Huskers Look for 2-0 Start Against EMU

The Nebraska men's basketball team returns to the court for its second contest of the 2003-04 campaign when it takes on Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 29. Tipoff at the Bob Devaney Sports Center is set for 7:05 p.m. and the game can be heard live on the Pinnacle Sports Network and on Huskers.com. Randy Lee calls the action while Matt Davison serves as color analyst. Live stats and video are also available on Huskers.com.

The Huskers and Eagles will be meeting for the first time ever on the hardwood, but it will not be the first time the Eagles have played at the Devaney Center. EMU also played in the building in the first round of the 1988 NCAA Tournament when the Eagles fell to Pittsburgh, 108-90. The Panthers hit 43-of-69 attempts from the floor with 29 assists, a Devaney Center opponent record.

Nebraska (1-0) enters the contest looking to continue its strong start and run its home-court winning streak to four games dating to last season. The Huskers have won their first two home games each of the past three seasons under Coach Barry Collier, and own a 29-16 record at the Devaney Center in that period.

The Huskers enter the matchup against the Eagles (2-1) coming off a 16-point, season-opening victory over Fairleigh Dickinson last weekend. While NU did not roll out its fullcourt press against the Knights as much as it did against exhibition foes, the Husker defense was nearly as stifling.

Nebraska looks to clamp down on the Eagle offense with the same intensity that helped NU limit FDU to 40.7 percent shooting overall and just 34.4 percent in the second half. The Knights hit just 11-of-32 attempts in the second period, including 2-of-10 three-point field goal attempts.

That defensive effort made for great offensive opportunities on the other end of the court, where the Huskers took full advantage. Playing with a slate of capable scorers who worked hard in the offseason to improve on last season's shooting woes ? NU hit just 39.8 percent from the field in 2002-03 ? the Huskers drained 47.4 percent (27-of-57) of their field-goal attempts, including 22-of-43 (51.1 percent) attempts from two-point range.

Junior forward John Turek played a large role in the Huskers' success, as he hit 8-of-13 attempts from the floor while pouring in a career-high 24 points. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native added a game-high 13 rebounds for his fourth career double-double, and helped NU to a decisive 43-28 advantage on the glass.

Turek's and the Huskers' success came from good hands, as NU recorded 22 assists on the 27 baskets. Junior point guard Marcus Neal Jr. led nine Huskers with at least one assist by turning in five, while junior guards Jake Muhleisen and Corey Simms each added four. NU had just 11 turnovers vs. FDU after recording less than 12 turnovers five times last year.

Scouting Eastern Michigan
Nebraska continues its five-game, season-opening home stand against an Eastern Michigan squad that looks to continue the building process from the past three seasons under Coach Jim Boone. The Eagles earned just a 3-25 record in Boone's first season in 2000-01 before improving to 6-24 in 2001-02. Last year, EMU made a major improvement, getting back to .500 for the season with a 14-14 record.

The Eagles return eight letterwinners and three starters from last year's squad, but lost the services of starters Ryan Prillman and Steve Pettyjohn, who completed their eligibility. Prillman finished his career ranked 19th in career scoring and rebounding at EMU with 1,105 points and 472 boards, while Pettyjohn added 656 points and 409 rebounds.

EMU, a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), is off to a 2-1 start this season, after earning an 86-45 victory over Concordia (Mich.) on Tuesday. Five Eagles scored in double figures with forward James Jackson leading the way with a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Jackson is averaging a double-double through three games, with 10.0 points and a team-high 11.0 rebounds per game.

The victory over Concordia was EMU's second consecutive win, as the Eagles defeated host Marist, 82-62, Sunday in the consolation championship at the Pepsi Marist Classic. In their season opener, the Eagles fell 75-60 to Yale, despite forward Markus Austin's 29-point performance. He came back with 12 points against Marist and is now averaging a team-high 17.0 points per game with 4.7 rebounds.

While Jackson and Austin have put up solid numbers, senior guard Ricky Cottrill is EMU's most experienced player and enters the contest with the Huskers ranked 28th on the Eagles' career scoring chart with 926 points. The Poca, West Virginia, native is averaging just 5.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in the Eagles' first three contests despite averaging 13.2 points in his first three seasons.

Another player working heavily into the Eagles' plans this season is junior guard Michael Ross. Ross averaged 10.0 points in EMU's first three games ? one of four Eagles scoring in double figures ? but provided more valuable minutes on defense, as he leads the team with 19 steals, including nine against Concordia. Ross has also hit 55.0 percent from the field and is tied for the team high with seven assists. EMU is averaging just 12.3 assists per game against 20.7 turnovers.

Coach Jim Boone (West Virginia State, 1981) is in his fourth season in charge of the Eagles' program and his 18th year as a head coach. Boone owns a 25-64 record at EMU and is 298-201 all-time.

The Last Time Out ? NU 80, FDU 64
Lincoln ? Junior forward John Turek scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, as Nebraska opened the 2003-04 campaign with an 80-64 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson at the Devaney Center.

The 6-9, 240-pounder from Council Bluffs, Iowa, was 8-for-13 from the floor and bettered his previous career high of 20 points set against Kansas State as a freshman. Turek, who now has four career double-doubles, took command late in the half, scoring seven of his 16 first-half points when Nebraska closed the opening period on a 20-8 spurt. The surge turned a one-point deficit into a 43-32 halftime advantage for the Huskers.

Turek, who was also 8-for-9 from the foul line and blocked a pair of shots, was one of three Huskers to finish in double figures, as the Huskers posted their 23rd straight home-opening win. Senior guard Nate Johnson finished with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor while senior Brian Conklin came off the bench to contribute 13 points.

Nebraska showed good ball movement throughout night, recording assists on 22 of its 27 field goals while committing only 11 turnovers in the win. The 80 points equaled the most Nebraska scored in any game all of last season (vs. Colorado and Minnesota), while the Huskers enjoyed a commanding 43-28 edge on the glass.

Nebraska started slowly, as Fairleigh Dickinson led throughout the first 10 minutes of the contest, but the Huskers came back behind strong performances by Turek and Conklin. The Huskers (1-0) took the lead for good on Wes Wilkinson’s driving bucket with 4:11 left in the opening half while Turek helped NU to a 26-11 advantage in the paint. Nebraska also handled the ball well throughout the half, dishing out 13 assists while committing just one turnover in the opening 20 minutes of action.

Fairleigh Dickinson (0-1) closed to within 45-37 with 18:51 remaining in the game, but would not get closer as Turek hit a short jumper in the paint and Johnson added a three-pointer to push the lead back to 13.

Another bright spot in the opening-night performance was the play of junior Jake Muhleisen, who missed nearly the entire second half of last season after suffering a hip fracture against Kansas in the Big 12 opener. The 6-4 junior had nine points, eight rebounds and four assists, while splitting time at the 1 and 3 spots on the floor.

Gordon Klaiber was the only Knight to finish in double-figures, as he poured in 21 points, including a trio of three-pointers, in a losing effort.

Nebraska Postgame Notes vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
-- Nebraska won its home opener for the 23rd straight season, and won its season opener for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. The last time NU lost a home opener was in the 1980-81 season, when the Huskers fell to Wyoming, 62-59.

-- Junior forward John Turek got off to a strong start to the season, pitching in a career- and game-high 24 points, including 16 in the first half. Turek’s previous career high of 20 came in his freshman season, when he put up 20 points at Kansas State on March 2, 2002.

-- Turek added a game-high 13 rebounds to go with his 24 points, giving him his fourth career double-double. All three of Turek’s other double-doubles came last season.

-- Two Huskers saw the first action of their careers against Fairleigh Dickinson, including Marcus Neal Jr. and Charles Richardson Jr. Neal made his first career start, opening the game in the lineup with returning starters Jake Muhleisen, Nate Johnson, Andrew Drevo and John Turek. Neal finished with two points and five assists in 21 minutes, while Richardson had two assists and two rebounds in 14 minutes.

-- NU had 43 rebounds on the night, including 15 on the offensive end. Turek led the Huskers with 13 rebounds, while Jake Muhleisen tied his career high with eight.

-- Sophomore Wes Wilkinson set a career high with two steals against FDU, surpassing his previous career high of one set three times last season. Wilkinson had just three steals in 30 games last season. Nebraska finished with six steals as a team.

-- Nebraska finished the game with 22 assists (on 27 baskets) and 11 turnovers, after having 13 assists and just one turnover in the first period. Marcus Neal Jr. led the Huskers with five assists on the night, while Jake Muhleisen and Corey Simms each added four. Nebraska’s assists were four more than any game last season, as the Huskers’ season high in 2002-03 was 18 in a come-from-behind victory against UC Santa Barbara.

-- The Huskers’ 43 points at halftime was the highest point total for the Huskers since the 2001-02 campaign. Last year, Nebraska’s topped 40 points before the intermission just twice, at home in a win over nationally ranked Minnesota (41 points) and on the road at Baylor (40 points).

-- Muhleisen finished the game with nine points, and now has 501 for his career, the most of any current Husker.

--NU improved to 16-2 under Coach Barry Collier when scoring 80 points or more. In his 15th year of coaching, Collier’s teams are 83-21 all-time when scoring at least 80 points.

Getting to the Point
After losing its top two point guards to injury midway through the 2002-03 season, the Nebraska coaching staff made it a priority to get quality depth in the backcourt this season. The results so far have been positive.

Working into the mix at the point this season has been a pair of newcomers in Marcus Neal Jr. and Charles Richardson Jr. Neal, a junior college transfer from Polk (Fla.) Community College, brings an offensive mindset to the point, where he can slash to the basket and score or dish it to an open teammate. Richardson, a true freshman from the Chicago area, is also an effective passer who brings a high level of energy and intensity to the defensive end.

Neal started each of Nebraska's two exhibition games, averaging 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 23.5 minutes per game. Richardson came on in relief, producing 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game in 15.0 minutes of action during the exhibition season. In the regular-season opener, Neal was again in the starting lineup, picking up a team-high five assists with two points in 21 minutes, while Richardson added two rebounds and two assists in 14 minutes. Their combined seven assists and three turnovers in 35 minutes helped Nebraska to a 2.0-to-1 assist-to-turnover margin (22 assists and 11 turnovers), while the 22 assists were the most for the Huskers since NU recorded 27 assists against Texas A&M on Feb. 20, 2002.

With the two newcomers taking over at the point, incumbent Jake Muhleisen has been able to move out to the wing, where he can be effective as a scorer or passer. Muhleisen averaged 9.0 points with 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in the exhibition season. Muhleisen has played some point, most notably in the final minute of action against Athletes in Action, when Muhleisen's three-point play put NU ahead for good with 17.4 seconds left. In the regular-season opener, the Lincoln native added nine points and tied his career high with eight rebounds while providing four assists and two steals in 28 minutes. Muhleisen's effort on the boards helped NU hold a 43-28 advantage on the glass.

Home Sweet Home
With an 80-64 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson last weekend, the Huskers won their 23rd straight home opener, and picked up their sixth win in a season opener in the past seven years. NU is now 3-1 in season openers under Coach Barry Collier.

Nebraska has been outstanding at home since moving into the Bob Devaney Sports Center in the 1976-77 season. The Huskers hold a 318-100 (.761) record at home during that span, including 21 seasons (of 27) of at least 10 home wins. With last weekend's win, Nebraska is now riding a three-game regular-season home-court winning streak dating back to last season.

Last year, Nebraska went 9-6 at the Devaney Center, including a pair of three-game winning streaks in the non-conference season. Nebraska has defeated a ranked team at home 21 times during that span, including once in each of the past three seasons.

Taking Charity
One area Nebraska looks to improve this season is taking advantage of its opportunities at the free throw line. To help that cause, every Husker has put in at least one extra hour, four days a week shooting free throws outside of practice. From the way Nebraska has shot it at the charity stripe early in the season, the extra effort seems to be paying off.

Nebraska hit 21-of-27 attempts (77.8 percent) from the free throw line in its first regular-season contest of the year against Fairleigh Dickinson. Much of that success came from forward John Turek, who hit 8-of-9 (88.9 percent) from the charity stripe after entering the season with a 41.9 percent free-throw percentage. NU's team free throw percentage vs. FDU was its highest in a single contest since hitting 12-of-15 attempts (80.0 percent) against Arizona State on Dec. 28, 2002. NU hit at least 77 percent from the charity stripe just twice last season as the Huskers hit just 64.9 percent from the line in 2002-03.

The Huskers' success at the line in the season opener was a continuation of their solid effort in the preseason. Nebraska hit 18-of-19 free throw attempts (94.7 percent) against Athletes in Action in its final preseason contest, including nailing 11-of-11 attempts in the second period. The last time NU hit at least 90.0 percent from the line in a regular-season contest was Jan. 6, 2001, when Nebraska hit 9-of-10 attempts against Missouri.

Every free point was needed against AIA, as the Huskers rallied from a six-point deficit in the final three minutes to earn a 78-73 victory. NU hit 7-of-7 attempts in that time frame. Athletes in Action was also nearly perfect at the line, hitting 21-of-23 free throw attempts (91.3 percent) for the game. AIA nailed 16-of-17 attempts in the first period, but was limited to just six attempts (five made) in the second half.

Doling out the 'D'
Nebraska was one of the top defensive units in the rugged Big 12 Conference in 2002-03 and looks to continue that trend this season.

The Huskers finished last year ranked first in the league in three-point field-goal percentage defense by allowing opponents to hit just 30.2 percent (193-of-639) from behind the arc. The total was a Nebraska single-season record, breaking the previous mark of 30.3 percent (154-of-508) set by the 1992-93 squad.

Nebraska held 25-of-30 opponents under 40 percent from outside the arc, including 14 to less than 30 percent from downtown. Five opponents were held to less than 20 percent shooting from outside. Kansas State shot an opponent season-low 9.1 percent (1-of-11) from three-point range, as NU snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 68-61 home victory.

The overall defensive effort by the Huskers was also outstanding. Nebraska limited opponents to just 40.8 percent shooting from the field for the season to rank seventh in the league statistics. The top six in the conference were also among the top 30 nationally.

The total was the third-lowest at Nebraska since 1960-61, which is the last time the Huskers limited their opponents to less than 40 percent from the field for a whole season.

Nebraska held 13 opponents to less than 40 percent from the field in 2002-03, including six to less than 35 percent. Nebraska’s first opponent of the season, Centenary, felt possibly the toughest defense of the year, as the Huskers limited the Gents to just 20.0 percent shooting (10-of-50) for the game.

The Huskers picked up right where they left off in the regular-season opener, limiting Fairleigh Dickinson to just 40.7 percent (22-of-54) from the field and 33.3 percent (7-of-21) from three-point range. NU held the Knights to just 34.4 percent (11-of-32) from the floor in the second half, including 20.0 percent (2-of-10) from behind the arc.

Tremendous Transfers
Seniors Andrew Drevo and Nate Johnson made their mark on the Nebraska basketball program in their first year with the team in 2002-03. This season, they look to etch their names among the greatest two-year players at Nebraska.

The two transfers ? Johnson from Penn Valley CC and Drevo from Division II Morningside College ? finished the season ranked first and second in scoring (Drevo, 13.9; Johnson, 13.3) for NU; second and third in free throw percentage (Johnson, 72.8; Drevo, 67.3); first and third in three-pointers (Drevo, 48; Johnson, 18); third and fourth in field-goal percentage (Drevo, 41.1; Johnson, 40.6); first and fifth in rebounding (Drevo, 7.3; Johnson, 3.8); second and fourth in assists (Johnson, 63; Drevo, 38); and second and fifth in steals (Johnson, 30; Drevo, 21).

Johnson and Drevo, who both ranked among the top 25 in overall and league-only scoring, put themselves among elite company in their first year with the Huskers. Only 10 of the top 60 scorers in NU history were two-year players after transferring into Nebraska’s program. While Johnson and Drevo did not make it onto the NU career list in 2002-03, they are set up nicely to reach it this season. In fact, if Drevo records another season like he did in his first year (402 points to lead the team), he would break Bernard Day’s mark for a two-year player at Nebraska, which stands at 802 points.

Drevo and Johnson finished 2002-03 ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in scoring average among first-year transfers at Nebraska, respectively. Day, who ranks 39th on the NU career scoring list (802 points, 12.7 ppg over 63 games in 1985-86 and 1986-87), previously held the highest scoring average for a first-year transfer with 13.1 points per game (392 total) in 1985-86, while only two others on the NU career list have averaged at least 12.0 points per game in their first year with the program (Derrick Chandler, 12.3 ppg in 1991-92; Kimani Ffriend, 12.0 ppg in 1999-2000). Tony Farmer, who averaged 12.4 points in 1990-91, would have likely also made the career list, but only played one season at Nebraska.

Hitting 100
One of the most prolific long range shooters in Nebraska history, forward Brian Conklin looks to get back on track in his final year in Lincoln in 2003-04, and got off to a hot start in the season opener. The 6-11, 240-pounder came off the bench to produce 13 points and grab three rebounds in NU's 80-64 season-opening victory over Fairleigh Dickinson. Conklin hit 5-of-8 attempts from the floor, including 3-of-5 three-point field goal attempts, while playing with great intensity on both ends of the court.

The hot start is a good sign for Conklin and the Huskers after he finished second on the squad with 22 treys last year while hitting just 25.9 percent from three-point range. Despite the sub-par performance, Conklin became only the ninth Husker in history to record at least 100 career three-pointers last season. He finished the year with 110 career treys and currently ranks seventh on the NU career list, just 34 three-pointers shy of moving into the school's top five. Cary Cochran owns the NU career mark with 268 three-pointers in his four-year career.

Conklin hit his 100th career three-pointer against Oklahoma State last season, when he recorded three triples. Two weeks later, Conklin hit a season-high five three-pointers against Baylor. The five treys tied the team season high, which Jake Muhleisen established in the second game of the year against Alaska-Fairbanks.

While Conklin hit 25.9 percent (22-of-85) in 2002-03 as opponents keyed on him outside the arc, he ranks sixth in the NU record book for career three-point field-goal percentage at 38.4 (113-of-294). Conklin set the NU sophomore record when he drained 65 treys while helping NU set the school record with 267 three-pointers as a team. He also ranks seventh on the NU freshman chart with 23 in 2000.

Lead Blockers
Junior forward John Turek is back in the starting lineup for the third straight season after leading the team in blocked shots the past two years. Turek, who added NU's only two blocked shots in the Huskers' 80-64 victory in the season opener, could become just the fourth player to lead NU in blocked shots for three straight seasons. Only one Husker (Dave Hoppen) has ever had at least a share of the team lead for four straight years.

Turek ranks sixth in the NU record book for career blocks with 93, putting him in line to become only the sixth player in NU history to record 100 blocked shots. He finished last season as only the second sophomore in NU history with at least 90 blocks.

Turek recorded 52 of Nebraska's 96 blocked shots in 2002-03 and ranked sixth in the Big 12 Conference for blocked shots with 1.73 per game. Overall Nebraska returns 98.9 percent of its blocked shots from last season, including Turek and Andrew Drevo (19).

Tough Schedule Ahead
Nebraska’s schedule will again be one of the toughest in the nation, as it has been the past three years when the Huskers ranked among the top 60 nationally in schedule strength. NU will face a slate of teams that posted a 407-280 record last year, including 12 teams that reached postseason play (eight NCAA, four NIT).

The Huskers' non-league slate is normally set to help Nebraska get ready for the Big 12 season, and this year will be no different. Nebraska plays teams from some of the top leagues in the nation in non-conference play, including teams from the Big Ten, Pac-10, Southeastern and Missouri Valley conferences, and Conference USA.

NU begins its eighth season in the Big 12 Conference in 2003-04. Nebraska has a 107-109 overall record since the start of Big 12 play, including a 47-65 mark against league foes. Nebraska has defeated eight ranked league opponents since the start of Big 12 play, but has not been ranked in the top 25 since joining the Big 12. The league has sent two teams to the NCAA Final Four in each of the past two years, with Big 12 teams producing a 500-299 record during that time.

Huskers Succeed On and Off the Court
Forward John Turek and center Tony Wilbrand were among 15 student-athletes named to the 2003 academic All-Big 12 Team last spring, something that is becoming a common site for the Husker basketball team. Turek, who became the 33rd Husker to be named to the academic all-conference first team, was the third Husker to be selected to the first team under coach Barry Collier, joining Cary Cochran and Brian Conklin who earned the honor in 2002. Over the previous 10 years, only five Huskers had been named to the first team.

Behind Turek and Wilbrand’s effort, the Huskers succeeded in the classroom as the team held a cumulative grade-point average above 3.0 through the spring. Eight Huskers were named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for their academic achievement in the 2002 fall and 2003 spring semesters, including one with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Overall, six Huskers have accounted for 23 honor roll certificates over the past four years.

The academic all-conference team was made up of student-athletes who competed in at least 60 percent of their team’s games and held at least a 3.2 GPA (cumulative or the past two semesters) for the first team and between a 3.0 and 3.19 for the second team.

There Is No Place Like Nebraska
The Huskers have set out to keep the best players in the state at home and the results have been positive. Nebraska has two state players of the year (Jake Muhleisen, 2001; Wes Wilkinson, 2002) on its current roster, and now have eight in-state players on the roster. Last season, NU had nine players from the Cornhusker state, the most in 30 years.

NU Signs Three to National Letters of Intent
Shooting guard Joe McCray (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Laurinburg [N.C.] Institute), center Aleks Maric (Sydney, Australia; Life Center [N.J.] Academy) and forward Dillion Sneed (Chicago, Ill.; Colby [Kan.] CC) have signed national letters of intent to attend the University of Nebraska and play basketball beginning in the 2004-05 season, Nebraska Coach Barry Collier announced during the early signing period.

McCray was tabbed No. 53 among high school seniors by The Sporting News, and among the top 100 seniors by ESPN.com, Athlon and Lindy’s. McCray was rated the country’s best scoring guard by Rivalhoops.com and the No. 20 shooting guard by Athlon.

The 6-5, 185-pound McCray had a breakout performance at the ABCD Camp in New Jersey. He was ranked as the second-best wing forward at the camp by HoopMasters.com and No. 24 overall out of 250 elite high schoolers.

McCray led Dillard (Fla.) High School to four straight state titles in Florida’s largest class (6A) under Coach Darrel Burrows. McCray, a third-team all-state selection as a senior, helped Dillard move into the USA Today Top 25 as a senior, when the team went 32-1. He was a two-time all-tournament team selection in the state playoffs and was the state finals MVP as a junior.

McCray is attending prep school at the Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute this year under Coach Chris Chaney. A versatile athlete, McCray was also a top prospect at wide receiver before receiving interest in his basketball talents from several top schools, including Connecticut, Michigan State, Alabama and Miami.

A 6-11, 269-pounder, Maric (pronounced MAR-itch) is a talented post player who is a physical presence in the paint. He also possesses a solid shooting touch and range with tremendous strength and has the ability to run the floor well for a big man.

A native of Sydney, Australia, Maric came to the United States in late October, and was quickly ranked among the top 70 prep players nationally by Hoop Scoop. Playing at the Australian Institute for Sport under Coach Marty Clarke last year, Maric averaged 10 points and 13 rebounds last season, and helped his team to the gold medal at the Under-19 World Championships in Greece in 2003. Under the guidance of Coach Rob Beverage, Maric helped his New South Wales team to the silver and gold medals in his state the previous two years, respectively. Maric is enrolled at Life Center Academy, an independent private Christian high school in Burlington, N.J., where he will complete his high school requirements this season.

A 6-7, 230-pound forward, Sneed significantly boosted his rating with his solid play at the King of the Court All-American Junior College Challenge and Rick Ball’s Elite Eighty Camp this past summer. Sneed helped Colby (Kan.) Community College to a top-10 national ranking and a 7-0 start in 2003-04. He averaged 8.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in 19 minutes per game to start the season, while hitting 26-of-34 shots (.765) from the floor.

The Chicago native averaged 2.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per game as a freshman, but has displayed a tenacious presence on the boards while showing solid ability to finish inside in 2003. Sneed averaged 10 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a senior at Gordon Tech High School in Chicago for Coach Scott Bogumil. Sneed, who led the team with 2.4 blocks per game, hit 49.8 percent from the floor while helping Gordon Tech to a 23-5 record in 2002. Sneed was named to the All-Catholic League team before leading his squad to the regional title in the state playoffs, where he recorded 23 points and 10 rebounds in the regional championship game.