By Susan Harman

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Big Ten women’s basketball season has featured some odd results. Nebraska, Maryland and Michigan State have featured prominently in upsets. While the 10^th-ranked Terps have settled in and are playing well, the Cornhuskers (12-8, 4-5) remain an enigma.

They torched Maryland, 90-67, in early December, the first victory over the Terps in school history. That was the first of five victories in a row, including then-20^th ranked Kansas. In the next seven games, all conference games, the Huskers won only two (Penn State, Purdue).

 Nebraska is coming off a loss at home to Maryland in which the Huskers managed only 14 first-half points. In their loss at Rutgers the Huskers had 20 first-half points and finished with only 45, a season low. And this isn’t Vivian Stringer’s Rutgers team that was all-defense, all the time. This year Rutgers is ranked 13^th in the Big Ten in defense.

Husker statistics show a stark difference between the five Big Ten losses and the four wins. The differences come both on offense and defense, but Iowa coach Lisa Bluder put her finger on what is likely the biggest difference.

“Hitting threes,” she said. “When they’re winning their threes are falling down through the net, and when they are not winning the three hasn’t fallen as well. So I think our 3-point defense has got to be really, really important. When you are starting fours and fives who can shoot the ball from three it can be tricky at times.

 “So to me the 3-point defense, the defense in transition where they can get a lot of those spot-up threes, we have to be really good in those areas.”

In league losses the Huskers shot 34 percent overall and 21 percent behind the arc. In their victories the Huskers shot 46 percent overall and 43 percent from 3-point range. They averaged 80 points in the wins compared to 57 in their losses.

Nebraska has seven players who have at least 12 threes, led by guard Jaz Shelley’s 42. She is shooting 37 percent behind the arc.

“You’ve got to keep your eyes on her all the time,” Bluder said.

Center Alexis Markowski, who drilled 6-of-7 threes in her last trip to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, is shooting 36 percent.

“We’re definitely going to have to play from the outside in,” senior Kate Martin said. “They are a really good 3-point shooting team, and when they are on they are lethal from the 3-point line. So definitely just know where the shooters are. Good communication on defense. And having that extra pressure, that’s important for this game.”

Nebraska’s defense also suffered in its losses. Opponents shot 40 percent from three in the Huskers’ losses versus 31 percent in Husker wins.

Iowa center Monika Czinano will matchup with Markowski, a post with a game similar to Ohio State’s Rebeka Mikulasikova. Both are very capable 3-point shooters who draw the opposing post away from the hoop and enable other players to post-up or drive freely.

Czinano is on a roll after making 22-of-24 shots in her last two games despite foul trouble. Bluder said most of Czinano’s fouls have come in challenging for offensive rebounds.

“When she helps on the guard we have to help her; we always say help the helper,” Bluder said. Somebody needs to step in and box out her player so she can avoid those kind of fouls.”

 After this week’s action Iowa (8-1) is one-half game behind Indiana (9-1) in the Big Ten standings. Ohio State and Maryland are right behind at 8-2. Illinois and Michigan are 6-4.

Game time for Nebraska is noon Saturday.

NOTE: As of Wednesday morning McKenna Warnock’s status was still up in the air after she had a soft tissue injury around her ribs in the Michigan State game. She missed the Ohio State game.

      “She just needs to heal, and once she heals she’ll be ready to go again,” Bluder said. “Staying in shape is difficult with a rib injury.”