Second-Half Collapse Sends Nebraska Women's Basketball Home Early from the Big Ten Tournament

Everything was going Nebraska's way on Wednesday in the first round of the Big Ten Conference Tournament in Indianapolis...until it wasn't.

13-seed Indiana rallied from a 20-point deficit to knock off 12-seed Nebraska, 72-69. The Hoosiers improved to 18-13 on the year, while the Huskers fell to 18-12.

Indiana advances to Thursday's second round game against 5-seed Ohio State.

The Game
The Stats
What's Next
The Tournament Picture
Nebraska Women's Basketball 2025-26 Schedule

The Game

Nebraska dominated the game from the tip. Four points from Britt Prince were followed by a Logan Nissley layup to start 6-0. Midway through the quarter, the Huskers were already ahead by double digits.

That dominance continued in the second quarter, where the lead extended to as many as 20 points. But after shooting 68.8% in the opening frame, the Big Red would cool off completely.

Indiana Hoosiers guard Nevaeh Caffey pushes past Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Britt Prince. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana began the long climb back midway through the third quarter. Trailing by 18, a pair of three-pointers jump-started a kill shot* run of 10-0. The deficit was just eight points going into the final quarter.

*College basketball statistician Evan Miyakawa classifies a kill shot as any run of at least 10-0.

The gap was down to three points by the 7:03 mark, but Nebraska kept it at a two-possession game for the next five minutes. Leading by seven with 2:44 to go, the ball simply stopped going in for the Huskers.

The Hoosiers ripped off another 10-0 run, taking their first lead of the game with 1:06 to play. Amiah Hargrove got a layup with 17 seconds left to cut the deficit to one point. After a pair of made free throws for Indiana, both Prince and Nissley got exceptionally good looks from deep to tie the game, but both efforts missed the mark.

Indiana Hoosiers guard Shay Ciezki defends Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Kennadi Williams. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana closed on a 12-2 run, not missing any of its final six shots. Nebraska went 1-for-7 to finish the game.

The Stats

Nebraska shot 41.8% for the game, including 5-of-22 on three-pointers. Indiana made 50.9% of its shots, making 5-of-13 from deep.

Hargrove scored a game-high 23 points, followed closely by the 20 points and eight assists from Prince. Jessica Petrie came off the bench for a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Shay Ciezki led the Hoosiers with 22 points. Edessa Noyan had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Box score

What's Next

The trip to Indianapolis was short for the Huskers. Now, they must wait to hear their fate on Sunday. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show is set for 7 p.m. CDT on ESPN.

The Tournament Picture

The latest bracketology from ESPN's Charlie Creme on Monday had Nebraska among the Last Four In. That's a dicey position to be in when you don't win a single game in the conference tournament.

Should the Huskers fail to make the NCAA Tournament field, they'd be high on the list for the WNIT. The 2022-23 team, the last to miss the Big Dance, made it to the Super 16 before falling to eventual champion Kansas.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

Nebraska Women's Basketball 2025-26 Schedule

Oct. 24 Nebraska 104, Mount Marty 40 (Exhibition)
Nov. 3 Nebraska 103, Northwestern State 46
Nov. 8 Nebraska 80, Samford 46
Nov. 12 Nebraska 84, Creighton 50
Nov. 16 Nebraska 82, North Dakota State 70 (Sanford Pentagon)
Nov. 19 Nebraska 103, Oral Roberts 58
Nov. 24 Nebraska 80, Purdue Fort Wayne 57 (Emerald Coast Classic)
Nov. 25 Nebraska 91, Virginia 82 (Emerald Coast Classic)
Dec. 3 Nebraska 92, Bradley 53
Dec. 6 Nebraska 101, Penn State 83
Dec. 9 Nebraska 87 vs. Omaha 35
Dec. 14 Nebraska 85, Illinois State 44
Dec. 21 Nebraska 87, Cal Baptist 56
Dec. 29 74 USC, Nebraska 66
Jan. 1 Iowa 86, Nebraska 76
Jan. 4 Nebraska 78, Purdue 62
Jan. 8 Nebraska 78, Indiana 73
Jan. 11 UCLA 83, Nebraska 61
Jan. 15 Michigan State 73, Nebraska 71
Jan. 21 Wisconsin 63, Nebraska 60
Jan. 24 Nebraska 81, Illinois 75
Jan. 28 Nebraska 89, Northwestern 73
Feb. 1 Ohio State 90, Nebraska 71
Feb. 4 at Michigan 88, Nebraska 76
Feb. 7 Maryland 78, Nebraska 60
Feb. 12 Minnesota 84, Nebraska 67
Feb. 16 Iowa 80, Nebraska 67
Feb. 19 Oregon 80, Nebraska 76
Feb. 22 Nebraska 66, Washington 65
Feb. 28 Nebraska 93, Rutgers 52
March 4 Indiana 72, Nebraska 69 (Big Ten Tournament)

Home games are bolded. All times central.