Nebraska women picked to win Big Ten title

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — Nebraska was selected the favorite to win the Big Ten women’s basketball title this season, while Penn State guard Maggie Lucas was chosen Preseason Player of the Year in a vote by conference coaches and media.

Penn State, winners of the last two conference titles, was picked to finish second. Lucas, last season’s conference player of the year, has averaged 18.4 points in her career.

The Cornhuskers return four starters — led by senior Jordan Hooper — from last year’s team that won 25 games and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.

However, Nebraska lost All-America point guard Lindsey Moore, who played this summer for the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx.

Coach Connie Yori was surprised her team was voted the preseason favorite.

“This is the first time Nebraska has been picked to win whatever conference we were in,” she said. “I didn’t pick us to win the Big Ten. I don’t know why anyone else did. We have a lot of work to do.”