HANNAH WHITISH SEASON REVIEW 104 2017-18 NEBRASKA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HUSKERS BEGIN REBUILDING UNDER WILLIAMS The Nebraska women's basketball team opened a new era with the first season for Head Coach Amy Williams in 2016-17. The Huskers were challenged by injuries, an inexperienced roster and a rugged non-conference schedule. Despite struggling to a 7-22 overall record during the season, the Huskers stayed with the process and continued to grow throughout the season. By the end of the regular season, the Huskers were clearly playing their best basketball, knocking off a pair of top-60 RPI teams - Michigan State and Indiana - at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska, which managed a 3-13 Big Ten Conference record, closed the regular season with a thrilling 76-74 overtime victory over NCAA Tournament-bound Michigan State on Feb. 26. The win for the Huskers over the Spartans avenged a 20-point loss at Michigan State on Jan. 7, a testament to Nebraska's growth and improvement during the season. "Obviously, we would have liked to find a few more 'W's' during the course of the season, but sometimes the building process and the growth process take time," Williams said. "We had some young players in our program really start to buy in, and you saw them grow throughout the season. That is exciting for the future of our program, but we know we still have lots of growing to do." A key to that growth came with the emergence of guard Hannah Whitish. The 5-9 freshman from Barneveld, Wis., erupted for a career-high 24 points to go along with five rebounds, five assists against just one turnover, and added a steal in the win over the Spartans. Whitish hit 9-of-13 shots from the floor while playing a career-high 44 minutes in the victory. She also knocked down a career-high five Nicea Eliely started all 29 games for Nebraska as a true freshman in 2016-17. The 6-1 wing from Colorado three-pointers on just eight attempts. Springs, Colo., led the Huskers in steals (46), blocked shots (21) and field goal percentage on the season. Whitish's late-season efficiency and the She scored in double figures eight times, including four times in Nebraska's last six games. continued growth of fellow freshman Nicea Eliely gave the Huskers plenty of reasons for hope for the long range, while dishing out 15 assists, grabbing 10 Eliely's scoring dipped slightly in Big Ten play, future under Coach Williams. rebounds and coming away with three steals. but over the final seven games of the season, she Whitish also played a starring role in Nebraska's During the last quarter of Nebraska's 29-game averaged 8.4 rebounds per contest. In addition to 67-64 win over Indiana on Feb. 19. In fact, Whitish season, Whitish and Eliely combined to average leading the team with 46 steals on the year, Eliely captured Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week honors 22.4 points per game, while shooting 45.8 percent led the Big Red with 21 blocked shots from her wing after pouring in a team-high 18 points on 7-of-10 from the field including a sizzling 47.7 percent (32- position. She also ranked second on the team with shooting in the victory over the Hoosiers. Whitish 67) from three-point range. They also combined 2.6 assists per game. Her 43.5 field goal percentage drilled 4-of-6 three-pointers against an Indiana for 55 assists while committing just 27 turnovers, a also led the Huskers. team that won more than 20 games and finished better than 2-to-1 assist turnover ratio for freshman While Eliely and Whitish showed their growth fourth in the final Big Ten standings. She added six guards in the Big Ten. They also combined for 17 of throughout the season, Cincore also showed her rebounds, four assists and two steals. Nebraska's 35 steals during the seven-game stretch. comfort level with Nebraska's new system as the Eliely also played a tremendous all-around "We really had to lean on Hannah and Nicea season progressed. game for the Huskers against Indiana. The 6-1 down the stretch to give us a chance to win In her first season as a full-time starter, Cincore freshman from Colorado Springs, Colo., scored 13 basketball games - much more than we would have averaged 6.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-4 three- liked," Williams said. "They both made freshman per game. Over the final eight games of the pointers, while matching her career high with six mistakes throughout the year, but those mistakes year, those numbers increased to 8.2 points, 4.8 assists. Eliely did not commit a turnover and came were reduced late in the season because of their rebounds and 2.4 assists for Cincore. up with three big steals and a block for the Big Red commitment to our process. We are certainly The 5-10 guard from Arlington, Tenn., also against the Hoosiers. excited about the future for those young players at committed just nine turnovers while dishing out 19 Nebraska's freshman duo combined for 31 both ends of the court." assists over the final eight games of the season. points on 12-of-18 shooting, to go along with 10 Whitish finished second among the Huskers in Cincore earned Nebraska's Kathy Branchaud assists and five steals, providing the firepower at scoring with 9.0 points per game, including 11.1 Most Improved Rebounder Award at the end of both ends to hold off the Hoosiers. points in Big Ten play. Over the season's last seven the season, and she was named the team's Lifter of The efficiency of Whitish and Eliely became a games, Whitish averaged 14.0 points per game. the Year. She also claimed her second consecutive common theme down the stretch for the Huskers. For the season, Whitish set the Nebraska academic All-Big Ten honor, while earning a spot Although Nebraska's season ended with a loss freshman record by hitting 40.7 percent of her on the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team for the third to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament, Whitish and three-point attempts while leading Nebraska with straight season. Eliely combined for outstanding performances. 57 three-pointers. Cincore's progression also set the stage for her Whitish led the Huskers with 16 points on 6-of- She also led the Huskers with 3.7 assists while to take more of a leadership role alongside fellow 11 shooting, including 4-of-7 threes. She also set starting all 16 Big Ten Conference contests. Whitish junior Emily Wood for the 2017-18 season. a career high with nine assists while adding five also ranked second on the team with 21 steals in Wood, a 5-5 guard from Salina, Kan., continued rebounds and a steal in 39 minutes. Eliely added 14 conference play, trailing only Eliely's 25. to be one of Nebraska's hardest workers on and points, a career-high-tying six assists, five rebounds Eliely finished third on the team with 7.7 points off the court. Wood played in all 29 games for and a pair of steals in 37 minutes. Eliely also hit a per game for the year. She started all 29 games the Huskers and averaged 2.1 points per game. career-best four three-pointers on eight attempts. as a freshman, joining senior Allie Havers, junior Originally a walk-on, Wood has continued to Overall, the two freshmen teamed up for 30 Jasmine Cincore and sophomore Jessica Shepard in increase her own speed of play throughout her points on 11-of-22 shooting, including 8-of-15 from the Husker starting five for every game. career. Coupled with her relentlessness to get extra INTRODUCTION . THIS IS NEBRASKA . ADMINISTRATION . COACHES . MEET THE HUSKERS . OPPONENTS . REVIEW . RECORDS . TRADITION HUSKERS.COM @HUSKERSWBB #HUSKERS 105 ELIELY, WHITISH EMERGE, IMPROVE AS FRESHMEN shooting on her own in the gym, Wood helped the Over the final seven games, Shepard maintained Nebraska's young players had to overcome a Huskers set the physical and mental tone every her productivity at 18.6 points and 8.4 rebounds daunting schedule that ranked No. 27 nationally day. A two-time academic All-Big Ten choice, Wood per game, but shot just 39 percent from the floor at the end of the season. NU's non-conference was a CoSIDA Academic All-America nominee for and averaged nearly four turnovers per contest. strength of schedule was ranked No. 8 nationally, the Huskers in 2016-17 after posting better than Following the season, Shepard made the and featured No. 1 UConn, and NCAA Tournament a 3.9 grade-point average. A Big Ten Distinguished decision to transfer after amassing 1,112 points qualifiers Missouri, California, Drake and Creighton. Scholar for the second time, Wood was also named and 550 rebounds in two seasons in Lincoln. Her Nebraska's non-conference schedule also included one of Nebraska's Outstanding Scholars before former high school teammate, Rylie Cascio Jensen, WNIT champion Washington State and Mountain earning her bachelor's degree in May of 2017 - just also elected to transfer. The walk-on from Fremont West Conference regular-season champion three years after arriving in Lincoln. averaged 2.3 points and 1.2 assists per game. Colorado State. A three-time member of the Tom Osborne Another Nebraska native seemed to find her The Huskers opened the season with a 71-53 Citizenship Team and a Nebraska Student-Athlete niche late in the season.