Hamilton's Double-Double Leads NU to 81-65 Win

Kansas City, Mo. - Nebraska's Venson Hamilton scored 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds Wednesday night as the Huskers tuned up for their Big 12 Conference opener with an 81-65 victory over Missouri-Kansas City.

Nebraska (8-5) collected a season-high seven 3-pointers, including three by Cookie Belcher on five attempts. He finished with 17points.

"I am very pleased with the win," Husker Coach Danny Nee said. "We have now won two road games in a row, and that is a difficult thing to do. UMKC always gives us a hard time, and tonight we played well to win like we did."

Nebraska opens Big 12 play at Missouri at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Huskers used a combination of trapping zone defenses to force the Kangaroos (5-9) into 18 turnovers but committed 24 themselves. It was the third time this season that NU has had 24 turnovers in a game.

"That was one of the disappointments of the night," Nee said. "We didn't take care of the ball in the first half, and we just had too many errors. We just need to get a little more focused."

The Cornhuskers led 37-27 at halftime, as Hamilton and Belcher combined to score 28 points in the opening 20 minutes.

Missouri-Kansas City cut the margin to 43-37 on a 3-point shot by Omaha Central graduate Eddie Smith with 15:48 left. But Nebraska outscored the Kangaroos 13-4 over the next 3:52, capped by a 3-point basket by Troy Piatkowski, to go up by 15.

Robbie Graves and Will Palmer led Missouri-Kansas City with career-highs of 19 and 12 points. Smith, who fouled out with 3:02 to play, finished with five points.

Graves made a 3-point shot that cut the Cornhuskers' lead to 68-59 with 1:54 remaining, but Nebraska made 8 of 11 free throws down the stretch.

Nebraska outrebounded Missouri-Kansas City 44-33, led by Hamilton's 15. Jimmy Keller had 10 for the Kangaroos.

Hamilton's 15 rebounds tied his season high as he posted his fourth double-double of the season.

Husker Notes
Chad Johnson tied his career scoring high with 13 oints and contributed a career-best six assists.

Freshman Louis Truscott scored six points to tie his career-best.

Freshman Ross Buckendahl saw his first action and scored three points.