 Theriot |  Cady |  Laudermill |
-----------------------------
1 2 total
UCLA (NR) 33 33 66
NEBRASKA (15) 26 45 71
----------------------------- | ||
Junior Rachel Theriot scored 19 of her game-high 24 points in the second half to lead the Big Red to their fifth straight win to open the season, while UCLA slipped to 0-4 with all four losses to current top-25 teams.
Theriot, a 6-0 point guard from Middleburg Heights, Ohio, erupted for 13 points in the final 5:43 to help the Huskers erase an eight-point deficit with just over seven minutes left. Theriot sealed the win by hitting eight consecutive free throws in the final 1:02.
Senior forward Emily Cady added 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, including a three-pointer, while adding five rebounds, an assist and two steals.
Senior guard Tear'a Laudermill added 15 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals. Laudermill's three three-pointers in the final five minutes of the first half allowed the Huskers to turn a 16-point deficit in the first half into a 33-26 UCLA margin at halftime.
Senior guard Brandi Jeffery gave the Huskers four players in double figures with 11 points, including a huge three-pointer to give Nebraska a 63-57 lead with 1:54 left in the game.
Nebraska found a way to win despite a season-high 22 turnovers, while also being outrebounded 39-36. Theriot committed a career-high eight turnovers in the game, but just one in the second half to fuel the Husker comeback. She finished with team highs of seven assists and eight rebounds to go along with her game-high 24 points. She went 4-of-7 from the floor, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. She was also 13-of-14 at the free throw line.
The Huskers hit 40 percent (20-50) from the field, including 9-of-23 threes. NU also went 22-of-26 at the free throw line - all in the second half.
UCLA built leads of 16 points on two occasions in the first half, the last time at 33-17 with 4:04 left on a jumper by Corinne Costa. However, a three-pointer by Theriot (3:03) and back-to-back threes by Laudermill (1:49, 1:23) got the Huskers back within striking distance at halftime.
The Bruins did not score in the final four minutes of the first half, then went nearly seven minutes without a field goal in the final 7:30 of the game, as Nebraska prevailed.
For the game, UCLA hit just 35.8 percent (24-67) of its shots from the floor, including 8-of-20 threes. The Bruins were 10-of-15 at the free throw line and committed 18 turnovers, including 10 in the second half.
Jordin Canada led four Bruins in double figures with 14 points, six assists and six steals. Kari Korver added 13 points, including 11 points in a span of just two minutes after Nebraska cut the Bruin lead to two points at 39-37 with 13:30 left in the game.
Nirra Fields added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Costa added 10 points of her own.
The Huskers return home to face unbeaten Northern Colorado on Sunday. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Bears at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 2 p.m.