Huskers Start Strong in Season-Opening Win

Lincoln - Behind an outstanding and balanced first-half effort on both sides of the court, the Nebraska men's basketball team built a commanding 43-16 halftime advantage before cruising to a season-opening 67-52 victory over the Presbyterian Blue Hose Saturday night at the Devaney Center.

 

The win was NU’s seventh straight in a season opener, with each victory coming by at least 12 points. Aleks Maric led Nebraska with a game-high 14 points to lead three Huskers in double figures, including 12 from Jay-R Strowbridge and 11 from newcomer Ade Dagunduro.

 

Nebraska shot an outstanding opening-game 61 percent from the field, while limiting Presbyterian to 35 percent shooting. A solid defensive effort was tainted somewhat by a hot-shooting Blue Hose squad from 3-point range in the second half.

 

After hitting just 23.1 percent from the field in the first half and only 16.7 from behind the arc, Presbyterian hit 50 percent (11-of-22) in the second period, including 10-of-15 from long range. On the game, Nebraska held the Blue Hose to just 5-of-21 shooting (23.8 percent) from inside the arc, compared to 44.4 percent (12-of-27) from 3-point range.

 

Walt Allen paced Blue Hose with 13 points, as he was one of three Presbyterian players to hit three 3-pointers. Behind the hot-shooting, PC outscored Nebraska 36-24 in the second half.

 

While the second half didn't go according to plan, everything was working for Nebraska in the first period. A starting lineup that featured a pair of newcomers and two sophomores did nothing to slow Nebraska in the first half, as the Huskers came out strong while building an early 23-5 lead.

 

The Nebraska offense was clicking from the start as the Huskers hit 9-of-10 from the field to open the game, including 5-of-6 from behind the arc in the first eight minutes of the contest.

 

NU also showed early on it would be more than a one-man show, as Maric, a preseason All-Big 12 pick, did not find the scoreboard until connecting on a pair of free throws with 4:04 remaining in the opening half. Despite not attempting a shot for nearly the entire first half ? his first official attempt came with 1:45 left in the period ? Maric made his presence known by recording three first-half blocks to lead a harassing defense effort from the Huskers.

 

Nebraska recorded six steals in the first half while forcing Presbyterian into eight turnovers that led to a 13-3 Husker advantage in points off turnovers. The NU defense held the Blue Hose to just 6-of-26 shooting (23.1 percent) in the opening 20 minutes, while NU hit 16-of-23 for a blistering 69.6 percent, including 8-of-12 from behind the arc.

 

Strowbridge got the Huskers going early, hitting a pair of 3-pointers as Nebraska raced to a 10-0 lead before Presbyterian broke its scoreless drought at the 14:22 mark. Strowbridge’s third 3-pointer of the first 6:15 put NU back on top by 10 before a second 10-0 run put the Huskers in front 23-5.

 

A late 9-0 run and a Ryan Anderson 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Big Red a commanding 43-16 halftime lead, with the 27-point advantage being the largest in coach Doc Sadler’s short tenure at Nebraska. Strowbridge finished with 12 points in the first half as nine different Huskers had at least two points in the period.

 

A quick 4-0 spurt to start the second half built Nebraska’s lead to 31, its largest of the game. Just as they did in the first half, the Huskers were lethal from the field early in the second period, connecting on their first five shots.

 

Five 3-pointers over the next six minutes kept Presbyterian even with the Huskers, while it took the Blue Hose just 7:38 to score more points in the second half than it did in the first. After knocking down just 2-of-12 from behind the arc in the first half, PC hit 9-of-10 through the first 14 minutes of the second period.

 

Behind the strong 3-point shooting, Presbyterian used an 11-0 run to pull to within 59-41 with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game. Maric ended the run and a 3:23 scoreless drought with a lay-in at the 8:59 mark.

 

The Blue Hose got as close as 15 with 4:04 left on another 3-pointer, but the Husker defense tightened and did not allow Presbyterian another field goal for the remainder of the contest.

 

Nebraska continues a season-opening three-game homestand next Saturday, Nov. 17, when the Huskers welcome Alabama A&M to the DevaneyCenter for a 1 p.m. tipoff.