After beating Kansas in triple overtime 85-79 early in the year, Nebraska fell to the Jayhawks 64-55 in the Super 16 round of the WNIT.
In a game where the Huskers never lead, Nebraska struggled to find answers on offense. The Huskers shot 6-of-26 from deep and 23-of-61 from the field for clips of 23% and 38%, respectively. They also shot just 33% from the free throw line, going 3-for-9. While Kansas didn’t shoot better from the 3-point line, shooting 17% in the game, the Jayhawks did shoot 46% from the field. Nebraska won the turnover battle 15-9, but it lost the rebound battle by a significant margin — 46-29.
Kansas took an early 11-3 lead to start the game, with Nebraska's first bucket coming off a 3-pointer by junior guard Jaz Shelley. Bourne answered with a personal 5-0 run to close the lead to 11-8, including scoring the last bucket of the quarter to end the period with seven points. This wasn’t enough, however, as the Jayhawks controlled an 18-13 lead after the first despite the Huskers shooting 3-of-7 from behind the arc in the quarter.
The second quarter was all even, with both teams scoring 12 points each in the period. Neither team scored in the first three minutes of the period, making for a low-scoring quarter. Kansas then went on a 6-0 run to extend the lead to 24-13. Nebraska didn’t score in the second until four minutes remained in the half. Needing a good stretch to stay in the game, the Huskers went on their own 7-0 run to bring the lead back to four points. The Jayhawks still managed to keep their five-point lead they had to start the period with a score of 30-25. Bourne was held scoreless in the second, but was still Nebraska’s leading scorer heading into halftime.
The third period was the only quarter the Huskers outscored Kansas, but it was only by two points — 20-18. Bourne was a big part of Nebraska’s success in the third, scoring another six points. Still, the Huskers only cut the lead down to 48-45. They needed a strong fourth quarter to close the game out, but it didn’t play out that way.
In a quarter where Nebraska needed its best performance, the Huskers put up the lowest scoring total of the day with just 10 points scored in the period. Sophomore forward Kendall Moriarty scored the first basket of the fourth, cutting the lead down to one point. However, Nebraska could never take the lead. Kansas had an answer for everything the Huskers threw at them. With three minutes left, Bourne cut the lead back to five points with a score of 60-55. That would be all Nebraska had left, as the Jayhawks held the Huskers scoreless in the final three minutes. Kansas closed out the game, winning 64-55.
Jayhawks senior center Taiyanna Jackson was the star of the game, tallying 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. Bourne led Nebraska with 17 points, while Shelley and Moriarty scored 12 and 10 points, respectively. Sophomore center Alexis Markowski was held to just two points on 1-of-8 shooting from the field by Jackson
The loss ends the Huskers’ season with an 18-14 record. After being ranked No. 22 in the preseason AP Poll, Nebraska finished their season with a trip to the Super 16 in the WNIT.