A stagnant start, a hot streak, a close finish. This game had everything you wanted in a tournament championship. Unless, of course, you’re me who gets way too invested in this game and team. No lead makes
me comfortable and my neighbors definitely hate me for acting like I’m coaching.
Anyway, Nebraska comes away the Champions of the Beach Bracket in the Emerald Coast Classic and stays undefeated at 7-0.
The All Tournament Team included two Nebraska players; Britt Prince and Amiah Hargrove.
Britt Prince was named Tournament MVP and holds the tournament game record for points with 30. The point total also ties her career high that she posted just a couple games before.
First Quarter
Nebraska and Virginia has tipped off, right away you can tell that Virginia wants to go fast. Britt Prince gets fouled and splits the pair at the line, Cavaliers lead by four. Prince has been the Huskers only source of offense so far as she’s scored seven straight (7-9 UVA). Virginia’s defense has been suffocating, Nebraska doesn’t look super comfortable anywhere on the floor. A media timeout will be taken with 4:51 left in the first quarter, Virginia up 12-7.
Callin Hake has been blocked on back to back drive attempts, but hits a step back three has the shot clock expires. Nebraska is down two, Eliza Maupin gets fouled and makes the bucket; free throw attempt coming. Maupin misses the free throw, but Amiah Hargrove is there to clean up the miss, Nebraska leads 14-12. I’ve been truly impressed with Kennadi Williams, she’s 5’4 but plays like she’s anything but that. She has a chance to go to the line and complete the three point play, but misses the free throw attempt (16-14 Neb).
Virginia ties the ball game at 16 with a jumper after Nebraska commits a shot clock violation. Amiah Hargrove will shoot free throws after being ran over, she’s drains both of them putting the Huskers up two. Claire Johnson commits a foul that sends Virginia to the line, but they can’t convert. Nebraska has not made a field goal in over three minutes, something they do not want to see continue. Nebraska ends the quarter up two.
Nebraska 18 Virginia 16
Second Quarter
Jessica Petrie gets her first points of the night, she keeps Nebraska up four. FloSports needs to get their crap together, the broadcast is all over the place, I’ve seen the same play three times now. Either way, Callin Hake drills a three, but Virginia gets it right back (23-19 Neb). Britt Prince is called for a foul, sending UVA to the line and they go 1 for 2. Amiah Hargrove gets fouled on what might possibly be the cleanest block ever, but Nebraska will take it, Hargrove hits both freebies. A make up call might have just happened as well because I also think Hargrove just got off a clean block, she gets called for the foul instead. Britt Prince forces Virginia to call a timeout after she gets a friendly roll on her jumper. Timeout is taken with 6:17 left in the first half, Nebraska is up 27-20.
Britt Prince is just so good at basketball, she gives the pump fake and drives straight past her defender for two. Both teams are trading buckets now as Jessica Petrie has an easy layup. Callin Hake has back to back assists to Prince and Hargrove. A three by Virginia is combatted with a three by Petrie, she has seven in the quarter and Nebraska is up nine (38-29). Jessica Petrie finds an open Maupin, she misses the layup but gets fouled and makes both. Britt Prince needs to start finishing these crazy handle and aerobatic plays, the highlights would be out of this world. Virginia has cut the lead to single digits.
Nebraska 42 Virginia 33
Halftime Stats
Britt Prince: 18 points
Amiah Hargrove: 8 points, 4 rebounds
Jessica Petrie: 7 points
Nebraska is shooting 50 percent from the floor, including 33.3 percent from long range. The Huskers are winning the rebounding battle 20-16, have only committed six turnovers and have eight assists.
Third Quarter
So I’ve missed a bit because I was trying to give my dog his pills, please forgive me, I’ll try to summarize. Petra Bozan picked up her third foul pretty early, that will be something to watch. Jessica Petrie got a break away layup, Hailey Weaver hit a fast break three causing Virginia to call a timeout…then Weaver immediately hit another three. Nebraska is currently up 13 (53-40). Amiah Hargrove has been great on the boards and she gets rewarded as she cleans up Nissley’s miss. Media timeout with 4:54 left in the third quarter.
Britt Prince gets sent to the free throw line where she makes both shots. That has been the only offensive life Nebraska has had for a while, Virginia has made it a 10 point game. Eliza Maupin is getting a chance to extend the lead though and she does (59-57 Neb). Callin Hake will be shooting free throws after she gets wrapped up and Virginia is over the limit (1of2). Petra Bozan gets the rebound off the miss and that leads to a Hake three pointer. Empty possessions for both teams, but Britt Prince calls her own number and goes coast to coast. Nebraska is up 18 and that Prince bucket leads Virginia to call a timeout with 1:03 left in the quarter.
Nebraska 69 Virginia 50
Fourth Quarter
An 18 point lead has dwindled to just 12 now via back to back threes from Virginia. This is where I start to feel anxiety, Nebraska’s offense has disappeared and the turnovers have started to pile in clutch moments. Virginia shot a pair of free throws to make it a 10 point game, but Eliza Maupin gets a steal and that will lead to an Amiah Hargrove three point attempt the hard way and she makes the free throw. Nebraska calls timeout due to pressure on the inbound with 6:25 left in the game (72-61 Neb).
A 10 second violation and a foul that gives UVA free throws is not something Nebraska wants to see. Amiah Hargrove is trying to keep this a double digit lead and she will, Hargrove gets another and-1 attempt, but will miss the freebie. She collects her own miss and Britt Prince gets the friendly roll and the Huskers up 13. Virginia hits a three, but Prince goes back down and takes two back. It’s down to a single digit lead after UVA hits a mid range, Prince immediately turns the ball over and Virginia hits a three. The lead has decreased to six points in the blink of an eye. I personally cannot watch this, I will have a heart attack.
Hailey Weaver gets fouled on a three point shot, she makes two out of the three extending the lead to eight with just under three minutes. Momentum seems to be swinging in the direction of the Cavaliers, Hake misses a three and then fouls; it’s a four point game. Both teams over the limit and Nebraska hasn’t hit a field goal in close to three minutes. Petra Bozan goes to the line and splits the pair.
Nebraska will be kicking themselves if they lose this game and look back on all the free throws they missed in moments that mattered. Thankfully, Virginia has missed just as many in the same moments. Petra Bozan has a hook shot that rims out and is hit out of bounds, Nebraska ball still. Britt Prince gets the inbound pass and drills the three, Huskers are up 84-79, but Prince just picked up her fourth foul. Bozan has her layup fall through the net and Callin Hake snags the steal with 20 seconds left. Virginia just has to foul at this point and Hake will go to the line, first one is good and the second follows suit. Time out Cavaliers. 2o seconds left, Nebraska up nine.
I literally can’t relax because Virginia just went and hit a long three. It’s a six point game and Nebraska calls timeout. A championship on the line here and you know Virginia has to foul to extend this game. Ball gets into Prince, UVA fouls, Prince splits the pair. Amiah Hargrove gets the huge steal, gets the ball to Hake and is fouled with two seconds left. Hake will hit both and that will be the end of the game. Nebraska wins 91-82 and is crowned the Emerald Coast Classic Beach Bracket Champions. More importantly they stay undefeated at 7-0.
Nebraska 91 Virginia 82
Postgame Stats
Britt Prince: 30 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds
Amiah Hargrove: 17 points, 8 rebounds
Callin Hake: 11 points, 6 assists
Hailey Weaver: 11 points, 5 rebounds
Jessica Petrie: 11 points, 4 rebounds
Logan Nissley: 4 assists
Nebraska shot 50.8 percent from the field, including 42.1 percent from long range. The Huskers won the rebounding battle 37-29, committed 15 turnovers and assisted 16 shots.
