WHO: Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-8 overall, 7-5 Big Ten)
WHEN: 12:00 PM CT (Sunday, February 11, 2024)
WHERE: Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Nebraska)
TV: FOX
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network
ONLINE: https://www.foxsports.com/live
MOBILE: https://www.foxsports.com/live
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaWBB | @IowaonBTN
Nebraska
Go Iowa Awesome – Preview: No. 2 Iowa WBB at Nebraska
Just over two weeks ago, Iowa beat Nebraska 92-73 in Carver. The game wasn’t as easy as the large margin of victory might suggest. With 1:54 to go until halftime, Iowa trailed 31-27. The offense looked as out of sorts as it had all season for most of that first half.
Then Iowa put together a 9-0 run to end the half, and largely controlled the second half. Caitlin Clark was the catalyst of Iowa’s offensive outbreak, scoring 31 of her 38 points in the game in the final 20 minutes and change.
Nebraska has been up and down since its loss to Iowa. On the positive end, the Huskers beat Michigan at Michigan, and also beat Purdue by 14 at home. On the negative end, the Huskers were terrible against Rutgers and gave the Scarlet Knights their first Big Ten win of the season. Even worse, the game was at Nebraska. The Huskers couldn’t protect their home court against one of the worst teams the conference has seen in years.
Stats from this preview are from HerHoopStats.
Top Players
6’3″ forward Alexis Markowski is Nebraska’s best player. She’s averaging 16.5 ppg and 10.1 rpg, while shooting 52.2% on 2-point attempts and 25.9% from behind the arc. Markowski had 17 points and 11 rebounds in her first game against Iowa, but also had 7 turnovers.
5’9″ point guard Jaz Shelley is a solid second scorer. She’s averaging 12.2 ppg, 5.1 apg, 4.3 rpg, and 1.8 spg. She shoots just 43.5% on 2-point attempts and 32.8% on 3-point tries. Shelley scored 19 against Iowa the first time around, thanks largely to a 5-of-11 shooting effort from three.
6’2″ freshman forward Natalie Potts is Nebraska’s final player averaging double figures. She’s averaging 10.4 ppg and 5.4 rpg, while shooting 64.8% inside the arc and 21.7% from deep. Iowa did a good job containing Potts in the first game, as she only scored five points and grabbed two rebounds in the game.
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Play Style
Nebraska averages 70.5 possessions per 40 minutes, which ranks 179th nationally. That’s a significant change from Iowa’s past two games against Penn State and Maryland. Both the Lady Lions and Terrapins are among the fastest teams in the country, but the Huskers will try to play at a slower pace.
Offensively, Nebraska averages 73.6 points per game, which ranks 49th nationally. The Huskers have shot much better on 2-point attempts (49.8%, 56th) than on 3-point tries (32.2%, 129th). The Huskers are a strong offensive rebounding team. They average 13.7 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks 44th. They also share the basketball well, as their 16.2 assists per game ranks 38th.
Defensively, Nebraska has been surrendering 63.0 points per game, which ranks 128th. Nebraska has allowed opponents to shoot 47.2% on 2-point attempts, which ranks 258th. The Huskers are much better at guarding the three-point line, allowing teams to shoot 28.3% from deep, which ranks 54th. The Huskers don’t generate many steals (6.7 per game, 238th) or blocks (1.8 per game, 337th).
X-Factor
Play like second half Iowa from the start. Iowa’s mistakes in the first half against Nebraska were largely self-inflicted. The Hawks weren’t playing well and they allowed that to frustrate them. They took bad shots and forced passes trying to go on a run as quickly as possible.
In the second half, the Hawkeyes played more freely and were able to get better shots and run their offense. Once Iowa got going, Nebraska couldn’t keep pace.
History Maybe?
Clark is 39 points away from breaking Kelsey Plum’s NCAAW Division I scoring record. if there was ever a team for her to break it against, it’s Nebraska. In Clark’s career, she has averaged a staggering 34.8 points per game against the Huskers. She’s never scored fewer than 30 points against them. That said, Clark has only hit or exceeded 39 points against the Huskers twice.
After the Penn State win, Coach Bluder said her preference is for Clark to break the record at home in Carver. Clark’s play in the second half of the Penn State game seemed to show a similar preference. Clark went into facilitator mode in the second half, preferring to dish to Hannah Stuelke and aid her monster game instead of looking to score more herself.
If Iowa needs Clark to score 39 (or more) against Nebraska to win, she’ll certainly try to do just that. But if Iowa is able to build a comfortable lead, she may start facilitating again so that Iowa fans get another Carver memory on Thursday.
The New Orleans Saints made a big splash in free agency when they signed Travis Etienne Jr. to pair with Alvin Kamara in the backfield. Etienne’s addition probably means that the Saints won’t select a back with an early choice in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, don’t be surprised if the team adds another back with a later pick. If that’s the case, Emmett Johnson of the Nebraska Cornhuskers could be someone on their radar.
Etienne will likely be the featured back, but Kamara’s future beyond 2026 is in some doubt. Kamara turns 31 in July and is entering his 10th season with a big contract after already showing some possible decline. Behind them, Kendre Miller has proven he shouldn’t be relied on and 2025 sixth round choice Devin Neal has flashed potential but remains unproven. The Saints may be wise to add more talent to their backfield with a middle or later round pick.
Emmett Johnson bio
- Position: Running back
- College: Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Height: 5-feet, 10 inches
- Weight: 202 pounds
- 40-yard dash: 4.56 seconds
- 10-yard split: 1.59 seconds
- 3-cone drill: 7.32 seconds
- 20-yard shuttle: 4.29 seconds
- Vertical jump: 35.5″
- Broad jump: 10′
Recipient of the 2021 Minnesota Mr. Football award at Academy of Holy Angels High School, Johnson began with the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a three-star recruit. He’d take a redshirt in 2022 then rushed for 411 yards with 2 scores in 2023 as part of a backfield committee. In 2024, Johnson picked up 598 yards on the ground and caught 39 passes for 286 yards with 3 total scores.
By 2025, Johnson was the Cornhuskers featured weapon and exploded onto the national radar. Johnson’s 1,451 rushing yards and 251 carries both led the Big Ten and were among the NCAA leaders. He also caught a team-high 46 passes and scored 15 touchdowns, as his 1,821 yards from scrimmage were second across the NCAA. Those eye-popping numbers earned him 1st Team All-American honors as well as the 2025 Big Ten Running Back of the Year.
Strengths
- Hits rushing lanes with authority
- Makes sharp cuts at top speed
- Decisive north-south runner
- Good acceleration into the second level
- Legitimate receiving threat
Weaknesses
- Doesn’t have breakaway speed
- Has trouble creating yards when the hole isn’t there
- Must maintain balance better through contact
- Doesn’t break many tackles
- Only one year of high-level production
Emmett Johnson 2026 draft outlook
Johnson’s 2025 tape and production are worthy of a high pick, but teams looking for a featured back might be wary of his lack of power. Still, Johnson has a strong chance of being picked somewhere on the second day and shouldn’t last later than the fourth round. His decisive one-cut and go style and receiving ability gives him a strong chance to be an instant contributor with an incredibly high upside of a potential starter.
New Orleans has had success with late-round picks and undrafted players at running back. Emmett Johnson won’t last that long. But, if Johnson slips into Day 3, the Saints could be tempted to add him and bolster their backfield in multiple ways.
Carson Jasa pitched a strong game, earning his second complete-game of the season. Nebraska’s offense started fast and kept rolling, leading to a 12-2 run-rule win over No. 12 USC in seven innings on Saturday at Hawks Field. This marked head coach Will Bolt’s 200th career win at Nebraska.
A season-high crowd of 7,602 fans filled the ballpark, making for one of the most exciting games of the year. This attendance is the 25th largest in Hawks Field history and the second biggest since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, just behind the 7,650 fans at a 2021 doubleheader against Michigan. The fans saw Nebraska play a complete game, improving to 30-9 overall and 14-3 in the conference. USC fell to 30-10 and 13-7 in Big Ten play.
Nebraska’s offense scored 12 runs on 12 hits and made only one error. USC scored just two runs on five hits and had two defensive mistakes. Drew Grego led the way, going 3-for-4 and missing the cycle by only a triple. He hit a home run, a double, and drove in four runs. Dylan Carey also went 3-for-4 with a home run and scored three times. Case Sanderson went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, and Jett Buck added a double and scored three runs. Mac Moyer, Joshua Overbeek, and Trey Fikes each had a hit.
Jasa took control on the mound right from the start. He pitched all seven innings, giving up just two runs, only one earned, on five hits. He struck out seven and walked only two, moving his record to 7-1 this season.
The Huskers started strong, taking an early lead in the first inning. Nebraska sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs right away. Sanderson brought in the first run with a groundout that scored Moyer. Buck hit a double to bring home Carey, Grego added an RBI double to score Buck, and Overbeek finished the inning with a single that made it 4-0.
Nebraska added to its lead in the third inning with three solo home runs.. Sanderson and Carey hit back-to-back homers, and Grego followed by sending the first pitch he saw over the left field wall. That made it 7-0 and put the game out of reach.
The Huskers continued to add on in the fifth inning, capitalizing on aggressive baserunning. Carey and Buck each stole. The Huskers kept building their lead in the fifth inning by taking advantage of aggressive baserunning. Carey and Buck both stole bases to get into scoring position, and Grego singled to left field to drive them both in, making it 9-0.
USC rallied briefly in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs on three hits and a Nebraska error. A solo home run gave the Trojans their first run, and a mix of hits and a defensive mistake brought in another, making it 10-2. Stokes drew walks to put runners on base, and Trey Fikes delivered an RBI single to left field. A USC fielding error on the play allowed both Buck and Stokes to score, ending the game at 12-2 and clinching the series for the Huskers.
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On the 12th day of the 2026 transfer portal cycle, Nebrasketball picked up its fourth commitment.
Boden Kapke, a 6-foot-11 forward/center out of Boston College, has committed to the Huskers. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
Kapke announced his commitment on social media, captioning his post, “🔴⚪️GBR🌽”
Kapke began his college career at Butler. As a true freshman, he played in 22 games, averaging 7.0 minutes of action per contest. In limited run during his first season of collegiate action, he shot 48% from the field and made seven of his 17 attempts (41%) from three-point range.
As a sophomore, Kapke made 16 starts while appearing in 34 of the team’s 35 games. In just 13.4 minutes per game, he averaged 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. He shot 40% from the field and 27% (18-for-66) from deep.
Kapke transferred to Boston College for his junior season. In his lone year with the Eagles, his numbers jumped to 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds over 26.7 minutes a game. He made 17 starts in 31 appearances on the year. He shot 47% from the field and 33% on three-pointers.
Out of Victoria, Minnesota, Kapke was a finalist for his state’s 2023 Mr. Basketball. As a senior, he averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds a game, helping Holy Family Catholic to a 29-3 record and the Class AA State Tournament semifinals.
Kapke finished his prep career with 1,796 career points and 1,062 rebounds.
Nebraska lost nearly all of its frontcourt production from a 28-7 campaign that ended in the Sweet 16. Starter Rienk Mast and backup Jared Garcia have both exhausted their eligibility, while starter Berke Büyüktuncel entered the transfer portal last week.
The Huskers do have a returning frontcourt player in Leo Curtis. The 7-foot-2 native of Iceland appeared in 17 games as a true freshman.
Nebraska also picked up a likely starting four man from Belmont in Sam Orme. The full-time starter as a redshirt sophomore this past season, Orme averaged 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 25.8 minutes per game.
Still up in the air is the status of Central Michigan transfer Ugnius Jaruševičius. The Lithuanian big man played in just one game in 2025-26 with Nebraska and is seeking a medical waiver for an additional year of eligibility. With his back issues and a waiver being needed from the NCAA, the coaching staff can’t be certain that he’ll be available next season.
As of this commitment, Kapke would slide into the starting five spot. Kapke is nearly identical to Mast in terms of size, bringing one more inch of height and five more pounds of weight. His offensive play style, however, would be more similar to what Husker fans saw from Büyüktuncel.
A final decision is still to be announced from Boise State forward/center Drew Fielder. The former Georgetown big averaged 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists this past season with the Broncos, shooting 40.9.% on three-pointers and 60.6% inside the arc. Fielder has visited Nebraska and Washington and is visiting Alabama this weekend.
On Friday, Nebraska picked up a starting ball handler in Utah Valley’s Trevan Leonhardt. This past season, he started all 35 games, averaging 11.8 points, 6.0 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per contest. He earned first-team All-WAC and All-Defensive team honors.
Nebraska’s starting lineup right now projects to be Leonhardt, Sandfort, Frager, Orme, and Kapke. That gives the Huskers a starting lineup height of 6-foot-5, 6-foot-7, 6-foot-7, 6-foot-9, and 6-foot-11. As for three-point shooting, that group had averages in 2025-26 of 37%, 41.6%, 35.2%, 40.4%, and 33%.
Multiple pieces from last year have confirmed they will be returning.
First-team All-Big Ten selection Pryce Sandfort will be back for his senior season. Coach Fred Hoiberg confirmed earlier this month that the first-team All-Big Ten selection had been battling a sports hernia injury. Sandfort underwent surgery after the season ended and will be rehabbing for several weeks, diminishing the potential of him leaving early for the NBA draft.
Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager re-signed with Nebraska. He will slide into one of the starting spots vacated by Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence. In his redshirt freshman season, Frager hit the 20-point scoring mark six times on his way to averaging 11.8 points a game off the bench.
Curtis and main rotation piece Cale Jacobsen have also had their returns confirmed. In 2025-26, Jacobsen played in all 35 contests, averaging 4.6 points on 52 percent shooting, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game with a 2.1-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Along with Jaruševičius, sharpshooter Connor Essegian is also seeking a medical waiver for an additional year of eligibility. However, he did get an official return post on social media. In the seven games he was on the floor this season, he averaged 5.4 points per game, making eight three-pointers.
Other players on the roster to be confirmed returning are Henry Burt and Will Cooper.
The Huskers are also adding a pair of high school signees. Colin Rice and Jacob Lanier are both four-star forward prospects and could see the floor earlier in their collegiate careers.
Besides 61-game starter Büyüktuncel, Nebraska has also seen Quentin Rhymes and Justin Bolis leave via the transfer portal.
Nebraska now has two open spots remaining on the roster. The portal remains open through April 21.
Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.
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