Belcher Leads Huskers To San Juan Title

San Juan, P.R. - Cookie Belcher scored nine of his game-high 26 points during a 14-2 second-half run, as Nebraska captured the San Juan Shootout title with a 72-70 victory over Southern Methodist Friday evening.

Trailing 57-49 with 7:50 remaining, Belcher single-handedly led Husker comeback, scoring nine points in the spurt, including a four-point play that gave Nebraska the lead for good at 62-59 with 4:28 remaining. The senior from Mexico, Mo., broke out of a 5-for-20 slump over the last three games, hitting 8-of-13 shots from the floor, including three 3-pointers, for his third 20-point game of the season.

Belcher also recorded four steals, becoming only the 25th player in NCAA history to record more than 300 steals in a career. He now has 301 career steals. The senior also added four rebounds and three assists, and joined teammates Steffon Bradford and Kimani Ffriend on the all-tournament team.

Nebraska, which won the San Juan Shootout for the first time in three appearances, has won five straight to improve to 7-3 on the season. It is the best start for NU in four seasons. NU won its three tournament games by a combined four points.

Belcher was one of three players to finish in double figures for the Huskers. Bradford added 16 points and seven rebounds, while Ffriend chipped in 10 points, four rebounds and four blocks. During the three games in San Juan, Ffriend averaged 14.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and four blocks per game, earning tournament MVP honors.

SMU, which was held to 70 points for only the second time this season, drops to 8-2 on the year, ending a four-game winning streak. Quinton Ross led four Mustangs in double figures with 15 points, as SMU led most of the second half.

The Huskers return to action on Thursday, Dec. 28, when they travel to Minnesota to battle the Golden Gophers, who improved to 10-1 on the season with a 81-62 victory over Dartmouth this evening. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. NU returns home to face Murray State on Saturday, Dec. 30, at 1:05 p.m.

Nebraska Postgame Notes vs. SMU
Nebraska improves to 7-3, its best start since a 7-1 start during the 1997-98 season... tonight's victory was the first time NU won the San Juan Shootout in three appearances...Steffon Bradford, Kimani Ffriend and Cookie Belcher were selected to the all-tournament team, while Ffriend was named Tourney MVP...NU travels to Minnesota on Dec. 28 for a 9:30 p.m. tip-off...the next Husker home game is Dec. 30 vs. Murray State at 1:05 p.m.

*- The five-game winning streak is Nebraska's longest since a five game-winning streak during the 1998-99 season (Jan. 13 - Jan. 27). The NU win also ends SMU's four-game winning streak. The Mustangs' only other loss this season came at fourth-ranked Tennessee. It is also only the second time SMU has been held to 70 points or less, as SMU was held 17 points below their season average.

*- The eight-point deficit that Nebraska overcame was the largest single-game deficit NU has overcome this season. The previous high was six points last evening against Kent State last evening.

*- With his four steals this evening, Cookie Belcher became the 25th player in NCAA history to record 300 career steals in a career. Belcher now has 301 career steals. Belcher also finished with a game-high 26 points, one off his career high. Belcher was just 5-of-20 in the previous three games, but was 8-of-13 this evening, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. It was his third 20-point game of the season (fifth of his career), and his first since Nov. 21 (vs. Eastern Illinois). With his 26 points, he moved past Jack Moore (1,204 points between 1979-82) and Larry Florence (1,223 from 1997-2000) into 14th place on NU's career scoring charts. Belcher has 1,227 career points.

*- Steffon Bradford made 12 consecutive field goals over the last three games (his last three vs. Iona, three vs. Kent and his first four vs. SMU), and finished one shot off the school record for most consecutive field goals, held by Mikki Moore in 1997. Bradford finished 7-of-12 from the floor and added seven rebounds and three assists.

*- Senior center Kimani Ffriend recorded four blocks against SMU, marking the fifth time this season that he has blocked four-or-more shots in a game this season.

*- Reserve point guard John Robinson made his Husker debut this evening vs. SMU, finishing with three-points, two rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes. His lone basket, a 3-pointer with 7:50 remaining, triggered a 14-2 Nebraska run which gave NU a 63-59 lead with 3:46 remaining

*- Nebraska had more assists (16) than turnovers (15) for the third time this season (also vs. Winthrop and Alaska-Fairbanks), winning all three games. The 15 turnovers was the third-lowest total of the season.

*-NU was out-rebounded 32-25, the largest rebounding deficit of the season, ending a streak of four straight games when the Huskers have grabbed more rebounds than the opposition

*- Nebraska has won three straight games (vs. Miami, vs. Kent State and vs. SMU) when trailing at halftime, equaling all of last season's total.

*- Nebraska shot over 50 percent for the ninth time in 10 games this season.

*- Defensively, the Huskers have held eight of their 10 opponents under 50 percent shooting.