Purdue Fort Wayne
3-3,0-0Horizon
Nebraska
6-0,0-0Big Ten
Bess Shines Against (RV) Nebraska
11/24/2025 7:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NICEVILLE, Fla. - Freshman Rylee Bess scored 17 points with five 3-pointers on Monday (Nov. 24), but (RV) Nebraska topped Purdue Fort Wayne women's basketball 80-57 in the Emerald Coast Classic.
Bess was one triple shy of the Emerald Coast Classic record. She hit three in the second quarter and two in the third, including one that beat the third-quarter buzzer. She was 5-for-5 before missing her sixth attempt.
Bess' 17 points are the most by a Mastodon freshman against a Division I foe since Audra Emmerson had 19 against Wright State in 2022. Her 5-for-6 (83.3 percent) mark from the 3-point line ties for the seventh-best 3-point shooting performance in program history.
The Mastodons and Cornhuskers were knotted up through the first 16 minutes, scoring 25 apiece. Nebraska had a 16-0 run that extended from the 3:12 mark of the quarter to the 8:55 mark on the other side of halftime to take control of the contest. The 'Dons chipped away through the third and into the fourth, cutting the lead to as few as seven with a layup from Lili Krasovec. From there, however, Nebraska controlled the fourth quarter and out-scored the Mastodons 24-8 after that point.
Purdue Fort Wayne finished with a season-high 16 assists on 21 made baskets. Jordan Reid had five of those assists.
Nebraska's Britt Prince had 18 points and seven assists to lead the Cornhuskers. Bess' 17-point performance was the second-best in the game. Krasovec finished with 12 on 5-of-10 shooting.
Nebraska improved to 6-0 while Purdue Fort Wayne moves to 3-3. The Mastodons will play the loser of Virginia/Northwestern State on Tuesday (Nov. 25).
~ Feel the Rumble ~
