THERE was plenty of NCAAW action to enjoy on Thursday, including the Nebraska Cornhsukers’ 33-point win over the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Despite coming into the game being unranked and facing the 25th-seeded Fighting Illini, Nebraska was too good, breaking away in the second term. The Cornhuskers continued to build their lead over the final two quarters and the margin suddenly ballooned as Nebraska cruised to a comfortable victory.

There were plenty of contributors for the winning side, none more important than guard Jaz Shelly, who was an immense presence on the contest. She finished the match with the best statline of any player, and her impact reflected that.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (90) def. Illinois Fighting Illini (57)

Jaz Shelly – 26 points, five rebounds, six assists

Shelly delivered an exceptional all-around performance that was reflective of her side; ruthless, composed and dominant.

She finished with a game-high 26 points, using her ability to control the tempo of the match to create some crafty scoring opportunities. Shelly’s baskets came from an array of scoring methods, whether it was attacking the rim, creating a mid-range shot or nailing a shot from behind the arc.

The guard shot 8/14 from the field, and drained six baskets from three-point territory. She was able to use screens to create plenty of space and punish the opposition for dropping off on the defensive end.

Shelly was also quite damaging from the free throw line, attacking the low block with intent and drawing plenty of contact in the process. She went a perfect four from four at the charity stripe, making no mistake despite the pressure that came with her earlier attempts.

Her five rebounds were a result of her ferocity in hunting down the loose ball, outworking the opposition. All five came on the defensive end, not allowing the Fighting Illini to get any offensive momentum going with second chance points.

While Shelly’s scoring was the highlight of her game against Illinois, she still got her teammates involved with excellent passing. When the defence looked to slow down her own shotmaking ability, the crafty guard made the right plays by opening the half court and hitting accurate passes to open teammates.

In one of the side’s most memorable victories of the season, Shelly was the one that led from the front with a terrific all-around performance. She was a driving force in the win and did a bit of everything in the process.