Huskers Use Full House to Stun No. 12 KU

Lincoln ? John Turek scored six of his 14 points in an 11-0 second-half run, as Nebraska stunned No. 12/13 Kansas, 74-55, in front of a sellout crowd of 13,611 at the Devaney Center Sunday afternoon.

Playing in front of an ABC regional audience, Turek helped the Huskers turn a 42-37 lead into a 16-point bulge. The Huskers snapped a nine-game losing streak to Kansas dating back to 1999 and handed the Jayhawks their worst loss to Nebraska in 22 years.

Turek, who was 5-of-9 from the floor and grabbed seven rebounds, was one of three Huskers to finish in double figures, as Andrew Drevo and Nate Johnson also finished with 14 points apiece.

Nebraska shot 56.3 percent, the first time a KU opponent had allowed 50 percent shooting all season. Nebraska went 8-of-16 from three-point range, while going a perfect 12-of-12 from the foul line. The Huskers shot 63 percent in the second half against a defense that led the Big 12 and was ranked eighth nationally in field goal defense.

The win was the Huskers’ third straight win in league play, the first time since 1998-99 that Nebraska has won three straight Big 12 games. It also was NU’s first win against a top-15 team since a 74-69 win over seventh-ranked Iowa State on Feb. 22, 1997, on the road. The win snapped the Huskers’ 19-game losing streak against top-15 teams.

Leading 42-37 after David Pagett’s free throws, Turek’s hook shot started the run, before Drevo’s tip-in and Johnson’s three-pointer put NU up 49-37. Turek then capped the 11-0 spurt with a pair of baskets over Wayne Simien, putting NU ahead 53-37. In all, the Huskers held KU without a field goal for 5:29, as Brian Conklin’s three-pointer put the Huskers up 58-40 and NU led by double figures the rest of the way.

Conkin, who had made 10 straight three-pointers at home over the last games, finished with nine points while Jake Muhleisen chipped in eight points and six rebounds.

Wayne Simien led Kansas (15-6, 7-3 Big 12) with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Keith Langford added 14 points. The Jayhawks shot just 36.2 percent, including 5-for-18 from three-point range.

The Huskers trailed 15-9 before Turek led the comeback, scoring six of his eight first-half points on an 11-0 run. The Huskers held KU scoreless for a span of 6:06 during the stretch that Johnson capped with a three-pointer from the win, giving the Huskers a 20-15 lead.

The Jayhawks came right back on the shooting of Aaron Miles, who scored five straight points to knot the score at 22-all. NU took took a 24-22 lead, but the Jayhawks scored the six points, as Simien, who had 11 points and eight rebound in the opening half, gave KU a 28-24 lead with 33 second left in the half. Charles Richardson’s three-pointer with 19 seconds left put NU within one entering the half.

The Huskers shot 48 percent from the floor, compared to only 36 percent for the Jayhawks, but were out-rebounded 18-14, including an 11-4 disadvantage on the offensive boards. KU converted the 11 offensive boards in to 10 second-chance points.

The Huskers continue their two-game homestand on Wednesday, Feb. 18, when they host Kansas State beginning a 7:05 p.m.

Nebraska postgame Notes
**Nebraska defeated a nationally ranked team for the fourth time in Coach Collier's tenure, including one in each of the past three years. NU's last victory over a ranked team came with an 80-60 home victory over No. 20 Minnesota on Dec. 8, 2002. The last ranked Big 12 foe the Huskers knocked off was No. 20 Texas Tech at home on Jan. 30, 2002.

** The victory was NU's first win over top 15 team since Feb. 22, 1997, when NU defeated No. 7 Iowa State in Ames, 74-69. Overall, Nebraska was 0-for-19 against top-15 teams during that span. The last time NU defeated a top-15 team at home was Feb. 5, 1997, when the Huskers beat No. 15 Colorado, 77-69 at the Devaney Center.

** Nebraska held the Jayhawks without a point for more than six minutes in the first half (12:39 to 6:33) while limiting KU to 36.4 percent shooting in the opening period. KU finished the game hitting just 36.2 percent from the floor, the 11th time NU has held an opponent under 40 percent shooting this year. The Huskers hit 56.3 percent from the field, the seventh time NU has shot better than 50 percent from the floor this year.

** Freshman Charles Richardson Jr. had three assists against KU, the 10th time this season he has recorded at least three assists in a game, including four times in league play. Richardson also added a career-high tying eight points, hitting 2-of-4 shots, including 2-of-2 from three-point range.

** Nebraska had 26 points off its bench, one of the most productive benches in the league. NU held an 11-0 bench scoring advantage in the first period, and finished the game with a 26-6 advantage.

** Andrew Drevo recorded a season-high three blocked shots while John Turek had three blocks as well, (one of his season high). THe Huskers finished with eight blocked shots as a team, the most in conference play and tied for the Huskers' season high. NU also had eight blocks against Tennessee.

** The Huskers hit 12 of their first 16 shots from the floor to open the second half before hitting 63.0 percent in the period. It was the fifth time NU hit better than 60 percent from the floor in a half this season.

** Kansas was held to 27.8 percent shooting from three-point range, marking the ninth time this season NU limited its opponent to less than 30 percent shooting from long range.

** The Huskers hit a season-best 12-of-12 at the free throw line.

** Nebraska held even on the boards, finishing the game with a 31-31 tie on the glass. NU was on the wrong end of the offensive boards for the second straight game, as NU trailed 16-6 on the offensive glass.

** Nebraska hit 50.0 percent from three-point range, marking the seventh time this season NU shot at least 50 percent from three-point range.

** Brian Conklin made his first three three-point attempts against Kansas, running his streak to 13 straight made treys at home over the past four games. The streak ended when he missed his last shot of the day.

** The Huskers trailed at the intermission for just the second time at home this year, 28-27. The come-from-behind victory was NU's third this year, although it was the first at home when trailing at the break.

** NU is now 11-1 when outshooting opponents this season and a perfect 14-0 when leading with 5:00 left in the game.

** Nebraska recorded its first sellout of the season, with a season-high 13,611 in attendance. It is the first sellout since KU came to Lincoln in 2002.