Yori knows Husker women must continue to improve
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BY CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
Two weeks after her Nebraska women’s basketball team gave top-seeded Maryland the kind of tussle that made her proud of how the Huskers bowed out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Connie Yori was trying to enjoy some family time at the Final Four in Tampa, Fla.
Then, some reporter interrupted her Tuesday to ask if she was checking out the job market.
Huh?
Oh, sure, Yori did as good a job as anybody in the Big 12 Conference this season — taking a club with 11 first- and second-year players back to the NCAA Tournament immediately after losing four senior starters. On top of that, NU will return everyone but forward Danielle Page next season.
But if Yori thought her sixth trip through the Big 12 Conference was tough — and this season the league was ranked as the toughest in the nation — just wait until 2008-09.
Twenty-four of the top 30 conference scorers will be back, and every team will return at least three starters.
“Frankly, I really don’t want to think about it right now,” Yori said before attending Tuesday’s national championship game between Stanford and Tennessee. “I just want to keep working and enjoy what we’re doing, but it’ll be very difficult.”
As was the case with most teams in the Big 12 this season, NU had to handle the ebb and flow of a balanced league to earn a second straight the NCAA bid.
The Huskers, who went 2-3 against eventual NCAA Tournament participants while going 11-3 in the nonconference portion of their schedule, began Big 12 play 4-1. That stretch included wins against NCAA qualifiers Texas, Iowa State and Texas A&M. Yori’s team then endured a 2-6 stretch where it lost four times to NCAA-bound opponents before going 3-2 over its last five regular-season games.
After being upset by Kansas in the opening round of the league tournament, Nebraska was a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament and defeated No. 9 seed Xavier 61-58 in the opening round.
That put the Huskers against Maryland, 20-0 on its home court. But the Terrapins had to fight to the end in a 76-64 triumph. NU tied the game with under 15 minutes to play, and trailed by only five at the 3:54 mark.
“There was no quit in Nebraska,” said Maryland coach Brenda Frese, whose team won another game before falling to Stanford in the Elite Eight. “They’re physical, athletic and have a lot of great team depth.
“I think what Connie has done is phenomenal, especially with that kind of youth. She has great years ahead of her with those players.”
Yori likes to think so, too, but has a hunch there’s 11 other coaches in the Big 12 who feel the same way.
First off, consider that all eight teams from the league that played in the NCAA Tournament won opening-round games. A&M, the No. 4 seed at the Big 12 Tournament, made it to the Elite Eight, while Oklahoma State, the No. 3 seed, got to the Sweet 16.
“I know our players have received some decent amount of attention from family, friends, media and fans — and that’s terrific for them,” Yori said. “But at the same time, they need to keep striving to get better.”
Yori does acknowledge next year’s team will be experienced enough for her to get a lot more complex in what she asks it to do.
So, if the returning guards can improve like she wants in the offseason and her post players add strength, the Huskers’ coach might be as happy next season as she is now trying to relax with her family.
After all, she hasn’t completely forgotten how her most recent squad held its own against a national power the last time out.
“You want to take some confidence from that and believe we can build on it, but at the same time you don’t want to pat yourself on the back too much and forget you need to work,” Yori said. “There were definitely some things that happened in that game that if we make a couple more plays, we have a very good chance to win.
“That’s what we need to do in the offseason. We need to learn that we missed several layups and open threes, and we need to be able to make those shots in order to take our program to the next level.”
Briefly
Two Huskers and one incoming recruit are on the mend. Sophomore guard Kala Kuhlmann, who played in 30 games despite knee and ankle problems, is recovering from recent ankle surgery. Freshman guard Monique Whitaker, limited to 10 games because of tendinitis in her knees, also has had surgery. Layne Reeves, a guard from Lubbock, Texas, is rehabilitating after reconstructive ACL surgery that puts her status for the start of next season up in the air.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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