Nebraska Ends December Road Trek in Miami

>>>Game Information

Game: 12.....Nebraska (8-3) vs. Miami (7-6)

Game Date: Dec. 30

Release Date: Dec. 27

Television: FSN Midwest in Nebraska and FSN Florida

Radio: Husker Sports Network  (Kent Pavelka, play-by-play; Andy Markowski, color)

Internet: Huskers.com (live radio)

Satellite: Sirius Satellite channel 125 (live radio)

Event: MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic

Venue: BankAtlantic Center (Sunrise, Fla.)

 

The Nebraska men's basketball team returns to the road for yet another game away from Lincoln as the Huskers travel to Florida to take on the Miami Hurricanes in the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic on Saturday, Dec. 30.

 

The game will tip off at 3 p.m. CST and can be heard on the radio throughout Nebraska on the 25-station Husker Sports Network, as well as on the Internet at Huskers.com and on satellite radio on Sirius channel 125. The new voice of the Huskers, Kent Pavelka will call the play-by-play while former Husker letterwinner Andy Markowski adds color commentary for the game.

 

The Nebraska-Miami matchup will also be the Huskers' eighth televised non-conference game this year. It will be the fourth straight televised contest after last week's three games at the Outrigger Rainbow Classic in Hawaii were telecast back to the state of Nebraska on the digital cable packages of channel 10/11 (KOLN/KGIN) and channel 6 (WOWT).

 

The NU telecast will be the Huskers' second this season on FSN Midwest and will be distributed only in the state of Nebraska, per Big 12 Conference rules. According to FSN Midwest, it can be seen in Lincoln on Time Warner (Channel 37); Cox (47) and Qwest (33) in Omaha; Charter (26) in Grand Island/Kearney; Cable One (32) in Norfolk; Arapahoe Cable (41) in Arapahoe; Cable TV (19) of Stanton; Glenwood Telecomm (17) in Blue Hill; and Huntel (23) in Blair. In Nebraska, satellite subscribers can view the game on channel 648 on DirecTV and 444 on Dish Network. The game will also be carried in locally in the SunshineState on FSN Florida.

 

The contest in Miami will mark the Huskers' sixth game away from Lincoln in the month of December and the final contest in a 15,000-plus mile trek. Nebraska is 2-3 away from the DevaneyCenter during the extended road trip after winning twice in three games at the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.

 

The Huskers received strong play last week from several players and hope to continue that success against the Hurricanes. Junior center Aleks Maric averaged 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while earning all-tournament honors last week. The 6-11, 270-pounder posted a pair of 20-plus point contests and added his third double-double of the year with a season-high 15 rebounds in the third-place victory over Houston.

 

Along with Maric, freshmen Ryan Anderson (14.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Sek Henry (10.7 ppg) and senior Charles Richardson Jr. (10.7 ppg, 7.0 apg) averaged double-figures while combining to hit 16 of the Huskers' 22 3-pointers during the tournament.

 

Anderson recorded the second-highest single-game scoring total by a freshman in school history with 29 points against Hawaii. Included in his scoring explosion was an NU freshman record seven 3-pointers, the second-highest total in school history. Henry followed with a 20-point game of his own against Houston, making Anderson and Henry the fifth set of NU freshmen teammates to each score at least 20 points in a game.

 

Richardson continues to impress and show why he is one of the most improved players in the Big 12 Conference this season. The 5-9 speedster recorded season highs with 13 points in each of the first two games of the tournament and added at least six assists in every contest.

 

In addition to their key players, the Huskers hope to receive more solid play from their reserves. Last week, sophomore forwards Jim Ledsome and Kyle Marks stepped up to combine for 18 minutes per game off the bench and provide solid defense while hitting 50.0 percent from the field (4.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg) as back-ups to Maric, who was saddled with foul trouble in one game and went to the bench with an injury in another.

 

The frontcourt play, especially with Maric, helped the Huskers earn a rebounding advantage in two games last week. Nebraska hopes to improve even more on the glass as it has been outrebounded 31.8 to 28.4 away from the DevaneyCenter this season. On the year, NU holds a slim 30.6 to 30.5 rebounding advantage and has outrebounded six opponents, including three of the last four.

 

>>>Huskers Look to Even Road Record

While the Huskers are 0-2 in true road games this season, Nebraska is 2-1 in neutral-site contests and hopes to even its overall record away from Lincoln this weekend when it takes on the Miami Hurricanes in Sunrise, Fla., at the BankAtlanticCenter, the home of the NHL's Florida Panthers.

 

If the Huskers can improve their record away from the DevaneyCenter to 3-3 this weekend, they would finish the non-conference road schedule with at least a .500 record for only the fourth time since the 1996-97 campaign. Just  once during that span has Nebraska finished above .500 in non-conference games away from Lincoln, with that coming in 2000-01 when the Huskers went 4-3, including defeating Miami in the 2000 FedEx Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.

 

Season                           Non-Conference Road Record

2005-06........................................................ 0-2

2004-05........................................................ 1-2

2003-04........................................................ 1-1

2002-03........................................................ 2-4

2001-02........................................................ 0-3

2000-01........................................................ 4-3

1999-2000..................................................... 1-4

1998-99........................................................ 1-5

1997-98........................................................ 2-4

1996-97........................................................ 3-3

 

>>>Playing in the Top Venues

This weekend's site of the Nebraska-Miami matchup will be the second professional arena the Huskers have played in this season ? along with the Rose Garden, home of the NBA's Portland Trailblazers, the site of NU's contest against Oregon.

 

Overall, Nebraska will play in three pro venues this season, as the Big 12 Championship will be contested at the FordCenter in Oklahoma City, the home arena for the past year of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. Nebraska is 2-6 in pro sports venues since the start of the 2002-03 season.

 

>>>On the Rise

Coach Doc Sadler took over the Husker program after gaining a reputation as a strong defensive coach at Texas-El Paso. The Miners finished last season ranked 15th nationally by allowing just 59.5 points per game, including setting a Conference USA season record by giving up just 56.0 points per contest in league action. That defensive effort has carried over to Lincoln as the Huskers in their first year under Sadler have held eight of their first 11 opponents to 62 or fewer points, including six to 57 or fewer points.

 

While that defensive effort has been expected, the Huskers have seen an impressive rise on the offensive end as well under Sadler.

 

Nebraska has averaged 71.5 points per game this season, including topping the 70-point plateau nine times in 11 games. The last time the Huskers scored at least 70 points in nine of their first 11 games came in 1996-97, when the Huskers topped 70 points in nine of their first 10 games.

 

Nebraska's current four-game streak scoring at least 70 points is the Huskers' longest since a six-game streak in 2003-04. Last year, the Huskers ? who won 19 games and advanced to the postseason NIT for the second time in three years ? scored at least 70 points only 11 times in 33 games, including reaching their ninth 70-point game in the 24th game of the season.

 

>>>Back on Defense

Nebraska won two of its three games last week at the Outrigger Rainbow Classic to place third in the eight-team field. After earning an easy 73-58 opening-round victory over Wyoming, the Huskers dropped an 81-72 contest against the host Rainbow Warriors. UH hit 51.0 percent from the floor to become only the second team this season to hit better than half of its shots from the field against the Huskers.

 

NU responded to the lapse in defense against Hawaii by shutting the door on Houston in the third-place contest. The Cougars started the game hitting their first five shots and seven of their first eight 3-point attempts, but Nebraska clamped down near the end of the first half before putting on a defensive show in the second period.

 

The Huskers limited Houston to just three baskets in a 20:57 span. The Cougars were held to two baskets over the final 4:49 of the first period and then Nebraska allowed just one bucket in the first 16:08 to open the second half.  Jahmar Thorpe hit the Cougars' first basket of the second period at the 18:23 mark and NU did not allow another basket until Thorpe connected at the 3:52 mark, as span of 14:31 between baskets, likely one of the longest streaks in school history.

 

>>>The Series vs. Miami

While the basketball series is not as well-known, the Huskers and Hurricanes have a long history on the gridiron with the teams meeting 10 times since 1951 with the series tied at 5-5. Six of the 10 meetings were in bowl games, with UM owning a 4-2 record in those contests.

 

The UM win in the first game in 1951 came nearly a month before the Huskers and Hurricanes met for the first time on the hardwood. Miami won that first basketball matchup, 70-60, on Dec. 22, 1951, but the Huskers have taken the next two contests to forge a 2-1 series advantage heading into this weekend's matchup.

 

Nebraska's first win in the series came in 1970, when the Huskers took an 85-58 victory at home as part of a 10-1 start to the season (NU finished the year 18-8).

 

The last time the teams met was in 2000, when they played in the same Orange Bowl Basketball Classic. Nebraska picked up its first victory away from Lincoln that season with a 72-64 victory over the Hurricanes. The win was the first of four straight away from home over a seven-day stretch as NU left Miami to head to Puerto Rico where the Huskers took three consecutive games by a combined four points to win the San Juan Shootout title.

 

Nebraska shot 52 percent from the floor in the last matchup against Miami with Steffon Bradford leading the way as he hit 9-of-10 from the field for a game-high 21 points to go with nine rebounds and four steals.

 

 >>>Scouting the Hurricanes

The Miami Hurricanes enter this weekend's matchup with the Huskers with a 7-6 overall record after dropping three of their last four contests. UM fell at home to Mississippi State, 70-52, and Binghamton, 79-74, while adding a win in between against Stetson, 89-64. In their last outing, the Hurricanes dropped an 82-59 decision at Louisville on Dec. 23.

 

UM is led by one of the top scoring threats in the country in guard Jack McClinton. The sophomore is averaging 18.7 points per game while shooting 43.7 percent from the floor this season and 91.9 percent (57-of-62) from the free throw line. More than half of McClinton's made field goals have come from beyond the arc (40-of-71), as he has hit a sizzling 49.4 percent (40-of-81) from 3-point range this year.

 

Along with McClinton, Brian Asbury is the only other Hurricane averaging double figures as he has gained 12.5 points per contest while shooting 48.8 percent from the field. He is second on the team with 19 3-pointers and 6.0 rebounds per game while leading the squad with 18 steals. Dwayne Collins leads the team by hitting 61.3 percent (38-of-62) from the floor and adds 7.2 points to go with 5.3 rebounds per game, while Anthony Harris has added 7.2 points and a team-best 49 assists. Harris is eighth all-time in UM history with 269 career assists.

 

As a team, the Hurricanes have averaged 74.4 points per game and own a +7.0 scoring advantage as opponents have hit just 43.2 percent from the floor. Foes have connected at a solid 36.5 percent-clip from 3-point range, averaging 8.4 treys per game, but UM has limited second shots by holding a significant rebounding advantage (+5.4, 37.3 to 31.9).

 

Miami is coached by Frank Haith, who is in his third season guiding the Hurricanes. Haith owns a 41-35 career record, all at Miami. He took over the UM program after serving three seasons under Rick Barnes at Texas, helping the Longhorns to a pair of Sweet Sixteen appearances (2002 and 2004) and a berth in the 2003 Final Four.

 

>>>Anderson Hits Scoring Stride

Coach Doc Sadler said that freshman guard Ryan Anderson was the first young player to fully buy into the new coaches' system this year and it has paid dividends as Anderson has started every game for the Huskers to date. On Dec. 22, Anderson's basketball ability showed why Sadler has gained great confidence in the young player as Anderson scored a career-high 29 points in a semifinal loss to host Hawaii in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.

 

Anderson's 29 points were the second-highest total by a Husker freshman in school history, trailing only the 30 points Tyronn Lue ? who is currently playing for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks ? posted against Oregon in 1995. Anderson had missed the 20-point plateau two times earlier this year when he had 19 points in a game, but finally broke the barrier as he hit 8-of-20 shots, including seven 3-pointers, against the Rainbow Warriors.

 

Nebraska Freshman Single-Game Scoring

Rank       Player (season).............................. Points

1.           Tyronn Lue (1995-96)........................... 30

2.           Ryan Anderson (2006-07)..................... 29

3.           Jamel White (2005-06).......................... 28

             Erick Strickland (1992-93)..................... 28

5.           Dave Hoppen (1982-83)........................ 27

             Jerry Fort (1972-73)............................. 27

 

>>>Fabulous Freshmen

Guard Ryan Anderson became the 19th Husker freshman in history to score at least 20 points in a contest when he had 29 against Hawaii on Dec. 22, the second-highest single-game scoring mark by a freshman in school history. Anderson must have gotten freshman Sek Henry's competitiveness in high gear as Henry became the 20th freshman to top the 20-point plateau just one night later while helping NU defeat Houston for third place in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic on Dec. 23.

 

Anderson and Henry are just the fifth set of Husker teammates to each score at least 20 points in a game during their freshman season. It is the second straight season the Huskers have had two freshmen top the 20-point plateau as Jamel White (28 points vs. Missouri) and Marcus Walker (20 points vs. Alabama A&M) matched the feat in 2005-06.

 

Other Husker freshmen teammates to reach the mark in the same season include: Jake Muhleisen (21 pts.) and John Turek (20 pts.) in 2001-02; Ron Taylor (twice), Rickey Harris (22 pts.) and Bob Siegel (26 pts.) in 1973-74; and Jerry Fort (six times) and Ricky Marsh (22 pts.) in 1972-73.

 

Only six NU freshmen have scored at least 20 points twice in their rookie season, with the last being Joe McCray who had a school freshman record 10 20-point games in 2004-05.

 

>>>Digging the Long Ball

Ryan Anderson's 29 points came primarily from long range as the rookie hit a career-best seven 3-pointers on a school-record tying 13 attempts. Anderson's total was the second-highest single-game effort in school history and tied the NU freshman record, although he is the first true freshman to ever record seven 3-pointers in a game (Cary Cochran was a redshirt freshman in 1998-99). Anderson trails only Cary Cochran's school-record eight 3-pointers against Baylor in 2002 on NU's all-time single-game list.

 

Anderson currently leads NU with 21 3-pointers, while hitting an impressive 47.7 percent (21-of-44) from long range this year. He needs two 3-pointers to tie for 10th place on the NU freshman chart, matching the 23 treys by Brian Conklin in 2001.

Through 11 games, Anderson has already had at least five treys in a game twice this season, including a 5-of-5 effort at Rutgers that tied the NU single-game mark for 3-point percentage (minimum of five attempts).

 

>>>New Day, New Lineup

After opening with the same lineup for the first six games of the season, the Huskers have put a different starting five on the floor each of the past five games. Charles Richardson Jr., Sek Henry, Ryan Anderson, Jamel White and Aleks Maric dominated the lineup while helping the Huskers to a 5-1 start before White, who stayed home to concentrate on academics, was replaced with Marcus Perry at Oregon. The following game against Alabama A&M, Maric was unable to play because of a hip injury and was replaced with Jim Ledsome.

 

Maric returned for the first round of the Rainbow Classic, but Perry did not play because of a foot injury, leading to Jay-R Strowbridge's first career start. Henry then came off the bench for the first time in his career while White returned to the opening lineup against Hawaii, but Henry returned to the starting five in place of White in the Huskers' last contest against Houston.

 

In the last five games ? including four away from Lincoln ? the Huskers own a 3-2 record while starting different lineups each contest. Last year, the Huskers had 11 different lineups during the season, with only one lineup playing together for more than four games.

 

>>>Stepping Up

Coach Doc Sadler continually talks about the need for the Huskers to play hard on every play, every time they step on the court. He has repeatedly told his players that they need to be ready to step up on any given night, and that they may never know when the opportunity for increased playing time may present itself.

 

That was exactly the case in the opening round of the Rainbow Classic against Wyoming as freshman point guard Jay-R Strowbridge was called on to step in for injured senior Marcus Perry. A native of Ardmore, Ala., Strowbridge had played in eight games and logged more than 11 minutes in a contest just three times before earning the start.

 

Strowbridge responded in solid fashion as the sharpshooter connected on 4-of-7 shots from the floor and all five free throw attempts for a career-high 14 points. More impressively, Strowbridge ? who was the second point guard on the floor along with senior Charles Richardson Jr. ? easily set a career high with eight assists against zero turnovers. Strowbridge, who had recorded just 10 assists in his first eight games combined, recorded the most assists by a Husker freshman since Richardson had nine assists against Tennessee in 2003.

 

>>>Doubling Down Low

Center Aleks Maric established himself as a dual threat in the post last season as he recorded 10 double-doubles to tie the Nebraska sophomore record.

 

His 10 double-doubles were third in the Big 12 Conference behind NBA Draft picks LaMarcus Aldridge and P.J. Tucker of Texas, while his seven double-doubles in conference play were a league high. Maric also was the top returning rebounder in the league after averaging 8.1 boards per game in 2005-06.

 

This season, the 6-11, 270-pound Australian has posted three more double-doubles and now has 16 career double-doubles. He also tied the NU freshman record with three double-doubles in 2004-05.

 

Since 1972 when complete game-by-game statistics are available, Maric's career total is tied for seventh in the Nebraska record book and is just three out of fifth place.

 

>>>3s All Around

Nebraska has knocked down the long ball with amazing frequency through the early portion of the non-conference schedule. The Huskers rank among the national leaders in 3-point percentage after hitting 39.2 percent from long range this year, including a season-high 64.7 percent against Rutgers.

 

The Huskers scorched the net against the Scarlet Knights, hitting a season-high 11 treys on 17 attempts, connecting on NU's highest percentage in a game since hitting 66.7 percent (10-of-15) against Pacific in 2000. Nebraska's accuracy reached a pinnacle in the second half against RU when the Huskers hit 8-of-11 3-point attempts (72.7 percent).

 

Freshman Ryan Anderson leads the way with 21 3-pointers this season, but is one of seven Huskers with at least seven treys through the first 11 games of the season. Marcus Perry is second on the squad with 12 3-pointers since returning from an injury while Charles Richardson Jr. has added 11 3-pointers. Jay-R Strowbridge has posted nine treys with Jamel White connecting on eight and Paul Velander and Sek Henry each contributing seven baskets from downtown.

 

Anderson tied the school record for 3-point field-goal percentage in the contest at Rutgers as he hit 5-of-5 from beyond the 3-point line. He matched the effort of Cary Cochran ? the Huskers' all-time 3-point leader ? and Brian Conklin ? the Big 12's single-season 3-point percentage leader ? as the only Huskers with a 1.000 shooting percentage in a single game (minimum five 3-point attempts).

 

Anderson also posted the second-highest single-game effort in school history with seven 3-pointers against Hawaii. He is only the fourth player in NU history to record at least seven treys, joining Cary Cochran (twice), Cookie Belcher and Chris Cresswell.

 

>>>One to Remember

After recording 28 assists in his first five games combined, senior point guard Charles Richardson Jr. set the tables in record fashion at Rutgers. Richardson posted a career high with 15 assists, becoming the first Husker to record double-figure assists in a single game since Jake Muhleisen had 10 assists against Minnesota in 2002. Richardson's previous game high was nine assists on two occasions, including earlier this season in an upset of No. 20/25 Creighton. 

 

The 15 assists were the most by a Husker since Brian Carr set the school single-game record with 18 assists at Evansville on Jan. 5, 1985. Richardson is just the eighth Husker since 1984 to post double-figure assists. Tom Wald in 1994-95 and Beau Reid in 1988-89 are the only Huskers since Carr to post two double-figure assist games in a season. Carr had eight double-figure assist games in 1984-85, five in 1985-86 and two in 1986-87. 

            

 >>>Setup Man

Senior point guard Charles Richardson Jr. has been on a tear to open the season. The 5-6, 165-pounder from Illinois has gotten the Husker offense into high gear, much like his days running the powerful ProvisoEastHigh School squad that included current NBA players Dee Brown and Shannon Brown, each also a college standout at Illinois and MichiganState, respectively.

 

This season, Richardson has collected 74 assists against just 29 turnovers through 11 games. His 6.72 assists per game rank first in the Big 12 Conference entering the week, while his 2.55:1 assists-to-turnover ratio is second in the Big 12. In the last NCAA statistics on Dec. 17, he also ranked sixth nationally in assists per game.

 

Richardson's 74 assists in 11 games are a significant part of the reason why Nebraska ranked fourth in the nation in field-goal percentage during the last NCAA statistics reporting period. Currently, NU has hit 50.0 percent from the field to rank fourth in the Big 12 and will likely remain in the top 25 in the nation during the next NCAA statistics report. 

 

As a freshman, Richardson recorded 66 assists in 31 games and then had 54 assists in 26 games as a sophomore. Last season, Richardson recorded a career-high 100 assists in 28 games, becoming the first Husker since 2002 to record at least 100 assists in a season.

 

Only one player in school history has averaged at least 5.0 assists per game for a whole season. Brian Carr, the Huskers' all-time assist leader, surpassed the mark in each of his final three seasons, including posting a school-record 7.90 assists per game as a sophomore in 1985.

 

 >>>Getting the Job Done

Nebraska's strong shooting performances this season can be attributed in part to better shot selection, but another big reason is the presence center Aleks Maric has made in the paint.

 

A junior from Sydney, Australia, Maric ranks fourth in the conference with 18.7 points per game this season, including five 20-point contests. Despite drawing constant double teams, Maric has dominated the paint and leads the Big 12 Conference by hitting 66.4 percent (75-of-113) from the floor.  

 

In the season opener ? just 11 days after he had his appendix removed ? Maric scored 29 points in 29 minutes against Nebraska-Omaha. Three times this season Maric has scored as many points as he played minutes, including a season-best ratio of 19 points in 18 minutes against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

 

Also knocking down shots early this season, freshman guard Ryan Anderson has been a pleasant surprise as he is second on the team by connecting on 52.3 percent (58-of-111) from the floor. Anderson is ninth in the league statistics and second among Big 12 freshmen, behind only Kansas' Darrell Arthur (57.4 percent).

 

Anderson is second on the team in scoring at 14.3 ppg and rebounding with 5.7 rpg. His scoring average ranks 13th in the conference and is second among freshmen, trailing only league leader Kevin Durant of Texas (21.6 ppg).

 

>>>Back on Track

While senior guard Charles Richardson Jr. has been a catalyst for the Husker offense early in the season, his lone classmate ? senior guard Marcus Perry ? is just getting back into action.

 

One of nine Huskers to miss time during the preseason with an injury, Perry played the first exhibition game of the year but suffered a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery. He missed the final exhibition game and the first three regular-season games before making his season debut against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 27.

 

One of the team's top long-range threats, Perry got untracked quickly despite the extended injury layoff, which also included a stress fracture in his foot that required him to wear a boot when not on the court.

 

Perry hit nine of his first 17 attempts (52.9 percent) from 3-point range in his first three games back and averaged 10.3 points per game during that span. Perry, who last year ranked fourth on the team with 31 3-pointers in 32 games while hitting 36.0 percent from beyond the arc, is currently second on the team with 12 3-pointers while shooting 40.0 percent from long range.

>>>Making a Splash

After an injury-plagued redshirt freshman year with the Huskers last season, guard Paul Velander looked to be on the same track this year as he had ankle surgery in the offseason and then had a stress fracture in his foot during preseason workouts.

 

After getting back on the court for two games, he suffered a shoulder injury that knocked him out of the rotation for three more contests. But his outlook has changed since his return against Oregon as Velander, a walk-on, has given the Husker offense an unexpected lift with his shooting touch, effort and toughness.

 

In the first extended action of his career against Oregon, Velander drew a foul and forced a turnover on an inbounds during his first play, and then hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing trip down court. Velander added three more treys and finished the day with a career-high 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range and played a career-high 20 minutes, double the previous amount of time he had seen on the floor in his career.

 

His strong shooting and effort helped him get back on the court for eight minutes against Alabama A&M, when he scored 10 points on 2-of-5 shooting from long range while hitting all four of his free throw attempts. Velander is now 7-of-15 from 3-point range this season, one of seven Huskers with at least seven treys this year.

 

>>>Locking Down

 Coach Doc Sadler has always had his teams ready to play solid defense for 94 feet, whether on the Division I level or when he was a head coach in the junior college ranks. Sadler's first Husker squad is showing similar traits and improving in that area each game.

 

To date, the Huskers have allowed just 59.8 points per game, a mark that ranks fourth in the league only behind Texas A&M (54.0 ppg), Oklahoma (54.9) and Kansas (58.4) entering the weekend.

 

It makes sense that Nebraska and Texas A&M would be near the top of the defensive statistical categories as the school's head coaches have the same approach to playing the game: play hard and play every foot of the floor on defense. They have a long history together as well, as A&M coach Billy Gillispie hired Sadler at UTEP as an assistant and when Gillispie left to coach the Aggies, Sadler took over as the Miners' head coach.

 

>>>Shutting the Door

Nebraska has had a solid offensive performance to open the season as the Huskers rank among the national leaders by hitting 50.0 percent from the floor through their first 11 games. While its defensive effort may have been overshadowed early on, this year's NU squad has already proven to be among the stingiest in recent NU history.

 

The Huskers held three straight opponents under 60 points in one stretch, and have allowed more than 62 points only three times this season, with all three games on the road. At home, NU has held four of six opponents to below 60 points.

 

In fact, the Huskers held two opponents ? Lubbock Christian and Arkansas-Pine Bluff ? to 42 points each in back-to-back games, both NU wins. That two-game stretch marked the first time since 1982 that Nebraska held consecutive opponents to less than 50 points apiece. That year it accomplished the feat on two occasions, most recently in a pair of victories against Air Force (W, 63-47) and Northern Iowa (53-42).

 

This year's occurrence is only the seventh time since 1958 ? a span of 50 seasons ? that NU has combined to keep consecutive opponents to fewer than 50 points each. The 1957-58 campaign is also the last time Nebraska limited three straight opponents to fewer than 50 points.

 

By holding Lubbock Christian and Arkansas-Pine Bluff to 42 points apiece, it was only the third time since 1958 that the Huskers allowed 84 or fewer combined points in consecutive games. The last time it happened was three seasons ago, when NU held Bethune-Cookman and Lipscomb to a combined 78 points, including a 70-26 romp over BCC. According to the NCAA record book entering 2006-07, Nebraska ranked 11th in fewest points allowed in a single game since 1986 by holding Bethune-Cookman to 26 points in that contest.

 

>>>Heating Up the Floor

Entering the season, Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said that he thought the Huskers would be a solid shooting team. Through the first 11 games of the season, Sadler's prediction has been an understatement as the Huskers have connected on 50.0 percent of their shots from the floor, including a solid 39.2 percent from 3-point range, heading into Saturday's game with Miami.

 

The Huskers have hit at least 50 percent in five of 11 games this season, and better than 48 percent in two other contests. Nebraska hit at least 50 percent from the floor in only five games all of last season.

 

Nebraska shot 59.7 percent (77-of-129) from the field over the first three contests of the season, and in fact hit at least 55.0 percent from the floor in each game. That is the longest stretch a Nebraska squad has hit at least 55.0 percent in each game since the 1991-92 team connected on 55.2, 55.2 and 63.4 percent against Wisconsin, Texas A&M and Eastern Washington, respectively.

 

Nebraska opened the season hitting 56.5 percent (26-of-46) from the floor against Nebraska-Omaha, the second time in three years the Huskers hit at least 50 percent of their shots in a season opener. As a follow-up, NU scorched the nets by hitting more than two-thirds of its field-goal attempts (67.6 percent, 25-of-37) in an upset of No. 20/25 Creighton in the second game of the year and first against a Division I team. Nebraska continued its strong shooting by hitting 56.5 percent (26-of-46) against Lubbock Christian.

 

In its road opener, Nebraska hit 59.6 percent from the field at Rutgers, its highest road percentage since the 2000 season. Overall, NU has hit 46.8 percent from the floor in games away from Lincoln this season. 

 

>>>Maric Earns Big 12 Honors

Junior Aleks Maric was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday, Nov. 20, following his performance in the Huskers' first two games of the season. The 6-11, 270-pound center led Nebraska to a 2-0 start by averaging 23.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game while hitting 65.5 percent (19-of-29) from the floor.

 

Maric, who returned to the court for the season opener just 11 days after an appendectomy, posted 29 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes against Nebraska-Omaha in the Huskers' first regular-season game. He hit 11 field goals on a career-high 18 attempts and missed his second career 30-point contest by just one point. Last year, Maric had 37 points at IowaState, the fifth-highest single-game mark in program history and the first 30-point game by a Husker since 1997.

 

Against No. 20/25 Creighton on Nov. 18, Maric posted 17 points and nine rebounds to lead the Huskers to a 12-point victory. Maric was saddled with foul trouble in the first half and played just nine minutes, but came on to play 19 minutes in the second period when he recorded 15 points and eight boards.

 

Maric was the first Husker to be named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week since 1999 when Venson Hamilton won it in back-to-back weeks on Jan. 18 and 25.  Maric is only the third Husker to earn the conference's top weekly award, joining Hamilton and Tyronn Lue, who won the award three times including twice in 1997-98.

 

Maric earned Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week honors as a freshman on Feb. 28, 2005. He was one of nine Husker newcomers to earn the honor since the formation of the league for the 1996-97 season.

 

>>>More Honors

Junior center Aleks Maric was not the only Husker to earn an honor following the first week of the season. On Monday, Nov. 20, Nebraska coach Doc Sadler was tabbed the Coach of the Week on collegeinsider.com's Weekly Honor Roll. The web site said:

 

"Expectations at Nebraska just got a little higher, and credit new coach Doc Sadler. The Huskers finally ended a seven-game losing streak to in-state rival Creighton, surprising the mid-major darlings 73-61 to open the season 2-0. Nebraska shot 67% from the field, scored on its final 13 possessions of the game, and discovered it has a clutch performer in freshman guard Ryan Anderson (19 points and a key 3 in the final minutes). Yet, it all comes back to Sadler, who came to Lincoln this year after an impressive two-year stint at UTEP. With the win, he has already made a difference, earning some much-needed positive attention for the basketball team at a traditional football school."

 

>>>Unfamiliar Territory

First-year Husker coach Doc Sadler opened his career in Lincoln in territory rarely seen before among the fraternity of coaches at Nebraska.

 

With five straight wins to open the season, Sadler was undefeated as NU's head coach longer into his tenure than any previous Husker mentor in more than eight decades. The last time a Nebraska first-year coach won at least five games to open his career in Lincoln was 1919 when Paul Schlisser went 6-0 to start the 1919-20 campaign. Overall, Sadler is only the fifth coach in program history to win his first five games as the Huskers' mentor.

 

>>>Hot Shots

Nebraska scorched the nets in a 12-point victory over nationally ranked Creighton on Nov. 18. The Huskers hit an impressive 67.6 percent (25-of-37) from the floor, their top single-game shooting percentage since hitting 72.3 percent (34-of-47) against UNC-Wilmington nearly nine years ago on Dec. 5, 1997.

 

The single-game percentage ranks fifth in the country in the NCAA statistics, but does not top the Big 12 rankings as OklahomaState has already hit 67.9 percent (36-of-53) against Florida Atlantic to take the top spot in the league. Last year in all of Division I, a 67.6 field-goal percentage for a single game would have ranked sixth nationally on the season.

 

>>>Anderson Steps Up Big for Huskers

Freshman guard Ryan Anderson made his presence felt early in the 2006-07 campaign. The Seattle native has started every game and is second on the team in scoring, rebounding and field-goal percentage.

 

He started off in good fashion in the Huskers' first exhibition game, as he hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds remaining to help NU to a 74-72 victory over Nebraska-Kearney. In his first regular-season contest, Anderson posted nine points with a game-high 11 rebounds, becoming the second Husker freshman in three years to post double-figure rebounds in his first career game.

 

Anderson came back with an even bigger performance against No. 20/25 Creighton as he led the Huskers in scoring with 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting. He hit his first six attempts from the floor and his only miss of the game was a long 3-point attempt in the final 10 seconds of the first half. Against Creighton and Lubbock Christian, Anderson connected on 12-of-14 field-goal attempts to pace the squad. He added a game-high 10 boards vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, giving him his second double-figure rebounding game of the season.

 

At Rutgers, Anderson tied the school single-game record for 3-point percentage by going 5-for-5 from long range. He then scored 29 points ? the second-highest scoring performance by a freshman in NU history ? while tying the school freshman record with seven 3-pointers, the second-highest total ever by a Husker.

 

Anderson has also posted 12 steals to rank second on the squad and is fourth in assists with 22 and leads the Huskers from downtown where he owns a team-best 21 3-pointers to rank eighth in the Big 12 Conference with 1.91 treys per game.

 

>>>Earning Their Keep

Following a rash of injuries, the Nebraska coaching staff held open tryouts for students on Oct. 12, a day before the official start of preseason practices. At times this fall, the Huskers have practiced with only six healthy players who are currently listed on the official roster.

 

From the open tryout, the coaching staff took six players who are working out with the team on a limited basis. Forward Ben Nelson (#35, 6-7, 210, So., Atwater, Minn.) and Choul Laam (#40, 6-5, 230, Sr., Lincoln, Neb.) were the only walk-ons to see action in the exhibition games, while Laam and Nick Krenk (#11, 6-0, 170, Nebraska City, Neb.) are the only two to dress during the regular season. Krenk is the only new walk-on to travel this season.

 

Krenk joined the team as a manager one month before the season opener and practiced only one time with the team on the day before the season opener, but was cleared in time to play in place of Jay-R Strowbridge (injury).

 

Laam and Krenk, the son of former Chicago Bear and Husker football player Mitch Krenk, are the only two walk-ons added during the fall who have played in the regular season. Andrew Wicklund (#30, 6-5, 170, So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) also dressed for the exhibition games but has not suited up in the regular season.

 

>>>Early Bird Rankings

When Nebraska and Creighton played on Nov. 18, it was the earliest contest for the Huskers against a ranked team in school history. The previous earliest game was in the season-opener for the 1996-97 campaign when Nebraska fell to No. 17 Texas, 83-81, in Austin on Nov. 23, 1996. That season was the first year of Big 12 Conference play, but the Huskers and Longhorns played twice, including the season opener which served as a non-conference game for both teams.

 

Nebraska improved to 2-0 all-time against ranked non-conference teams in the month of November. The only other time Nebraska has played a ranked non-conference opponent that early came on Nov. 28, 1990, when NU stunned No. 5 Michigan State, 71-69, at home.

 

Before the win over Creighton, the Huskers' last victory over a non-conference team in the regular season came on Dec. 8, 2002 when NU defeated No. 20 Minnesota, 80-60, in the DevaneyCenter.

 

The Huskers now own a 9-31 record against ranked non-conference teams in the regular season.

 

>>>Talk With Doc

Nebraska Coach Doc Sadler will meet fans to talk about recent contests and the game plan for upcoming game with a series of four 'Talk with Doc' luncheons. The luncheons began on Nov. 17 when Doc talked about the game against Creighton and continued on Dec. 15 when he talked about the road trek in December.

 

The the final two luncheons (Jan. 19 and Feb. 9) will take place at the Nebraska Club on the 20th floor of the US Bank Building in downtown Lincoln. Cost for the luncheons, which include a full buffet, is $15 per person per luncheon. Tables of eight are available for $120 and packages that include a full table of eight for all four luncheons are $450. Contact the Athletic Development Office at 1-800-8BIGRED and select 'development' from the menu options.

 

>>>Overtime

? Nebraska forced Arkansas-Pine Bluff (24) and North Texas (25) into a combined 49 turnovers, the most in consecutive games for the Huskers since 1993. That season the Huskers forced 19 against Southern Cal (Dec. 23, 1992) and 33 against Texas-Arlington (Dec. 21, 1992). In the game before the UTA matchup, the Huskers forced Appalachian State into 25 turnovers on Dec. 19.

? Overall Nebraska has forced five teams into at least 20 turnovers, including three of its past four opponents.

? With a win over North Texas on Nov. 29, Nebraska improved to 5-0 to start the season. The win marked the second time in school history that NU started consecutive seasons with a 5-0 record and the first time in more than 80 years since the 1911-12 and 1912-13 campaigns.

? The Huskers were outrebounded in three straight games before posting a 38-26 advantage on the glass against Alabama A&M. Since then, NU gained an advantage on the boards in two of three games in Hawaii and have now won the rebounding matchup six times this season.

? Nebraska recorded 15 steals against North Texas, the most by a Husker squad since posting 15 against Oklahoma in 2001. NU came back to nearly match the mark with 14 steals against Alabama A&M.

? Charles Richardson Jr. has led or tied for the team lead in steals in 10-of-11 contests and owns 27 steals through 11 games, ranking among the national leaders at 2.45 steals per game. Richardson recorded 17 steals as a freshman in 31 games and 16 as a sophomore in 26 games. Last year he tied for the team lead with 34 steals in 30 games.

? Maric has 499 career rebounds entering the weekend matchup against Miami. By posting the same rebound total as he had last year (251), Maric would move into 10th on the Husker career rebounds chart. Entering the season, Maric was just 10 rebounds behind the total Venson Hamilton had at the end of his sophomore season. Hamilton is the only player in NU history to post more than 1,000 career rebounds.

? Maric moved into the NU career top 10 for blocked shots with four against North Texas. He now owns 72 blocks in his career, good for ninth place on the Husker chart and 11 behind Cookie Belcher, who sits in eighth place with 83 blocks between 1997 and 2001.

? Nebraska's game against Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 14 marked the earliest season-opener in program history, tying the mark set in the 1998-99 campaign. Prior to this season, Nebraska had played only four games before Nov. 19, but played twice this year before that date. 

? Jamel White ranks fifth in the Big 12 Conference in assist:turnover ratio as he has recorded 30 assists against just 13 turnovers in 11 games this season.