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Alexis Markowski's Career High Propels Nebraska Women's Basketball Past No. 20 Michigan State

The Huskers remain unbeaten at home this season with an upset victory.

Kaleb Henry

Nebraska center/forward Alexis Markowski shoots against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025.
Nebraska center/forward Alexis Markowski shoots against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025. / Nebraska Athletics
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If you were to judge both teams by first four minutes of the game Wednesday evening at Pinnacle Bank Arena, you would have predicted a blowout for the visitors. But because games are 40 minutes, the home side flipped a switch and pulled the upset.

Nebraska women's basketball upended No. 20 Michigan State, 85-80. NU improves to 12-4 on the year and 3-2 in Big Ten Conference play while MSU falls to 12-3 overall and 2-2 in the league.

Nebraska guard Allison Weidner shoots the ball against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025.
Nebraska guard Allison Weidner shoots the ball against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025. / Nebraska Athletics

The Huskers are 11-0 at home this season.

Michigan State jumped out to a 10-0 lead early as Nebraska struggled to hang on to the ball, let alone make any shots. Luckily for the home side, both teams shot under 40% as the Spartans held a 21-15 lead after the first quarter.

Three minutes into the second, Nebraska tore off on a 15-0 run. The lead would grow to as many as 17 points in the third quarter, but Michigan State found a way to threaten late.

Nebraska forward Amiah Hargrove shoots the ball against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025.
Nebraska forward Amiah Hargrove shoots the ball against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025. / Nebraska Athletics

Riding 50% shooting in the final frame, the Spartans got as close as four points down the stretch. But the Huskers made 11 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold on for the upset victory.

Nebraska shot 44.1% for the game, including 5-of-14 on 3s. The Huskers made 28-of-35 free throws.

Michigan State shot 44.6% overall, making 8-of-26 from deep. The Spartans added 14 made free throws on 19 attempts.

Nebraska center/forward Alexis Markowski shoots the ball against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025.
Nebraska center/forward Alexis Markowski shoots the ball against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025. / Nebraska Athletics

Alexis Markowski scored a game- and career-high 28 points. She also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Nebraska heads on the road Sunday to face Rutgers (8-8, 0-5 Big Ten). Tip in Piscataway is set for 1 p.m. CST on B1G+.

Box score

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Kaleb Henry
KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans. He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team where he discussed NCAA legislation as SIUE's representative to the Ohio Valley Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 

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