Huskers take on Boilermakers in Sunday showdown

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) -Nebraska returns to action at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon to take on the Purdue Boilermakers in an important Big Ten Conference clash.

Tip-off between the Huskers (14-4, 3-4 Big Ten) and the Boilermakers (13-7, 4-5 Big Ten) is set for 2 p.m. (CT) with live statewide TV coverage provided by Nebraska Public Media with a live video stream for B1G+ subscribers. Larry Punteney and Jami Hagedorn will be on the call for NPM.

Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch will provide commentary for the Huskers Radio Network (B107.3 FM, Lincoln; ESPN 590 AM, Omaha), Huskers.com and the Huskers App.

Nebraska celebrated a return to the court after a 10-day layoff forced by health and safety protocols within the Husker program by posting a 77-44 victory over Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Thursday night.

Freshman Alexis Markowski led Nebraska with 15 points, producing her sixth straight game in double figures while making her fifth consecutive start. The 6-3 forward/center is a four-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week and was the USBWA National Freshman of the Week (Jan. 11). In Big Ten play, Markowski is averaging a team-best 15.4 points per game.

The Huskers welcomed the returns of Sam Haiby, Jaz Shelley and Bella Cravens to the starting lineup in the win over the Badgers. Haiby and Shelley both missed Nebraska’s loss at Iowa (Jan. 16) - Haiby with injury and Shelley because of health and safety protocols. Cravens made her first start since suffering a lower leg injury at Michigan State (Dec. 30). Haiby finished with 11 points against UW, while Shelley led NU with nine rebounds and nine assists to go with five points. Cravens added seven points and seven rebounds.

Jaz Shelley is the only Big Ten player to rank in the conference’s top 20 in scoring (13.2 ppg), rebounding (7.6 rpg), assists (4.7 apg), blocks (1.2 bpg) and steals (1.8 spg).

All-Big Ten guard Sam Haiby is averaging 11.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals. She has averaged 14.5 points in five career games against Purdue.

Alexis Markowski is averaging 18.6 points per game as a starter over the past five games. She has hit at least 50 percent of her field goal attempts in each of those five contests and has connected on 9-of-12 three-pointers (.750) as a starter, including 6-of-7 at Iowa (Jan. 16).