Huskers Set to Open 2004-05 Campaign

The Nebraska men's basketball team begins the 2004-05 season on Monday, Nov. 8, when it plays host to Monterrey Tech at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The game is set to tip off at 7:05 p.m. and can be heard on the Pinnacle Sports Network and on the internet at Huskers.com. Randy Lee returns for his third season as the Huskers' play-by-play man, while former Husker Matt Davison returns for his second season as color analyst on Nebraska radio broadcasts.

The game against Monterrey Tech will be one of two exhibition contests for the Huskers before they open the regular season on Nov. 23 at home against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Monterrey Tech will be the fourth foreign team ? but first non-U.S. collegiate team ? to play the Huskers since Coach Barry Collier took over the program before the 2000-01 campaign. Nebraska is 2-1 against foreign exhibition teams during that span, and 7-1 overall. The Huskers own a 37-5 all-time record in exhibition contests, including winning 29 of the past 31 exhibition games since 1988.

Nebraska's second exhibition game will be another home affair with a more familiar foe, as the Huskers take on Nebraska-Kearney at the Devaney Center on Saturday, Nov. 13. Tip off for the Huskers-Lopers matchup has been moved to 2:05 p.m.

Meeting Monterrey Tech
Monterrey Tech comes to Lincoln to take on the Huskers as part of a four-game exhibition tour in the United States. Monterrey Tech leaves the Cornhusker state for Texas to take on UTEP in El Paso on Nov. 10 before heading to California where it will take on UCLA (Nov. 11) and Loyola-Marymount (Nov. 12) and then returns home.

Monterrey Tech has already faced one Big 12 team this fall, as Iowa State traveled south for a short foreign tour in September. The Cyclones played Monterrey Tech twice, winning the first game before dropping the second. Complete box scores are not available, but according to ISU's website, the Cyclones won the first game 68-53 behind 16 points from Curtis Stinson, before Monterrey Tech came back to take the second contest, 81-79. Stinson had 24 points in the second meeting but ISU shot just 37.0 percent from the floor, including 1-for-16 from three-point range in the loss.

Monterrey Tech is located in Monterrey, Mexico, a city with a population of more than 3 million situated less than 200 miles from the U.S. border. The Monterrey Tech campus is the keystone of the Monterrey Tech System, which was founded in 1947 and boasts nine campuses throughout central Mexico. The Monterrey campus has an enrollment of 19,000 full-time students.

About the Huskers
Nebraska enters the season with its most experienced lineup in five years under Coach Barry Collier. The Huskers return 10 letterwinners and three starters from last year's squad that went 18-13 and played three games in the National Invitation Tournament.

The Huskers are led by senior guard Jake Muhleisen, a three-year captain. The Lincoln native, who made a full recovery last season from a fractured hip during his sophomore campaign, averaged 7.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while playing on the wing last year.

Along with Muhleisen, the Huskers have a pair of returning starters in forward John Turek and guard Marcus Neal Jr. Turek is the Huskers' top returning scorer from last season when he averaged 9.9 points and a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game. Neal made an impact in his first season as he started 19 contests, including the last 10 games of the season. Neal adds a different dimension for the Huskers as he has a scorers' mentality while playing the point.

Nebraska's senior class is rounded out by guard Corey Simms, who is considered NU's top defender. Simms has played more games (88) than any current Husker, and has worked hard to improve his three-point shooting during the offseason. The Huskers also return four juniors and two sophomore letterwinners from last season, while adding five talented newcomers who look to push Nebraska back to the postseason in 2005.

Looking for 1,000
Jake Muhleisen is Nebraska's leading returning career scorer with 731 points over the past three seasons, while John Turek ranks second on the squad with 678 career points. They look to break into the 1,000-point club in 2004-05, where they would become the sixth Husker tandem to reach the mark in the same season.

Nebraska's other duos that reached 1,000 career points in the same season are: Tom Baack and Stu Lantz, 1967-68; Brian Banks and Carl McPipe, 1978-79; Rich King and Clifford Scales, 1990-91; Jaron Boone and Erick Strickland, 1994-95; and Cookie Belcher and Venson Hamilton, 1998-99.

Huskers Set to Face Loaded Schedule
Nebraska will take on a tough slate in 2004-05 as it looks for back-to-back postseason berths for the first time since the 1997-98 and 1998-99 campaigns. Along the way, the Huskers will face:

? 12 teams that reached the postseason last year, including: NCAA Tournament teams UAB, Texas, Kansas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, and NIT participants Creighton, Marquette, Tennessee, Colorado, Missouri, Iowa State and Oklahoma.

? two opponents that reached either the NCAA Tournament Final Four (Oklahoma State) or the NIT Final Four (Iowa State) last year. The Big 12 Conference has had at least one team in the NCAA Final Four each of the past three seasons, including two teams twice.

The Huskers play 16 regular-season home games at the Bob Devaney Sports Center this season, where NU earned a 15-3 record last season. Nebraska renews series' with Minnesota and Creighton at home, and will open new non-conference series on the road against UAB, which made the Sweet 16 last year, and Marquette, which reached the 2003 Final Four. The Blazers and Golden Eagles return the game in Lincoln in 2005-06. The Huskers also complete a home-home series at Tennessee this season.

Unprecedented Television Coverage
Nebraska can be seen on television more times this season than any other year in the program's history, as the Huskers will play to a regional or national audience at least 18 times through the regular season, plus any games in postseason play.

Much of NU's added exposure comes from an agreement with FSN Midwest to televise 10 games as part of the Huskers' third-tier package. The telecasts, including five games on the road and six against conference foes, will be produced and distributed by FSN Midwest throughout the state of Nebraska (channel 37 on Time Warner in Lincoln, channel 47 on Cox Cable in Omaha and channel 33 on Qwest Choice in Omaha).

In addition to the FSN games, the Huskers will be seen on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN Regional an additional eight times in the regular season. The Huskers have averaged more than 12 televised contests (national, regional and local) each of the past four years.

Postseason Aspirations
The Nebraska men's basketball team returns for the 2004-05 season looking to continue its momentum from last year when it reached the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. After winning a pair of games in the postseason ? their first postseason appearance in five years ? the Huskers look to earn back-to-back postseason berths for the first time since they made nine consecutive postseason appearances between 1991 and 1999. Overall, Nebraska has reached the postseason 13 times in the NIT and six times in the NCAA Tournament.

For Starters
Nebraska returns 10 lettermen to the court in 2004-05, including three starters in F John Turek (21 starts), G Jake Muhleisen (31) and G Marcus Neal Jr (19). The Huskers also return four additional players who made a start last year in G Corey Simms (13), G Charles Richardson Jr. (10), G Jason Dourisseau (3) and F Bronsen Schliep (1). In total, the Huskers have 215 career games started and 507 games played returning.

Other lettermen back for the Huskers include F Wes Wilkinson (29 games played), C Tony Wilbrand (24) and F Shuan Stegall (10), while NU adds five newcomers in C Aleks Maric, F Jim Ledsome, G Marcus Perry, G Joe McCray and G Paul Velander.

Home Sweet Home
The Huskers look to extend a 13-game non-conference home winning streak that dates back to the 2002-03 campaign when they open the season on Nov. 23 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Nebraska was a perfect 11-0 at home last year in non-conference games, including a 78-70 win over Niagara in the NIT first round. The last time Nebraska lost a non-conference game at home came on Dec. 21, 2002, against Creighton (81-73).

Nebraska has been outstanding at home over the past 28 years since moving into the Devaney Center. The Huskers own a 332-103 home record over that span, including a 15-3 mark at home last year. The 15 wins tied for second most in Devaney Center history. Overall, the Huskers are 44-19 at home under Coach Collier with nine of the losses coming against ranked teams.

Turek Making Mark on Record Books
Senior forward John Turek has a chance to put his name in elite company this season.

After finding great improvement each of his first three seasons, Turek is leaving his name among Nebraska's best rebounders and shot blockers while climbing the NU scoring chart. With numbers similar to last season, Turek can top the 1,000-point plateau this winter while moving into Nebraska's career top 10 for rebounds. Turek enters the season with 678 career points and 541 rebounds, just 120 boards shy of moving into the Nebraska top 10.

Already one of the top shot blockers in Nebraska history, Turek has a chance to do something this year that no Husker has ever accomplished. Turek, who ranks sixth in NU history with 128 blocked shots, has led Nebraska in blocked shots each of the past three years, including tying the NU freshman record with 39 blocks in 2001-02. By leading the team in blocks this season, Turek would be the first Husker ever to lead the squad in four consecutive seasons. Dave Hoppen, the Huskers' career scoring leader, also had a share of the team lead for blocked shots all four years, but tied Ronnie Smith for the team high during Hoppen's junior season.

Turek is within reach of becoming just the third Husker ever with 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 100 blocks. If he reaches those totals, he will join a pair of players who were taken in the NBA Draft ? Rich King, a first-round selection, and Venson Hamilton, a second-round draft pick and the 1999 Big 12 Player of the Year.

Showing an All-Around Game
Senior guard Jake Muhleisen has proven to be one of the top all-around players in Nebraska history over the past three seasons.

Muhleisen, who has played all three guard positions during his career, looks to join elite company this year as he has the chance to become only the fourth player in program history to record at least 1,000 career points, 350 rebounds, 250 assists and 100 steals. Muhleisen enters the season with 731 points, 252 rebounds, 206 assists and 73 steals.

If he reaches those marks ? which he can easily do by equaling last season's totals ? Muhleisen would join Eric Piatkowski, Erick Strickland and Cookie Belcher on the elite list.

Taking Notice of the Newcomers
While the Huskers have 10 letterwinners returning from last season's 18-13 campaign, there will be a few new faces fighting to make an impact for Nebraska this season.

NU has five newcomers, including four scholarship players, looking to learn the offense and defense in a bid to hit the floor early in their Husker careers. The signing class of junior Marcus Perry and freshmen Aleks Maric, Joe McCray and Jim Ledsome ranked 39th in the nation according to hoopscooponline.com. It was the second top-40 recruiting class for the Huskers in the past three seasons, as NU also ranked No. 29 in 2002.

Perry earned honorable-mention All-America honors as a sophomore at Southern Union State (Ala.) CC after averaging 25.4 points per game with 4.1 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.8 assists per game. Perry has outstanding range, as he hit 39.5 percent from beyond the arc last season while draining 107 three-pointers.

McCray ranked among the top 100 seniors in the class of 2003 by a number of publications before spending the past year at Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute, which had six Division I signees and ranked No. 1 in the nation among prep schools most of last year. McCray had the highest ranking of any Husker recruit in the past four seasons, as he was tabbed No. 53 in the country by the Sporting News, and was among the top 100 by ESPN.com, Lindy's and Athlon.

Maric was nearly an unknown until he came to the United States in the fall of 2003. He quickly earned a solid reputation as he averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds per game for Burlington (N.J.) Life Center last season. He was ranked No. 61 nationally by Bob Gibbons and was among the top 25 fifth-year players according to hoopscooponline.com.

Ledsome was a late addition to the Husker class as he signed with Nebraska in August. He averaged 14 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks per game as a senior.

Paul Velander is the Huskers' lone walk-on newcomer. He joined the Huskers from Blacksburg (Va.) High School, where he averaged 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Downing The Big Boys
The Huskers have defeated at least one ranked team each of the past four seasons and will look to keep their streak alive in 2004-05.

Nebraska had two wins over ranked teams last season as it ran past No. 12 Kansas, 74-55, and No. 25 Texas Tech, 72-44. The 28-point margin of victory over the Red Raiders was NU's largest ever against a ranked opponent while the win over Kansas also ranked in the top four.

One More Time
Nebraska will be looking for back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since posting 20-win campaigns in 1997-98 (20-12) and 1998-99 (20-13). The 1999 season marked the last of nine straight winning seasons for the Huskers before they posted an 18-13 record in 2004. Since 1980, the Huskers have recorded winning marks in 19 of 25 seasons and reached the NIT or NCAA Tournament in 17 of those winning campaigns.

All About Defense
Under Coach Barry Collier, the Huskers have continued to rewrite the Nebraska defensive record book over the past four seasons.

The Huskers have 10 letterwinners returning from last year's team that posted some of the best defensive numbers at NU in the last four decades, including:

? allowing opponents to hit just 40.0 percent from the field to rank 20th nationally in field-goal percentage defense. It tied NU's lowest mark since 1961.

? a team scoring defense of 62.9 points per game, the program's best defensive mark since the 1982 campaign.

Among the other outstanding single-game marks the Huskers posted last year were:? limiting South Florida to just 2-of-19 shooting from three-point range, the lowest single-game opponent three-point field-goal percentage (.105) in four years under Coach Collier.

? holding Bethune-Cookman to just 26 points in the game, the lowest point total allowed by NU since a 33-23 victory over Kansas State in 1941. BCC also shot a Devaney Center record low 21.2 percent (11-of-52) from the field while setting a Big 12 single-game opponent record low point total.

? holding Tennessee to three field goals in the first half ? including one from two-point range ? the fewest NU has allowed in one period since the 1987 NIT against Arkansas.

? limiting No. 12/13 Kansas to a season-low 55 points and 36.2 percent shooting from the floor, including just 27.8 percent from three-point range.

In 2003-04, Nebraska's defense held opponents to the lowest field-goal percentage total since 1961, as it gave up just 40.0 percent shooting from the field, including 32.7 percent from three-point range. The previous year, the Huskers ranked first in the league in three-point field-goal percentage defense by allowing opponents to hit a school-record low 30.2 percent from behind the arc.

Getting Aggressive
The Huskers have had a full year of practice in their current offense and are set to make more improvements in the scoring department in 2004-05.

Nebraska installed an aggressive, attacking-style offense at the beginning of fall practice in 2003 and went on to average 70.5 points per game last season, up 7.2 points per game over the 2002-03 season (63.3 ppg). It was the largest increase in scoring production in one season at Nebraska since 1964-65 to 1965-66 (+9.0, 68.2 ppg to 77.2 ppg). It was just the second time in the past six seasons Nebraska averaged at least 70.0 points per game, both coming under Coach Collier (also 2000-01).

Classroom Champions
The Huskers have had great success in the classroom the past four seasons and look to continue that trend in 2004-05. Each of the past two years, John Turek has been named a first-team academic All-Big 12 selection. Turek will try to become only the fifth Husker to earn academic all-league honors three times in his career and is also an academic All-America candidate this season.

Along with Turek, returning letterwinners Jake Muhleisen, Jason Dourisseau and Tony Wilbrand were selected to the first team. In total, Nebraska had six first-team selections last year, a Big 12 record, while 10 Huskers were named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll in at least one semester.

Captain . . . Again
Senior Jake Muhleisen returns for his third season as team captain, leaving him in a unique position. Muhleisen is believed to be the first three-year captain in Nebraska history, and is the first three-year captain to play for Coach Barry Collier. A native of Lincoln, Muhleisen has been roommates with NU football team co-captain Barrett Ruud each of his four years of college.

Filling the House
The Huskers look to continue the momentum gained at the end of last season when the Huskers recorded five straight games with at least 10,000 fans in attendance. NU averaged more than 9,900 fans per game during the 2004 Big 12 home slate. The total was an increase of nearly 1,200 from the previous season and was the Huskers' highest conference attendance total since 1997-98.

Looking for the Close One
With an experienced lineup returning to the court this season, Nebraska looks to take better advantage of its opportunities in close games.

Nebraska was 7-6 in its final 13 contests last year, including a pair of wins in the National Invitation Tournament. Of the six losses, five were decided by five points or less, including an overtime contest on the road at No. 7 Oklahoma State and a one-point setback that ended the Huskers' season at Hawaii. Two of the wins were by three points or less.

Preseason RankingsThe Huskers enter the season with high expectations within the program after a solid finish last year. Others have seen that optimism as well, as the Huskers moved up three spots in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches Poll and two spots in the Big 12 Preseason Media Poll. Nebraska was picked eighth by the coaches and ninth by the media, just three points out of the eighth spot.

Tremendous Transfer Tradition
Newcomer Marcus Perry hopes to continue the recent trend of outstanding transfers to join the Huskers since Coach Collier took over the program. During the past four seasons, NU has had three transfers come into the program, including two from the junior college ranks (Nate Johnson and Marcus Neal Jr.) and one from a Division II program (Andrew Drevo).

Johnson earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors two straight seasons, while Drevo was an honorable-mention all-league pick as a junior. They finished as the highest-scoring transfer tandem in school history, as they combined for more than 1,400 points in two seasons, and each finished among Nebraska's top 60 career scorers.

Neal was the newest addition last year when he started 19 games in his first campaign with the Huskers. After coming on strong down the stretch, Neal was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team, marking the second straight season the Huskers had a member on the squad. Drevo also earned the honor in 2003.