outlasts the Huskers
 Moore |  Hooper |
With the loss, Nebraska slipped to 3-1 while SDSU improved to 2-2.
Moore hit 6-of-13 shots from the field, including 3-of-6 three-pointers, while adding 6-of-8 free throws to lead the Huskers. The 5-9 point guard from Covington, Wash., added five assists and four rebounds.
Jordan Hooper, a 6-2 junior forward from Alliance, Neb., added 15 points and seven boards, but the rest of the Huskers managed just 19 points against a stingy and disciplined Jackrabbit team.
Ashley Eide answered the production by Moore and Hooper with a game-high 26 points and four steals for the Jackrabbits. Eide hit 10-of-17 shots from the field and 5-of-6 free throws. She scored 13 points in each half as the only Jack in double figures.
Katie Lingle added a solid game inside for the Jackrabbits with nine points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots, while Leah Dietel managed just two points but pulled down a game-high 10 boards. With Lingle and Dietel leading the way, South Dakota State controlled the glass, 38-27, against an NU squad that entered the game with a plus-8.0 rebound margin through the first three games.
Nebraska won the turnover battle on the day, but the Huskers' 19-18 edge wasn't enough to overcome SDSU's advantage on the boards.
"The biggest stat of the day was obviously the rebounding," Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. "I thought they were the most physical team and they wanted it more than we did today. You have to give a lot of credit to South Dakota State, I thought they were the better team today and they earned the win."
Nebraska returns to home action on Tuesday, when they take on Sam Houston State. Tip-off between the Huskers and Bearkats is set for 7:05 p.m.
Live radio coverage will be on the Husker Sports Network, including flagship stations B107.3 FM in Lincoln, 93.3 FM in Omaha and 880 AM KRVN in Lexington. Free live audio will also be available on Huskers.com. A live video stream will be provided to subscribers of BTN.com.
For the game, Nebraska shot 40.4 percent (19-47) from the field, including 5-of-18 from three-point range. The Huskers also hit just 12-of-19 free throws (63.2 percent). SDSU answered with 43.8 percent (21-48) shooting from the floor, but just 3-of-14 from long range. SDSU did connect on 15-of-21 free throws.
In a back and forth game, Nebraska took a 28-27 lead into the locker room at halftime on the strength of 10 points from Hooper, who sat more than five minutes in the half with two fouls. Hooper's jumper at the halftime buzzer gave NU the lead after a half that featured nine lead changes and nine ties.
Moore added six points and three assists in the first half, while Brandi Jeffery pitched in five first-half points. Emily Cady managed four points despite playing just 12 minutes because of first-half foul trouble. NU shot a solid 45 percent from the field, including 2-of-6 from three-point range, but was outrebounded 19-12 in the first half. The Huskers did win the turnover battle 13-11 in the opening half, but SDSU turned NU's mistakes into 13 points, while the Huskers managed just 11 points of Jackrabbit turnovers.
Eide led the Jackrabbits with 13 points in the opening period, while Tara Heiser helped SDSU with four points and four steals. Lingle added three points, seven rebounds and three blocks. SDSU hit 9-of-23 field goals (39.1 percent), but just 2-of-10 three-pointers, while knocking down 7-of-10 free throws.
South Dakota State assumed control to open the second half with an 8-0 run in the first four minutes, but Nebraska answered with an 8-0 run of its own, capped by a Hooper three-pointer to give NU the lead back at 36-35 with 12:28 left.
The two teams were knotted at 41 after a Rachel Theriot free throw with 7:42 remaining, before Megan Waytashek scored back-to-back buckets and Tara Heiser added a free throw to give SDSU a 46-41 edge with 6:17 to play. NU could get no closer than three points the rest of the way.
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1st 2nd Total
South Dakota State 27 33 60
Nebraska (15) 28 27 55
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