Huskers survive Bluejay's career night
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By CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
Kelsey Griffin was looking like her old self, and the Nebraska women’s basketball team had a 30-point lead over Creighton.
If Friday’s game in the Devaney Sports Center could have ended at that point, with about 14 minutes to play, the Huskers would have been impressed with themselves.
Instead, they had to withstand a career night by Sam Schuett and scramble at the finish to walk off the court with a 79-65 victory.
Worse yet, with 1:37 to play, Griffin, Nebraska’s 6-foot-2 junior All-Big 12 Conference forward, aggravated a rib injury she suffered during a Nov. 5 exhibition against Nebraska-Omaha. That leaves her questionable for Sunday’s home game against Robert Morris.
Yeah, it’s safe to say Nebraska wasn’t celebrating Friday’s victory.
“A win’s a win and it was against our in-state rival,” senior forward Danielle Page said. “But the way we played the last 10, 15 minutes of the game, it’s a big letdown. I wish we could enjoy this a little more.”
Schuett, a sophomore forward from Millard West, was 11-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, and went 4-for-4 at the free-throw line, to finish with 30 points. Her effort allowed the Bluejays to eventually pull within 12 points with 2:44 remaining.
It also forced the Huskers to keep playing Griffin, who had 20 points after hitting a driving shot. But she landed hard while being fouled by Sara Cain.
After lying on the floor while being attended to by a trainer, Griffin hobbled to the bench. Collectively, the Huskers felt her pain.
“We lacked discipline the last 15 minutes,” said coach Connie Yori, who had watched her team open the second half with a 16-2 run. “We were playing pick-up and they were playing organized basketball.”
Schuett said the last thing Creighton wanted to experience was a repeat of what happened at Kansas on Tuesday, when the Jayhawks posted a 91-56 rout.
“It comes down to effort, and our team picked it up in the second half,” she said of Friday’s game. “Unfortunately, it was too late.”
Page added 17 points to help offset Schuett’s hot hand and allow Nebraska to improve to 5-2 overall and 4-0 at home.
Friday’s win also left Yori 3-0 at home against her former school. In fact, the last time a Creighton team won in Lincoln, in 1993, Yori was coaching the Bluejays.
That, of course, was the last thing on her mind Friday.
“I’ll take a 30-point lead any time we can get it,” Yori said, “but we need to do a better job of finishing.”
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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