Sole senior Hester to play final home game

Senior Night might as well be renamed "Tay Hester Night."

The lone Cornhusker senior will make her last regular-season start at home tonight against Colorado. But Hester was quick to point out that this won't be her last game, just her last in Lincoln.

"I can't get all sad and teary-eyed now," she said. "(I've) still got a job to do."

For Hester, it's been a long journey that saw her play for three different programs.
She started at the University of Texas-El Paso in 2005 before transferring to Mount San Antonio Community College for a season and then winding up at Nebraska in 2007.

Hester filled an immediate role for the Huskers as a strong physical player who could get to the rack and score.

NU coach Connie Yori said Hester's senior year has been hampered by injuries. The Moreno Valley, Calif., native has dealt with hamstring issues as well as back problems.
But Yori and the team admire Hester's work ethic and have come up with an appropriate senior nickname.

"We call her Grandma because first of all, she's older than everybody else, and secondly, she acts like it based on the fact that she's always holding her back." Yori joked.

But Hester's bad back hasn't slowed her down lately. She's averaging seven points and seven rebounds over the last three games.

Yori said one of Hester's best games as a Husker came against Missouri a week ago when she recorded 12 points, grabbed eight boards and had five assists.

Hester brings a certain style to the hardwood. Her coach calls her a terrific slasher because she's easy to spot when she has the ball.

Hester is usually the one making a hard drive to the hoop, trying to draw contact.

But while Yori loves Hester's ability to get to the rim, the coach has to constantly remind her to be careful.

"We always say, ‘Be aggressive but don't run anybody over,'" Yori said.

Hester's football mentality on the basketball court has paid off in her two-year tenure at NU.

She had a career-high 17 points earlier this year against Cal State Bakersfield. She also faced her former UTEP team last season and posted a career-high 12 rebounds.

Hester is third on the team this season with 119 boards. Only post players Cory Montgomery and Catheryn Redmon have more.

While Hester has been a productive guard on the inside, she hasn't fared well from the perimeter, sinking just six 3-pointers in two years at Nebraska.

But that's not Hester's game, Yori said.

Yori added that Hester has been told not to take a three unless a special situation arises.
Hester knows the circumstances.

"It depends how many seconds are on the shot clock," Hester said.

Tonight, Hester will make her second start in thirteen games. 

Yori said it doesn't matter if Hester starts games because she's averaging more than 20 minutes a game anyway.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but we bring her in the first minute anyway," she said. "She's even said that she kind of likes coming in off the bench."

Hester said this season has flown by, and she's approaching this game like any other.
Her family came all the way from California to watch her play at Kansas last Saturday.

Hester said her mom had never been to Nebraska and was a little leery of driving in the snow.

Hester's two sisters and brothers will also be in attendance with her mother when the senior guard is honored tonight against the Buffaloes. Hester said that while the spotlight might be on her, she wants her team to have fun.

"I want to get the ‘W' first and foremost," she said. "I want it to be one of those games where you're playing hard but everybody's enjoying it."

jeffstraub@dailynebraskan.com