A big week for women's basketball
It was a big week for women's basketball, which included a big-time win for Nebraska over Iowa.
Caitlin Clark made history on Thursday, Feb. 15 and did so in true Caitlin Clark fashion. In the first two minutes of Iowa’s matchup with Michigan, Clark scored 8 straight — what she needed to break the NCAA DI women’s basketball scoring record — and the shot that sealed it was a signature logo 3-pointer.
History.
There was a moment where many thought maybe history would happen in Lincoln on Sunday, Feb. 11. Clark needed 39 points at that point to pass Kelsey Plum’s all-time record, and the shot counter hung in the top left of the screen through Iowa’s matchup with Nebraska.
The Huskers had other plans, upsetting the No. 2 Hawkeyes 82-79 in front of the sold out crowd at Pinnacle Bank Arena. It marked the largest crowd in 50 seasons of Nebraska women’s basketball, and the first sellout for the women’s team in their 11 seasons at PBA. It was also only the second sellout in program history, with the previous against Missouri in 2010 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Credit to Clark where credit is due. She draws a crowd everywhere she goes, and Lincoln was no exception. There were people in the crowd who said they had purchased season tickets solely to attend the matchup with Iowa. Little girls in Iowa jerseys were everywhere in the crowd holding signs that read things like, “In My Record Breaking Era” and “My Birthday Gift to See My Idol #22.”
And while so many may have showed up for Clark, here’s the power of what happened that Sunday in Lincoln: over 15,500 people saw some outstanding basketball. Those little girls in the stands didn’t just see Clark drop 31 points. They also saw Jaz Shelley, Nebraska’s fifth-year senior, sink a massive 3-pointer in the final minute of regulation to change momentum in favor of Nebraska.
Shelley turned that momentum into 7 points in the final 30 seconds. She ended with a season-high 23 points, five assists and three rebounds.
“She was big time,” Williams said post-game. “I’ve been believing in her from the first time I ever saw her playing, so to watch her do that on this stage, I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Following her performance against Iowa, Shelley was named Nebraska’s first-ever Associated Press national college women’s basketball player of the week.
A total of 1.772 million people tuned in for Nebraska’s matchup with Iowa too, which means every single one of those people also saw Shelley in action. It was the most-watched women’s college basketball game in FOX Sports history.
Here’s why this matters: no matter what initially brought anyone to Pinnacle Bank Arena on Feb. 11, it was a moot point by the final whistle. Every single person in that arena was there to support the best of women’s basketball, no matter what colors they were wearing or who they were rooting for.
Add to it what WNBA superstar Sabrina Ionescu did in the 3-point shootout against the NBA’s Steph Curry and you’ve got a pretty big week in women’s basketball. From Lincoln to Iowa City to Indianapolis, there was a lot to celebrate in the women’s game. It doesn’t have to end there.
The Huskers have three regular season games left this season, including two at home. Tuesday’s matchup with Northwestern is set for 8 p.m. CT, and Saturday’s against Minnesota — which is also Senior Day – is set for 4 p.m. Tickets are still available for both.
One last thing . . . as of two days ago, ESPN has Nebraska as an 8-seed for the NCAA Tournament. Just thought you’d like to know.
Speaking of the NCAA Tournament . . .
The men’s team is now 18-8 (8-7 B1G) after a 68-49 win over Penn State on Saturday. The Huskers have five more regular season matchups this season, including two at home.
As of now, ESPN has Nebraska as an 11-seed in the South. The Huskers are absolutely on the bubble, so every game truly matters at this point. Settle in. Going to be a wild few weeks.
A quick weekend update
>> Nebraska baseball went 1-2 in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown, defeating Baylor 4-1 and falling to No. 21 Texas Tech 6-3 and Oklahoma 7-6. The Huskers had the opportunity to beat both Texas Tech and Oklahoma, but the coulda, woulda, shoulda obviously doesn’t trump a win. We’ll see how the Huskers respond against Grand Canyon this weekend.
>> Nebraska softball went 4-1 in New Mexico this weekend for the Troy Cox Classic. Good weekend overall, especially as the Huskers battle the injury bug. A big positive was that senior shortstop Billie Andrews returned on Sunday after missing the previous four while in concussion protocol.
>> Three athletic teams were awarded “bonuses” during the annual Glow Big Red this past week, and it was neat to see men’s and women’s golf, as well as softball, top the chart. The men’s team will received an additional $10,000 toward its budget in 2024, while the women’s team received $6,000 and softball $5,000.
>> Nebraska wide receiver Malachi Coleman hosted another event in support of the foster care community on Sunday, and this one was a bowling event in partnership with Allo Fiber. I share this because Coleman — who is known for his ping pong skills — is also a pretty good bowler.
>> Speaking of multi-talented football players, Nebraska’s three athletes participating in track this spring went 1-2-3 in the men’s 60m over the weekend. Special teams coordinator Ed Foley captured the big screen to commemorate the moment.