NU routs Denver
Vonnie Turner didn’t quite have the springs to jump and dislodge the misfired basketball that had gotten stuck between the rim and backboard. And so after two swiping attempts, she settled for taking aim with another ball so that Sunday’s game between Nebraska and Denver could continue.
It was the toughest rebound of the day for the Huskers, who, thanks to a plus-33 edge on the boards, rolled past Denver 73-38 at the Devaney Sports Center.
“Rebounding — Coach got on us in practice again and said we need to box out when you go for the rebound, not just turn and go for it,” said forward Cory Montgomery, one of three NU players who pulled down at least eight.
For a day at least, Connie Yori knows her players listen.
Nebraska, which improved to 10-3 overall and 7-0 at home, produced its largest rebounding margin since getting 34 more than Wofford in its 2003-04 season opener.
Turner’s “jumping exhibition” came with 5:18 left in the first half, after Denver’s Andie Mason had floated a three-point try from the right wing. By then, the Huskers already had built a 17-point lead.
All of that came during a five-minute span in which NU got rid of a 9-8 deficit by scoring 18 unanswered points. That production against the Pioneers’ 2-3 zone came from seven players, and 11 of the points were racked up in under a minute.
“Everybody’s kind of (got) the beginning-of-the-game jitters,” said freshman guard Dominique Kelley, who had 15 points and a career-high nine rebounds. “But when we become patient. …”
That’s right, look out. NU — which has won six of its seven home games, and eight total, by double digits, has an explosive side to it.
“They turned it over a few times and we got some easy baskets,” Yori said. “But I’m not overly worried about our ability to score.
“Dominique scored 25 a game in high school last year playing in Class A. Tay (Hester) can find ways to score, and so can Vonnie and Kaitlyn (Burke). We’ve got some kids who can give you four to eight points in a lot of games, and it adds up.”
Montgomery, a 6-2 sophomore, paced Nebraska with 17, while senior post Danielle Page notched her ninth double-digit effort of the season with 10.
Meanwhile, the Huskers harassed the Pioneers into shooting an abysmal 13-for-55 (23.6 percent).
“We’re playing more of a team defense, rather than just a one-on-one, stopping your girl and saying that’s OK,” Montgomery said. “We’re getting better at that, and we’ll continue to.“
NU also hopes its health continues to improve.
On Sunday, sophomore guard Kala Kuhlmann played for the first time since spraining her right knee against Southern California four games ago. Kuhlmann wore a brace and produced four rebounds in 18 minutes. Sophomore guard Nicole Neals, hobbled by an ankle sprain, hit a pair of three-pointers in her 18 minutes, while freshman guard Burke, battling the flu, had five points and three assists in 19 minutes.
All-Big 12 Conference forward Kelsey Griffin missed her third straight game with a cracked rib. She’ll sit again when NU wraps up nonconference play with a Wednesday night home game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but hopes to be on the floor a week later for Nebraska’s league opener against Texas.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
It was the toughest rebound of the day for the Huskers, who, thanks to a plus-33 edge on the boards, rolled past Denver 73-38 at the Devaney Sports Center.
“Rebounding — Coach got on us in practice again and said we need to box out when you go for the rebound, not just turn and go for it,” said forward Cory Montgomery, one of three NU players who pulled down at least eight.
For a day at least, Connie Yori knows her players listen.
Nebraska, which improved to 10-3 overall and 7-0 at home, produced its largest rebounding margin since getting 34 more than Wofford in its 2003-04 season opener.
Turner’s “jumping exhibition” came with 5:18 left in the first half, after Denver’s Andie Mason had floated a three-point try from the right wing. By then, the Huskers already had built a 17-point lead.
All of that came during a five-minute span in which NU got rid of a 9-8 deficit by scoring 18 unanswered points. That production against the Pioneers’ 2-3 zone came from seven players, and 11 of the points were racked up in under a minute.
“Everybody’s kind of (got) the beginning-of-the-game jitters,” said freshman guard Dominique Kelley, who had 15 points and a career-high nine rebounds. “But when we become patient. …”
That’s right, look out. NU — which has won six of its seven home games, and eight total, by double digits, has an explosive side to it.
“They turned it over a few times and we got some easy baskets,” Yori said. “But I’m not overly worried about our ability to score.
“Dominique scored 25 a game in high school last year playing in Class A. Tay (Hester) can find ways to score, and so can Vonnie and Kaitlyn (Burke). We’ve got some kids who can give you four to eight points in a lot of games, and it adds up.”
Montgomery, a 6-2 sophomore, paced Nebraska with 17, while senior post Danielle Page notched her ninth double-digit effort of the season with 10.
Meanwhile, the Huskers harassed the Pioneers into shooting an abysmal 13-for-55 (23.6 percent).
“We’re playing more of a team defense, rather than just a one-on-one, stopping your girl and saying that’s OK,” Montgomery said. “We’re getting better at that, and we’ll continue to.“
NU also hopes its health continues to improve.
On Sunday, sophomore guard Kala Kuhlmann played for the first time since spraining her right knee against Southern California four games ago. Kuhlmann wore a brace and produced four rebounds in 18 minutes. Sophomore guard Nicole Neals, hobbled by an ankle sprain, hit a pair of three-pointers in her 18 minutes, while freshman guard Burke, battling the flu, had five points and three assists in 19 minutes.
All-Big 12 Conference forward Kelsey Griffin missed her third straight game with a cracked rib. She’ll sit again when NU wraps up nonconference play with a Wednesday night home game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but hopes to be on the floor a week later for Nebraska’s league opener against Texas.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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