Illinois (15-15, 6-12 B1G)
- The Illini come into today’s game following a 72-60 win over Michigan back on Saturday February 28. Illinois freshman Chatrice White led all scorers with 30 points that game.
Nebraska (20-9, 10-8 B1G)
- The Cornhuskers come into today’s game following a 78-60 loss to Ohio State University back on February 28.
Last time these two teams met:
January 29, 2015- Nebraska 59 Illinois 57 in Lincoln, Nebraska
- Illinois led for nearly the entire game but No. 15 Nebraska got a three-pointer just before the shot clock expired with 1:11 left in the game and eked out a 59-57 win over the Fighting Illini in front of 7,378 at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Thursday. Nebraska native Chatrice White starred in her first visit to her home state, equaling her career high with 23 points, including a career-best 4-of-8 three-pointers. But Illinois went scoreless over the final 3:43 to drop its sixth straight game, four of them by a total of 15 points.
Players to watch:
Illinois-
Chatrice White- White has put together one of the best freshman campaigns in Illinois history, breaking two freshman records and sitting in the top four in two more categories, earning herself a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. The center became the all-time leading freshman scorer at Purdue on Feb. 21 with her 401st point, and then broke the freshman blocking record against Michigan State on Feb. 25 with her 58th block. She ranks third among Illini freshmen in rebounding and fourth in steals, while her 60 blocks this season rank sixth in the overall single season records and are already 15th in career history.
Brittany Carter- Senior guard Brittany Carter has proved to be a stat-sheet stuffer after transferring from Ball State during the summer. She is averaging 8.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists, while ranking third in the Big Ten and 36th in the nation with 2.6 steals per game. She ranked second in the Big Ten in conference games with 2.7 spg. She has 2+ assists in 24 games, 2+ steals in 21 games, and 5+ rebounds in 20 games.
Nebraska-
Tear’a Laudermill- Laudermill emerged as a rising star for the Huskers to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors as a junior. She finished the season with averages of 11.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while her 62 three-pointers ranked as the 10th-best season total in NU history.
Natalie Romeo- Freshman Natalie Romeo missed eight straight games (UCLA, Nov. 28 through Minnesota, Dec. 29). She returned to action for Nebraska’s Big Ten home opener with Maryland Jan. 3. She has played in 17 straight games, including seven consecutive starts in place of the injured Rachel Theriot heading into the Big Ten Tournament.