Huskers Make Final Regular-Season Road Trip

>>>Game Information

Game: 29

Game Date: March 3

Release Date: March 2

Tip off: 12:47 p.m. CST (11:47 a.m. MST)

Television: ESPN Plus

     (Bill Doleman, play-by-play; Stacey King, color)

Radio: Husker Sports Network

     (Kent Pavelka, play-by-play; Andy Markowski, color)

Internet: Huskers.com (live radio, stats)

Satellite Radio: None

Venue: CoorsEventsCenter (11,064)

 

The Nebraska men's basketball team will try to get back on the winning track this weekend when it heads to Boulder, Colo., to take on Colorado in its final Big 12 road game of the regular season. The Huskers and Buffaloes will tip off at the Coors Events and Convention Center at 12:47 p.m. CST, making it a morning affair in Boulder (11:47 a.m. local time).

 

The game will be telecast on ESPN Plus as part of the Big 12 syndicated package. Bill Doleman will handle the play-by-play duties while Stacey King serves as color analyst. KLKN (channel 8) in Lincoln, Cox-2 in Omaha and KIIT in North Platte are scheduled to carry the contest within the state of Nebraska, and it can be seen nationally on DirecTV and Dish Network. Fans in other markets around the country should check their local listings for a complete schedule of Big 12 syndicated games on the weekend.

 

The contest also can be heard on the 25-station Husker Sports Network and around the world on the Internet at Huskers.com. Kent Pavelka, the basketball voice of the Huskers, will call the action while Andy Markowski sits in to add color commentary for his final broadcast this season.

 

 The Huskers (16-12, 5-9 in Big 12) will be looking to snap a two-game road losing streak when they take on the Buffs. Nebraska has dropped four of its last six contests after winning back-to-back conference road games (at Missouri and Texas Tech) for the first time since 1999. The Huskers' last two losses have come by a combined 10 points against teams that were below them in the Big 12 standings at tipoff.

 

>>>Standings Watch

Despite their recent slump ? which included Nebraska's fourth home loss in 15 contests this season on Wednesday ? the Huskers still hold their conference postseason fate in their own hands.

 

With a pair of wins to end the regular season, Nebraska would finish no worse than a tie for seventh place in the final Big 12 standings heading into the Big 12 Championship. That in itself would be a significant accomplishment considering the Huskers were picked by most preseason publications to finish either 11th or 12th in the league.

 

Entering Saturday's game at Colorado, the Huskers are still mathematically alive for an upper-division finish. With a little help, Nebraska could get a conference tournament seed as high as sixth. At the other end of the spectrum, NU can finish no lower than 10th.

 

>>>Battling the Buffs

Nebraska will have its hands full on the road against a Colorado squad playing its final regular-season home game for its two seniors ? Dominique Coleman and Marcus Hall ? and outgoing coach Ricardo Patton, who announced before the season that he would not seek a contract to return as head coach following 2006-07.

 

For the Huskers to come out on the winning end Saturday, NU will need to find more consistent play outside the paint. On Wednesday in their 69-63 setback against IowaState, the Huskers hit just 4-of-13 from outside the arc, including a season-low zero treys in the first half. Center Aleks Maric dominated the game, hitting 15-of-30 field-goal attempts and posting 36 points, while the other eight Huskers in the game hit 8-of-30 attempts for 27 points.

 

The Huskers hope to find the same formula this weekend that led to their first Big 12 Conference win of the year against Colorado in Lincoln. The Huskers held CU to just 13 first-half points and hit 58.3 percent from the field in the second half to pull away for a 71-50 victory. Nebraska limited Richard Roby, the Buffs' top scoring threat who currently averages 17.0 points a game to rank seventh in the league, to a career-low one point as he misfired on all five shots from the floor.

 

That tenacious defense has helped the Huskers rank in the top four in the Big 12 Conference all year in scoring defense. NU's current mark of 63.9 points per game allowed is on pace to tie for second in school annals since the addition of the 3-point line before the 1986-87 season.

 

>>>Maric Just Misses Scoring Mark

Junior center Aleks Maric has been the focal point of the Husker offense all season, but the past two games have seen the big man produce at a near-record pace.

 

The 6-11, 270-pound native of Sydney, Australia, has scored 67 points in his last two games, the second-most points by a Husker in a two-game span in school history. His total trails only Eric Piatkowski's 68 points against Missouri (26) and Oklahoma (42) in the 1994 Big Eight Tournament.

 

Maric posted 31 points last weekend in overtime against Missouri and came back with 36 points against IowaState on Wednesday, the first time in school history a Husker has recorded consecutive 30-point games.

 

Maric has recorded 108 points in his last three contests in the DevaneyCenter, including a career-best 41-point effort vs. KansasState. That translates to a school record 36.0 points-per-game average over the last three home games to go along with his 13.0 rebounds per game in that stretch.

 

>>>The Series vs. Colorado

Nebraska and Colorado are meeting for the 140th time in the series that dates to the 1902-03 campaign. NU started the series with an eight-game win streak, although the teams only played four games before 1947-48.

 

The Huskers currently own a 73-66 series lead after winning four of the past five contests dating to the 2004-05 campaign. NU swept the Buffaloes that season and won in Lincoln last year and this year. Nebraska is looking for its fourth season sweep of the Buffaloes since the start of the Big 12 Conference in 1996-97.

 

Nebraska has found moderate success in Boulder over the years. While Colorado leads the overall series in Boulder by a 38-24 mark, the Huskers lead at the Coors Events and Convention Center by a 14-13 mark. Nebraska's last win in the building came in 2005, when the Huskers earned a 68-61 victory.

 

NU is playing its final regular-season road game at Colorado for the third time in five years, after ending the regular-season in Boulder in 2003 and 2004. The Huskers lost both of those contests.

 

>>>Scouting the Buffaloes

Colorado comes into Saturday's game looking to put a bright spot on the end of a tough season as the Buffs are 6-19 overall and just 2-13 in Big 12 Conference play.

 

CU has lost its last six games and has not won consecutive contests all season. Both of the Buffs' league victories this season have come at home at the CoorsEventsCenter, including wins over IowaState and previously nationally ranked OklahomaState.

 

The Buffaloes have allowed at least 87 points in three of their last four contests, with the only strong defensive effort in that stretch coming in a 55-53 road loss to ISU. Other than the two contests against Iowa State, the only Big 12 team that Colorado has kept under 75 points is Nebraska, although that came in a 71-50 loss in Lincoln.

 

CU has allowed a league-high 80.5 points per game this season, including 82.3 points per game in league play. The Buffs have scored at a 68.9 points-per-game clip while hitting just 41.5 percent from the floor, including 31.5 percent from long range.

 

Guard Richard Roby leads the Buffs with 17.0 points per game to rank seventh in the conference standings. He has added 5.2 rebounds per contest, one of five Buffaloes grabbing at least four boards per game.

 

Along with Roby, Xavier Silas (12.3 ppg) and Dominique Coleman (11.0 ppg) have averaged double figures, with Coleman (51.7 percent) and Jermyl Jackson-Wilson (51.8 percent) leading the team in field-goal percentage. Coleman also tops the squad in rebounding (6.5 rpg), assists (83) and steals (42).

 

>>>Following Up IowaState

? With 36 points, Aleks Maric recorded his third straight 30-plus point game at home, and second straight overall. He is the first player in school history with back-to-back 30-plus point contests.

? Maric tied the NU conference record with 15 field goals and tied the NU DevaneyCenter record. His 30 attempts were also a Nebraska record in the building.

? Maric also had 12 rebounds, giving him eight double-doubles on the year including a personal-best streak of three straight.

? Maric's effort on the glass helped the Huskers tie their season high for the second straight game with 41 rebounds, including a season-high 19 offensive boards.

? Freshman Ryan Anderson had a conference high eight rebounds while posting 10 points. Anderson also tied his personal best with five assists against just two turnovers.

 

>>>Maric Named Second-Team All-District

Junior center Aleks Maric was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) second team for District 12 on Wednesday, Feb. 28. Maric joins the other 149 student-athletes selected to the all-district teams on the All-America ballot. The NABC All-America teams will be announced at the conclusion of the regular season.

 

Maric joined five other Big 12 Conference athletes on the first and second teams, including first-teamers Julian Wright and Brandon Rush from Kansas and Mario Boggan of Oklahoma State. JamesOn Curry (OklahomaState) and Cartier Martin (KansasState) were also on the second team with Maric.

 

An All-Big 12 Conference candidate and one of the top post players in the nation, Maric has averaged 18.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game this season to rank in the top five in the Big 12 standings in each category. The Sydney, Australia, native also leads the league in field-goal percentage by hitting 56.6 percent from the floor this season to pace the Huskers and is third with eight double-doubles, including tying his personal high with three straight over the past three games.

 

Maric, who earned accolades as the Big 12 Player of the Week in November, was an honorable-mention All-Big 12 (coaches and AP) selection last year and was named to the 2006 All-Improved team by the Associated Press

 

>>>Velander Named to Academic All-Big 12 Team

Sophomore guard Paul Velander was one of nine players named to the academic All-Big 12 men's basketball first team, announced Thursday, March 1, by the conference office. Overall, 22 student-athletes were honored on the first or second teams by the league.

 

A native of Blacksburg, Va., Velander is the 24th Husker named to the all-academic squad since the formation of the Big 12 Conference, a total that ranks second in the league. Last year, three Huskers were honored on the first team.

 

Despite battling injuries earlier in the year, Velander has come on strong on the court this season while also picking up the first academic award of his career. He is currently fourth on the team from beyond the arc with 26 treys, and is one of five current Huskers with at least 20 3-pointers on the season.

 

The only walk-on to see significant playing time this year, Velander has played in 24 games while averaging 3.8 points per game in 13.7 minutes of action. He has hit 38.8 percent (26-of-67) from 3-point range and 81.3 percent (13-of-16) from the foul line.

 

Nominated by the school's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations office, first-team members consist of those student-athletes who have maintained a 3.2 or better grade-point average while second-team members posted a 3.0 to 3.19 GPA.

 

To qualify, student-athletes must have maintained a 3.0 GPA or higher cumulative for their career or over the past two semesters and must have participated in at least 60 percent of the team's contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year at an institution. Seniors who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all criteria except playing time are also eligible.

 

>>>40-Minute Man

Senior Charles Richardson Jr. has become a fixture on the court for the Huskers during his senior season. After averaging 19.2 minutes per game in his first three seasons (1,671 minutes in 87 games), Richardson ranks third in the league this year by playing 36.0 minutes per game (1,009 minutes in 28 games).

 

No other Husker has played even 800 minutes this season. The closest to Richardson is center Aleks Maric, who has played 768 minutes (28.4 per game).

 

Against Missouri on Feb. 24, Richardson played all 45 minutes of the overtime game, a career high. It was the most minutes by a Husker in one game since Larry Florence played 45 minutes in the season-opening overtime victory against Eastern Illinois in 1999.

 

Richardson has played every minute of eight games this year, including four of the past six contests. In fact, Richardson has played 311 of the 325 possible minutes over the past eight games. The only time in that stretch he rested more than one minute in a game came in a double-figure loss at Kansas (29 minutes).

 

The last Husker to record more than eight games of at least 40 minutes played in a season was Dave Hoppen when he set the single-season record with 1,155 minutes played as a junior in 1985. He played all 40 minutes in 17 contests that season. Teammates Brian Carr and Curtis Moore also got into the act that year with 14 and six games, respectively, of at least 40 minutes played.

 

Hoppen is also the last player with three straight games of 40 minutes played, with that coming in his senior season of 1986 before he was injured.

 

>>>Comeback Kids

Despite a history of struggling to come back from large deficits in the past, this year's Nebraska squad has increasingly shown toughness and determination to come back after being down early in games.

 

Four times this year the Huskers have trailed by at least nine points and rallied for a victory, including both wins over Missouri. Nebraska posted its largest road comeback in the Big 12 era when it won at the buzzer against Texas Tech in a game that the Huskers trailed by 13 at halftime. NU also cut a 16-point deficit against IowaState on Wednesday to three points with under three minutes remaining, but could not get over the hump.

 

Nebraska's Largest Comebacks in 2006-07

Opponent          Trailed By          Final Score

at Texas Tech    13 points           NU 61-59

vs. Houston       10 points           NU 70-57

Missouri            10 points           NU 82-77 (ot)

at Missouri        9 points NU 66-61

 

 >>>Rare Air

One of the best big men in the Big 12 Conference this season, junior center Aleks Maric became only the ninth junior in Nebraska history to record 1,000 career points when he picked up his 14th point against Missouri on Feb. 24. Maric, who finished that game with 31 points, leads the Huskers with 18.4 points per game, an average that ranks fourth in the Big 12 Conference.

 

Maric became only the 24th player in the 111-year history of the program to top 1,000 points. The last player to reach the mark was Cary Cochran, who hit the plateau during his senior season in 2002. Cookie Belcher is the most recent junior before Maric to reach the mark in 1999.

 

Maric has 498 points this season and is 24th in NU history with 1,053 career points entering the game vs. Colorado. Maric scored 339 points last year in 31 games and had 216 points as a freshman. He needs four points to move into 23rd all-time, passing Herschell Turner.

 

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.

 

>>>Double Duty

Junior Aleks Maric joined elite company when he reached the 1,000-point plateau against Missouri. Maric, who had already surpassed the 600-rebound mark, became only the second player in NU history to surpass those plateaus before the end of his junior season.

 

Maric joined Nebraska all-time scoring leader Dave Hoppen, who finished his career with 2,167 points (1st on NU all-time list) and 773 rebounds (3rd on NU all-time list). Hoppen had 1,747 points and 626 rebounds when he finished his junior season.

 

In Nebraska's loss at Kansas, Maric recorded three rebounds to become only the third player in NU history with 600 boards before the end of his junior season. Seven players have recorded 600 rebounds in three seasons at Nebraska, but four of those played before freshmen were eligible and therefore did not reach 600 in their junior campaign.

 

Maric has 643 rebounds to rank 12th all-time at Nebraska heading into Saturday's game at Colorado. He needs just 26 boards to move into the NU career top 10.

 

>>>Awesome Aussie

Junior center Aleks Maric already had his name in the NU record book, but he moved it up a couple lines on Feb. 13 when he posted a career-best effort against Kansas State. The Sydney, Australia, native recorded 41 points, the second-highest single-game total in Nebraska history.

 

Maric's total was one point off Eric Piatkowski's school- record 42-point effort. Piatkowski's record game came vs. Oklahoma in the 1994 Big Eight Tournament, making Maric's the highest-scoring effort in a regular-season contest and the most points scored by a Husker in Lincoln.

 

Maric's new career high came almost one year to the day ? 363 days to be exact ? after his previous best effort of 37 points at Iowa State, making him the only player in school history with two games of at least 37 points.

 

Maric's 41 points represent the eighth 40-point game by a league player in the Big 12 era (since 1996-97) and is the top scoring effort by a player from the Big 12 Conference this season.

 

>>>More Maric Notes

Aleks Maric set more than just a career scoring high in his 41-point outburst against KansasState. Among his other notable stats from that career night are:

? Maric had 19 field-goal attempts, nearly half of the team total of 40.

? Despite the high number of attempts, Maric still shot 68.4 percent as he hit 13 attempts. The rest of the team combined to hit 10-of-21 (47.6 percent).

? After going 5-of-10 in the first half, Maric hit 8-of-9 from the floor in the second period.

? His 13 made field goals were three off the school record and two off the record against a conference opponent.

? Maric set a Big 12 and school record with 25 free throw attempts, making 15. Both were career highs, and his attempts nearly doubled KSU's attempts (25 to 13).

? Maric's 25 free throw attempts were the most ever in a Nebraska game, by a Husker or opponent. They were also the most ever by a player in the DevaneyCenter.

? Maric had 18 points at the intermission, more than he had in the first halves of the previous six games combined (13). Twice in the previous six games he had not scored in the opening period.

? Maric had 23 points in the second half, which by itself represented his eighth 20-point game of the season. It was one point off the school record of 24 points in a half set by three players, most recently Tyronn Lue against Virginia in 1997.

? Maric set the Nebraska single-game scoring record by a junior. He also set the top scoring mark as a sophomore last year.

? Maric played just 29 minutes, averaging 1.41 points per minute played.

? Maric raised his scoring average in Big 12 play from 14.4 points per game to 17.1 (+2.7) following the KSU contest. He had 130 points entering the game, meaning nearly one-quarter of his conference point total through 10 games (171) came against KSU.

 

 >>>Above the Competition

Aleks Maric may not have set the Big 12-era scoring record, but he did set a first for his position with his 41-point outburst against KansasState: He is the first player who works exclusively in the post to reach the mark.

 

Maric became the first league player over 6-6 to score at least 40 points since the formation of the league. All six of the other league players who have scored at least 40 points in a game since 1996-97 were 6-6 or shorter and played predominantly in the back court or on the wing.

 

>>>Piling Up the Points

Aleks Maric posted 31 points against Missouri and 36 points against IowaState in a two-game homestand, giving him four 30-plus point games to tie for fourth in school history. Maric's back-to-back 30-point performances marked the first time in school history a player topped the 30-point plateau in consecutive games.

 

Dave Hoppen and Tyronn Lue own the school record with seven 30-point games apiece, while Jerry Fort is third with five. Maric, Andre Smith, Marvin Stewart, Herschell Turner and Eric Piatkowski are tied for fourth.

Nebraska is now 45-13 in games when a Husker scores at least 30 points.

 

 >>>Chairmen of the Boards

Junior center Aleks Maric entered this season as the top returning rebounder in the Big 12 Conference after posting 8.1 boards per game last season. Currently he ranks second in the league with 8.3 rebounds per game in 2006-07, including averaging 14.3 rebounds per game in the past three contests. 

 

Maric set his career high with 19 rebounds against Missouri at home on Feb. 24, surpassing his previous mark of 17 rebounds at KansasState last year.

 

>>>On Target

Nebraska had one of its most impressive shooting nights in league play in recent memory by hitting 57.5 percent from the floor against KansasState at home on Feb. 13. NU connected at a 55.6-percent clip in the first half and improved to 59.1 percent after the intermission.

 

NU's 57.5 percent shooting night was its best against a Big 12 team since 1999 when the Huskers hit 66.0 percent against Oklahoma. Nebraska has had 18 games against league teams above 50 percent since then, including three over 56.0 percent.

 

Unfortunately, the Huskers followed that sizzling performance with a season-low 31.4-percent shooting effort at Kansas on Feb. 17 and have not topped 40 percent in a game since then.

 

>>>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 36.0 minutes per game this season, a mark that ranks third in the Big 12 conference. Only Jarrius Jackson (37.8) of Texas Tech and JamesOn Curry (37.0) of OklahomaState have averaged more minutes per game this season among league foes.

 

Richardson set a career high by playing all 45 minutes in Nebraska's overtime win against Missouri on Feb. 24. It was the most minutes in a game for a Husker since Larry Florence played 45 minutes vs. Eastern Illinois in 1999.

 

Richardson ? who has played every minute of a game eight times this season, including four of the last six games ? is on pace to average more minutes per game in a season than any Husker since Dave Hoppen (38.5 mpg) in 1985. Tyronn Lue averaged 35.9 minutes per game in 1997 and 1998. 

 

 >>>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 has etched his name into Husker lore on the NU single-season and career top-10 charts.

 

Richardson moved into the NU career top 10 for assists against Texas and now has 381 in his career to rank seventh, one behind Jack Moore for sixth place. With 161 assists this year, Richardson is fourth on the Nebraska single-season top-10 chart and is only the second player in school history with at least 153 assists in a season, joining Brian Carr (237 in 1985; 201 in 1986; 166 in 1987).

 

Richardson is already second on the NU senior class chart, five behind Brian Carr, who had a record for an NU senior with 166 assists in his final year as a Husker.

 

Richardson also is within reach of the Husker top 10 chart for career steals (needs 10), single-season steals (needs 12) and moved onto the senior class list as he now has 51 to rank seventh. With a strong run at the league championship or in the postseason, Richardson, who is averaging 36.0 minutes per game, could also challenge for the most minutes played in a season by a Husker.

 

>>>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 16 of 28 opponents to 63 or fewer points in their first year under Sadler. Nebraska's 63.9 points per game allowed is fourth on the year in the Big 12 and its 67.1 points per game in league games-only is fourth as well. NU ranked 60th nationally in scoring defense this week.

 

 >>>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). Anderson also hit six 3-pointers against No. 6 Kansas in a home loss.

 

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.

 

 >>>3s All Around

Nebraska knocked down the long ball with amazing frequency throughout the early season schedule and into conference play as the Huskers rank 50th nationally in 3-point percentage this week. NU, which hit a season-low 15.0 percent on the road at Kansas, has hit 37.9 percent from long range over the year.

 

NU's best game from beyond the arc came against Rutgers, when the Huskers hit a season-high 64.7 percent, their highest percentage in a game since hitting 66.7 percent (10-of-15) against Pacific in 2000. 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.

 

Against Miami, Nebraska set a season-high with 15 treys, 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.

 

 >>>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 eight more double-doubles and now has 21 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 fourth in the Nebraska record book and is just one from third place.

 

>>>Return Game

Nebraska made an impressive 21-8 run to end the game at Texas Tech, culminating with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Charles Richardson Jr. that gave the Huskers a 61-59 victory, NU's first win in Lubbock since the formation of the Big 12 Conference.

 

Nebraska overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to win the game, the largest deficit the Huskers have overcome to win a contest since 1997 when the Huskers defeated KansasState after trailing by 20 in the opening period and by 18 at halftime. That game against KSU marked the largest halftime deficit overcome by an NU squad since complete box scores are available beginning in 1972-73.

 

The win over Texas Tech marked the largest comeback at any point in a game during a road victory by the Huskers since the Big 12 began in 1997. Nebraska's largest deficit overcome at home this season was 10 points against Missouri in an overtime victory.

 

>>>Back on Defense

The Huskers have put up stretches of outstanding team defense at times this season. Ten times Nebraska has held its opponent without a field goal for at least 6:00 off the clock, while the Huskers held teams without a basket for at least 5:00 12 other times.

 

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.

 

>>>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 broke the 20-point barrier by hitting 8-of-20 shots, including seven 3-pointers, against the Rainbow Warriors.

 

Anderson has also barely missed the 20-point plateau three times this year when he had 19 points in a game. He is only the fifth Husker freshman in school history to record at least four games of 19 or more points, joining Joe McCray (10, 2005), Jerry Fort (6, 1973), Dave Hoppen (5, 1983) and Eric Piatkowski (4, 1991).

 

With his strong scoring output, Anderson is 10th on the Nebraska freshman scoring chart with 274 points; second on the NU freshman 3-point charts with 47 treys; and eighth on the freshman steals chart with 25.

 

 >>>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 161 assists against just 62 turnovers through 28 games. His 5.75 assists per game rank second in the league while his 2.60:1 assists-to-turnover ratio is first in the Big 12. In this week's NCAA statistics, he ranked 17th nationally in assists per game. Last year, Richardson had 100 assists in 30 games (3.33 apg).

 

Richardson's 155 assists are a significant part of the reason why Nebraska ranked 69th in the nation in field-goal percentage during this week's NCAA statistics reporting period. Entering Saturday's game against Colorado, NU has hit 46.2 percent from the field to rank fourth among the Big 12 leaders.

 

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).

 

Richardson will be only the second player in school history to 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 the third-highest single-game mark by a league player in 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. 

 

>>>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 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.

 

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 54
3-pointers while shooting 40.6 percent from long range.

 

>>>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 63.9 points per game ? a mark that ranks fourth in the league only behind Texas A&M (58.6 ppg), Oklahoma (58.9) and Kansas (59.9) ? this 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

While its defensive effort may have been overshadowed by a strong offensive resurgence early in the season, this year's NU squad has proven to be among the stingiest defensive teams in recent NU history.

 

The Huskers have allowed more than 63 points only 10 times in 27 games this season.

 

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.

 

 >>>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 17.8 points per game this season, including nine 20-point contests. Despite drawing constant double teams, Maric has dominated the paint and leads the Big 12 Conference by hitting 57.3 percent (169-of-295). Maric also ranked 26th nationally in field-goal percentage this week.

 

In the season opener ? just 11 days after he had his appendix removed ? Maric scored 29 points in 29 minutes against Nebraska-Omaha. Four times this season Maric has scored as many points as he played minutes, including a season-best ratio of 41 points in 29 minutes against KansasState.

 

Overall, Maric has shot better than 70 percent from the floor in four games and at least 60 percent in nine other games. In conference play, he has hit 51.3 percent (79-of-154) to lead the league.

 

>>>Overtime

? With its victory over Missouri in Lincoln, Nebraska won its ninth straight home overtime game dating back to 1996. It was NU's first overtime game, home or away, since a two-overtime victory against KansasState at home to open Big 12 play in 2005.

? Against Kansas State, Nebraska picked up its 10th home win of the season, the 24th time in the 31-year history of the building that the Huskers had double-figure wins at home.

? Nebraska's wins over Missouri and Texas Tech gave the Huskers their first two-game conference road win streak since 1999.

? The Huskers have hit at least 50.0 percent from the floor in the second half of six of 13 conference games this season.

? 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.

? 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 hit 62.2 percent from the floor against Western Kentucky, its second straight and third overall game above 60 percent. 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.

? 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.

? 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.  

? Maric moved into the NU career top 10 for blocked shots with four against North Texas. He now owns 85 blocks in his career, good for eighth place on the Husker chart with Cookie Belcher.

? Charles Richardson Jr. has helped NU to a 49-18 home record since joining the Huskers for the 2003-04 campaign, including a 5-5 record against ranked teams.

? Richardson is the Huskers' active leader with 118 career steals and is the first Husker to record 100 career steals since Cary Cochran reached the mark as a senior in 2002. He needs 10 more to move into the NU career top 10.