Boston College Athletics
Women's Basketball Readies for Nebraska
March 16, 2000 | Women's Basketball
March 16, 2000
GAME: No. 12 Nebraska (18-12) vs. No. 5 Boston College (25-8), Mideast
Regional, First round.
TIME: Friday, 6 p.m. EST.
SITE: University Hall, Charlottesville, Va.
After a strong finish to earn an at-large bid, Nebraska will aim for an upset against Boston College.
The Cornhuskers won six of their last seven games to gain one of the last at-large berths to the NCAA tournament. Nebraska likely secured its third straight bid by upsetting Kansas in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Iowa State in the semifinals.
"I'm really excited for our four seniors," coach Paul Sanderford said. "People wrote us off in mid-January, but we played very well down the stretch with our backs against the wall. Our run in the Big 12 tournament, especially our win against Kansas, was huge."
The Huskers will continue to rely on their strong backcourt. Nicole Kubik, who averages 17.3 points and 5.1 assists, is a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman-Cline award, which goes to the nation's top point guard.
To continue its late-season success, Nebraska will have to find a way to get by the Eagles. Boston College is battle-tested thanks to its Big East schedule, which boasts three teams in the Top 10.
"They are from the Big East Conference, which is a very tough league," Sanderford said. "We know Boston College is a great basketball team. We are happy to be dancing, but at the same time we don't just want to get in, we want to do some damage."
Boston College, which set a school record for victories, makes its second consecutive NCAA appearance. The Eagles made its debut in 1999 before suffering a second-round loss to perennial power Tennessee.
The Eagles' strength is their balance. Four players, led by Cal Bouchard, average double figures. Bouchard averages 16.0 points and is shooting 46.9 percent from 3-point range.
Boston College got a lift when it welcomed back sophomore forward Becky Gottstein, who missed 12 games with a stress fracture in her right ankle. Gottstein is contributing an average of 13.3 points and 9.7 rebounds.
The winner advances to face host and No. 4 seed Virginia or No. 13 Pepperdine in the second round on Sunday.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Nebraska - F Charlie Rodgers (9.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg), C Casey Leonhardt (9.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg), G Melody Peterson (7.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg), G Brooke Schwartz (12.9 ppg, 3.1 apg), G Nicole Kubik (17.3 ppg, 5.1 apg). Boston College - F Becky Gottstein (13.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg), F Alissa Murphy (13.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg), C Jamie Cournoyer (11.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg), G Brianne Stepherson (8.5 ppg, 3.7 apg), Bouchard (16.0 ppg, 2.3 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Nebraska - At-large bid, Big 12 Conference. Boston College - At-large bid, Big East Conference.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORDS: Nebraska - 2-4, 4 years. Boston College - 1-1, 1 year.
