for Gophers
 Shepard |  Romeo |  Simon |
-----------------------------
1 2 total
Minnesota 51 59 110
NEBRASKA 33 40 74
----------------------------- | ||
The Huskers, who slipped to 16-8 overall and 7-6 in the Big Ten, dropped a 110-73 decision to a Minnesota squad that improved to 17-7 overall and 9-4 in the conference. Minnesota's 110 points tied the Nebraska all-time opponent mark set by Long Beach State on Jan. 2, 1982.
Rachel Banham, who was coming off a record-setting 60-point performance at Northwestern on Sunday, managed 32 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including 4-of-9 threes. Banham added five assists. She led five Gophers in double figures, including junior Carlie Wagner, who scored 14 of her 20 points in the second half.
Natalie Romeo was the only Husker to join Shepard in double figures, as the sophomore guard added 15 points and a trio of three-pointers. The Huskers did get a lift off the bench for the second straight game from freshman Maddie Simon, who finished with eight points, including a pair of threes. Sophomore Jasmine Cincore also helped NU off the bench with seven points, and a game-high three steals. Rachel Theriot managed six points and 13 assists, but went just 3-of-16 from the field.
Nebraska hit just 36 percent (27-75) of its shots from the floor, including 7-of-20 threes, while connecting on 12-of-17 free throws. However, Nebraska got outrebounded 57-35, and lost the turnover battle, 14-13.
Minnesota was on fire up until the closing stages of the game and finished 55 percent (44-80) from the floor, including 10-of-25 threes. The Gophers also hit 12-of-19 free throws.
After a frenetic first quarter, Nebraska led 28-27 behind 12 points and four rebounds from Shepard, 12 points and a pair of threes from Romeo, and two points and nine assists from Theriot.
The Golden Gophers took control to start the second quarter on a 13-1 surge, as the Huskers opened the quarter 0-for-6 from the floor. Nebraska could not get going the rest of the quarter, finishing 2-for-16 in the second quarter to fall behind 51-33 at the half.
The 51 points at the half were most scored by any Husker opponent this season. While the Huskers' 28 points in the first quarter were their second-best total of the season, their five second-quarter points marked their lowest point total of any quarter on the year.
Minnesota hit 51.1 percent (23-45) of its first-half shots, including 4-of-13 three-pointers. The Gophers were 1-of-2 at the free throw line and matched Nebraska with six first-half turnovers, but outrebounded the Big Red, 31-20 in the first half.
Nebraska hit just 35.7 percent (15-42) of its first-half shots, including 2-of-9 threes, while knocking down just 1-of-3 free throws. Shepard led NU with 15 points and five rebounds in the half, while Romeo had 12 first-half points - all in the first quarter. Theriot with four points and Havers with two points were the only other Huskers to score in the half, and they combined to hit just 3-of-15 first-half shots.
Banham led a balanced Gopher attack with 14 points, while Mikayla Bailey added nine points on a trio of three-pointers, while Wagner, Shayne Mullaney and Jessie Edwards all pitched in six points for a Gopher team that had nine players find the scoring column in the first half.
The Huskers came out focused on defending, but Wagner and Banham were on fire, putting up a Nebraska opponent-record 38 points in the third quarter. Minnesota added 21 points in the second quarter. In the first and fourth periods, Nebraska matched Minnesota at 48 points, but in the second and third quarters the Gophers outscored NU 62-25.
Nebraska returns home Sunday to take on No. 17 Michigan State. Tip-off between the Huskers and the Spartans at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 3 p.m. Tickets for Nebraska's annual "Pink" game to promote cancer awareness are available at Huskers.com. Sunday's game also will be televised by BTN.