Huskers Hand Out Honors at Banquet

Lincoln -- The Nebraska men’s basketball team presented three player awards Tuesday evening at the team’s season-ending banquet. Among the awards handed out at the West Stadium View Lounge at Memorial Stadium were: Most Outstanding Player to co-award winners Jason Dourisseau and Joe McCray, Outstanding Defensive Player to Corey Simms and the Outstanding Attitude Award to Bronsen Schliep.

Coach Barry Collier and his staff, along with nearly 200 team supporters and support personnel, also honored all four classes, including a special tribute to the senior class of Jake Muhleisen, Marcus Neal Jr., John Turek and Simms.

The seniors combined for four marks on the Nebraska all-time charts while helping the Huskers rank as one of the top defensive teams in the Big 12 Conference each of the past two seasons. NU ranked third in scoring defense (63.9 ppg) and fourth in field-goal percentage (41.4) in 2004-05 while leading the league in rebounding margin at +5.2 rebounds per game. It was the Huskers' highest rebounding margin since 1992 and only the third time in school history that NU has had at least a +5.0 rebounding margin.

Dourisseau and McCray shared the Jack Moore Award, given to the team's most outstanding player. It was just the third time since the award was first presented that co-MVPs have been named. The first time came in 1986 when Dave Hoppen and Bernard Day were honored, and the last time was in 1991 when a trio of Huskers were named, including Rich King, Beau Reid and Clifford Scales.

Dourisseau finished the year second on the team in scoring (9.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.1 rpg) despite missing four games this season while battling injuries. The Omaha native, who was one of the Huskers' most improved defenders, also lead the squad in field-goal percentage by hitting a solid 49.1 percent from the floor, including 56.8 percent inside the arc. He was also third on the team in steals and fourth in assists while playing in 24 games including a career-high 18 starts.

Along with Dourisseau, McCray earned the honor as the team's top player, becoming the first freshman to pick up the accolade. McCray made a splash in the Big 12 Conference as he ranked 11th in the league in scoring (15.5 ppg), was second in three-pointers per game (2.86) and finished eighth in three-point field-goal percentage (35.4). McCray set the Big 12 freshman record with 80 three-pointers, and crushed the previous Nebraska frosh mark of 44 set by Eric Piatkowski in 1991. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native also set the NU freshman scoring average record, was second in total points scored (433, which also ranked eighth in Big 12 freshman history) and was sixth on the NU freshman rebounds chart with 140. McCray's 5.0 rebounding average was third on the team while his 32 steals led the squad and tied for fourth in the NU frosh record book.

McCray was named honorable-mention All-Big 12 by the coaches and was a Big 12 All-Freshman Team pick by the league's sportswriters. He was also named an honorable-mention Freshman All-American by Rivals.com.

For the third straight season, Simms earned the team’s top defensive player award. Despite missing five games due to an elbow injury, the St. Louis native helped the Huskers hold opponents to less than 64 points per game for the second straight season ? the first time NU has reached the mark in consecutive years since 1983 and 1984. Simms averaged 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game and hit 40.7 percent from the field. He was continually shadowing the opponent's top playmaker, helping NU hold 16 teams to 65 points or less.

A complete team player, Schliep was an easy choice for the Outstanding Attitude Award. He had a career year, as he played in nearly as many games in 2005 (22) as he had his first two years combined (23). The Fairfield, Neb. native averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game, and came to practice and games ready to contribute every day. He averaged 6.1 minutes per game and made a strong name for himself when entering Big 12 Conference games as a defensive replacement late in the season, especially in the Huskers' road victory against NCAA Tournament-bound Iowa State. Leading the scout team much of the past year, he helped prepare the Huskers for competition each week by adding guidance and leadership while providing great vocal support.