LINCOLN, Neb. (Interstat) — Britt Prince scored 28 points and dished out six assists to lead the Nebraska women’s basketball team to a decisive 89-73 victory over Northwestern in a Big Ten Conference matchup Wednesday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The Cornhuskers, improving to 16-4 overall and 6-3 in conference play, seized control with a dominant first-quarter offensive display and never looked back, handing the Wildcats their 13th loss against eight wins.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded immediately after the opening tip. Nebraska established an overwhelming tone in the first quarter, erupting for 28 points while building a double-digit lead that Northwestern would spend the rest of the evening unsuccessfully trying to erase. The Huskers shot a blistering 64% from the field in the period, fueled by Prince’s early playmaking and scoring. The Omaha native connected on a 3-pointer, assisted on two other baskets, and went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in the quarter alone. Her backcourt mate, Callin Hake, added a 3-pointer in the final minute, and Logan Nissley sank another at the buzzer to cap the 28-point outburst and give Nebraska a commanding 28-17 lead.

Northwestern, which scored 17 points in the first, showed resilience. The Wildcats, led by Tayla Thomas’s 19 points and Grace Sullivan’s 16, managed to keep pace through the second and third quarters, even narrowing the gap to nine points on several occasions. A Casey Harter 3-pointer with just over seven minutes left in the second quarter made it 36-29, and a Sullivan layup early in the third kept the deficit at 52-43. Each time, however, Nebraska had an answer, often from Prince or the sharp-shooting Nissley, who finished with 14 points.

The Cornhuskers’ offensive balance proved too much. Hake contributed 13 points and four assists, while Amiah Hargrove added 13 points and a game-high three steals. Nebraska’s ball movement was crisp, resulting in 19 assists on 33 made field goals, and they capitalized on Northwestern’s 14 turnovers to the tune of 14 points.

Despite the loss, Northwestern had several bright spots. Harter played all 40 minutes, scoring 14 points and handing out three assists. Caroline Lau added 11 points and four assists, and Sullivan’s 16 points came on efficient interior shooting. The Wildcats won the battle in the paint, 34-32, but were ultimately undone by Nebraska’s hot start and superior perimeter execution.

A crowd of 4,784 watched as Nebraska methodically extended its lead in the fourth quarter, pushing it to as many as 18 points. Prince, who played 32 minutes, put the finishing touches on her stellar night with a smooth jump shot in the final 20 seconds to reach her game-high point total. The victory solidifies Nebraska’s position in the upper tier of the Big Ten, while Northwestern continues to search for consistency in a challenging season.

Nebraska next travels to face Ohio State on Sunday. Northwestern will look to rebound on the road at Indiana, also on Sunday.