Husker Women Run Past Cowgirls, 71-52

Photo Credit: Nebraska Athletics

Laramie, Wyo. - Nebraska used a decisive 19-2 second-half surge to build a 21-point lead on its way to a 71-52 women's basketball win at Wyoming on Friday night.

Nebraska improved to 2-0 with the win, while the Cowgirls slipped to 1-1.

Alexis Markowski, who scored the first 10 points of Nebraska's massive second-half surge, notched her 22nd career double-double and first of the young season with 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Jaz Shelley added 15 points, seven assists and four rebounds despite going without a three-pointer, while freshman Natalie Potts pitched in 15 points of her own to go along with a tremendous defensive performance.

Darian White rounded out four Huskers in double figures with 11 points, including a k;ey three-pointer during Nebraska's surge. She and Potts were also the primary instigators for Nebraska turning the tide after a slow start to the game.

The Huskers trailed 6-0 and didn't score for the game's first 4:32 before Markowski opened the scoring for the Big Red with a traditional three-point play. Annika Stewart then sank a three-pointer to tie the game with just over four minutes left.

Wyoming regained a 15-10 lead in the final minute of the quarter, before a three-pointer by Potts and a shot by White tied the score at 15 heading to the second period.

Potts, White and Shelley then put Nebraska in the driver's seat for the first time to open the second. Potts scored five straight to open the period before White and Shelley combined for the next six to give Nebraska its first double-digit lead at 26-15.

Freshman Jessica Petrie then capped an 18-0 Nebraska run with a basket to put the Big Red up 28-15 with just over four minutes left in the half. Nebraska held Wyoming scoreless for 6:50 during the stretch.

But Wyoming answered late in the quarter, outscoring the Huskers 13-4 to cut the margin to 32-28 at the half.

Potts, White and Shelley then combined on a 7-0 run to open the second half and immediately push Nebraska's lead back to double digits at 42-31. The Cowgirls found and answer again, outscoring Nebraska 7-0 to cut the margin to 42-38.

Wyoming could get no closer. With Nebraska leading 48-44 with 1:20 left in the third, the Huskers got a 6-0 run to end the quarter from Markowski to take a 54-44 lead to the fourth.

The Huskers opened the final period with four more points from Markowski to complete the 10-0 run. A basket by Wyoming's Allyson Fertig stopped the run, but Shelley, White and Potts combined for the next nine to put the game out of reach for the Big Red at 67-46.

For the game, Nebraska hit 50 percent (26-52) of its shots from the field, but just 3-of-17 three-pointers. The Huskers were also 16-of-23 at the free throw line. The Big Red won the battle of the boards, 40-30.

NU held Wyoming to just 29.6 percent (16-54) shooting, including 5-of-21 from long range. The Cowgirls also hit 15-of-18 free throws and won the turnover battle, 15-12.

Malene Pedersen led the Cowgirls with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Fertig contributed 11 points and four boards. Maren McKenna also came off the bench for nine points, doing a majority of the scoring for Wyoming in the final 14 minutes.

Nebraska returns home to take on Alcorn State on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Tip-off between the Huskers and Lady Braves is set for 7 p.m. (CT) at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tickets are available now at Huskers.com. A live video stream will be provided by B1G+, while live audio will be available from the Huskers Radio Network.