Huskers Undergo Final Preparations for UNO

Note: Huskers.com will provide men's basketball practice reports on Monday and Thursday afternoons throughout the 2006-07 season. Free video links will also be available with each story.

 

Lincoln - The Nebraska men's basketball team underwent a 2 1/2-hour practice on Monday afternoon in preparation for its season opener against Nebraska-Omaha.  The official beginning of the Doc Sadler era starts Tuesday night when the Mavericks come to Lincoln for only the second regular-season meeting between the team in series history.

 

Heading into his first regular-season game as head coach of the Huskers, Sadler says he is only concerned about one thing.

 

“I want to see tremendous effort,” Sadler said before practice Monday. “That’s what I want to see. I could care less about this or that or whatever. Obviously I want to win, but I want to see effort because I know that if you get the effort that you’re looking for, then success is going to be right behind that.”

 

The Huskers received some good news Monday afternoon when junior center Aleks Maric was cleared to pick up some activity in practice following an appendectomy surgery on Friday, Nov. 3. Maric mostly worked out on his own during the afternoon session and Sadler said that if the 6-11 center does play, it will be in limited situations.

 

“I’m not going to be someone who rushes him back just for our game tomorrow night or just for a game Saturday night,” Sadler said. “We’re in this thing for the whole year. His health is more important than any win or loss.”

 

Nebraska-Omaha was 15-16 last season and opened 2006-07 by playing an impressive first half in an exhibition game at Creighton. UNO trailed the Bluejays by just one point, 32-31, at halftime, before losing 73-56. Tuesday's game will be the final exhibition game for the Division II Mavericks, but will be a regular-season contest for the Huskers.

 

Aside from Maric, Nebraska continues to fight the injury bug as freshman point guard Jay-R Strowbridge remained sidelined with tendonitis. He did not suit up in the exhibition game on Saturday night, forcing senior point guard Charles Richardson to play all 40 minutes. Four other Huskers - redshirt freshman Chris Balham, sophomores Kyle Marks and Paul Velander and senior Marcus Perry - also did not practice due to injuries.

 

Tip-off between the Huskers and Mavs at the DevaneyCenter is set 7 p.m. on Tuesday.