Women's Basketball 2001

Huskers Close Season with 77-66 Loss at Oklahoma State

Feb. 28, 2001

The Nebraska women’s basketball team ended its 2000-01 regular season with a 77-66 loss to Oklahoma State in front of 1,201 fans at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., on Wednesday, Feb. 28.

With the loss, the Huskers finished the regular season with a 12-17 overall record and a 4-12 Big 12 Conference mark to finish 10th in the final league standings. The Huskers earned the No. 10 seed in the Big 12 Tournament, where they will face No. 7 seed Texas on Tuesday, March 6, at 6 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

The Cowgirls captured the No. 8 seed in the conference tournament, improving to 6-10 in the league race while moving to 14-13 overall.

Although the Huskers suffered a double-figure loss to the Cowgirls, the game was close throughout, with Nebraska leading for most of the first half and carrying a 35-34 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

While Nebraska led by as many as eight points in the first half, neither team was able to build more than a four point lead until the final three minutes of the second half. With Nebraska trailing 61-59 after a three-pointer by Shannon Howell, Margaret Richards pulled the Huskers within one after making the first of two free throws with 4:29 left. Richards, who scored nine points, while leading the team with nine rebounds and four assists, missed the second free throw, but found her way to the line again just 27 seconds later after being fouled by OSU’s Kara Faulk.

With another chance to tie or give the Huskers the lead, Richards missed both free throws and the Cowgirls went on a 7-0 run over the next 1:20 to put the game out of reach.

While the Huskers could not convert on key free throw opportunities, Oklahoma State made a living at the line. The Cowgirls scored nearly half of their points at the free throw line, connecting on 36-of-45 free throws as four Husker starters fouled out of the contest.

Husker senior center Casey Leonhardt played just 16 minutes after picking up two fouls in less than five first-half minutes. Sophomore guard Shahidrah Roberts and freshman forward Greichaly Cepero played just 21 and 22 minutes, respectively, after both were whistled for three fouls in the first half.

All three Huskers fouled out, along with freshman point guard Shannon Howell, who led Nebraska with 16 points and three assists on the night. Sophomore forward Stephanie Jones continued her strong play with 14 points and four rebounds, and Roberts gave the Huskers three players in double figures with 10 points despite limited playing time.

Chantoya Hawkins led four Cowgirls in double figures with 16 points, including seven points at the free throw line, while Jessica Bates, who was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line, added a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards. Kara Faulk scored 14 points of her own, including six at the free throw line, while Terrisha Osborne managed 10 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the foul line.

Nebraska shot 42.6 percent (23-54) from the field, including a sizzling 45 percent (9-20) from three-point range, while hitting 64.7 percent (11-17) of its free throw attempts. OSU hit just 38 percent (19-50) of its field goal attempts, and just 33.3 percent (3-9) of its three-point tries. The Cowgirls did outrebound the Huskers, 37-34, and forced 27 Nebraska turnovers, while committing just 18 of their own.

Source: University of Nebraska Sports Information