Rachel Theriot scored 19 of her 24 points in the second half Sunday, leading No. 16 Nebraska past No. 23 Iowa 72-65 for the Big Ten tournament title.
It’s the first time the Cornhuskers (25-6) have ever won a conference tourney crown, clinching the league’s automatic NCAA tournament bid. Nebraska also posted its second straight 25-win season and is tied for the second most victories in school history. The Cornhuskers head into the postseason with plenty of momentum after winning 12 of 13.
Iowa (26-8) was led by Ally Disterhoft with 20 points and Samantha Logic with 14 but had a six-game winning streak snapped.
Nebraska never trailed, though Iowa closed to 57-56 with 7:43 to play. Theriot, the tourney’s most outstanding player, helped Nebraska pull away with an 8-3 run.
