By Sammy Smith Huskers.com Box Score
6th seeded Nebraska dropped a 61-51 defensive struggle to 3-seed Oregon State yesterday in the second round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in a game on OSU’s home court.
Nebraska finishes its season with a 23-12 overall record that includes an 11-7 Big Ten mark and a runner-up finish at the 2024 TIAA Big Ten Tournament.
AP #12 Oregon State improves to 26-7 overall and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 next week in Albany, N.Y.
The Huskers fell behind 16-4 and still trailed 19-11 at the end of the opening period. OSU pushed the lead to 13, but Nebraska trimmed the deficit to 28-21 at the half.
They got it down to 5 early in the 3rd and trailed just 35-29 going into the 4th after winning the lowest-scoring quarter of the season 8-7.
The Beavers then took command by opening the 4th quarter with 3 consecutive 3-pointers to take their biggest lead of the game at 44-29.
The margin grew as large as 17, but the Huskers refused to quit, eventually cutting the lead back to single digits in the final minute.
Cold shooting did in the Huskers. They didn’t top 29% in any of the first 3 quarters and were 1-14 on 3-pointers going into the 4th.
Jaz Shelley finished with 10 points, the only Husker in double digits, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in her final game for Nebraska.
First-team All-Big Ten center Alexis Markowski added 8 points and 8 rebounds in a head-to-head battle with All-Pac 12 center Raegan Beers, who finished with 10 points and 6 boards.
Nebraska expects to return full-time starters Markowski and Natalie Potts along with part-time starters Kendall Moriarty, Logan Nissley and Callin Hake next season.
Kendall Coley and Jessica Petrie are also expected to return along with redshirt junior Allison Weidner, who was a starter for the Huskers in 2021-22 and 2022-23 before suffering a pair of knee injuries.
Nebraska will also welcome two-time Nebraska High School Player of the Year Britt Prince and Illinois high school star Amiah Hargrove.