Lincoln – The Nebraska women’s basketball team jumped into the 2012-13 season by jumping on the Pittsburg State Gorillas with a 44-7 halftime lead on the way to a 78-34 victory on Monday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The Huskers opened exhibition play on a 22-0 run against a Pittsburg State team that advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight last season and finished with a 27-6 record.

The Huskers, who return four starters from last year’s 24-9 squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, were led by junior Jordan Hooper. The 6-2 forward from Alliance, Neb., opened and closed the first half with three-pointers on her way to 16 points and six rebounds in the half. The All-American finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and two assists in just 20 minutes while going 7-of-14 from the field and 2-of-4 from long range.

For the game, NU connected on 13-of-24 threes led by 3-of-4 shooting from long range by sophomore guards Brandi Jeffery and Tear’a Laudermill. Jeffery, who earned a start alongside NU’s returning starters Hooper, Lindsey Moore, Emily Cady and Hailie Sample, finished with 11 points and three rebounds in just 16 minutes.

Laudermill dropped in 12 points, while adding four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 14 minutes of action. Another sophomore guard, Rebecca Woodberry, added a 3-for-5 effort from long range to finish with 11 points, while adding three boards and one assist in just 13 minutes. Overall, Nebraska’s three sophomore guards combined for 34 points and 10 rebounds in just 43 minutes while combining for 9-of-13 three-point shooting.

Cady, a Big Ten All-Freshman selection last season, produced an outstanding all-around performance with seven points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block in 23 minutes. Moore added three points, three rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in 23 minutes.

Freshman guard Sadie Murren pitched in seven points and three assists in 22 minutes, while sophomore forward Katie Simon added six points and four boards. Junior center Adrianna Maurer contributed four points, four rebounds and two steals while leading the Huskers with 24 minutes. It was Maurer’s first appearance since undergoing season-ending back surgery in January of last year.

For the game, Nebraska hit 45 percent (27-60) of its shots from the field, including 54.2 percent (13-24) of its threes. The Huskers also hit 73.3 percent (11-15) of their free throws. NU outrebounded Pittsburg State, 44-35, and distributed 22 assists compared to just six for PSU. The Gorillas shot just 24.4 percent (11-45) for the game, including just 12.5 percent (2-16) from three-point range. PSU was also just 10-of-22 (45.5 percent) at the line.

Nebraska raced to a 44-7 halftime lead after hitting 17-of-31 shots (54.8 percent), including 7-of-12 threes (58.3 percent). Pittsburg State hit just 2-of-17 shots from the floor in the opening period, including 0-for-5 from long range. The Gorillas were also just 3-of-6 at the line in the half.

No Gorillas managed double figures in the game, but sophomore All-American Lizzy Jeronimus did manage nine points.

“I was really pleased and surprised by our defense,” Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. “That’s the best defense we’ve played at any point in our practice setting so that’s really positive.”

Nebraska makes its final exhibition appearance on Sunday, Nov. 4 against Nebraska-Kearney. Tip-off between the Huskers and Lopers at the Devaney Center is set for 2:05 p.m.

CHADRON – The Chadron State College men’s basketball team was to open its season Monday night at home with an exhibition game against the Blue Angels, a barnstorming team made up of former college players, by the game has been canceled and won’t be made up.

Instead, CSC’s first action will be a counting game a week later on Monday November 12th again traditional rival Nebraska-Kearney…which left the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference this year for the MIAA. Tip-off time will be 7 pm.

The Eagles, already a young club after graduating 4 seniors…including last year’s top 3 scorers and rebounders, lost point guard Sammy Hines…the only returning full-time starter and one of just 2 seniors…for the season to a torn knee ligament.

Coach Brent Bargen, entering his seventh season at CSC, says Hines was the Eagles’ most-experience and arguably best play, so they’ll definitely miss his skills and leadership. Bargen says the good news is that Hines should return at full speed next year.

The Detroit native, who came to Chadron as a junior college transfer as a sophomore, averaged 8.7 points, sank 42% of his 3-point shots and had more assists than turnovers.

Bargen expects redshirt freshman Justyn Anderson from Las Vegas and true freshman Dominque Watkins of Sand Diego to share the point guard duties with former Scottsbluff High star Tim McDavid helping out.

An injury limited Anderson to just 4 games last year, allowing him to retain the year of eligibility. He averaged over 31 points a game as a high school senior. Watkins averaged about 18 points at San Diego’s Bishop’s High last season and 13.4 points and 4.8 assists his junior year.

McDavid, a junior, joined CSC last year as a junior college transferred and played primarily on the wing. David Downey…another junior and former Scottsbluff guard…is now the only player with more than one season with CSC while forward Josh Hatcher, a transfer last year, is the only senior on the roster.

The Eagles do return 3 sophomore letter winners: 7-0 center Michael Safer and forwards Kendrick Holliman and Kyle Vinich. Vinich started the last half of last season, but is also on the CSC football team and won’t be available until the football season ends. Sophomore center Mouhamed Diop redshirted last year after a preseason injury.

Bargen brought in 3 junior college transfers and two freshmen this year, and one of them is intimately family with the program: his son, 6-5 Zac Bargen. The younger Bargen, an All-State selection at Chadron High, played Butler CC in Kansas the past two seasons, averaging about 9 points and 5 rebounds a game.

The other two transfers are also 6-5. Grant Stone averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 44% from 3-point range at Henry Ford Community College in the Detroit area. Chris Taylor, originally from Amman, Jordan, played at southern California’s Irvine Valley College the past 2 years and averaged about 7 points and 3 rebounds.

The other freshmen recruit is Brandon Pippenger, a 6-8 forward who averaged 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks last year at Martin Luther High at Banning, Calif.

Despite losing Hines, Bargen says the Eagles are off to a good start in practice with good leaders and the ability to score with solid depth at all positions with at least two players vying for the starting nod at each. He also likes having 3 promising young centers, all 6-foot-8 or taller.

CHADRON – The theme for Chadron State College’s 2012 homecoming was “Zombie Apocalypse,” which was fitting because it took until the fourth quarter for the Eagles’ offense to come alive.

Tailback Michael Madkins scored two touchdowns on the ground, Nathan Ross added a 32-yard touchdown reception and the Eagles’ defense stopped the high-flying Western New Mexico offense three times, including once on a goal line stand, in the fourth quarter to earn a gritty 41-23 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Saturday.

Glen Clinton rushed for a career-high 245 yards, including scampers of 63, 48 and 27 yards, and quarterbackJonn McLain completed 20 of 29 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns as the Eagles, ranked 24th in the current D2football.com Top 25 poll and third in Super Region Four, shook off a shaky start to improve to 7-2 overall and 6-1 in the conference.

Western New Mexico, which has lost to Chadron State seven straight years since joining the RMAC, falls to 4-5 and 3-4 in the league.

Neither team led by more than a touchdown until the fourth quarter and it appeared as if Western New Mexico could spoil the Eagles’ homecoming. However, the tide started to turn in Chadron State’s favor after Western New Mexico kicker Josh McIntire’s third field goal of the day – a 27 yarder – that put the Mustangs up, 23-20.

On the Eagles’ ensuing drive, they marched 86 yards in 11 plays and converted three third downs when McLain found three different receivers. Following a 27-yard pass to Clinton and a 14-yard rush from Chapman Ham, Madkins, who ran for 59 yards in the game, put the Eagles up 27-23 with an 11-yard burst up the middle.

The Mustangs came right back, though, and drove into CSC territory, eventually having a first and goal from the Eagles’ 9-yard line. The CSC defense stood tall and on fourth and goal from the three, Tau Ho Ching and Kevin Lindholm, who had a game-high 17 tackles, stood up John De La Rosa at the one.

Chadron State then needed just three plays to find the end zone again. Clinton gave the Eagles’ offense some breathing room with a 4-yard run up the middle and then he followed with a season-high 63-yard gain. On the next play, McLain found Ross open along the sideline for a 32-yard TD and the Eagles were in firm control, leading 34-23 with just eight minutes to play.

On the Mustangs’ next drive, quarterback Mitch Glasmann, who completed 22 of 41 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown, was intercepted by Trelan Taylor. The Eagles capitalized five plays later when Madkins raced 38 yards and somersaulted into the end zone to put CSC up, 41-23 with three minutes remaining.

Despite the fourth quarter dominance – CSC outgained Western New Mexico, 225 to 101 yards – a majority of the game was nip and tuck. Western New Mexico led three different times and were looking to add more late in the first quarter until linebacker Dylan Furrier forced a fumble that Lindholm, who also had 5.5 tackles for loss, recovered.

Two plays later, McLain found a wide-open Ham for a 58-yard TD that put CSC up 20-17 at halftime.

Western New Mexico scored the only six points in the third quarter and led 23-20 heading into the fourth.

The Eagles rushed for 313 yards in the game and finished with 539 yards of total offense. It was the third time in nine games Chadron State has eclipsed the 500-yard mark.

Chadron State will play at Fort Lewis Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

WNM    3 14 6 0 – 23
CSC        7 13 0 21 – 41

Scoring Summary
First Quarter
WNM – Josh McIntire 22 field goal
CSC – Kyle Vinich 7 pass from Jonn McLain (Alex Ferdinand kick)
Second Quarter
WNM – John De La Rosa 6 run (Josh McIntire kick)
CSC – Alex Ferdinand 35 field goal
WNM – Marquis Sumpter 37 pass from Mitch Glasmann
CSC – Alex Ferdinand 40 field goal
CSC – Chapman Ham 58 pass from Jonn McLain (Ferdinand kick)
Third Quarter
WNM – Josh McIntire 23 field goal
WNM – Josh McIntire 27 field goal
Fourth Quarter
CSC – Michael Madkins 11 run (Ferdinand kick)
CSC – Nathan Ross 32 pass from Jonn McLain (Ferdinand kick)
CSC – Michael Madkins 38 run (Ferdinand kick)