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>>>Game Information<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
Game: 20
Game Date: Jan. 29 (8 p.m.)
Release Date: Jan. 28
Television: ESPN national telecast as part of Big Monday (Ron Franklin, play-by-play; Fran Fraschilla, color; Holly Rowe, reporter)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Kent Pavelka, play-by-play; Matt Davison, color)
Internet: Huskers.com (live radio, stats)
Satellite Radio: Sirius channel 110
Venue: <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>BobDevaneySportsCenter (13,595)
Halftime: Quick Change; Scarlet Dance Team
Corporate Sponsor: Ford
National Anthem: No Better Cause
>>>Huskers Return Home for Big Monday Contest Against Ranked Jayhawks
The Nebraska men's basketball team makes a quick turnaround as it plays host to nationally ranked Kansas at the BobDevaneySportsCenter on Monday, Jan. 29, just two days after its last contest.
The Huskers, who are in the middle of a four-game stretch that includes three conference road tilts, will put a 9-1 home record on the line when the teams face off at a packed DevaneyCenter. As of late last week, nearly 12,000 tickets had been distributed for the game and a sellout is possible. The building was also sold out in NU's victory over then-No. 20/25 Creighton on Nov. 18. Fans are encouraged to wear red as part of a 'Red Out' on Monday.
The game tips off at 8 p.m. and will be NU's third nationally televised game this year as it will be seen around the country on ESPN as part of its Big Monday series. Ron Franklin (play by play), Fran Fraschilla (color) and Holly Rowe (sideline) will call the action. The contest will be Nebraska's first on Big Monday since 2000 when the Huskers lost to No. 20 Oklahoma, 62-54, at home.
The contest can also be heard on the radio throughout Nebraska on the 25-station Husker Sports Network, as well as on the Internet at Huskers.com. Kent Pavelka, the basketball voice of the Huskers, will call the action from courtside while Matt Davison adds color commentary.
>>>Back in Action
The Huskers get back in action following a short turnaround from their trip to Manhattan, Kan., on Saturday where they fell, 61-45, to the Kansas State Wildcats.
NU's defensive effort was solid as the Huskers held KansasState to an opponent season-low 32.6 percent shooting, including allowing just one field goal over the final 9:49 of the second half. KSU recorded only five field goals in the second half ? the fewest NU has allowed in one half in a conference road game since Kansas State recorded four in the second half in 2006 ? and an opponent season-low 14 field goals on the afternoon.
On the offensive end, the Huskers hit some shots early and surged to a seven-point lead in the opening minutes of the game but then struggled the rest of the way as they hit 36.7 percent, including 4-of-20 (20.0 percent) from 3-point range. It was also NU's fewest points in a conference game since losing 62-45 at KSU in 1999.
The Huskers have a tall task to get back on the winning track against a highly talented Kansas squad. KU has won 12 of its last 13 contests and is 18-3 overall this season.
The Jayhawks are the highest-ranked team to come to the DevaneyCenter since OklahomaState came in ranked No. 4 in the nation in 2005. That game also marks the last time the Huskers defeated a top-10 squad, as NU pulled out a 74-67 victory over the Cowboys.
Overall, the Huskers have won three straight home games against nationally ranked teams, including one this year. In the past two seasons, Nebraska is 3-2 against ranked squads, although only one of those contests ? a 78-59 road loss at No. 6 Texas last year ? was against a top-10 team.
For Nebraska to snap its two-game losing streak with an upset of the Jayhawks, the Huskers will have to get back to basics, including getting the ball in the paint to Aleks Maric. The junior center from Sydney, Australia, leads the league in field-goal percentage (61.9 percent) and is ranked among the top six in the league in points (17.6) and rebounds (7.9) per game.
The top returning big man in the conference, Maric led the Big 12 in double-doubles in conference-only games last year. This season he has one double-double against league teams, but just missed his second straight on Saturday as he had 10 points and nine rebounds at KSU.
Along with Maric, the Huskers will try to find their hot shooting touch from outside again. Nebraska has been among the top 3-point shooting teams in the nation and is on a school-record pace by hitting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc. The Huskers have hit at least 10 3-pointers four times this season, including a season-high 15 treys in a victory over Miami. It was NU's most 3-pointers away from Lincoln in school history and three off the school record of 18 3-pointers set against No. 1 Kansas in an 88-87 loss in 2002.
>>>Top 10 Takedowns
Nebraska has defeated at least one ranked team each season since the start of the 2000-01 campaign, and has won two games against ranked squads in two of the past three seasons. NU is 1-0 against ranked teams this year.
The Huskers own a 4-2 record against nationally ranked teams since defeating No. 4 Oklahoma State in Lincoln in 2005. That win was NU's first victory over a top-10 squad since beating No. 7 Iowa State in overtime in Ames during the 1996-97 campaign.
The win over OSU was Nebraska's first against a top-five team since the 1994 Big Eight Tournament, when the Huskers knocked off No. 3 Missouri. The last time NU had defeated a top-five team at home was 1993, when the Huskers beat No. 3 Kansas.
At home, the Huskers have won three straight games over teams ranked in the top 25 since knocking off OSU. The Huskers' last win over a nationally ranked Kansas squad came in 2004, when the Huskers defeated No. 12 Kansas, 74-55, at home. That season, NU started Big 12 play with a 1-6 record before rebounding to finish 6-10.
Here is the list of Nebraska's all-time victories over top-10 ranked teams:
Nebraska All-Time Wins Over Top-10 Teams
H/A/N Date Opponent Score
H 2/22/05 No. 4 Oklahoma State 74-67
A 2/22/97 No. 7 Iowa State 74-69 (ot)
N 3/13/94 No. 3 Missouri 98-91
H 2/23/94 No. 10 Kansas 96-87
H 2/7/93 No. 3 Kansas 68-64
H 2/19/92 No. 3 Kansas 81-79 (ot)
H 2/5/92 No. 2 Oklahoma State 85-69
H 3/3/91 No. 10 Kansas 85-75
H 11/28/90 No. 5 Michigan State 71-69
H 2/19/86 No. 10 Oklahoma 66-64
A 2/6/82 No. 1 Missouri 67-51
H 1/25/78 No. 8 Kansas 62-58
H 12/9/69 No. 7 Duquesne 82-77
H 1/18/66 No. 6 Kansas 83-75
H 12/12/64 No. 1 Michigan 74-73
H *3/3/58 No. 1 Kansas State 55-48
H *2/22/58 No. 4 Kansas 43-41
H 2/7/53 No. 5 Kansas State 80-67
N 12/28/50 No. 9 Missouri 54-52
*consecutive games
>>>Save the Date
The game between Nebraska and OklahomaState originally scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 13, was postponed because of winter weather conditions in Oklahoma that prevented the Cowboys from leaving Oklahoma City on Friday or Saturday. It was the first weather-related postponement of a basketball game since the formation of the Big 12 Conference.
On Tuesday, Jan. 16, the Big 12 Conference, in conjunction with Nebraska and OklahomaState, announced that the makeup date would be Monday, March 5 at 7 p.m. The contest will be the last Big 12 regular-season game this season, as both teams will then travel to Oklahoma City for the Big 12 Championship on March 8-11. The placement of the game will give Nebraska three games in six days to end the regular season, including home contests against Iowa State (Feb. 28) and Oklahoma State with a meeting at Colorado (March 3) in between.
>>>Following Up KansasState
? Nebraska held KansasState to an opponent season low 14 field goals and 32.6 percent shooting from the field.
? The Huskers allowed just five field goals in the second half, including only one over the final 9:49 of the contest.
? Nebraska was called for a season-high 28 personal fouls.
? The Huskers had a season-low six assists and tied their season low with seven first-half field goals.
? NU shot a season-low 20.0 percent (4-of-20) from 3-point range, including 1-of-10 in the second half.
? Nebraska dropped its second straight league game and fell to 1-4 to start league play for the fourth time in the Big 12 era.
? Aleks Maric was held scoreless in the first half but nearly recorded his second straight double-double as he had 10 second-half points to go with nine rebounds.
>>>Friendly Confines
The Huskers are 9-1 on their home court this season after suffering a one-point setback, 62-61, against Texas last week. Nebraska is averaging 73.8 points per game while hitting 53.6 percent from the floor at the DevaneyCenter. NU has also been effective on the defensive end as opponents have hit just 39.2 percent while only one team has recorded more than 62 points.
One more victory would give NU double-figure home wins for the 25th time in 31 seasons at the DevaneyCenter.
>>>First Time
Nebraska coach Doc Sadler has won at every level, but the Huskers' victory over No. 20/25 Creighton gave Sadler another first in his career. Not only was it his 50th win as a head coach at this level, but Sadler earned his first career victory over a ranked Division I team. Sadler entered the game with the Bluejays with an 0-3 record against ranked squads over the past two years at UTEP, with all three games played away from home.
>>>The Series vs. Kansas
Kansas is Nebraska's oldest conference rival and owns more victories against the Huskers than any opponent as it leads the series by a 159-71 margin. KU has won six straight over NU, including three last season, and owns a 22-3 record against Nebraska since the start of the Big 12 era.
The Huskers hold a 58-44 series advantage in Lincoln and a 17-12 lead over Kansas in the DevaneyCenter. Nebraska's last victory over the Jayhawks came in 2004 when the Huskers knocked off the No. 12-ranked Jayhawks, 74-55, in Lincoln. It was NU's largest win over KU since 1982.
The teams had their first matchup in the 1899-1900 season when the Huskers handed KU its worst loss ever, 48-8, in Lincoln. The Jayhawks have handed NU three of its seven worst losses in program history including a record 56-point setback in 1958.
>>>Scouting the Jayhawks
Kansas enters Monday's contest with an 18-3 overall record and league-leading 5-1 mark in Big 12 play. KU enters the game in Lincoln ranked in the top 10 for the second time in three years and sixth time since the formation of the Big 12 Conference.
The Jayhawks, who are 6-2 away from Allen Fieldhouse this year, have won 12 of their last 13 games, including 10 straight before dropping a 69-64 road contest against Texas Tech on Jan. 20. KU also lost to Oral Roberts, 78-71, at home and at DePaul, 64-57, but owns solid non-conference wins over defending national champion Florida, South Carolina, BostonCollege and Southern Cal. Kansas also knocked off nationally ranked OklahomaState by 30 points in the league opener.
KU ranks among the Big 12 leaders in field-goal percentage (48.9) and field-goal percentage defense (37.5) while sprinting to a top-10 ranking. KU has posted 77.8 points per game and allowed just 60.2 points per contest. Kansas has forced 157 more turnovers than assists allowed and hold a +5.6 advantage on the glass.
The Jayhawks have a balanced scoring attack as four players average at least 11 points per game led by all-league performer Brandon Rush. The sophomore guard paces the squad with 14.0 points per game while hitting 40.2 percent from beyond the arc. He also ranks second on the squad with 6.0 rebounds per game and is one of four Jayhawks with at least 20 blocked shots this year.
Sophomore forward Julian Wright may be the most versatile Jayhawk as he has averaged 11.1 points and a team-best 7.8 rebounds per game while adding 41 assists, 33 blocks and 37 steals. His blocks and steals rank second on the squad. Sophomore guard Mario Chalmers (11.9) and freshman forward Darrell Arthur (11.0) also average double figures while freshman Sherron Collins has stepped up big at times this year and now averages 9.0 points per game and is second on the team with 53 assists.
The Jayhawks are guided by Bill Self, who owns a 90-27 record in his fourth season in Lawrence. Self has a career record of 297-132 in 14 years at Kansas, Illinois, Tulsa and Oral Roberts.
>>>Most Improved
Senior guard Charles Richardson Jr. has been a Husker fan favorite throughout his career and will long be remembered for his determination and gutsy play despite his size. With a strong senior season as possibly one of the league's most improved players, Richardson is also on the verge of permanently etching his name into Husker lore as he nears several single-season and career top 10 categories.
Richardson moved into the NU career top 10 for assists (328) against Texas and with 110 this year, he needs 25 more to move onto the single-season chart. Richardson moved into 10th place on the NU senior class chart with two assists at KansasState on Saturday.
Richardson also is within reach of the Husker top 10 chart for career steals (needs 20), single-season steals (needs 22) and steals by a senior (needs five). With a strong run at the league championship or in the postseason, Richardson, who is averaging 34.9 minutes per game, could also challenge for the most minutes played in a season by a Husker.
Behind Richardson's solid hand setting the offense, the Huskers are on pace to set the school record for 3-point percentage and to post the Huskers' best team field-goal percentage since the start of the 3-point era.
>>>Nearing the Plateau
Junior center Aleks Maric has been the Huskers' most consistent scoring threat this season as he has been the focal point of the offense. Entering the game with KansasState, Maric leads the team with 17.6 points per game, an average that ranks fifth in the Big 12 Conference.
Maric has 316 points this season and now ranks 36th in NU history with 871 career points. He needs eight points to move into 35th, where he will pass Bruce Chubick who scored 878 points between 1991 and 1994.
At his current pace, Maric would finish with the highest scoring average by a Husker since Tyronn Lue had 21.2 points per game in 1998 before becoming an early entry into the NBA Draft. Maric's current pace would also push his career total over 1,000 points, where he would become the 24th member of the elite club and the first Husker since Cary Cochran in 2002 to reach the mark. The eighth and most recent NU junior to top the 1,000-point plateau was Cookie Belcher in 1999.
>>>Iron Man
Senior point guard Charles Richardson Jr. is giving everything he has to help the young Husker squad reach its potential this season. Richardson is looking for his third postseason appearance after leading Nebraska to NIT bids following his freshman and junior campaigns.
To his credit, Richardson has held up well after averaging 34.95 minutes per game this season, a mark that ranks third in the Big 12 conference. Only Jarrius Jackson (36.67) of Texas Tech and JamesOn Curry (36.05) of OklahomaState have averaged more minutes per game this season among league foes.
Richardson ? who has played all 40 minutes of a game four times this season, most recently against Texas ? is on pace to average more minutes per game in a season than any Husker since Tyronn Lue in 1997 and 1998 when he averaged 35.9 minutes per game. Before Lue, Brian Carr in 1986 was the last Husker to average more than Richardson's current pace.
>>>Sweet Shots
Nebraska has seen a dramatic rise in its field-goal percentage ? a mark that ranked eighth in the nation entering last week ? under first-year Coach Doc Sadler, and its free throw shooting has also taken a positive turn in recent weeks.
The Huskers ranked 33rd nationally in free throw percentage last week and have improved their average to 72.5 percent from the charity stripe. NU connected on a season high by nailing all 12 shots from the free throw line against Oklahoma, and hit 36-of-43 attempts (56.6 percent) over three games against OU, Colorado and Texas to rank first in the Big 12 in league play.
Nebraska's current pace would rank eighth in the NU record book and is on track to be the highest since 1994 when the Huskers finished ninth nationally by hitting 74.5 percent from the line. Only once since then (2004) have the Huskers hit better than 70 percent at the stripe.
Nebraska's strong shooting touch has also reached record heights from long range as the Huskers are on pace to rewrite the school record for 3-point field-goal percentage. NU ranked 24th nationally last week from beyond the arc. Despite having its worst shooting night of the year from long distance against KSU (4-of-20, 20. percent), Nebraska is currently hitting at a 38.9-percent clip, which currently stands as the school record as the 2004 team also hit 38.9 percent.
>>>Getting Defensive
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 have held 12 of 19 opponents to 62 or fewer points in their first year under Sadler.
>>>Picking Up
The Huskers have also seen a rise on the offensive end under Sadler as well. Nebraska has averaged 69.7 points per game this season, including topping the 70-point plateau 13 times in 19 games. Last year, Nebraska finished 19-14 but topped the 70-point barrier in just 11 games. Nebraska has averaged at least 70 points per game for a season only twice in the last eight years.
Nebraska had a streak of seven straight games scoring at least 70 points snapped against IowaState, its longest streak since NU had a pair of seven-game streaks in 1996-97. The Huskers have not had an eight-game streak of scoring at least 70 points per game since the first 11 games of the 1995-96 season.
>>>Know the Huskers
The Nebraska roster went through a makeover at the beginning of the second semester as a pair of players announced they were leaving the team while another player was added.
On Dec. 27, true freshman forward Kris Douse announced his decision to transfer and left the squad before the trip to Miami. Then on Jan. 7, sophomore forward Jim Ledsome, a native of Severna Park, Md., announced he was transferring to Delaware to be closer to his family and concentrate more on academics while still playing Division I basketball.
The Huskers also made an addition to the roster as 6-8, 265-pound forward Jeremy Barr enrolled at Nebraska and joined the basketball team. Barr, who played last season at USC and was a top-125 recruit out of Houston's WestburyChristianHigh School, began practicing with the Huskers on Jan. 8 (the first day of second semester classes). He will be eligible following the completion of the 2007 fall semester and will have five semesters of eligibility remaining.
>>>Digging the Long Ball
A pair of Husker guards have had impressive nights, scoring career highs while scorching the net from long range late in the non-conference slate.
Freshman Ryan Anderson was the first as he scored 29 points against Hawaii. Hitting primarily from long range, the rookie hit seven 3-pointers on a school-record tying 13 attempts. Anderson's 3-point total was the second-highest single-game effort in school history and tied the NU freshman record. He is the first true freshman to ever record seven 3-pointers in a game (Cary Cochran was a redshirt freshman in 1998-99).
Senior Marcus Perry matched Anderson's effort with seven 3-pointers of his own against Miami. Perry scored a career-best 25 points, 12 more than his previous scoring high, and led Nebraska to a season-best 15 3-pointers on 33 attempts.
Perry took over the team lead as he now has 37 3-pointers in 14 games and has had at least five treys in a game three times, most recently against Texas. Perry has hit 45.1 percent (37-of-82) from long range to rank fourth in percentage and fifth in treys per game in the Big 12 statistics. Last year, he had 31 3-pointers (36.0 percent) in 32 games.
Anderson ranks second on the squad with 26 3-pointers despite sitting out two games recently. He has hit an impressive 46.4 percent (26-of-56) from long range this year and currently is tied for eighth place on the Nebraska freshman chart. 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 put a different starting five on the floor for six straight games starting with the Oregon contest.
During that six-game span, the Huskers earned a 4-2 record with the setbacks at Oregon and Hawaii. NU went 3-2 away from home during the stretch which saw eight players make starts, including three true freshmen.
The Huskers then started the same lineup for three straight games (Miami, SavannahState and Western Kentucky) but that changed in the Big 12 opener against IowaState. NU had four different lineups in its first four conference games before sticking with the same lineup for consecutive games against Texas and KansasState. Overall, NU has had nine starting lineups this year.
>>>3s All Around
Nebraska knocked down the long ball with amazing frequency throughout the early season schedule and into conference play as the Huskers ranked 24th nationally in 3-point percentage entering last week. NU, which hit a season-low 20.0 percent Saturday against KansasState, has hit 38.9 percent from long range this year.
NU's best game from beyond the arc came against Rutgers, when the Huskers hit a season-high 64.7 percent. Nebraska hit 11 treys on 17 attempts, and connected on its 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 NU hit 8-of-11 3-point attempts (72.7 percent).
Freshman Ryan Anderson tied the school record for 3-point field-goal percentage (minimum five 3-point attempts) at Rutgers as he hit 5-of-5 from beyond the 3-point line. Anderson also posted the second-highest single-game effort in school history with seven 3-pointers against Hawaii. He was only the fourth player in NU history to record at least seven treys, joining Cary Cochran (twice), Cookie Belcher and Chris Cresswell.
Senior Marcus Perry became the fifth player to reach the mark as he hit seven 3-pointers against Miami, helping Nebraska to a season-high 15 treys on the game. The 15 3-pointers were the third-highest total by a Nebraska squad ever and tied the record for most 3-pointers away from the DevaneyCenter. The team record for 3-pointers is 18 set against No. 1 Kansas in 2002.
>>>Back on Defense
During a three-game streak late in the conference slate, the Huskers put up stretches of outstanding team defense. In each contest the Huskers held their opponent without a field goal for at least 6:50 on the clock.
The longest defensive stand came against the Houston Cougars in the third-place game of the Rainbow Classic. UH hit its first five shots and seven of its first eight 3-point attempts, but NU clamped down near the end of the first half and put on a defensive show in the second period.
Houston was 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 of the second half. The Cougars first basket of the second period came at the 18:22 mark and NU did not allow another basket until the 3:54 mark, a span of 14:28 between baskets, likely one of the longest streaks in school history.
Against Miami, the Huskers broke open the game on the way to a 15-point victory by holding UM without a field goal for 7:28 in the middle of the second half. Nebraska put away SavannahState during a first-half streak that went 6:50 without allowing a field goal, and only one basket in the final 13:07 of the first half.
On Saturday, the Huskers came out on the short end of a 61-45 contest at KansasState, but still managed to play solid defense. NU limited KSU into an opponent season-low 32.6 percent shooting, and forced the Wildcats into four separate streaks of at least 4:50 without a field goal.
>>>Getting to the Point
The Huskers posted a season-high-tying 82 points against Miami, the most points by a Husker squad away from the DevaneyCenter since posting 83 in a one-point loss to Hawaii in the 2004 National Invitation Tournament. The last time NU scored at least 82 points away from home during the regular season was also 2004, when the Huskers dropped an 87-83 overtime decision against No. 7 Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla.
Nebraska added 81 points against SavannahState and 82 points against Western Kentucky, marking the first time since 1999-2000 that NU scored at least 80 points in three consecutive games. Last year, Nebraska scored at least 80 points only four times during a 19-win season.
>>>Plus 20
Junior center Aleks Maric leads five Huskers who have combined to post 11, 20-point games this season. He has recorded seven of those games with at least 20 points, including a season-high 29 points in 29 minutes in the season-opener. Against Colorado, Maric had his second-best scoring effort of the year as he had 28 points on 10-of-12 shooting in 29 minutes of action.
Along with Maric, freshmen Sek Henry and Ryan Anderson have each added games scoring at least 20 points, including 29 points by Anderson against Hawaii, the second-highest single-game scoring total by a Husker freshman in history.
Senior guard Marcus Perry dropped in 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting against Miami. His total included seven 3-pointers ? the second-highest single-game total in school history ? as he nearly doubled his previous career scoring high of 13 points set last season.
Sophomore Jamel White became Huskers' fifth 20-point scorer this year by leading NU past Western Kentucky while scoring a season-high 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting. It was his third career 20-point game.
>>>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 paid dividends for the rookie on Dec. 22 against Hawaii as he scored a career-high 29 points.
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 he finally broke the barrier by hitting 8-of-20 shots, including seven 3-pointers, against the Rainbow Warriors.
>>>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 pushed fellow freshman Sek Henry into 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.
Anderson and Henry are just the fifth NU teammates to each score at least 20 points in a game as freshmen in the same season. It is the second straight season NU has 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.
>>>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.
Maric's 10 double-doubles last season were third in the Big 12 Conference behind NBA Draft picks LaMarcus Aldridge and P.J. Tucker of Texas, and 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 five more double-doubles and now has 18 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 sixth in the Nebraska record book and is just two one of fifth place.
>>>Setup Man
Senior point guard Charles Richardson Jr. has been on a tear this 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 110 assists against just 40 turnovers through 19 games. His 5.79 assists per game rank second in the league while his 2.75:1 assists-to-turnover ratio paces the Big 12. In the most recent NCAA statistics, he ranked 13th nationally in assists per game.
Richardson's 110 assists are a significant part of the reason why Nebraska ranked eighth in the nation in field-goal percentage during last week's NCAA statistics reporting period. Entering Monday's game against Kansas, NU has hit 49.2 percent from the field to rank among the Big 12 leaders.
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. With four assists against Colorado, Richardson became the first Husker since Tyronn Lue to record at least 100 assists in consecutive seasons. Lue reached the mark each of his three years at Nebraska (1996-98).
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.
>>>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. The total was also the third-highest in the conference during the Big 12 era.
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.
>>>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 fifth in the conference with 17.6 points per game this season, including seven 20-point contests. Despite drawing constant double teams, Maric has dominated the paint and leads the Big 12 Conference by hitting 61.9 percent (120-of-194), one of two players in the Big 12 shooting at least 60 percent from the floor this season. Maric also ranked ninth nationally in field-goal percentage last week.
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.
Overall, Maric has shot better than 70 percent from the floor in four games and at least 60 percent in eight other games. In conference play he has hit 56.6 percent (30-of-53) after struggling against KansasState, as he hit just 4-of-12 from the floor and was held scoreless in the first half.
>>>Back on Track
While senior guard Charles Richardson Jr. has been a catalyst for the Husker offense this season, his lone classmate ? senior guard Marcus Perry ? is just getting back into action.
One of 10 current Huskers to miss practice or playing time with an injury this season, Perry suffered a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery during the exhibition season. He missed the first three regular-season games before making his season debut against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 27. He also suffered a stress fracture in his foot that required him to wear a boot when not on the court and still limits his practice time.
The team's top long-range threat, Perry got untracked quickly despite the extended injury layoff as he 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.
After a little drought, Perry nearly reached uncharted territory as he hit seven 3-pointers against Miami while scoring a career-high 25 points. He was 7-of-12 from beyond the arc against the Hurricanes, matching the second-best 3-point effort in school single-game history. Perry added five more 3-pointers against SavannahState to give him 12 over two games. He had his third game with at least five treys against Texas when he scored a team-best 17 points.
Last year Perry ranked fourth on the team with 31 3-pointers in 32 games while hitting 36.0 percent from beyond the arc. Currently he leads the team with 37 3-pointers while shooting 45.1 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.
After struggling a little in the tournament in Hawaii, he got back on track against Miami by hitting 4-of-7 from long range for 12 points off the bench. He added 10 points and a career-high seven rebounds against SavannahState, two more boards than he recorded in the first 10 games of his career combined.
Velander has hit 15-of-35 from 3-point range this year, one of seven Huskers with at least 13 treys this year. He has not attempted a field goal from inside the arc in his career.
>>>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 61.2 points per game ? a mark that ranks fourth in the league only behind Texas A&M (54.5 ppg), Oklahoma (58.1) and Kansas (60.2) ? entering the week.
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 49.2 percent from the floor through their first 19 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 have allowed more than 62 points only seven times this season. At home, only one team (Western Kentucky) has scored more than 62 points against NU.
At their best early in the season, the Huskers held two opponents ? Lubbock Christian and Arkansas-Pine Bluff ? to 42 points each in back-to-back games. The two-game stretch marked the first time since 1982 that Nebraska held consecutive opponents to less than 50 points apiece.
>>>Heating Up the Floor
Entering the season, Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said that he thought the Huskers would be a solid shooting team. Sadler's prediction has been an understatement as the Huskers have connected on 49.2 percent of their shots from the floor, including a solid 38.9 percent from 3-point range, heading into the game with Kansas.
The Huskers have hit at least 50 percent from the floor in eight games this season, and better than 48 percent in three other contests. Nebraska hit at least 50 percent from the floor in only five games all of last season.
Nebraska opened the season on fire as it shot 59.7 percent (77-of-129) from the field over the first three contests of the season, hitting 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.
>>>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, but played 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."
>>>More Honors . . . Part 2
Individual awards have come in bunches for the Huskers this year. Junior center Aleks Maric was the first Husker honored as he was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Nov. 20.
Maric followed up with an impressive showing at the Outrigger Rainbow Classic as he helped the Huskers to a third-place finish. Maric averaged 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while being named to the all-tournament team. He also hit 62.9 percent from the floor and had two 20-point contests as well as a season-high 15 rebounds against Houston.
In the first game back from the trip to Hawaii, senior guard Marcus Perry was honored as the player of the game for the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic as he scored a career-high 25 points. Perry hit 8-of-13 from the field, including 7-of-12 from 3-point range, while nearly doubling his previous scoring best. He helped Nebraska to 15 3-pointers on the day, the most ever by a Husker squad away from the DevaneyCenter.
>>>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 started the first 11 games of the year before an injury 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 game, he posted nine points with a game-high 11 rebounds, becoming the second NU 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.
>>>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, Nelson and Nick Krenk (#11, 6-0, 170, Nebraska City, Neb.) have dressed and played during the regular season.
Krenk and Nelson are the only new walk-ons to travel this season, as both have traveled for each Big 12 game. Krenk, who has traveled to every game this season, 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, Nelson and Krenk, the son of former Chicago Bear and Husker football player Mitch Krenk, are the only walk-ons added during the fall who have played in the regular season. Andrew Wicklund (#00, 6-5, 170, So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Chase Goldenstein (#30, 6-3, 185, So., Lincoln, Neb.) have also dressed at least once in the regular season.
>>>Overtime
? With the win over Western Kentucky, Nebraska finished 11-3 in non-conference play. It marked NU's most wins before conference play since 1994-95, when the Huskers also had 11 pre-conference wins. The last time NU had more than 11 wins before league play was 1990-91, when it had 13 wins before the start of Big Eight action.
? Nebraska hit 62.2 percent from the floor against Western Kentucky, its second straight and third overall game above 60 percent this season. The last time Nebraska had consecutive games of shooting at least 60.0 percent from the field was February 1984 when NU shot at least 60 percent in three straight games.
? 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.
? Nebraska has forced six teams into at least 20 turnovers this season.
? 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.
? 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.
? Maric has a team-best 143 rebounds this year and 563 career rebounds entering the matchup against Kansas. 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 77 blocks in his career, good for ninth place on the Husker chart and six 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.
? Charles Richardson Jr. has helped NU to a 47-15 home record since joining the Huskers for the 2003-04 campaign, including a 5-3 record against ranked teams.
? Richardson is the Huskers' active leader with 110 career steals and is the first Husker to record 100 career steals since Cary Cochran reached the mark as a senior in 2002.