No. 1 Kansas Too Much For Huskers

LAWRENCE, Kansas (Ticker) -- Nick Collison and Drew Gooden continued to double their pleasure.

Collison had 20 points and 13 rebounds and frontcourt mate Gooden added 16 and 12 as No. 1 ranked Kansas won its 13th straight game with a 96-57 pounding of Nebraska in the Big 12 Conference.

Gooden posted his sixth straight double-double and has 11 on the year while Collison notched his fifth. The Jayhawks are 13-1 for the second straight season.

"I think it was a good game," Gooden said. "In the first half, we were on fire and played well. Nebraska was a good team to play."

Kansas (13-1, 2-0 Big 12) has not lost since a season-opening defeat to Ball State in the Maui Invitational on November 19.The Jayhawks are on their longest winning streak since a 14-game run from January 24-March 13, 1998.

The Jayhawks scored 12 of the game's first 16 points, then embarked on a 16-2 run for a commanding 28-6 lead with 13:42left in the first half. Kirk Hinrich capped the spurt with a 3-pointer.

"We got off to a great start tonight," Kansas coach Roy Williams said. "I challenged them to come out and be ready to play. We did a great job on the defensive end of the floor and we were really on track, offensively."

They continued to expand on the lead and extended to 46-17 on a follow shot by Collison with just under five minutes to go. Kansas took a 57-24 lead into the locker room behind Hinrich's 13 points.

The Jayhawks can now look forward on their visit to No. 14 UCLA on Saturday.

"It is definitely going to be challenging with UCLA in the mix," Williams said. "They are a ranked team and we have to play themat Pauley Pavilion with all their fans in the mix."

Nebraska (7-6, 0-2) shot just 30 percent (10-of-33) in the first half and saw its starting backcourt of Jake Muhleisen and Brennon Clemmons combined for nine turnovers. The Jayhawks shot 59 percent (23-of-39) in the first half.

"I thought Kansas came out fired up and on fire," Nebraska coach Barry Collier said. "It seemed like they shot 95 percent in the first half and not 50 percent."

The Cornhuskers' attempts to focus their defense on Gooden and Collison were in vain as Kansas also made them pay by hitting a season-high nine 3-pointers. Jeff Boschee made four and finished with 16 points.

"Perimeter shooting got us started," Boschee said. "We were making shots left and right and in a row. This game was good to give us confidence, not to discredit Nebraska, but this type of game helps us to work on things that we need to."

Nebraska was led by John Robinson II and Clemmons, who each scored 16 points. The Cornhuskers have lost six of seven following a 6-0 start.

The Jayhawks' unselfish play resulted in Aaron Miles setting a Kansas freshman record with 12 of his team's 26 assists. Freshman forward Wayne Simien had a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards off the bench.