyes have suffered a pair of lopsided losses to rival Michigan and a 20-point loss Indiana (Dec. 12). Those three losses to current top-10 teams join a 97-91 loss to Syracuse (Dec. 1) as the only blemishes on OSU's schedule. Ohio State owns recent top-25 wins over Maryland (95-89, Jan. 20) and at Iowa (92-88, Jan. 31)

• Coach Kevin McGuff's guard-heavy lineup features the nation's best three-point shooter, Taylor Mikesell, a two-time transfer (Maryland, Oregon) who was a teammate of Nebraska guard Jaz Shelley last season for the Ducks. Mikesell has hit 49.1 percent (82-167) of her threes and 92.9 percent (39-42) of her free throws. She is averaging 19.5 points per game, while leading the Big Ten and ranking second nationally with 3.9 made threes per game.

• Returning starter Jacy Sheldon leads the Buckeyes with 20.3 points per game while adding a crisp 43 percent (34-79) from long range. Sheldon is a workhorse at the free throw line, where she has hit 86.7 percent (91-105). She also leads OSU with 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

• Junior Rebeka Mikulasikova has joined Sheldon and Mikesell in the starting five for all 21 games. The 6-4 forward from Slovakia adds 10.1 points and a team-best 5.8 rebounds. She has hit 12 threes.

• Rikki Harris (7.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.8 spg) has joined the starting five in Big Ten play. Harris has hit 34.2 percent (13-38) of her threes in league play.

• Braxtin Miller (7.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.2 apg) rounds out the starting five. The 5-11 senior guard is shooting 45.2 percent (14-31) from long range in Big Ten play. 

• Graduate forward Tanaya Beacham (6.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg), Gabby Hutcherson and Taylor Thierry have been reliable contributors off the bench in league play.

• Sophomore guard Kateri Poole (6.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.1 apg) started 13 games early for the Buckeyes in place of injured returning starter Madison Greene, who suffered a season-ending knee injury prior to the start of the 2021-22 campaign. Poole suffered a shoulder injury in mid-January and has played sparingly the last six games.

Nebraska vs. Ohio State Series History
• Ohio State leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 11-9, but the Huskers battled their way to a 63-55 win over the then-No. 15 and unbeaten Buckeyes last season in Lincoln (Jan. 16, 2021).

• NU's Kate Cain nearly notched a triple-double with 22 points, 12 rebounds and nine blocks, while going 10-for-14 from the field. Whitney Brown added 14 points on 4-of-8 three-point shooting off the bench, while Sam Haiby pitched in 11 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds despite going 2-for-11 from the field.

• Ohio State won the turnover battle 19-6 in the game and attempted 81 field goals, compared to just 58 for Nebraska. But the Big Red out-rebounded the Buckeyes 54-44 and held OSU to just 27.2 percent (22-81) shooting, including 5-for-27 (.185) from three-point range.

• Jacy Sheldon (11 points, 7 rebounds), Braxtin Miller (4 points, 4 rebounds) and Gabby Hutcherson (3 points, 2 rebounds) are the only returning Buckeyes to score in the game, as current OSU starters Rebeka Mikulasikova and Rikki Harris along with Kateri Poole and Tanaya Beacham all went scoreless.

• Nebraska and Ohio State have split the past four meetings, including a 78-69 Husker win in Columbus on Dec. 31, 2018. Sam Haiby (8 points) is the only current player on either roster to play in that game.

• Prior to NU's 2018-19 win, the Buckeyes had won five straight in the series, which followed a five-game Husker winning streak. The series dates back to a 63-54 Nebraska win in Columbus on Dec. 2, 1990. OSU won the first meeting as Big Ten foes, 82-68 in Columbus on Jan. 19, 2012.

Markowski Making Mark as Freshman
• Alexis Markowski is making her mark as a true freshman for her hometown Huskers. The 6-3 forward/center from Lincoln leads Nebraska with 12.3 points per game, while ranking second among the Huskers with 7.0 rebounds.

• A six-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Markowski has increased her production to 17.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals over the past nine games as a Big Ten starter. She has hit 56.7 percent from the field and 60 percent (12-20) from three-point range in league play.

• Markowski has captured four of the past five Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week awards and was named the USBWA Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week (Jan. 11).

Nebraska Streaks
• Isabelle Bourne and Alexis Markowski are the only Huskers to score in all 22 games in 2021-22.

• Ashley Scoggin has started a team-best 48 consecutive games.

• The Huskers have hit at least one three in 420 straight games dating back to a loss at UTEP on Dec. 20, 2008. Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 299 consecutive games.

Deep Bench Boosts Big Red
• The Husker bench has outscored opponent reserves 605-306 (+13.6 ppg) through 22 games, including a 444-229 edge (+15.4 ppg) in 14 games at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

• A total of 10 Huskers are averaging better than 10.0 points per 40 minutes, including two Huskers (Alexis Markowski, 26.8 pp40, 15.3 rp40 and Annika Stewart, 22.7 pp40; 9.5 rp40) who are averaging better than 20 points per 40 minutes. 

• No Husker ranks among the top 25 players in the conference in minutes per game. Jaz Shelley leads Nebraska with 28.8 minutes per game, while Gabbie Marshall from Iowa ranks 25th in the conference (30.4 mpg).

Husker Bowling to Make Debut on BTN on Feb. 27

Lincoln – One of Nebraska's most successful programs will make its Big Ten Network debut later this month, as the network will televise Nebraska bowling's final match of the 2022 Big Red Invitational.  

The network will carry the final match of the Big Red Invitational from Hollywood Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 27, beginning at 11 a.m.  Former Husker Coach Bill Straub and veteran broadcaster Larry Punteney will call the action, as the Huskers will wrap up the three-day event with a best-of-seven Baker format match that day.

For Nebraska Bowling Coach Paul Klempa, today's announcement provides another platform for the defending national champion Huskers and the sport of college bowling. Nebraska has won eight national titles since becoming a varsity sport in 1998, including six NCAA championships (2004-05-09-13-15-21).

"We are excited to present Husker bowling on the Big Ten Network," Klempa said. "Anytime you have the chance to be the first of something, it truly is a great opportunity. Not only is it great exposure our program, but also great for the sport to have live
college bowling televised to a national audience during the regular season. We usually have a great turnout for our Big Red Invitational, and I think our fans will be excited to be a part of the show with BTN's first televised bowling match."

The Huskers, who are ranked third nationally, returned three All-Americans from last year's NCAA Championship team, including NTCA Bowler of the Year Crystal Elliott.

The Big Red Invitational is a three-day event scheduled from Feb. 25-27 at Hollywood Bowl in Lincoln.

Huskers Announce Captains for 2022 Season

The Nebraska softball team named its captains for the 2022 season, Head Coach Rhonda Revelle announced on Tuesday. Senior pitchers Olivia Ferrell, Karlee Seevers and Courtney Wallace will all serve as captains for the upcoming season. 
 
Members of the team participated in a voluntary Zoom series over the summer to actively learn about different leadership topics. Ferrell, Seevers and Wallace emerged as captains through this. The three Nebraska natives have high expectations for the season and are motivated heading into the spring season. 
 
"This past summer we had robust dialogue and participation in our summer Zoom series on Leaders Create Leaders," Revelle explained. "As the summer blended into fall, it was evident that these three were leading by example. Every day they put in the work and investment to grow the culture of our program and the standards of expectations within our team. It has been motivating and inspiring to witness their desire to do the heavy lifting that leaders must do in order to be impactful. They continue to learn, grow and lead with grace and courage, and we could not be prouder of Olivia Ferrell, Karlee Seevers and Courtney Wallace for the way they love, serve and care for the Red Team." 
 
Ferrell returns for her fifth year with the Huskers this spring. The right-hander ranked ninth in the Big Ten in saves last season and led NU in starts, strikeouts and opponent batting average. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Ferrell has made an impact in the classroom as well. The Elkhorn, Neb., native, earned the Nebraska Gold Academic Medallion and has been named to the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll every semester of her career. 
 
Seevers enters the 2022 season ready to make an impact. The senior pitcher made two relief appearances in the circle during her junior campaign. Seevers is a leader on and off the field, earning a spot on the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team three times and earning the Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award for her dedication to serving the Lincoln community. Seevers has earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and been named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar twice. The York, Neb., native, also has earned the Nebraska Gold Academic Medallion and been named to the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll every semester of her career. 
 
A returning All-Region selection, Wallace is a dual threat for the Huskers. The Omaha, Neb., finished the 2021 season ranked eighth in the Big Ten in wins, leading the Huskers in wins, appearances, complete games, innings pitched and ERA. Wallace also made an impact on offense, starting in the batting order 25 times. The senior has also been recognized for her servant leadership, being named to the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team three times and earning the Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award. Wallace has also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and a spot on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll four times. 
 
"With different personalities, our captains are able to connect with their teammates in multiple ways," Revelle said. "They are high-character individuals who share a hard-working, team-first mentality. They set a daily tone from the locker room to the field and beyond." 
 
The Huskers' 2022 season is set to begin this weekend at the UNI Dome Classic. The first game is set for Friday, Feb. 11, at 9 a.m. against UNO. 
 
Wallace on Being Named Captain:
"It is an honor to be a captain. To know that our teammates and our coaching staff trust us enough to take this team into our hands and lead them is an amazing feeling. My hopes for the 2022 season are to win and have some fun. We are going out on the field this year with a different energy, and I am ready to lace up my cleats and go to war with my teammates."
 
Ferrell on Being Named Captain:
"Being a captain for the Red Team is a special opportunity, and I am honored to share the role with Courtney (Wallace) and Karlee (Seevers). We had a vision for this team and how we wanted our team culture to look and be stronger than ever. Our expectations were high on how we wanted the team to work and come together and this team is meeting those expectations. We will do anything for this team and expect success this 2022 season. The accountability we have been able to build these past months has been key in keeping our team focused on one goal: winning. 2022 is going to be a special year, and I am so thankful to be in a position to see our hard work pay off. Season is always a grind, but we are excited to lead this team to the postseason."  
 
Seevers on Being Named Captain:
"Being a captain for this team is an absolute honor. Being trusted to lead such an amazing and inspiring group of women over the course of the season is a responsibility I have taken on with nothing but pride and continues to be one of the most rewarding experiences. I cannot wait to see where this season takes us. Each and every member of this team has put in an insurmountable amount of work to prepare for this season. I could not be more excited for this journey to start."

Huskers Host Minnesota Wednesday at PBA

The Nebraska men's basketball team wraps up a short two-game homestand on Wednesday night, as the Minnesota Golden Gophers visit Pinnacle Bank Arena.  Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. and the game will be carried on the Big Ten Network and the Huskers Radio Network. A limited number of tickets for Wednesday's game are available at Huskers.com/Tickets, calling 800-8-BIGRED during business hours or at the PBA Ticket Office beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Huskers (6-17, 0-12 Big Ten) look to bounce back following a disappointing 87-63 loss to Northwestern on Saturday. Nebraska, which held its two previous opponents to a combined 5-of-34 from 3-point range, gave up 13 3-pointers to the Wildcats, including 10 in the first half as Northwestern built a 22-point halftime advantage. Boo Buie's game-high 27 points led three Wildcats in double figures, as Northwestern shot 49 percent and converted 15 Husker turnovers into 22 points. 
  

Game 24: Nebraska vs. Minnesota Date: Wednesday, Feb. 9 Tipoff:  8 p.m.  Arena: Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,000) Tickets: Huskers.com/Tickets Nebraska Cornhuskers 2021-22 Record: 6-17, 0-12 B1G Head Coach:  Fred Hoiberg Record at Nebraska: 20-62 (3rd year) Career Record: 135-118 (8th year) Minnesota Golden Gophers 2021-22 Record: 11-9, 2-9 B1G Head Coach: Ben Johnson Record at Minn: 11-9 (1st year) Career Record:  Same Series Info Series History:    Minn. leads, 57-23 Last Matchup    Neb. 78, Minn 74 (2/27/21) On the Air Radio: Wednesday's game will be carried on the Huskers Radio Network with Kent Pavelka and Jake Muhleisen, including KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln, KXSP (590 AM) in Omaha and KRVN (880 AM) in Lexington and will also be available on Huskers.com and the Huskers app.   TV/Online: Wednesday's game will be televised on BTN with Kevin Kugler and Stephen Bardo on the call. It is also available on the web, mobile devices and connected TVs via the Fox Sports App.

Freshman C.J. Wilcher provided one of the bright spots with a team-high 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting off the bench, while fellow freshman Bryce McGowens added 10 markers. It marked the first time since Jan. 14 that McGowens was held below 20 points, as he averaged 24.0 points per game over NU's previous four outings.

Wilcher has been a solid producer off the bench this season, averaging 7.9 points per game while shooting 45 percent from the field, including 39 percent from 3-point range. The 6-foot-5 guard leads NU with 37 3-pointers, and needs only a trio of 3-pointers to move into fifth place on the Huskers' single-season freshmen list. 

Minnesota (11-9, 2-9 Big Ten) comes off a 71-59 loss at Iowa Sunday afternoon. The Golden Gophers led 38-34 at the break and led 47-42 before Iowa used a 26-5 spurt to take control. Minnesota shot 48 percent in the first half, but just 23 percent in the final 20 minutes. Luke Loewe led the Golden Gophers with 19 points, while Payton Willis added 16 points and eight rebounds.  

Wednesday's game is the only regular-season meeting of the 2021-22 season between the Huskers and Golden Gophers. 

B1G Numbers
1 - According to CBB reference, only 20 players nationally have hit at least 100 free throws at an 80 percent clip in 2021-22. Of those 20, Bryce McGowens is the only freshman to accomplish the mark, as he is currently at 83.3 percent from the line.

15 - Nebraska has gotten 15 double-figure efforts from its bench this season, the most recent being a 15-point effort from C.J. Wilcher against Northwestern on Saturday. Wilcher has been in double figures nine times this season while coming off the bench. 

20.8 - Five of Bryce McGowens' eight 20-point games this season have come with his brother Trey in the lineup. In the eight games they have played together this season, Bryce is averaging 20.8 ppg on 44 percent shooting.

About Minnesota
Ben Johnson is in his first season in charge of the Golden Gophers. Johnson, who played at both Minnesota and Northwestern during his college career, spent the last three seasons at Xavier as an assistant. Previously, he had been an assistant with the Golden Gophers from 2013 to 2018. Johnson spent one season at Nebraska as an assistant coach under Tim Miles in 2012-13. 

The Gophers feature a revamped roster from a year ago. Jamison Battle, a transfer from George Washington, leads Minnesota in scoring at 16.9 points per game. Payton Willis, who spent the 2019-20 season at Minnesota before returning in the offseason, is at 16.7 ppg while leading the Gophers in assists (4.2 apg), steals (1.7 spg) and 3-pointers (53). He ranks in the top 10 in the Big Ten in all three areas. Battle and Willis have combined for 100 of the Gophers' 151 3-pointers this season. E.J. Stephens also averages double figures, as he chips in 11.2 points per game.

Series History: Nebraska and Minnesota will meet for the 81st time on Wednesday, which is the most between the Huskers and any other Big Ten member.  It is NU's longest-running series in the Big Ten, dating back to February of 1902. The Gophers lead the all-time series, 57-23, while the Huskers have won eight of the past 13 meetings. In all, 14 of the last 15 meetings have been won by the home team dating back to March of 2012.  Nebraska is 8-8 against the Golden Gophers as Big Ten members. Prior to joining the Big Ten in 2011-12, NU and Minnesota met in non-conference action every year from 1995 until 2004 after not playing for 16 years.

Last meeting: Nebraska put five players in double figures and withstood a late Minnesota rally in a 78-74 win over the Gophers on Feb. 27, 2021.  Kobe Webster, Thorir Thorbjarnarson and Derrick Walker combined for the Huskers final nine points after Minnesota whittled a 13-point deficit to 69-66 with 2:39 left.  Thorbjarnarson found Walker for a pair of baskets, the second making it 73-68 with 1:38 left. Walker finished with season highs of 12 points and nine rebounds. Minnesota, behind a 41-point effort from Marcus Carr, pulled to with 74-73 with 13.6 seconds left, but Webster and Thorbjarnarson each hit a pair of free throws in the final 10 seconds to preserve the win. Dalano Banton paced the Huskers with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Trey McGowens had 11 points and five assists, as NU shot 55 percent, including 9-of-17 from 3-point range. Thorbjarnarson and Webster finished with 10 points apiece for the Big Red.

  

Most B1G Freshman Honors
No.	Player, School	Year
12	Jared Sullinger, OSU	2010-11
7	Cody Zeller, IND	2011-12
	Trey Burke, MICH	2011-12
	Noah Vonleh, IND	2013-14
	D'Angelo Russell, OSU	2014-15
	Kofi Cockburn, ILL	2019-20
	Hunter Dickinson, MICH	2020-21
5	Bryce McGowens, NEB	2021-22
	Max Christie, MSU	2021-22
	Miles Bridges, MSU	2016-17
	Trayce Jackson-Davis, IND	2019-20

McGowens 5X B1g Freshman of Week
Nebraska's Bryce McGowens was honored on Feb. 7, as he was named Big Ten Freshmen of the Week for the fifth time this season.  McGowens, a 6-foot-7 guard, averaged 17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in two games last week. 

In Wednesday's loss at Michigan, McGowens finished with a team-high 24 points, marking his fourth consecutive 20-point outing while also posting team highs in both rebounds (six) and steals (three). The four consecutive 20-point outings set a school record for a Husker freshman. 

Worth Noting
• Bryce McGowens is averaging 16.5 ppg in conference play entering Wednesday's game with Minnesota. Over the last decade, only six freshmen have averaged at least 16.0 ppg in conference play with the last being Romeo Langford of Indiana in 2018-19 (16.5). McGowen's total is on pace to be the highest since Miles Bridges of Michigan State averaged 16.6 ppg in 2016-17.

• Bryce McGowens saw his string of 20-point games end against Northwestern on Saturday. McGowens became the first Husker freshman to record four straight 20-point games, breaking the freshmen mark of three set by Dave Hoppen during the 1982-83 season.   McGowens' eight 20-point games this season leads all Big Ten freshmen - Ohio State's Malaki Branham is second with three - and is fifth among all conference players. 

• Since changing its offense in late December, the Huskers have improved their offensive numbers. NU is shooting nearly 45 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range over the last 10 contests dating back to Dec. 22.  As a team, the Huskers have shot 45 percent or better in seven of the last nine games dating back to Jan. 8.

NU's Improved Shooting

Games	FG Pct	3pt Pct.	3/GM
First 12 Games	.420	.252	6.4
Last 11 Games	.446	.382	7.5

• Trey McGowens' return to the lineup has helped the Husker defensive efforts. NU has held its last four opponents to a combined 42.5 percent shooting. In the seven games he has completed (only played 10 minutes vs. Creighton before his injury), NU is holding opponents to 42.5 percent shooting, including 41 percent from 3-point range. 

• Bryce McGowens ranks second nationally among all true freshmen in scoring at 16.7 points per game as of Feb. 3. McGowens is one of only four true freshmen nationally averaging at least 15 points per game.
McGowens, who leads all Big Ten freshmen in scoring and is second in rebounding, is on pace to break NU's freshman single-season scoring mark (15.5, Joe McCray, 2004-05). Only six freshmen in school history finished the season averaging double figures, the most recent was Ryan Anderson in 2006-07. 

NCAA True Freshman Scoring Leaders (As of Feb. 7)

No.	Name, School	PPG
1.	Paolo Banchero, Duke	17.5
2.	Bryce McGowens, Nebraska	16.7
3 .	Terquavion Smith, NC State	15.8
4.	Jabari Smith, Auburn	15.3

 
• Nebraska finished the month of January playing five ranked teams, which tied a single-season school record. NU also played five ranked teams four other times (Feb. 2010, Jan. 2002, Feb. 1995 and Feb. 1992). The Huskers would have played a sixth ranked team in January, but the Jan. 22 game at No. 19 Ohio State on Jan. 22 was postponed because of NU's pause. 

• Nebraska has a total of 14 20-point efforts this season (Bryce McGowens-8; Alonzo Verge Jr.-4; Kobe Webster-1; Keisei Tominaga-1) which already exceeds NU's season total last year (12). Bryce McGowens' eight 20-point games this season is the second most by a Husker freshman, trailing only Joe McCray, who had a school-record 10 in 2004-05.

• While Derrick Walker is threatening the single-season school field goal percentage mark, he has also made significant strides from the foul line. A career 38 percent shooter from the foul line entering the season, he has jumped up to 69.2 percent this season. 

• Alonzo Verge Jr. reached the 1,000-point plateau following a 19-point effort against Indiana on Jan. 17. Verge became the fourth current Husker to go over 1,000 career points, joining Kobe Webster, Trey McGowens and Trevor Lakes. 
Verge has averaged 14.1 points per game during his collegiate career, which also included two seasons at Arizona State. He also scored over 1,600 points in his two years at Moberly (Ill.) Junior College. 

• Nebraska players have combined for eight double-doubles (Verge-4; Walker-3; B. McGowens-1) this season after just having three in 2020-21. The last time NU had 10 double-doubles as a team in a season was 2007-08 (17). In all, NU has six players who have had at least one double-double in their respective careers (Trevor Lakes-2; Kobe Webster-1; Lat Mayen-1).

• Nebraska's 15 3-pointers against Kennesaw State on Dec. 22, were not only a season high, but marked just the sixth time since 1990 that Nebraska hit at least 15 3-pointers in a game. It was NU's highest total since Nov. 6, 2018.

• Alonzo Verge Jr.'s 16-point, 12-assist performance against Kennesaw State on Dec. 22 marked the eighth points-assist double-double by a Husker in Fred Hoiberg's two-plus seasons at Nebraska (Cam Mack-4; Dalano Banton-1; Alonzo Verge Jr.-3). Over the previous 30 years (1989-90 to 2018-19), it occurred just five times. Verge is only the second Husker to have multiple points-assists double-doubles in the same season since 1990.

• Alonzo Verge Jr. has become more of a playmaker during his time at NU. He is second in the Big Ten with 5.2 assists per game after averaging 2.9 assists per game during his two-year career at Arizona State.  
Verge has three games with 10+ assists this season and currently ranks 23rd nationally in assists per game as of Feb. 7. 

Top-25 Nationally in Assists/GM Under Hoiberg

Year	Player	APG	NCAA Rk.
2010-11	Diante Garrett (ISU)	6.1	11
2013-14	Deandre Kane (ISU)	5.9	18
2019-20	Cam Mack (NEB)	6.4	14
2021-22	Alonzo Verge Jr. (NEB)	5.2	23

• Nebraska added a player over the break as Denim Dawson enrolled for the start of the spring semester. Dawson is a 6-foot-6 wing who attended Southern California Academy as a postgrad. He played at Orange Lutheran in 2020-21, averaging 16 points and five rebounds per game as the school reached the California Division 2AA CIF-SS quarterfinals last spring. Dawson, who started practicing on Dec. 29, is expected to redshirt this season.

• Nebraska's 2021-22 roster features a trio of college graduates in Derrick Walker, Alonzo Verge Jr. and Kobe Webster. Walker became the first member of his family to get a degree when he graduated in May of 2021, while Webster (2020, Western Illinois) and Verge (2021, Arizona State) came to Nebraska as graduate transfers.

Last Time Out
Freshman C.J. Wilcher had 15 off the bench, but Nebraska was unable to slow down Northwestern in an 87-63 loss on Feb. 5.

Wilcher hit 6-of-10 shots from the floor, including a trio of 3-pointers, but the visitors made nine straight shots during a 25-8 first-half run to overcome an early deficit. Nebraska was within 14-13 after Wilcher's second 3-pointer, but the Wildcats responded with 12 unanswered points, including five from Ryan Green, to take a 13-point lead and force a Husker timeout.

The Wildcats hit 10 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes and shot 46 percent from the floor in opening up a 49-27 halftime lead. Boo Buie had 16 of his game-high 27 points in the first half, including four 3-pointers before the break.

Chase Audige added 16 while Ryan Young chipped in 12 off the bench for the Wildcats, who shot 49 percent from the field, including 13-of-31 from long distance.

Bryce McGowens was the only other Husker to finish in double figures, as he had 10 points, snapping a streak of four consecutive 20-point outings. In all, the Huskers shot 45 percent, but just 33 percent in the opening 20 minutes.

"Good things happen when we play through Derrick"

Walker Making Big Jumps
Category	Pre 2021-22*	2021-22
Games	80	22
Scoring/Gm	2.3	9.3
FG Pct.	.588	.681
FT Pct.	.379	.692
Rebounds/Gm	2.3	5.7
Blocks/Gm	0.3	1.0
Double-Figure Games	4	12
Double-Doubles	0	3
*-Includes Tennessee (2017-19) and Nebraska (2020-21)

Fred Hoiberg understands the importance of having Derrick Walker on the floor for the Big Red, and Walker's play has been a focal point for the Huskers, especially after adjusting the offensive attack in December.   The 6-foot-9 center is enjoying his best year in 2021-22, averaging 9.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting nearly 70 percent from the field. 

• Walker has played his best against NU's ranked opponents, averaging 11.6 points on 63 percent shooting, 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game in six contests against ranked foes.

• He totaled 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting before fouling out against Michigan on Feb. 3. 

• In the Huskers' loss to No. 25 Illinois on Jan. 11, he finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, while helping to limit Kofi Cockburn to 8-of-18 shooting.

• He turned in a strong performance at No. 10 Michigan State on Jan. 5 with 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting to match his career high in points. 

• Walker tied or set a career best in scoring in three straight games during non-conference action, including 16 points on 7-of-7 shooting against Tennessee State on Nov. 23. 

• He matched a school record with 15 consecutive made field goals from Nov. 21 to Nov. 27.

• Walker has three double-doubles this season, including 12 points and 13 rebounds in a career-high 50 minutes in the four OT loss at NC State. In the loss at No. 18 Auburn, he had 10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals.
Walker's most recent double-double came against No. 13 Ohio State on Jan. 2 when he had 15 points, 10 rebounds and four steals against the Buckeyes. 

McGowens Brothers Reunited on Court
After a two-month hiatus, the McGowens brothers were reunited on the court on Jan. 17, and back together in the starting lineup for the last four games. Before the first three games of the season, the pair had not played together in a competitive environment since they were kids. 
  

Bryce at a Glance
Category	No.	B1G Rk.
Scoring	16.7	9th
T. Pct.	.833	3rd
Minutes	33.7	10th

• Bryce is ninth in the Big Ten in scoring at 17.0 ppg while grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game as of Feb. 3. He ranks among the B1G leaders in scoring, free throw percentage and minutes played.

• A five-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, he leads all conference rookies in scoring and is second in rebounding. He is the only Big Ten freshmen averaging 10 points and five rebounds per game. 

• He is the only Husker freshmen in either the Big 12 (1996-97 to 2010-11) or Big Ten (2011-12 to present) eras more than two weekly freshman honors (Shavon Shields, 2012-13). 

• McGowens has reached double figures in scoring 18 times, including eight 20-point efforts. He had a season-high 29 points against Sam Houston (Nov. 12) and Rutgers (Jan. 29). 

• McGowens leads the Big Ten and ranks 11th nationally in free throws made (115) as of Feb. 7. He is the only freshman nationally to rank in the top 25 of free throws made.

• Bryce enters Wednesday's game with Minnesota with 385 points, which is third on NU's all-time freshmen list. He is 15 points away from being the third Husker freshman with 400 points in a season.
  

NU Freshman Points/Game
No.	Player (Year)	PPG
-	Bryce McGowens (2022)	16.7
1.	Joe McCray (2005)	15.5
2.	Jerry Fort (1973)	14.5
3.	Dave Hoppen (1983)	13.9
4.	Jake Muhleisen (2002)	11.7
5.	Eric Piatkowski (1991)	10.9
6.	Ryan Anderson (2007)	10.1

• He collected his first career double-double on Nov. 21 against Southern with 18 points and 11 rebounds. McGowens also had four assists and two steals in 31 minutes.

• He is just the second Husker freshman to ever put up multiple 25-point games, as he had 25 in the opener against Western Illinois and 29 against both Sam Houston and Rutgers. He joins Dave Hoppen, who accomplished the feat during the 1982-83
season (27 vs. K-State; 25 vs. Iowa State).

• As a high schooler, he totaled 2,341 points, including 285 3-pointers and was selected for the 2021 Iverson Classic. He was also selected to the Jordan Brand Classic, but the event was not held.

• Last season, he was the Gatorade South Carolina Player of the Year, averaging 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per contest for Legacy Early College and Coach BJ Jackson.

Trey has been a proven performer throughout his career, as he has started 98 of 101 games at the college level for Pittsburgh and Nebraska and scored over 1,000 career points. He has started 34 of the 35 games he has played at Nebraska. He is averaging 6.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in seven contests.

• After being on a minute restriction in his first two games, McGowens had a season-high 11 points and seven rebounds against Rutgers on Jan. 29 and eight points against Northwestern.

• Considered NU's best defender, McGowens usually is assigned to the opponent's top perimeter scorer.  Against No. 11 Wisconsin on Jan. 27, he limited Johnny Davis to a season-low 13 points, including none in the first half and followed up holding Ron Harper Jr. to 1-of-9 shooting on Jan. 29. 

• He helped limit Sam Houston's Demarkus Lampley, a returning first-team all-conference performer, to 2-of-14 shooting on Nov. 12, while McGowens grabbed a season-high nine rebounds. 

• Last season, Trey averaged 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, while starting all 27 games. He reached double figures 17 times, including a season-high 20 points against No. 17 Michigan State.

• Trey has ranked among the conference leaders in steals in each of his first three seasons in college. He is one of only two active power conference players who ranked in the top five in steals in each of the past three seasons (Jamari Wheeler,
PSU/OSU). 

• In his final season at Pittsburgh (2019-20), he averaged 11.5 ppg, while ranking in the top 15 of the ACC in steals (fourth), assists (3.6, 10th), assist-to-turnover ratio (15th) and minutes played.

• The McGowens brothers are one of 15 brother combos on the same college roster this season.  

Looking at Alonzo
Category	No.	B1G Rk.
Scoring	13.6	18th
Assists	5.2	2nd
Steals	1.5	6th
FT. Pct.	.753	10th
Double-Doubles	4	10th
FG Pct.	.433	12th

 
Zo Takes the Point
Alonzo Verge took over the point guard duties from 2021 NBA Draft pick Dalano Banton, and Verge has provided an immediate impact, averaging 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The 6-foot-4 guard from Chicago ranks among conference leaders in both assists (second) and steals (sixth) as of Feb. 6. 

• He has a 1.51-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio after posting a 1.29-to-1 ratio in his two seasons at Arizona State.

• His 5.23 assists per game would rank fifth in school history, while only four players in school history have averaged at least 5.00 assists in a season. 

• Verge is one of two Big Ten players (also Minnesota's Payton Willis) with both a points/assist double-double and a points/rebound double-double. Verge is 10th in the Big Ten with four double-doubles (vs. Western. Illinois, vs. Tennessee State, at NC State and Kennesaw State). 

• He nearly collected his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and nine assists vs. No. 25 Illinois on Jan. 11.

• He posted his fourth double-double of the year with 16 points and a career-high 12 assists in the win over Kennesaw State on Dec. 22.

• He had his fourth 20-point effort of the season with 21 points, five assists, five rebounds and four steals in the loss to Kansas State on Dec. 19. 

• Verge posted his second career 30-point game against Michigan on Dec. 7, as he had 31 points and eight boards. It was his first 30-point game since the 2019-20 season when he was at Arizona State.

• Verge nearly had a triple-double in the Huskers' epic game at NC State on Dec. 1 with 25 points, a career-high 11 assists and nine rebounds before fouling out in the fourth OT.

• He led NU with 18 points and 10 assists in the Huskers' win over Tennessee State on Nov. 23.

• He posted his first collegiate double-double in the opener with 26 points - the most points ever in a Husker debut - a career-high 13 rebounds and five assists.

• Verge was a combo guard during his two seasons at Arizona State, where he teamed with current Kansas guard Remy Martin in one of the highest scoring backcourts in the Pac-12. 

• He averaged 14.0 points, 3.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game in 2020-21, ranking among the Pac-12 leaders in scoring (15th), assists (seventh), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.55-to-1, sixth), steals (1.2, 13th) and free throw percentage (.809, 13th). 

• In his first season at ASU, he was the 2020 Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year and an honorable-mention all-conference pick after averaging 14.6 points per game, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

• A two-time NJCAA All-American at Moberly Area (Ill.) CC, he ranked in the top three nationally in both scoring and assists in 2018-19. He tallied 1,086 points (30.9 ppg in 35 games), but also dished out 8.2 assists per game en route to first-team accolades.

Keisei for 3
The addition of Keisei Tominaga has helped the Huskers' 3-point shooting. The 6-foot-2 guard is fifth on the team in scoring at 6.8 points per game while connecting on 34 3-pointers to rank second on the team heading into the Minnesota contest.  He is shooting 35 percent from 3-point range and has also committed just 10 turnovers in 440 minutes this season. Tominaga has posted seven double-figure games this season, including a career-high 23 points against South Dakota on Nov. 27 and 18 points in the win over Kennesaw State on Dec. 22. 

Last summer, Tominaga represented Japan in 3x3 basketball in the Tokyo Olympics, helping Japan reach the medal round. He finished third among all players in scoring (6.9 ppg), fourth in 1-point shooting (74 percent) and seventh in 2-point shooting (36 percent).  He was one of only two active NCAA players to play in the Olympics, joining Virginia's Francisco Caffaro, who played for Argentina in men's basketball.  

Husker Injury Update
The Huskers have a pair of scholarship players currently out with injuries. Trevor Lakes is out indefinitely because of a lingering shoulder injury. Lakes, who underwent surgery on his right shoulder last March, managed the injury throughout the year, but has not played since Jan. 8. 

Wilhelm Breidenbach underwent season-ending leg surgery on Dec. 22 for an injury suffered in Nebraska's game against Michigan.  Breidenbach, a 6-foot-10, 227-pound forward from Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., had played in each of Nebraska's first 10 games, averaging 3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.

NU Graduation Success Rate Hits All-Time High of 95 Percent
Nebraska student-athletes have posted a 95 percent NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR), continuing the Huskers' long tradition of being a national leader in the classroom. The NCAA released its GSR scores on Dec. 2, with Nebraska improving its GSR for the 11th straight year. 

• The 95 percent GSR rate for all student-athletes ranks third among 14 Big Ten schools. On the national scale, Nebraska's GSR is tied for 10th out of 130 FBS institutions. The 95 percent GSR rate marks the 11th straight year Nebraska has increased its GSR.

• The Husker men's basketball program achieved a 100 percent GSR for the second straight season and was one of 13 Husker programs to post a 100 GSR in the latest rankings. NU was one of five Big Ten teams with a perfect GSR this year.

Husker Recruiting Class Seeing Stars
The Huskers brought one of the nation's top recruiting classes to campus this fall. The class is ranked as high as 13th by ESPN as well as 18th by 247Sports and 21st by Rivals and is the third-highest ranked class in the Big Ten. 
 Nebraska's five signees are headlined by five-star Bryce McGowens and four-star recruit Wilhelm Breidenbach, both of whom were top-100 recruits. McGowens was a consensus top-25 recruit who played in the Iverson Classic and was selected to the
Jordan Brand team. NU rounded out the class with junior college All-American Keisei Tominaga and freshmen Oleg Kojenets and Quaran McPherson.