Premium ContentMouse over Home then click on Premium Content for information.LINCOLN — The surprising success of the No. 23 Nebraska women's basketball team has been a whirlwind to point guard Lindsey Moore.
"I feel like I just blinked and there went January," she said Wednesday. A 20-6 record — with a slew of tight wins over new conference opponents — can make it seem that way.
It's late February now, just two games remain before the Big Ten tournament. And even though the league's regular-season title is out of the Huskers' grasp, they can still finish as high as second. Or as low as seventh.
NU's current 9-5 Big Ten record is shared by three other teams, and its opponent Thursday, Michigan State, is part of that logjam. As the last team to play the Big Ten's newest member, it'll have the Huskers' full attention.
"You're not going to overlook anyone when you haven't played them," coach Connie Yori said.
Not that Nebraska would. The 17-10 Spartans, balanced and burly, have won five of their last six in a late run for an NCAA tournament berth. They lead the league in rebounding margin and defensive rebounding percentage. Forward Lykendra Johnson is second in rebounding with 8.9 boards per game.
NU — which needs offensive rebounds to offset its consistently poor shooting — should be severely tested in East Lansing, Mich.
"I'm going to have to be pretty physical this game," said Nebraska sophomore forward Jordan Hooper, the Big Ten's top rebounder with 9.5 per game. "I'm going to have to box out really, really well. My defense is going to have to be good down low. (Johnson) is a really good, really athletic player. I'll have to bring my A game."
And maybe a little more if Husker freshman forward Emily Cady can't play. Her left knee suffered cartilage damage in Nebraska's 68-59 win over Wisconsin Sunday. Yori said Cady is "day-to-day." Forward Meghin Williams would likely replace Cady in the starting lineup.
"Emily's very, very competitive," Yori said. "She's going to be out there if she can be out there. If there's anybody who can play through some pain, it'd be Emily."
Yori went through that same dilemma before the Wisconsin game with Moore, who suffered a bone bruise last week. Yori and Moore texted Saturday night, uncertain if the point guard could play Sunday.
She did, icing the injury before the game, and putting a small pad on the bruise in case an opponent hit it inadvertently. Nebraska then snapped a three-game losing streak against the Badgers.
"It put the fun back into basketball, honestly," Moore said. "We had hit a dry spot."
• NOTES: Yori said she's not sure why NU's been so good on the road this year — with wins at Florida State, Penn State, Iowa and Purdue — but a solid routine helps. On game days, the Huskers eat a late breakfast, conduct a scouting session, go to shootaround, go back to the hotel to rest and study, then conduct their pregame meal. "We got a pretty good team chemistry," Yori said. "Our kids like to travel together. There's no disruption." ... Hooper's stat totals are up this season in nearly every category. One that's down: 34 fewer fouls.
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