Huskers Roll over No. 25 Red Raiders, 72-44

Lincoln ? Nate Johnson scored a game-high 17 points to lead Nebraska to a 72-44 rout of No. 25 Texas Tech in front of 10,066 at the Devaney Center Tuesday evening.

The senior from Kansas City, Kan., was 7-of-9 shooting and matched his career high with nine rebounds, as the Huskers clinched their first winning season since 1998-99 with a 28-point victory. Johnson was one of three Huskers in double figures, as Nebraska, which improved to 15-9 and 5-8 in the Big 12, bolstered its postseason resume with its second win over a ranked opponent nine days after toppling No. 12 Kansas, 74-55, on Feb. 15.

Andrew Drevo finished with 13 points and five rebounds, while Brian Conklin added 11 points, including three three-pointers, and four rebounds, as Nebraska enjoyed a commanding 50-24 advantage on the glass. The 26-rebound advantage played a major role in NU’s 21-1 dominance in second-chance points.

The 28-point win was NU’s largest over a ranked foe, bettering the 21-point victory over No. 23 Kansas State during the 1992-93 season. It was only the third time that Nebraska has ever beaten a ranked team by at least 20 points. Two of those wins have come in the last two years under Coach Barry Collier as NU downed then-No. 20 Minnesota, 80-60 last season in Lincoln.

The 44 points not only equaled Texas Tech’s lowest offensive output under Hall of Fame Coach Bob Knight, but equaled the lowest total by a Red Raider team since 1990. The 28-point loss was Tech’s worst since a 90-50 setback to Kansas in the semifinals of the 2002 Big 12 Tournament.

The Huskers held the Red Raiders to just 18 points on 5-of-27 shooting in the second half to turn an eight-point lead into a 28-point laugher. On the evening, Tech (19-8, 7-6 Big 12) was held to a season-low 30.8 shooting.

Jarrius Jackson was the only Red Raider to finish in double figures with 10 points, as NU held Andre Emmett to nine points, equaling a season low on 4-of-11 shooting from the floor. It marked just the third time in the past two seasons that Emmett, a two-time All-Big 12 selection, was held in single figures.

The Huskers, who pushed No. 7 Oklahoma State to the limit before falling 87-83 in overtime on Saturday, set the tone early on, using a 25-12 advantage on the boards to take a 34-26 halftime lead.

Johnson and Drevo combined for 12 points in a 15-4 Husker spurt, as the Huskers turned a one-point lead into a 32-20 cushion after Johnson’s offensive putback with 2:51 left in the half. Johnson had 11 of his 17 points in the opening frame, hitting five of six shots, including several of the acrobatic variety.

Nebraska, which improved to 13-3 at the Devaney Center this season, put the game out of reach with a 10-0 run early in the second half. The Huskers held Texas Tech scoreless for 5:02, turning a 44-34 lead into a 20-point cushion after Cory Simms’ three-point play with 12:04 remaining.

The Red Raiders, who have lost their last five road games, never got within striking distance. Nebraska led by at least 20 points over the games final 10 minutes, helping to erase the sting of a 26-point loss in Lubbock last season.

The Huskers will play their last regular-season home game this Saturday, Feb. 28, against Iowa State at 3 p.m. Saturday’s game will be televised by ESPN Regional. Seniors Nate Johnson, Brian Conklin, Adam Bohac Andrew Drevo and Marques McCarty will be honored prior to the game.