Huskers Close Home Slate Against Cyclones

The Nebraska men's basketball team (15-9, 5-8 Big 12) will play its final home game of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 28, when the Huskers play host to border rival Iowa State (15-9, 6-7) at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The game will tip off at 3:03 p.m. and can be seen as part of the Big 12 package on ESPN+ with Brad Sham (play-by-play) and Renzi Stone (color) handling broadcast duties. The contest can also be heard on the Pinnacle Sports Network and Huskers.com, with Randy Lee calling the action and Matt Davison adding color analysis.

Nebraska's senior class of Adam Bohac, Brian Conklin, Andrew Drevo, Nate Johnson and Marques McCarty will be introduced before the game in a Senior Day ceremony.

When the Huskers tip off against ISU, Nebraska will be looking to pick up its fifth win in seven games. The Huskers will also be looking to defend their home court, where NU has won 13 of 16 contests this season.

Nebraska, which started the league season with a 1-6 mark, is now 5-8 in Big 12 play with three regular-season games remaining. The five league wins are already two more than last season.

Nebraska's most recent victory came Tuesday in a romp over No. 25 Texas Tech, 72-44. NU limited the Red Raiders to 30.2 percent shooting for the game and just 18 points in the second half. The victory secured the Huskers' first winning season since 1998-99 and was NU's second win in five games against ranked opponents this season.

Following Saturday's contest, the Huskers start the final week of the regular season on the road against Kansas on Wednesday, March 3. The game will tip off at 6:30 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.

About the Huskers
Nebraska heads into its final regular-season home contest with a 15-9 overall mark and 5-8 record in conference play. The 15 wins are the most under Coach Collier, surpassing NU's total from 2000-01 (14), and guarantee Nebraska a winning season for the first time in five years, since Nebraska went 20-13 in 1998-99.

In its last outing, NU snapped a two-game losing streak with a dominating 72-44 victory over No. 25 Texas Tech at the Devaney Center. The Huskers played well on both ends of the court, hitting 47.2 percent from the field while limiting the Red Raiders to their lowest point total in more than a decade.

TTU hit just 30.2 percent from the field, including 17.9 percent in the second half when it scored just 18 points. It was the lowest point total NU allowed in a conference game since 1998, when the Huskers held Oklahoma to just 43 points. The game also marked the fifth time this season NU held an opponent to less than 50 points. Nebraska is 5-0 in those games and is 10-0 all-time under Coach Collier when holding opponents to less than 50 points.

Nebraska has played well at home all season, as it owns a 13-3 record in the Devaney Center. One more victory will tie for the fourth-highest single-season win total since the Huskers moved into the building in 1976-77.

The Huskers have been efficient at home, hitting 47.6 percent from the field and 43.0 percent from three-point range while averaging 71.2 points per game. Foes have been overpowered as Nebraska has allowed just 53.4 points per game on its home court, with opponents shooting just 35.6 percent, including 28.6 percent from beyond the arc. The Huskers also own a commanding +8.9 (38.6-29.7) rebounding advantage at the BDSC.

On the season, Nebraska's improvements have been dramatic. The Huskers have moved into the national top 25 in three statistical categories, including three-point field-goal percentage (10th, 40.0), field-goal percentage defense (12th, 38.5) and scoring defense (22nd, 60.0) while ranking in the top 50 in field-goal percentage (38th, 47.1), free throw percentage (42nd, 72.6) and rebounding margin (46th, +5.1).

Who's Hot?
Several players have stepped up for the Huskers this season, including:

** Guard Nate Johnson has been on fire the past six games, averaging a team-high 16.3 points per game while hitting 47.8 percent from the floor. Inside the arc, the senior from Kansas City, Kan., has hit 52.1 percent (25-of-48) during that span while connecting on 90.0 percent (27-of-30) from the charity stripe.

Johnson has focused his intensity on the court in his final games as a Husker. That determination has translated into outstanding numbers on the glass recently, as he has averaged 6.3 rebounds in the past six contests, including recording his first career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in a 72-44 thumping of No. 25 Texas Tech. Johnson hit 7-of-9 attempts from the field against the Red Raiders while adding two assists and one steal in 27 minutes. (NOTE: Johnson was originally credited with only nine rebounds, but after reviewing the game tape, a missed TTU shot and Johnson rebound were not included in the postgame box score.)

Johnson leads Nebraska with 13.1 points per game in 2003-04, while hitting 50.0 percent from the floor. Johnson ranks third in the league in free throw (87.1) and three-point field-goal (45.8) percentage.

** Senior forward Andrew Drevo has been right on Johnson's heels while helping NU to a 4-2 record in the past six games. The Lincoln native has averaged 13.8 points during that span while hitting a team-high 52.8 percent from the floor. He has also grabbed 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.

At Oklahoma State on Feb. 21, Drevo paced the Huskers with 21 points. He was nearly perfect from the floor, hitting 8-of-10 shots while nailing 3-of-5 attempts from the free throw line.

On the season, Drevo is second on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg), rebounding (4.5 rpg), three-pointers (30), assists (49), steals (24) and blocks (19).

** Forward Brian Conklin is on pace to shatter the Big 12 Conference and Nebraska school records for three-point field-goal percentage by hitting 56.3 percent (45-of-80) from beyond the arc this season, including 62.2 percent (28-of-45) in league-only games. Only one player in league history has topped 50 percent (Kirk Hinrich, Kansas; 50.5 percent, 2000-01) beyond the arc for a whole season.

Over the past six games, Conklin has hit 66.7 percent (14-of-21) from three-point range. Conklin has hit 51.9 percent (14-of-27) from three-point range on the road this season. At home, Conklin has hit 31-of-53 (58.5 percent), including a streak of 13 straight made three-point attempts over four games from Jan. 21 to Feb. 15.

** Forward Wes Wilkinson has seen his minutes skyrocket in the past two games after a couple recent solid weeks of practice.

In the past two games, the Grand Island native has played 28 minutes while averaging 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game. He has hit 3-of-5 attempts from the floor, including nailing both of his three-point attempts. Against No. 25 Texas Tech, Wilkinson scored six points with six rebounds, two assists and one block.

In Nebraska's previous 10 games, Wilkinson had played 35 minutes ? twice he did not see any minutes ? while hitting just 2-of-7 shots with three rebounds. For the year, Wilkinson has averaged 3.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 9.1 minutes per game.

** Guard Marcus Neal Jr. has been on a tear from long range the past six games. Neal has hit 12-of-25 (48.0 percent) from three-point range in that span. He started the season by hitting just 8-of-31 (25.8 percent) in his first 18 games as a Husker, but came on to hit a trey in seven straight games, a streak that was snapped against Texas Tech. He hit a three-pointer in just three of the first 16 games of the year.

Scouting the Cyclones
Iowa State enters the weekend with a 15-9 overall record and 6-7 mark in Big 12 action after pulling out a 75-69 victory over Kansas State on Wednesday. The Cyclones trailed by four at the intermission but tore up the Wildcats in the second frame, hitting 64.0 percent from the field, including nailing 5-of-6 three-point attempts.

Senior guard Jake Sullivan led ISU past Kansas State, picking up a team-high 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. One of the league's deadliest three-point shooters, Sullivan buried 4-of-7 attempts from long range, and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the charity stripe. Forward Jackson Vroman and center Jared Homan combined for 29 points and 16 rebounds, while freshman guard Curtis Stinson had seven points, six rebounds and 10 assists against KSU.

Stinson, who is probably the frontrunner for the league's freshman-of-the-year award, has led the Cyclones this season by averaging a team-high 15.5 points and 4.6 assists, while ranking second on the squad with 6.3 rebounds per game. The rookie is hitting 45.7 percent from the floor and 61.4 percent from the foul line, while tying for the team lead with 39 steals.

Sullivan is just behind Stinson in the scoring column by averaging 15.0 points per game. The long-range bomber has hit 66 three-pointers this season to lead the conference (2.8 treys per game) while shooting 39.5 percent from outside the arc. Sullivan also leads the league and ranks among the national leaders by hitting 93.8 percent (60-of-64) at the charity stripe.

Vroman and Homan combine for one of the top frontcourts in the league. Vroman leads the conference in rebounding with 10.0 boards per game while ranking third on the squad with 13.0 points per contest. Vroman has hit a team-high 56.1 percent from the field in 2003-04, but has connected on just 48.3 percent of his free throw attempts. Homan is ISU's fourth double-figure scorer with 11.3 points per contest while grabbing 6.2 rebounds. He leads the team and league in blocked shots with 2.7 blocks per game.

Along with Stinson, the Cyclones have another sensational freshman guard in Will Blalock. ISU's starting point guard for the first 15 games of the season, Blalock has averaged 8.1 points and is second on the squad in assists (4.0 apg) and three-pointers (25) while tying with Stinson for the team lead with 1.6 steals per game.

As a team, Iowa State is hitting 45.9 percent from the field while gaining 75.0 points per game. The Cyclones have connected on a solid 37.7 percent from three-point range, but are allowing opponents to hit 42.5 percent from the field, including 35.8 percent from long range, while gaining 72.8 points per game. ISU averaging 5.2 blocks per game and 7.9 steals.

The Cyclones are coached by Wayne Morgan, who is in first season at the helm of the Iowa State program. Morgan owns a 106-93 career record in seven seasons as a head coach.

Series History
The Huskers and Cyclones meet for the second time in 2004 and the 220th time in the series that dates back to the 1908-09 campaign. Iowa State won the first matchup this season, 89-74, in Ames, and has now taken three of the last five and seven of the last 10 meetings. The teams split the regular-season series each of the past two seasons with the home team winning the past six matchups.

In Lincoln, the Huskers have dominated the series to hold a 79-25 advantage, including an 18-10 lead in the Devaney Center. Over the past 10 meetings in Lincoln, the teams are even with five wins apiece. The last two contests in Lincoln ? both Nebraska victories ? have been decided by a combined eight points, including one (2002) in overtime.

Last year, the Huskers pulled out a 69-63 victory over the Cyclones in Lincoln. The win was NU's second straight following a nine-game losing streak. Like this season, the 2003 meeting at the BDSC was the Huskers' final regular-season home contest of the campaign. Guard Nate Johnson led Nebraska with a game-high 20 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Forward John Turek added 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting with six boards, including five offensive, while forward Andrew Drevo pitched in 12 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and one steal. NU held a commanding 49-36 rebounding advantage while limiting ISU to 39.4 percent shooting.

In the most recent meeting, the Huskers dropped their 2004 conference opener to the Cyclones, as ISU racked up an opponent season-high 89 points. No other opponent has recorded even 80 points in regulation against Nebraska this season, while only four opponents ? all Big 12 teams ? have reached the 70-point plateau this year.

Iowa State sprinted out to a 46-35 halftime lead behind 48.4 percent shooting from the floor before the Huskers came alive. NU rallied behind a 14-1 run early in the second period to tie the game at 49-all on a Jake Muhleisen putback. ISU came back with a 17-3 run midway through the frame before cruising to the win. Johnson led Nebraska with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, and now has averaged 20.0 points in three meetings with the Cyclones. Jake Muhleisen added 16 and Andrew Drevo had 10 points.

ISU's Jake Sullivan countered with 23 points including seven three-pointers, as the Cyclones hit 51.7 percent from the field and an amazing 55.0 percent (11-of-20) from three-point range. Curtis Stinson and Jackson Vroman each added 15 points, with Vroman picking up 11 boards and three blocked shots.