St. Petersburg, Fla. – Natalie Potts scored a game and career-high 22 points to lead three Huskers in double figures as the Nebraska women’s basketball team worked its way to a 75-61 win over Lamar on Thanksgiving Day at the St. Pete Showcase.
With the victory, Nebraska improved to 4-1 while the Cardinals slipped to 4-2 on the young season.
Potts got her 22 points with remarkable efficiency, going 9-of-10 from the field, including 1-of-2 from three-point range, while also going 3-for-3 at the free throw line. All of Potts’ free throws came as “and-ones” after made baskets, including two in the fourth quarter to help seal Nebraska’s 14-point win.
Potts was also huge in the second quarter, scoring nine big points in the period to help Nebraska flip a 25-14 deficit into a 37-31 halftime lead. She and Jaz Shelley combined for the first 12 points of a 21-3 second-quarter surge for the Big Red. The duo also combined for 10 straight points in the third quarter to help the Huskers withstand a Lamar surge that trimmed the margin to 49-46 with just over two minutes left. Shelley scored the final five points of the period to send NU to the fourth with a 54-46 lead.
Shelley finished with a season-high 17 points, including 3-of-6 three-pointers while sinking all six of her free throw attempts, and Alexis Markowski pitched in 16 points and five rebounds.
Graduate guard Darian White also played a major role in Nebraska’s success by scoring eight points to go along with a game-high nine rebounds and five assists.
Potts, Shelley and Markowski all scored in double figures despite being shackled with foul trouble throughout the game.
For the contest, Nebraska hit 51 percent of its shots (26-51), including 7-of-23 three-pointers, while sinking 16-of-17 free throws (.941). The Huskers outworked the Cardinals on the glass, 38-23, to overcome a 15-10 deficit in the turnover department.
NU held Lamar to 43.4 percent (23-53) shooting, despite the Cardinals starting the game 11-for-13. LU went 5-for-22 from long range and just 10-of-17 from the free throw line.
Sabria Dean led Lamar with 19 points, while Akasha Davis and T’Aliyah Miner each added 11 points for the Cardinals.
The Huskers return to action Saturday at the St. Pete Showcase when they take on unbeaten TCU. Tip-off between Nebraska and the Horned Frogs is set for noon (CT) with free live audio coverage from the Huskers Radio Network.
