Anderson Helps Give Sadler First Husker Win

Lincoln?The Doc Sadler era at Nebraska began with a bang Monday evening, as the Huskers opened their 111th season of men’s basketball with an exciting 74-72 exhibition win over visiting Nebraska-Kearney at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. True freshman Ryan Anderson drilled the winning jumper from behind the arc with only 1.8 seconds remaining to give Sadler a win in his first game at NU.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Anderson finished the game with nine points on only 3-of-10 shooting, but it was a pair of clutch plays by the 6-4, 195-pound freshman that stood out in his first start with the Huskers.

 

Facing a 69-67 deficit with under one minute remaining, UNK freshman guard Jeff Martin nailed his third 3-pointer of the game to put the Lopers up by one. Nebraska freshman guard Sek Henry then missed both ends of a two-shot free throw trip on the Huskers’ ensuing possession, but senior point guard Charles Richardson Jr. made a critical steal with 29 seconds left and Anderson made a layup in the paint to put NU back on top by one, 71-70.

 

The Lopers were not finished, though, as senior guard James Lane drilled a jumper on UNK’s final scoring possession with only 12 seconds left on the clock to help regain a one-point advantage. Anderson then followed with his game-winning shot after Richardson ran down an offensive rebound and dished to the Seattle, Wash., native on the left wing.

 

Despite Henry’s two misses from the line in the final minute, the Los Angeles, Calif., native also experienced a fantastic debut for the Huskers, leading the squad with 21 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Senior guard Marcus Perry chipped in 17 points, including five 3-pointers, while sophomore guard Jamel White and freshmen Jay-R Strowbridge each added seven. As a squad, the Huskers combined to hit 12 treys.

 

Richardson and Anderson led Nebraska’s rebounding efforts with six boards apiece.

 

Senior forward Dusty Jura was the driving force behind the Lopers’ upset bid with 22 points and nine rebounds. Jura did most of his damage from the free-throw line, as he connected on 12-of-18 attempts. Lane added 13 points for UNK.

 

Facing a 36-30 deficit at the half, the Lopers started the second period with a strong run to tie the game at 40-40 with just under 16 minutes remaining. Jura converted a pair of layups while posted down low, in addition to a free throw, and following a pair of Strowbridge free throws for Nebraska, freshman guard Jeff Martin drilled one of UNK’s nine 3-pointers to bring the score even.

 

But the Huskers quickly answered with an 8-0 run. Strowbridge began the charge by nailing his first trey on NU’s following possession. Redshirt freshman forward Chris Balham then blocked Jura, and Anderson hit a 10-footer from the baseline before Perry pushed the lead to eight with his fifth 3-pointer of the game to bring the score to 48-40.

 

The Lopers would cut back the deficit and eventually build a three-point advantage. The lead bounced back-and-forth between the two squads until the game’s closing seconds.

 

Nebraska finished the game shooting only 37.7 percent from the field, but a fierce defensive effort, particularly in the first half, helped the Huskers outscore UNK by a 29-15 margin in points off turnovers.

                                                                                                                

Both teams struggled from the floor to open the game, but the Lopers slowly built a 7-0 lead in part due to poor Husker shooting. Nebraska began the game 0-for-6 from the field before Henry ended the drought with a dunk after splitting two UNK defenders on a drive to the basket four and one-half minutes into the game.

 

Despite Henry’s emphatic slam, Nebraska’s offensive struggles continued until the 12-minute mark, when it turned hot from behind the arc to claim its initial lead. Following a pair of foul shots by freshman forward Kris Douse, Perry drilled a wide-open 3-pointer to cut the lead to two at 9-7. White then drew a charge before Perry hit his second trey to give NU its first lead, 10-9.

 

Over the final 11-plus minutes of the first half, the Huskers nailed 7-of-10 attempts from behind the arc to build a six-point lead at the break after missing each of their first five attempts from behind the arc. Nebraska relied almost exclusively on the 3-pointer in its comeback, attempting only 10 shots from inside the arc, and making three, in the first half. They also converted 9-of-12 foul shots in the period.

 

Nebraska returns to the court for its second of two exhibition games to start the 2006-07season on Saturday against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the BobDevaneySportsCenter.