Huskers Start Tough Five-Game Stretch With ASU

Lincoln -- Hitting the court for the third time in its season-opening home stand, the Nebraska men’s basketball team starts a tough five-game stretch over 11 days when it plays host to Pac-10 foe Arizona State on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The game will tip off at 7:05 p.m. and can be heard live on the Pinnacle Sports Network and on Huskers.com, with Randy Lee calling the action and Matt Davison adding color analysis. Live stats and video are also available on Huskers.com.

Nebraska has jumped out to a quick 2-0 start this season by playing fundamentally sound defense while incorporating a new offensive scheme. The results have been noteworthy, as the Huskers are hitting 48.2 percent from the floor, nearly 10 percentage points higher than last season. While the Huskers have hit 35.0 percent (7-of-20) from outside the arc, NU has been lethal on two-point attempts, hitting 51.1 percent (46-of-90).

The increased productivity has helped the Huskers average 73.5 points through the first two games, while their defensive effort has limited opponents to just 36.0 percent shooting from the field and 61.5 points per game. Defensively, the Huskers had an outstanding first half against Eastern Michigan, when they held the Eagles to just 16 points ? four points off the Devaney Center record low for any half ? and 17.9 percent shooting.

Nebraska will need to continue its strong play against a tough Arizona State squad that brings in a 3-0 record and one of the top underclassmen in the country in forward Ike Diogu. The matchup should be interesting as Diogu has produced 25.7 points and 8.7 rebounds through three contests, while Nebraska's John Turek has added 20.0 points and 10.5 boards in two games.

Turek has become more efficient on the offensive end this season, as he leads the team in field goals (15), field goal attempts (28), free throws (10) and free throw attempts (12). Turek's 53.6 field goal percentage is among the best on the team. His 83.3 free throw percentage, after entering the season as a career 41.9 percent shooter at the foul line, is also among the team and league leaders.

Junior guard Jake Muhleisen has also gotten back to full playing form after sitting out nearly all of the league schedule last season with a fractured hip. The Lincoln native has hit 8-of-12 shots from the floor, including 8-of-9 inside the three-point line and third on the team with 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

While the Huskers have worked at getting new players into the mix ? three Huskers have already made their first career start in the past two games ? NU has an experienced lineup available, including Turek, Muhleisen, forward Andrew Drevo, guard Corey Simms and forward Brian Conklin.

Simms has made an impact for the Huskers again this season, breaking into the starting lineup for the first time against Eastern Michigan as Nate Johnson was out with an illness. Simms responded by pulling down his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high tying 10 rebounds. Drevo has gotten off to a slow start, much like last season, but can provide NU with needed offense in the paint while also being able hit from outside the arc. Conklin is another Husker big man who can hit the trey, as the 6-11 senior leads the team with four three-pointers and ranks seventh in NU history with 114.

Scouting the Sun Devils
Nebraska enters its first mid-week contest of the season looking to knock off an undefeated Arizona State squad. The Sun Devils were 20-12 last season and went on to make just their third NCAA Tournament appearance in 22 years.

The meeting will be the fifth in the series and marks the second straight season the Huskers and Sun Devils have faced off. Nebraska fell to ASU, 75-63, last season in the title game of the ASU Hoops Classic in Tempe. The Sun Devils hold a 3-1 series advantage, winning games in 1968, 1974 and 2002, while the Huskers’ lone win came in the 1985-86 season, with an 80-67 victory in Lincoln. That game marked the only time the teams have met on Nebraska’s home court in the series. The win over ASU also helped Nebraska to a 10-3 record in the non-conference slate, and the Huskers finished the 1985-86 campaign with a 19-11 record and received their first-ever official NCAA Tournament berth.

ASU is led by super sophomore forward Ike Diogu, a preseason All-America selection by several publications. Diogu finished last season by averaging 19.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game to pace the Sun Devils. His scoring total was the third highest by a freshman in Pac-10 history, trailing only Shareef Abdur-Rahim (Cal, 1995-96, 21.1 ppg) and Harold Miner (USC, 1989-90, 20.6).

This season, Diogu has picked up the pace through ASU’s first three games, averaging team highs with 25.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. He added a career-high 31 points Saturday against UC Riverside, hitting 10-of-16 attempts from the floor and 10-of-15 from the charity stripe. Diogu has drained 52.6 percent (20-of-38) from the floor and added 3.0 blocks per game.

Along with Diogu, junior guard Steve Smith has been an offensive force, averaging 18.7 points with 6.0 rebounds per game. Smith leads the team with eight three-pointers and has hit a team-best 84.2 percent (16-of-19) from the free throw line.

Freshman forward Wilfried Fameni rounds out ASU’s trio of double-figure scorers, pitching in 10.3 points to go along with 8.3 rebounds per game. Fameni leads ASU in field-goal percentage after hitting 61.1 percent (11-of-18) in the Sun Devils’ first three games and is 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) at the charity stripe.

Junior point guard Jason Braxton starts the ASU offense and has added 7.7 points with 6.0 assists per game, while senior guard Jamal Hill adds 8.0 points per game. The Sun Devils have hit 44.0 percent from the floor as a team, but have been less efficient from outside the arc where they are shooting just 30.2 percent. ASU holds a 42.0-34.7 advantage on the glass and an 83.0-72.0 edge in scoring, but has allowed opponents to shoot 41.1 percent, including 36.0 percent from behind the arc.

Coach Rob Evans (New Mexico State, 1968) is in his sixth season in charge of the Sun Devils and his 12th year as a head coach. Evans owns an 83-72 record at ASU and is 169-153 all-time as a head coach. Evans helped ASU to a 20-12 record last season, his third 20-win season as head coach. He also picked up a pair of 20-win seasons while coaching Ole Miss, winning SEC West titles in 1997 and 1998. He was named SEC Coach of the Year following the 1997 season.

The Last Time Out ? NU 67, EMU 59
Lincoln ? John Turek scored 11 of his team-high 16 points in the first half, as Nebraska used a stifling defensive effort to down Eastern Michigan, 67-59, in front of 6,376 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Nebraska (2-0) held the Eagles to just 17.9 percent shooting from the floor in the first half. The Huskers built a 35-16 halftime advantage before withstanding Eastern Michigan’s frantic rally in the final 10 minutes. In all, the Huskers held the Eagles (2-2) to just 31.7 shooting, but nearly saw a 27-point lead evaporate in the waning minutes.

Turek put together his second strong effort of the season, hitting 7-of-15 shots from the floor, while hauling down eight rebounds and blocking two shots. The 6-9 junior from Council Bluffs, Iowa, was one of three Huskers to finish the night in double figures, as Corey Simms chipped in his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high tying 10 rebounds. Jake Muhleisen added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor.

The Huskers, who never trailed, took command from the start by using a 10-0 run early in the contest to turn an 11-8 lead into a 21-8 advantage. NU then continued to take advantage of the Eagles’ offensive woes, extending the cushion to 19 points at 31-12, as EMU went 9:44 without a field goal.

The Huskers continued to clamp down on Eastern Michigan, as NU held the Eagles without a field goal for the first 5:12 of the second half, using an 11-3 run to extend their lead to 46-19 on a Muhleisen layup with 15:30 remaining in the game. Nebraska led 50-23 on Andrew Drevo’s jumper with 12:56 remaining before EMU began its comeback.

Behind the play of forward John Bowler, who scored 14 of his 16 points after the intermission, EMU used a 9-0 run over the next 2:19 to close to within 50-32 with just over 10 minutes remaining. The Eagles continued to claw back into the contest, getting to within 62-55 on Rick Cottrill’s basket with 49 seconds remaining, but could not get closer.

Bowler and Michael Ross tied for team-high scoring honors with 16 points apiece to lead three Eagles in double figures.

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 have 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.

Richardson started NU's last contest against Eastern Michigan, logging a season-high 26 minutes, producing three points, three assists and two steals, while Neal came on for three points, three rebounds and one assist in 14 minutes. In the season opener, Neal was in the starting lineup as the pair combined for seven assists and three turnovers in 35 minutes, as the Huskers had 22 assists and 11 turnovers as a team. The 22 assists were the most by Nebraska since recording 27 against Texas A&M on Feb. 20, 2002. The pair also combined for 13.5 points, 4.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds in NU's two exhibition games.

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 is third on the team in scoring with 10.5 points per game, while adding 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. 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 has played some point. He was leading the offense in the final minute of action against Athletes in Action in NU's final preseason game, when Muhleisen's three-point play put NU ahead for good with 17.4 seconds left.

Home Sweet Home
After holding on for a 67-59 victory over Eastern Michigan last weekend, Nebraska now holds a four-game home-court winning streak and is 31-16 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center under Coach Barry Collier.

Nebraska has been outstanding at home since moving into the Devaney Center in the 1976-77 season. The Huskers hold a 319-100 (.761) record at home during that span, including 21 seasons (of 27) of at least 10 home wins. 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.

In NU's last contest against Eastern Michigan, the Huskers hit 13-of-20 attempts (65.0 percent) from the line, and have now hit 72.3 percent from the charity stripe on the season. The last time NU hit at least 70.0 percent from the line for a whole season was 1994, when the Huskers were ninth nationally by hitting 74.5 percent.

The Huskers' success at the line early in the regular season is 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 have gotten off to a good start, as they are allowing opponents to hit just 36.0 percent (41-of-114) from the floor and 26.7 percent (8-of-30) from behind the arc. NU's defensive effort in the first 20 minutes against Eastern Michigan was nearly perfect, as the Huskers limited the Eagles to just 16 points on 17.6 percent (5-of-28) shooting. EMU came to life in the final 15 minutes of the game but still finished the contest hitting only 31.7 percent (19-of-60) and just 11.1 percent (1-of-9) from three-point range.

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. 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 in 2002-03 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.

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 is already off to a hot start.

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. Conklin then hit his only attempt from behind the arc in NU's victory over Eastern Michigan.

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 with 114, just 33 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 38.6 (114-of-295). 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 has added a pair of blocked shots in each of the Huskers first two games, 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 95, 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.

Huskers in the Pros
Nebraska has had 24 players selected in the NBA draft since 1949, with Venson Hamilton being the latest selection in 1999 (2nd round, 50th pick). There were three former Huskers on opening-day rosters this season, including Eric Piatkowski (Houston Rockets; injured list), Tyronn Lue (Orlando Magic; 14.9 ppg, 4.2 apg) and Erick Strickland (Milwaukee Bucks; 9.0 ppg, 3.5 apg). Mikki Moore was also on the Seattle SuperSonics preseason roster, but was released in October before the start of the season.

The three Huskers on opening-day NBA rosters tied for the third-most representatives of any team in the Big 12 this year. Kansas led the way with eight former players opening the season in the NBA, while Iowa State was second with four former Cyclones in the league. NU and Missouri had three players apiece, while Texas and Texas Tech each had two on the list. Baylor, Colorado, Oklahoma and Oklahoma each had one while Kansas State and Texas A&M were the only league members without a former player on an opening-day roster. Former Husker Eric Piatkowski has the second-longest tenure of current Big 12 players in the league with nine years, trailing only Anthony Peeler (11 years).

Nebraska also has had several players playing overseas in recent years. This season, Cookie Belcher is playing his third season with Laurentia Biella in Italy's 'A' League (17.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg), while Kimani Ffriend is playing with the Yugoslavian team Reflex (10.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg). Eric Johnson (Galicia; 12.4 ppg, 2.0 apg) and Venson Hamilton (Bilbao; injured list) are playing in Spain, while Richard van Poelgeest is playing in Denmark (Weert; 8.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg). All stastics are through Nov. 14.