Huskers Host No. 25 Oklahoma

The Nebraska men's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the Bob Devaney Sports Center to take on No. 25 Oklahoma on Sunday, Feb. 1. The game, which will be seen on ESPN+ (Channel 4, Lincoln; Cox 2, Omaha), will tip off at Noon. Trey Bender will provide play-by-play and Paul Splittorff will add color commentary.

The game will also be heard on the Pinnacle Sports Network throughout Nebraska and the Midwest, and can be heard around the world on Huskers.com (live stats and streaming video also available). Randy Lee will call the action and Matt Davison will add color analysis.

Nebraska has done a tremendous job defending its home court this season. The Huskers are 10-1 in Lincoln in 2003-04, marking the 22nd time in the past 28 seasons NU has won at least 10 games in the Devaney Center.

The Huskers' success has come behind a stifling defense that ranks in the national top 10 in two categories. NU has held opponents to just 52.5 points per game at the BDSC this year, while holding foes to just 34.1 percent shooting, including 27.4 percent from three-point range.

NU will also look to continue executing at a high level on offense against the Sooners. Nebraska has hit at least 50.0 percent from the field in four of its last five home games, and has drained better than 55.0 percent from three-point range in its last three contests in Lincoln. The Huskers have averaged 73.4 points per game in front of the home crowd.

Following Sunday's game against OU, the Huskers hit the road to take on rival Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., on Wednesday, Feb. 4. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. and can be heard on the Pinnacle Sports Network.

About the Huskers
Nebraska returns home to the Bob Devaney Sports Center to face its first ranked opponent in Lincoln this season, as the Sooners enter the weekend matchup ranked No. 25 in both the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll and the AP poll. OU has been ranked for the past 45 weeks, but nearly fell out after a four-game losing streak earlier this month.

Nebraska owns 47 victories over ranked teams all-time, including one in each of the past three years under Coach Collier. All three of those victories came at home, with two against league foes. The last time NU defeated a ranked conference opponent was 2002, when the Huskers downed No. 20 Texas Tech, 80-69, at the Devaney Center. Nebraska's last seven victories over ranked opponents have come against teams ranked between 20 and 25. The last time NU defeated a team ranked inside the top 20 was with a 74-69 overtime win against No. 7 Iowa Sate in 1997.

For the Huskers to defeat the Sooners, NU will need to play stiff defense and execute well on offense; exactly how the Huskers have performed much of the season.

Nebraska leads the conference in scoring defense (57.7 ppg) and field-goal percentage defense (36.8) ? both of which rank in the top 10 nationally ? and ranks second in the league in three-point field-goal percentage defense (30.2).

The Huskers have held 13 of 16 foes to 65 or fewer points this season, and no opponent has recorded 70 or more points against NU at home. In fact, Nebraska has allowed just 52.5 points per game at home while limiting opponents to hit only 34.1 percent from the Devaney Center floor, including just 27.4 percent from three-point range. In two home league games, the Huskers have allowed just 57.5 points on 37.4 percent shooting, although Colorado and Baylor combined to hit 42.1 percent (16-of-38) from three-point range.

Offensively, the Huskers are looking for the same consistency that helped NU to a 10-1 non-league record, its best winning percentage before conference play since going 11-1 in 1991-92. The Huskers rank second in the league and 21st nationally in field-goal percentage by hitting 48.2 percent from the floor. The increase in efficiency is tremendous, as the Huskers connected on a league-low 39.8 percent from the field last year. Seven of Nebraska's top eight scorers this season are hitting better than 45.0 percent from the field, after just two players reached the mark last season.

The accurate shooting has helped NU's scoring increase to 70.2 points per game, eight points higher than last season. A great percentage of that increase has come by the Huskers hitting with more frequency at the charity stripe and behind the arc. NU has hit 70.7 percent from the free throw line this year to rank third in the league after ranking 11th last year at 64.9 percent. The improvement is even greater from downtown, where NU is hitting at a league-leading and school-record pace (40.8 percent) after draining just 27.6 percent from beyond the arc in 2003 to rank last in the league.

Also helping Nebraska's cause this season is a renewed determination on the boards, as NU ranks third in the league and 17th nationally in rebounding margin (+6.8). The Huskers have outrebounded 11 of 16 foes this year, and lead the league by allowing opponents just 30.6 rebounds per game.

Nebraska's senior class has been instrumental in the turnaround. Nate Johnson, Andrew Drevo and Brian Conklin have combined to average 28.9 points (41 percent of team total) and 10.9 rebounds (29.0 percent) while accounting for 69 of NU's 109 three-pointers (63.3 percent). The 109 treys rank second in the league behind Texas' 117 three-pointers.

Who's Hot?
The Huskers have played with a team-first attitude all year, and that has shown through the box scores. Nebraska has just two players averaging double figures, although six are scoring at least six points per game. Three of those six players are hitting at least 50.0 percent from the floor, with the other three hitting at least 46.0 percent.

**Freshman guard Charles Richardson Jr. has made an impact for the Huskers this season. The newcomer has started nine games at the point and leads the team assists with 48 (3.0 apg) while adding 2.9 points per game. He also ranks among the league leaders in turnover-to-assist ratio (sixth, 2.4:1).

In Nebraska's last game at Missouri, Richardson showed another part of his game as he recorded a career-high six rebounds, including five in the first half. Richardson has averaged 2.3 rebounds per game, although he has yet to record an offensive board (38 defensive).

**Senior Andrew Drevo has continued his solid all-around play, as he is second on the squad in points (174, 10.9 ppg), rebounds (81, 4.4 rpg), assists (37, 2.3 apg), three-pointers (23), blocks (13, 0.8 bpg) and steals (16, 1.0 spg). Drevo's averages in many areas are better than last season despite playing just 21.7 minutes per game in 2004, compared to 28.6 mpg last year. In 2003, he gained 13.3 points with 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.7 steals per game.

Drevo's biggest area of improvement may be in his ball handling and decision making, as he owns a 1.54:1 assist-to-turnover ratio (37 assists, 24 turnovers) this season after recording a 0.66:1 ratio (38 assists, 58 turnovers) last year. He is third on the team in assist-to-turnover ratio this season.

**Nebraska's defense this season has been one of the best in the nation, as NU has allowed just 57.7 points per game on 36.8 percent shooting. The scoring defense is the best in the Big 12 and ranks 10th in the nation while NU's field-goal percentage defense ranks first in the league and fourth in the country.

**Offensively, Nebraska ranks 21st nationally in field-goal percentage (48.2) and is 10th in three-point field-goal percentage (40.8). The Huskers have the top two three-point shooters in the league, as Brian Conklin leads the league in three-point field-goal percentage at 53.8 percent, while Nate Johnson is second by hitting 52.9 percent. The Nebraska single-season record for three-point field-goal percentage is 47.3 by Cary Cochran in 2001, while the Big 12 record is 50.5 percent by Kirk Hinrich of Kansas in 2000-01, the only player in Big 12 history to hit 50 percent from long range for a season.

Scouting the Sooners
Oklahoma enters Sunday's matinee with a 12-4 overall record and 2-3 mark in Big 12 play. OU is on a two-game winning streak after dropping its four previous contests. Oklahoma defeated Baylor, 78-67, on Wednesday to improve to 3-3 this season away from Norman.

The Sooners are ranked No. 25 nationally, but have struggled on offense at times this season. On the year, the Sooners are averaging 69.5 points per game to rank 11th in the conference, and have reached 70 points just twice in its past seven games. OU ranks last in the league in field-goal percentage, hitting just 41.5 percent from the floor.

To make up for the lack of offense, OU has been dominant at times on defense. The Sooners are allowing just 61.6 points per game on 42.2 percent shooting, including just 33.9 percent from long range. Oklahoma has held opponents to just 11.5 assists per game while forcing 19.7 turnovers.

Newcomer Drew Lavender has shown flashes of outstanding play this season. The 5-foot-7 freshman is leading the team with 11.8 points and 3.9 assists per game while playing a team-high 31.0 minutes per contest. Lavender, who was a highly touted point guard out of Columbus, Ohio, also leads OU with 27 steals, but has hit just 36.1 percent from the floor.

Guards Jason Detrick and De'Angelo Alexander give OU two more scorers capable of putting up 20 points on any given night. Detrick, a senior who redshirted last year, has averaged 11.2 points and 2.9 rebounds while hitting 42.6 percent from the floor. He is second on the team with 24 steals, but is connecting on just 16.7 percent (5-of-30) from outside the arc. Alexander is OU's third double-figure scorer, averaging 10.3 points with 4.8 rebounds. He is third on the team in rebounding and fourth in three-pointers made, behind Lavender (25), Jaison Williams (24) and Lawrence McKenzie (21).

In the paint, the Sooners are missing Kevin Bookout, a sophomore forward who averaged 7.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 13 contests. Bookout was lost for the season last week when he underwent shoulder surgery.

Without Bookout in the paint, center Jabahri Brown and forward Johnnie Gilbert have been asked to step up their play. Brown, who adds 7.4 points and 1.1 blocks per game, leads the team with 5.6 rebounds, as the Sooners own a slim 36.3-34.8 rebounding advantage. Gilbert leads the team in blocked shots with 22 (1.4 bpg) and adds 4.8 points and 3.6 rebounds.

Oklahoma is coached by Kelvin Sampson, who is in his 10th season guiding the Sooners and 21st season as a head coach. Sampson, who has taken OU to the Elite Eight each of the past two years including reaching the Final Four in 2002, owns a 226-85 record at OU and 402-233 mark overall. Under Sampson's guidance, the Sooners have averaged nearly 28 wins per season over the past four years.

Series History
The Huskers and Sooners will be meeting for the 178th time in the series which dates back to the 1920-21 campaign when NU won both contests. Nebraska won nine of the first 12 meetings overall but now trails by a 99-78 margin.

OU dominated the series from 1927 to 1949, earning a 34-12 record over Nebraska, before the Huskers evened the series over the next 25 years. NU took command of the series in the mid-1960s, with Nebraska winning 13 of 14 meetings at one point. Oklahoma then dominated the 1980s, winning 15 of 16 meetings to end the decade. Currently, OU has won the past four contests and 10 of 14 in the past 10 years.

Nebraska's success against the Sooners has come mostly at home. NU owns a 44-37 all-time advantage in Lincoln, although OU has taken a 13-11 lead in games played at the Devaney Center. Oklahoma is the only current conference opponent to hold a winning record against NU in the BDSC (two series are tied).

Oklahoma, which owns a 5-2 record vs. NU since the creation of the Big 12 Conference, has won the last two contests in the Devaney Center. OU's last trip to Lincoln, when the Sooners were ranked fifth nationally in 2002, ended with a 78-51 victory that marked the then-BDSC record for largest margin of victory by an opponent. Brian Conklin, then a sophomore, led the Huskers with 14 points, four rebounds and three steals off the bench. He hit 5-of-9 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 three-point attempts while the Huskers hit just 24.6 percent from the floor for the game.

Last year in Norman, Nebraska faced Oklahoma, again when the Sooners were ranked No. 5, and dropped a 76-51 contest. Andrew Drevo provided nearly all of the Huskers' offense as he hit 11-of-17 attempts from the floor to score 24 points while adding four rebounds and a blocked shot. Drevo then posted 19 points and nine rebounds on the road at Colorado four days later to earn the final Big 12 Rookie of the Week honor during the regular season.