Daily Nebraskan

Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: Sports

Kelly

It's a small object with a little ball that rattles around inside, piercing the calm when air is blown through its chamber.

Then, there is a ringing in the ears, the referee shouting a number and completing an obscure arm gesture that makes the Hokey Pokey look as juvenile as it sounds.

Sure it's easy to get over the first foul, but when the calls start to add up, players can find themselves on the bench, unable to get their jobs done or let other players feed off their energy.

NU Coach Connie Yori attributed the squads season-high 24 fouls to the Cornhuskers' inability to successfully run their defensive scheme and shut down Baylor Saturday night.

In her postgame interview Yori attributed early foul trouble to sophomore guard Yvonne Turner, who finished the game with four fouls, a key factor in NU's defensive struggles.

"If Vonnie's not wearing the point guard out, then Dominique gets in and that doesn't allow her to play with as much energy," Yori said. "I think Vonnie's foul trouble was key."

Aggressive is what the Huskers have been all season long, confusing and forcing teams into uncharacteristic turnovers with their lock-down, full-court pressure.

Yori used Baylor senior guard Angela Tisdale as an example of the squads inability to pressure due to foul trouble.

Tisdale scored 17 points on the Huskers in the Lady Bears' victory, but Yori wasn't going to detract from her effort.

Yori said Tisdale is having a stellar senior year and attributed her ability to control the tempo and pace of the game as another factor in the Lady Bears' victory.

"If we were to pick up two quick fouls, you're obviously not going to be as aggressive just in fear of maybe picking up another one," said NU freshman guard Dominique Kelley. "Then, you have to go out for the half or you go to the bench for three fouls."

Kelley, who tag-teams the defensive pressure effort with Turner, said the young squad takes a lot of pride in their defensive performance.

What's not to be proud of?

The Huskers are tied with Colorado for seventh in scoring defense, sixth in defensive rebounding and blocked shots, fifth in steals and fourth in turnover margin in league play.

Kelley said when Turner is out with foul trouble, it's harder to play the style of defense she has become accustomed to.

"I'm just not allowed to be as aggressive and consistent," Kelley said. "What Vonnie and I are out to do is very tiring and you need a lot of energy to do it."

The season-high 24 fouls committed by Nebraska on Saturday was a problem for NU all night, but Kelley said the team won't complain about tightly called games.

Kelley said playing on the road, especially against the No. 6 team in the country, the home team typically gets more calls in its favor.

She said it is an aspect that works both ways.

"That's just the same here," Kelley said. "We feel at home they don't call as many fouls on us as they do on other teams."

Kelley said it's a matter of being able to play through the tough calls, and even when the fouls pile up and frustration begins to set in. She also said the Huskers know they need to remain composed and not let the fouls get the best of them.

"Well obviously, (Coach Yori) always talks about, you know, 'we don't complain to the refs,'" Kelley said. "We control the things we can control."

nickfilipowski@dailynebraskan.com

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