LINCOLN, Neb.—Connie Yori told anyone who would listen before the season that this would be the best of the eight teams she’s coached at Nebraska.
So far, she’s right.
The 20th-ranked Cornhuskers are 10-0, the best start and longest win streak in the program’s 35-year history, and they’re beating opponents by more than 25 points a game. Their biggest test to date comes Sunday at home against No. 5 LSU.
“If we were to win over them,” forward Kelsey Griffin said, “it would definitely validate the 10-0.”
As it is, Yori makes no apologies for the schedule. The Huskers have beaten four teams in the top 100 of RealTimeRPI.com. Their best win has been against No. 52 Creighton, but they also have gone on the road and knocked off UNLV, St. Mary’s and a Miami team that was unbeaten.
Nebraska already is two-thirds of the way to matching its win total from last season’s 15-16 campaign.
This is the kind of season Yori figured the Huskers would have last year. But Griffin, their best player, sat out with a left foot problem that required two surgeries, and the team had numerous other injuries.
Griffin has come back strong, with team-leading averages of 16.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. The two-time All-Big 12 forward from Eagle River, Alaska, scored a career-high 31 points in last week’s 69-56 win over Creighton despite getting triple-teamed.
“Her numbers are pretty impressive, and her defense is better than it’s ever been,” said Yori, in her 18th season as a head coach. “I used to say that Kelsey was the best offensive player I’ve ever coached. Now I can say she’s the best player I’ve ever coached.”
Cory Montgomery has scored 13 or more points in seven games, has made 9 of 18 3-pointers and is averaging 5.3 rebounds. Dominique Kelley is averaging 14 points on the road, 11.7 for the season, and she’s had five or more rebounds in six games.
The Huskers rotate 10 or 11 players, giving them the depth necessary to play full-court pressure defense. They’re giving up a Big 12-low 53.5 points per game. Last year, they were ninth in the league at 61.7 points.
“We’ve made a concerted effort to get better defensively,” Yori said.
Nebraska is fourth in the Big 12 and 17th nationally in scoring at 79—17 more than they averaged last season.
The biggest difference between this year and last is Griffin.
“Last year there were several games where if Kelsey had been playing, we would have pulled it out,” Kelley said. “It’s not even her scoring and rebounding, but her leadership and what she brings to this team on and off the court.”
Griffin’s ability to bounce back has been no surprise to Montgomery, Griffin’s roommate for three years. Griffin helped out at practices and served as a liaison between players and coaches.
“She constantly told me she found a new love for basketball, being able to watch it for a year and coming back and playing,” Montgomery said.
Still, Griffin was uncertain about whether she would be the same player when she came back. It didn’t take long for her to find out. She scored 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds in 18 minutes against Davidson.
“That first game, I was so high strung,” she said. “I was worried I was going to shoot at the wrong basket or do something crazy like that. Once you get out there, you pick up the rhythm of it.”
Now the question is whether the Huskers, picked sixth in the Big 12, can stay in the groove.
The Huskers’ highest Big 12 finish in Yori’s seven seasons was a tie for fourth in 2006-07, and they’ve never been above third place since the Big 12 began in 1996-97. Their most recent conference championship was in 1987-88, in the old Big Eight.
The Big 12 figures to be as tough as ever this season. No. 6 Baylor, No. 13 Texas A&M, No. 15 Oklahoma and No. 17 Texas are ahead of the Huskers and No. 22 Kansas is behind them.
After three more non-conference games, the Huskers play at Iowa State, a home game against Texas and at Baylor.
With LSU up next, it would be a reach to think Nebraska would enter conference play undefeated.
“A lot of people believe it’s risky to go undefeated (early), that you can become complacent,” Griffin said. “It would be great. But there also can be a lot to learn from a loss. Whatever happens, there is a positive to both sides, and we’ll try to carry that through.”
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