Huskers Open NIT at Home Against Charlotte

|+| Game Information

Game: Game 32                                   

Game Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Game Time: 8:05 p.m. CDT                   

Release Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2008

Television: ESPN Classic (Jim Durham, play-by-play; Stephen Howard, color)

Radio: Husker Sports Network (Kent Pavelka, play-by-play; Matt Davison, color)

Internet: Huskers.com (live radio)

Satellite Radio: None                           

Venue: BobDevaneySportsCenter (13,595)

 

|+| Huskers Open NIT Play at Home Against Charlotte 49ers

After a strong finish to the regular season and a solid showing in the Big 12 Championship, the Nebraska men's basketball team earned its 21st postseason berth in school history Sunday night when the Huskers were selected as part of the 32-team MasterCard National Invitation Tournament (NIT) field.

The Huskers earned a No. 3 seed and will face sixth-seeded Charlotte on Wednesday, March 19, in Lincoln. The matchup will be the first ever between the Huskers and 49ers.

Wednesday's game will tip off at 8:05 p.m.and can be heard live on the radio on the Husker Sports Network, consisting of 30 stations around Nebraska and Iowa that provide coverage of Nebraska athletic events. Veteran play-by-play man Kent Pavelka will call the action while former Husker Matt Davison adds color commentary. The broadcast will be carried around the world live on the Internet on Huskers.com.

Television coverage of Nebraska's game with Charlotte will be available on ESPN Classic, with Jim Durham calling the action and Stephen Howard adding color commentary. ESPN will provide television coverage for every game of the MasterCard NIT, which is played at campus sites for the first three rounds before playing the semi-finals and championship in New York’s MadisonSquareGarden, the tournament’s home since 1938. A semifinal doubleheader is slated for April 1 followed by the championship game on April 3.

Nebraska earned a spot in the postseason after garnering a 19-12 record, including finishing league play with a 7-9 mark and a No. 7 seed at least week's Big 12 Championship. NU went 1-1 at the league tournament with a first-round victory over Missouri, 61-56, and a hard-fought 64-54 loss against eventual tourney champion Kansas. The Huskers have won eight of their last 14 contests against Big 12 teams, with only Texas (12) and Kansas (11) earning more victories than the Huskers over Big 12 teams since Jan. 27.

The Huskers were one of eight teams from the Big 12 Conference to earn postseason berths on Sunday. Six teams  (Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, KansasState, Baylor) were selected to compete in the NCAA Tournament, the most representatives from the Big 12 since the league sent six in 2005. Along with Nebraska, OklahomaState was also chosen to compete in the NIT, where it will face Southern Illinois on Tuesday.

Nebraska is led by all-conference center Aleks Maric, who is averaging 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, one of just three players in the Big 12 Conference to average a double-double this season. Maric has produced 315 rebounds, a total that ranks second in the NU single-season record book, while his 10.16 rebounds per contest are the most by a Husker since Chuck Jura set the Husker season record at 11.2 rpg in 1972.

Maric needs five rebounds on Wednesday to become only the second player in school history, and just the fifth league player since the formation of the Big 12, to reach 1,000 rebounds. With five boards, he would also become only the third Big 12-era player to record at least 1,600 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career, joining Kansas' Nick Collison and Missouri's Arthur Johnson. Maric also needs just six points to move into fifth on the NU career scoring chart.

Maric and the Huskers will be facing a Charlotte squad that went 20-13 this season while tying for fourth in the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 9-7 record. The 49ers are led by senior guard Leemire Goldwire, who is averaging 19.0 points per game while connecting on 126 3-pointers this season. His 3.8 3-pointers per game rank ninth in the nation.

 

|+| Nebraska Feels At Home in NIT

While the Huskers did not reach their goal of earning a spot in the 65-team NCAA Tournament, Nebraska is excited to continue its season in the National Invitation Tournament, an event NU has had tremendous success in throughout the past three decades.

Overall Nebraska is making its third postseason appearance in the last five years (all in the NIT) and first under Coach Doc Sadler, who owns a 36-26 record in two years in Lincoln. It is Nebraska’s 21st all-time postseason appearance, including the program's 15th selection to the NIT field.

NU holds a 22-13 record in its previous 14 NIT appearances, including a 5-4 record during the Big 12 era. The Huskers are one of 19 schools to make at least 14 appearances in the NIT.

Nebraska has reached the seminfinals of the NIT in New York City three times (1983, 1987, 1996), including winning the 1996 NIT title. That season, Nebraska lost nine of its last 10 regular-season games and its Big Eight Tournament opener before running off five straight victories to earn the NIT championship. NU defeated ColoradoState (91-83) on the road, WashingtonState (82-73) at home, FresnoState (83-71) on the road and Tulane (90-78) and Saint Joseph's (60-56) in MadisonSquareGarden for the title.

The Huskers have lost two straight NIT games dating to 2004, as NU lost at Hawaii in the second round (third game) that season and dropped its opener at Hofstra in 2006. Overall, the Huskers have won at least one game in the postseason NIT 11 times in 14 appearances, including at least two victories five times.

Among the current Huskers, only senior center Aleks Maric has competed in the postseason. Maric had nine points, 12 rebounds and a career-high five blocked shots at Hofstra in 2006, despite battling a virus that kept him from practicing the two days prior to the game.

Junior guard Paul Velander and sophomore Chris Balham were also on the 2006 NIT team, however neither saw action in the contest. Velander was sidelined by injury for all but two games that year while Balham spent his first year in the program redshirting.

NU is 9-0 in the first round of the NIT at home in Lincoln. Overall, the Huskers have a 14-1 record in Lincoln during NIT play, all in the DevaneyCenter. Nebraska's only loss at home in NIT play came in the second round of the 1995 NIT when PennState defeated the Huskers 65-59.

 

|+| Recent Developments

As Nebraska enters postseason play, several team and individual milestones are coming within reach, including:

? Senior center Aleks Maric is currently tied for second in the NU single-season record book with 315 rebounds. He is only the third player in school history with 300 boards in a season and needs 20 to tie Venson Hamilton's single-season record of 335.

? Maric's 10.16 rebounds per game are the most by a Husker since Chuck Jura set the school single-season record with 11.7 boards per game in 1972.

? Sophomore Ryan Anderson matched his total from last season with 48 3-pointers this year and now is four away from 100 in his career. He needs seven 3-pointers to tie for 10th in Nebraska career history.

? Freshman point guard Cookie Miller owns 55 steals this season to rank third in the Big 12 Conference at 1.96 steals per game. Miller needs eight steals to move into the Nebraska single-season top 10.

? Along with Miller, Anderson is tied for 10th in the Big 12 Conference with 1.39 steals per game while Maric is tied for 13th with 1.29 per game.

? Maric also ranks second in the league in blocked shots per game at 1.74, and needs just two blocked shots to tie Derrick Chandler for seventh on the NU career list with 144.

? Nebraska's defense is allowing 60.3 points per game to rank 13th nationally. It is the fewest points per game allowed by a Husker squad since Nebraska finished 10th nationally in 1982 by allowing just 55.3 points per contest.

? Nebraska is 31st in field-goal percentage defense entering the postseason. The Huskers have allowed opponents to hit just 40.0 percent from the field in 31 games. The last time a Nebraska squad held opponents below 40 percent in a full season was 1961, when teams hit just 36.7 percent. The 1998 Husker squad also held opponents to 40.0 percent shooting.

 

|+| NU Solid vs. Postseason Squads

Nebraska has built a solid resume this winter, earning 19 wins including eight against Big 12 Conference teams. Twenty-two of the 32 teams in the NIT have at least 20 wins, although all four of the No. 1 seeds in the NIT have 19 wins just like the Huskers.

Overall, the Huskers have faced 11 teams (14 games) that are playing in the NCAA Tournament or the NIT. Nebraska is 4-7 against NCAA qualifiers, including victories over Oregon, Kansas State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. The Huskers are 1-2 against teams in the NIT, with a win over No. 1 seed ArizonaState.

 

|+| Huskers Near 20-Win Plateau

Nebraska has posted 19 wins to date, the second time in three years NU has had 19 wins in a campaign. The last time Nebraska posted a 20-win campaign was 1999 when the Huskers went 20-13 while reaching the NIT. The Huskers won their first game of the NIT by a 68-55 margin over UNLV at home before falling on the road at TCU, 101-89. Nebraska earned six 20-win seasons in the 1990s.

With a victory in the first round of the NIT, the Huskers would have the 12th 20-win season in 112 years of Nebraska basketball.

 

20-Win Seasons in Nebraska History

Year     Record  Coach               Postseason

1999     20-13    Danny Nee        NIT (1-1)

1998     20-12    Danny Nee        NCAA (0-1)

1996     21-14    Danny Nee        NIT (5-0)

1994     20-10    Danny Nee        NCAA (0-1)

1993     20-11    Danny Nee        NCAA (0-1)

1991     26-8      Danny Nee        NCAA (0-1)

1987     21-12    Danny Nee        NIT (4-1)

1983     22-10    Moe Iba NIT (3-1)

1978     22-8      Joe Cipriano      NIT (1-1)

1966     20-5      Joe Cipriano      None

1920     22-2      Paul Schlisser   N/A

 

|+| Full Throttle

Nebraska has been up and down throughout the season with its offensive performance, but has seen its best ball movement and execution the past eight games. During that span, the Huskers went 5-3 while connecting at a 47.9 percent clip from the floor.

Nebraska hit at least 50.0 percent in each of the first four contests in the stretch, knocking down 51.9 percent against KansasState, 59.0 percent at Texas A&M and 50.0 percent against both Oklahoma and OklahomaState. NU hit 44.8 percent at Texas to snap the streak. Nebraska has also hit above 44 percent in two of the last three games as well.

The four-game stretch to start the surge marked the first time in the Big 12 era that Nebraska hit at least 50.0 percent against four consecutive league teams. NU's previous high was two straight games at or above 50 percent.

Nebraska's 59.0 percent shooting (23-of-39) at Texas A&M was the second-highest single-game shooting performance by Nebraska against a league squad since the formation of the Big 12 Conference. The highest game total was 66.0 percent against Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., in 1999.

Nebraska hit better than 44 percent in a game just once in its first 10 conference games before the recent efficient offensive streak, which was snapped when NU hit just 38.0 percent against Kansas in a Big 12 quarterfinal matchup.

 

|+| Uncharted Territory

Senior center Aleks Maric has been a steady force for the Huskers during the last 14 games as he has averaged 16.2 points and 12.5 rebounds per game since going scoreless at Kansas on Jan. 26. In that span, Maric has 12 double-doubles and has hit 60.4 percent from the field and 75.3 percent from the free throw line.

With the strong surge, Maric has moved into rare company.

Maric is now sixth in scoring in Nebraska history, as he passed former Huskers Tyronn Lue (1,577 points) and Erick Strickland (1,586) on the scoring chart with 17 points against Missouri in the first round of the Big 12 Championship.

Maric needs six points in the postseason to tie Jaron Boone for fifth place on the NU career chart with 1,609 points. Maric is the only player in school history with at least 1,600 career points and 800 rebounds.

 

Nebraska Career Scoring Chart

No.       Name (Years)                            Career Points

1.         Dave Hoppen (1983-86)               2,167

2.         Eric Piatkowski (1991-94)           1,934

3.         Jerry Fort (1973-76)                    1,882   

4.         Andre Smith (1978-81)                1,717

5.         Jaron Boone (1993-96)                1,609

6.         Aleks Maric (2005-pres.) 1,603

 

Maric moved onto the Big 12-era career rebounds chart when he gained 17 rebounds against No. 24/25 KansasState at home. Maric improved that to a top-5 position in the regular-season finale against Colorado with 16 rebounds. He now needs five boards in the postseason to become just the fifth player in Big 12 history to record 1,000 career rebounds, and only the third with at least 1,600 points and 1,000 rebounds.

 

Big 12 Conference Career Rebound Leaders

No.       Player, School (seasons)                        Rebounds

1.         Nick Collison, Kansas (1999-2003)          1,143

2.         Arthur Johnson, Missouri (2001-04)          1,083

3.         James Thomas, Texas (2001-04) 1,077

4.         Stephane Pelle, Colorado (1999-2003)     1,053

5.         Aleks Maric, Nebraska (2005-08) 995

 

|+| Harley Riding High

While it took him some time to get going, junior guard Steve Harley came on strong in the conference season when the Huskers needed him most.

Harley has played his best basketball and looked the most comfortable on the court over the second half of the league season. In the last 10 games, Harley ranks second on the squad by averaging 12.3 points per game while hitting 49.5 percent from the floor including 42.3 percent from 3-point range.

On the heels of his strong finish, Harley was one of two Huskers (along with junior guard Ade Dagunduro) named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team selected by sportswriters who regularly cover the conference.

Harley's improvement was dramatic. In 13 non-conference games to open the season, he averaged just 6.6 points per game on 37.3 percent shooting, including hitting only 27.3 percent from beyond the arc.

 

|+| Finding the Range

Nebraska has struggled at times finding consistency from long range this season, as the Huskers have hit 34.3 percent from beyond the arc on the year. NU has made up for it with strong play in the paint, converting at a 51.1-percent clip on two-point attempts.

Recently, however, the Huskers have done a better job of getting looks from long range and connecting. Junior guard Paul Velander has been the biggest boost to the Huskers' recent surge from long range as he has connected on 14-of-30 3-point attempts in the last six matchups. Velander hit 18-of-52 from long range in the first 25 games.

 

|+| Free Throw (Not So) Woes

Nebraska's occasional struggles at the free throw line have been well documented this season, but one Husker who may be overlooked for coming on strong at the end of the season at the free throw line is senior center Aleks Maric.

After hitting 58.9 percent (53-of-90) in non-conference play, Maric has been more focused against league foes, knocking down 72.4 percent (76-of-105) since the start of Big 12 play.

Maric has hit 66.1 percent from the line in his career, connecting on 441-of-667 attempts. His attempts are second in the NU record book only to Dave Hoppen's 724 free throw tries, while Maric's made free throws rank third in Nebraska history behind Hoppen (559) and Jack Moore (446).

 

|+| Maric Approaches Rare Numbers

Nearing the end of a solid career in the powerful Big 12 Conference, senior center Aleks Maric can certainly stand up statistically with the best post players in the Big 12 era. Maric is tied for fifth among the Big 12 career leaders in double-doubles and is 26 points from moving into the top 20 scorers. With his first rebound against KansasState at home, Maric moved among the Big 12's top 10 rebounders and currently stands in fifth place.

With 10 free throws against Texas Tech, Maric reached 400 in his career, becoming only the eighth player in the Big 12 era with 400 or more made free throws. He hit 12-of-14 against Missouri to move into fourth in the Big 12 era and now trails only Texas Tech's Martin Zeno (1st), Texas A&M's Joseph Jones (2nd) and former Texas A&M guard Bernard King (3rd).

With 11 rebounds against Oklahoma, Maric became the all-time Big 12 leader in conference-only rebounds.  He finished his career with 574 boards in the regular season vs. Big 12 teams, passing the previous mark of Texas's James Thomas, who held the former record with 535 rebounds in league games between 2001 and 2004. 

One impressive list Maric joined against Texas A&M is the 1,500-point, 900-rebound club. During the Big 12 era, Maric is only the sixth conference player to reach the mark, joining players from Kansas (2), Missouri (1), Oklahoma (1) and OklahomaState (1).

 

|+| Leader of the Pack

Preseason all-conference center Aleks Maric is Nebraska's leader and is one of the top centers in the nation. The senior from Sydney, Australia, led NU to 17 wins last season under first-year coach Doc Sadler while earning second-team all-conference honors.

This year, Maric has earned first-team honors from the media and second-team honors from the coaches as he and freshman Michael Beasley of Kansas State were the only players in the Big 12 ranked among the league's top eight in scoring (Maric, 6th; 15.9 ppg), rebounding (3rd; 10.2 rpg) and field-goal percentage (2nd; 57.8) to date.

Along with his powerful offensive game, Maric has improved defensively as well. He is second in the league  and 60th nationally in blocked shots per game (1.74 bpg) and he has easily set a single-season career high with 40 steals.

In Big 12-only games, Maric was second in the league in rebounding at 11.6 boards per game, just behind Beasley (11.8 rpg), while ranking sixth in scoring at 15.9 points per contest.

Maric is the active career leader in the Big 12 for rebounds (995), double-doubles (38) and double-figure rebound games (41). Freshman Michael Beasley of Kansas State is the only other player in the league with 20 career double-doubles or double-figure rebounding games, as he has an NCAA freshman record and Big 12 single-season record 26 double-doubles this season.

 

|+| Chairman of the Boards

Senior center Aleks Maric was the top returning rebounder in the Big 12 Conference after posting 8.7 rebounds per contest last season, including 9.4 boards per game against league foes. The active career leader in the Big 12 Conference, Maric set his career high with 19 rebounds against Missouri at home last year, bettering his previous mark of 17 at KSU as a sophomore.

With 252 rebounds last season, Maric moved into ninth place on the Husker rebounds chart. This season, Maric has had four home games with at least 16 rebounds (17 vs. KansasState; 16 vs. Alabama A&M, Missouri and Colorado). He now has nine career games with at least 15 rebounds. With eight rebounds against Maryland Eastern Shore on Jan. 4, he took over sole possession of second place on the Husker career chart.

 

 

|+| Doubling Down Low

Center Aleks Maric established himself as a dual threat in the post from his first career game when he recorded 12 points and 14 rebounds in the season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2004. Maric had three double-doubles as a freshman and had 10 as a sophomore. Each of the marks in his first two years tied the NU class record.

Maric added 11 double-doubles last season and, after posting 14 this season, now has 38 in his career, a total that ranks second in NU history. He is currently tied for fifth in double-doubles Big 12 Conference history. Maric has 26 double-doubles in Big 12 play to rank first in league-only games, bettering the mark of NU's Venson Hamilton who had 24 double-doubles in Big 12 action from 1997-99.

Maric added his first double-double of the 2007-08 campaign with 21 points and 16 rebounds against Alabama A&M and posted 17 points and 13 rebounds at Western Kentucky. He then went 11 games without a double-double until posting 13 points and 13 rebounds at Missouri.

During his 11-game stretch without a double-double he had nine rebounds and double-figure points five times.

Between Jan. 30 against Missouri and Feb. 20 against KansasState, Maric recorded seven straight double-doubles, the longest streak of his career. Last year, Maric finished the season with six straight double-doubles. During the seven-game surge, Maric averaged 14.4 rebounds per game, including 5.9 offensive boards per game.

The streak came to an end against the huge frontcourt of Texas A&M, as Maric had just five rebounds while helping NU upset the No. 22 Aggies. He then returned to his normal ways by posting double-doubles in five straight games, including three contests away from home, before being held to 10 points and seven rebounds against Kansas in the Big 12 Championship.

 

|+| Sadler Quickly Setting Marks

Coach Doc Sadler will give all the credit to the players for making plays on the court, but he has put Huskers in position to find success like no coach in program history.

In his first two seasons in Lincoln, Sadler's teams have already posted 36 wins with at least 17 victories in each season. Sadler is the first coach in Nebraska basketball history to post at least 17 victories in each of his first two seasons at the helm of the program.

Sadler is 12th overall in victories at Nebraska among 26 all-time NU head coaches. He has 36 overall wins, a total that ranks second among Husker coaches in their first two years at NU. Only Paul Schlisser had more with 37 combined wins at Nebraska in the 1920 (22 wins) and 1921 (15 wins) seasons. Danny Nee, who holds the Nebraska career head coaching record with 254 victories in 14 seasons, had 34 wins in his first two years, including 21 victories in 1987 and 13 wins in 1988.

Coach                          2-year win total            Years

Paul Schlisser               37 (22, 15)                     1920-21

Doc Sadler                    36 (17, 19)                     2007-08

Danny Nee                    34 (21, 13)                     1987-88

Moe Iba             31 (15, 16)                     1981-82

E.O. 'Jumbo' Stiehm       31 (14, 17)                     1912-13

 

|+| Henry Picks Up Pace

Sophomore guard Sek Henry has always had a solid offensive game according to Coach Doc Sadler, so it is no surprise that it has been on the defensive end where Henry has made his most improvements. Henry has struggled to find a balance between offense and defense, but started to show signs of finding a comfortable middle ground in a road victory against Missouri.

Henry kept the Huskers afloat in the first half, scoring 12 points in the opening frame on a career-high four
3-pointers. He entered the Missouri contest with just eight 3-pointers in the first 17 games of the season.

Henry, who finished the contest with MU with 14 points, became the fourth Husker with at least four treys in a game this season. He joined Jay-R Strowbridge (4 vs. Presbyterian), Ryan Anderson (4 vs. ArizonaState; 4 vs. Missouri at home) and Cookie Miller (4 vs. Colorado). Paul Velander set the team single-game season high with five treys against Colorado in the regular-season finale.

The 14 points were one off Henry's season high of 15 against North Carolina Central. It was his sixth career double-figure scoring game, and first in Big 12 Conference play. It was his highest scoring effort in his first 21 career Big 12 contests. His previous high was nine in his first career league game last year.

After the strong mid-week contest, Henry followed with 11 points and five rebounds against IowaState and 10 points at KansasState. It was the first time in his career that Henry scored double-figures in three straight games. He had scored double figures in back-to-back games only once before his current stretch, against Hawaii and Houston in the non-conference slate last year.

Henry again came up big for the Huskers on the road against No. 22 Texas A&M. After point guard Cookie Miller was knocked out of the game with an injury, Henry stepped up to hit a pair of 3-pointers while also guiding the offense from the point guard spot. Henry finished with a team-high-tying 11 points.

At Texas, Henry made his third straight start at point guard and had a quiet eight points with three assists in 19 minutes. Henry scored five points in the final minute as he hit a 3-pointer and a driving layup that kept Nebraska within two points in the last 60 seconds.

 

|+| Velander Making Noise

During the Huskers' surge to end the season on a strong note, Nebraska saw several players come off the bench to provide a spark and give NU the winning edge, however Paul Velander's presence may have been the most surprising.

In his first 12 league games, Velander hit 7-of-22 attempts (38.1 percent) from 3-point range and 8-of-25 from the floor overall while averaging 2.2 points and 8.8 minutes per game. Over the last six contests, Velander is fourth on the squad by averaging 8.0 points in 18.8 minutes per game while hitting 14-of-30 (46.7 percent) attempts from 3-point range.

Velander started his season-best streak with a pair of good practices before the Oklahoma game. He carried the momentum into the contest, as he hit all three 3-point attempts against the Sooners before coming back two games later to hit three 3-pointers at Texas. He helped NU to a season-high 10 treys as NU came back from a 17-point second-half deficit and had the game tied in the final minute on the road against the
No. 9 Longhorns.

In the regular-season finale, Velander set a career high with five treys, including a four-point play, for a season-best 16 points as NU ran past Colorado, 68-49. Velander also had a four-point play against Kansas in the Big 12 Championship, when he went 3-of-6 from long range.

 

|+| Stepping Up

In addition to Paul Velander, a couple other Huskers have come off the bench to provide a boost in recent wins.

At Texas A&M, Nebraska sophomores Sek Henry and Chris Balham each posted one of their best games of the year to help NU to its first road victory over a ranked team since 1999. Henry had 11 points including a pair of 3-pointers while running the point the final six minutes after point guard Cookie Miller went out with an injury. Balham added a career-high 10 points while hitting 5-of-7 shots from the floor, both career highs.

Balham also had a solid impact with five points off the bench against KansasState. Sophomore guard Jay-R Strowbridge also came off the bench to hit a pair of
3-pointers at key moments to help Nebraska upset of the then-ranked Wildcats.

 

|+| Road Warrior

Diminutive guard Cookie Miller showed early in his career that he can play with the big boys, especially in hostile environments.

Miller proved how explosive his offensive game can be when he took over for the Huskers in the second half against Creighton in Omaha. Miller, who had recorded 11 points in his first three games combined, posted a game-high 19 points against the Blue Jays. After scoring eight in the first half, Miller came out on fire in the second period when he scored another 11 points to help NU outscore Creighton 42-27 after the intermission in a come-from-behind attempt that fell short. Miller hit 7-of-13 attempts from the floor against the Blue Jays.

In his first Big 12 Conference road game against Colorado, Miller again stepped up to pace the offense as he posted a game-high 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting while hitting four 3-pointers. Miller's third double-figure scoring game also came on the road as he had 14 points to go with eight assists at Kansas State.

In regular-season road games, Miller was second on the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game. Center Aleks Maric was the only other double-figure scorer as he has posted team highs with 11.9 points with 10.8 rebounds away from home in the regular season.

Miller has hit 31-of-73 field-goal attempts (42.5 percent) away from the DevaneyCenter, including nailing nine shots from beyond the arc. At home, Miller has averaged 4.4 points per game on 34.1 percent shooting (29-of-85) including connecting on just 6-of-33 3-point attempts (18.2 percent) at home.

 

|+| Dishing It

Freshman point guard Cookie Miller had a tremendous impact on the outcome of Nebraska's first game back from a three-day break for Christmas, as he posted eight points, 10 assists and five steals in the Huskers' 77-53 win over Alcorn State. Miller just missed his first career double-double while recording a then-personal high scoring effort in the DevaneyCenter (eight points; season high is 19 on the road).

Miller's double-figure assists marked the 25th time since 1984-85 and he became the ninth Husker in that span to record at least 10 assists in a game. He is the first freshman in that time to record double figure assists, making him the first Husker freshman in the Big 12 era to post at least 10 assists in a game.

Miller is only the second Husker in the past five years to record 10 assists in a game joining Charles Richardson Jr. who had 15 in a road game last year at Rutgers. The Huskers' previous 10-assist game was 2002-03 when Jake Muhleisen had 10 against nationally ranked Minnesota at home.

Miller nearly made it two straight games with double-figure assists as he had nine assists against Maryland Eastern Shore in the non-conference finale. His 19 assists in two games were the most since Richardson had 22 (15 vs. Rutgers; 7 vs. Oregon) last year.

In conference play, Miller had 33 turnovers in 415 minutes (32.2 mpg), including only one turnover in 32 minutes against No. 3 Kansas at home and one miscue in 34 minutes in his first Big 12 road game against Colorado.

Miller's steady hand as a ball-distributor has helped the freshman lead the team with 106 assists (3.8 apg) against 61 turnovers, including 46 assists in 13 league games.

 

|+| Stealing the Show

Freshman Cookie Miller has quickly made a name for himself on the defensive end of the floor as he moved onto the Nebraska freshman top-10 steals list with five thefts against AlcornState on Dec. 29. He had at least one steal in each of his first 14 career games until seeing the streak snapped against Colorado on the road. The only games Miller has not recorded a steal were against CU on the road, and Texas Tech and Missouri at home.

After posting four games this season with at least five steals, Miller now ranks second in NU freshman history with a team-leading 55 steals this season. The Nebraska freshman and career records are also owned by a Husker named Cookie, as Cookie Belcher had 87 steals as a freshman in 1997 and finished with 353 steals in his career.

Miller is fourth in the league and 5.4th nationally in steals per game (1.96 spg) on the year, and finished Big 12-only games leading the conference at 2.0 spg.

 

|+| Sadler Reaches Milestone

While the win over KansasState meant more to the Huskers in the Big 12 team race, second-year Coach Doc Sadler reached a noteworthy coaching milestone as he recorded his 200th career victory as a college head coach.

With 36 wins in his first two years at Nebraska, Sadler currently owns an 84-44 record at the Division I level. He was 48-24 at UTEP in two seasons and 120-39 in five years at Arkansas-Fort Smith, giving him a 204-83 career record in his ninth season as a college head coach.

Sadler, who also had 38 wins in one season as a high school head coach, has averaged more than 22 wins per season in his college coaching career. His average at the Division I level will remain at least 20 wins per season. Sadler posted the seventh-highest win total by a first-year head coach in NCAA history when his UTEP squad won 27 games in 2004-05.

 

|+| Meet the 49ers

Nebraska is facing the Charlotte 49ers for the first time in series history. The 49ers enter the postseason making their eighth trip to the NCAA or NIT in 10 years under Coach Bobby Lutz, the all-time winningest coach in Charlotte history with a 188-125 record.

Charlotte owns a 20-13 mark this season including a 7-9 record in Atlantic 10 Conference play. The Niners own wins WakeForest, Davidson, Southern Illinois, Clemson, Saint Joseph's, Temple and two over Rhode Island.

On the season, the 49ers have averaged 70.2 points per game while allowing 67.4 points per contest. The close scoring averages should come as no surprise as Charlotte has played in 21 games decided by six or fewer points, earning a 11-10 record in those contests including a 2-3 mark in games decided by two or fewer points.

Charlotte has struggled from the floor at times, averaging just 40.3 percent from the field, although the Niners have hit a respectable 34.9 percent from 3-point range where they have made their living. Over 33 games, the 49ers have attempted 757 3-pointers, or 22.9 treys per game, while making 8.0. More than 40 percent of Charlotte's shot attempts come from beyond the arc.

Senior guard Leemire Goldwire leads the charge for Charlotte, as he has averaged 19.0 points per game this season, including posting six 30-plus point contests. Goldwire has hit 37.9 percent from the floor and 34.8 percent from long range while adding 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. He has hit 126 of the team's 264 3-pointers this season while more than 71 percent of his attempts (362-of-507) have come from 3-point range.

Along with Goldwire, Lamont Mack provides another scoring threat by averaging 12.8 points per game on 39.5 percent shooting. He has hit 62 3-pointers to rank second on the squad, and is also second on the team in rebounding with 5.2 boards per game, trailing only Charlie Coley who has collected a team-high 6.1 rebounds per contest to go with his 8.6 points. Coley has added a team-high 45 blocked shots as well.   

 

|+| Defined by Defense

Nebraska has been defined by its defense as the Huskers ranked in the top 35 in both scoring defense (13th) and field-goal percentage defense (28th) through the regular season. While the Huskers earned much of the lofty ranking in non-conference play, Nebraska has also been solid in league action with a high-water mark coming in the opening half of the game at IowaState.

The Cornhuskers set a then-Big 12 record for conference-only games by allowing ISU to score just 11 points in the opening period (OU broke the mark three weeks later, holding A&M to 10 points in the first half). The mark surpassed the effort of Oklahoma which held Texas Tech to 12 points in the first half of a contest in 2006.

The Cyclones were limited to just 19.0 percent in the frame on 4-of-21 shooting. ISU went more than 10 minutes (10:26 to be exact) between field goals, scoring just two free throws while being forced to miss eight straight shots and committing nine turnovers in the span. 

In what could be seen as a microcosm of the Huskers' season, the defensive effort went for naught as ISU scored an opponent second-half high 49 points.

Nebraska also posted strong opening halves against Oklahoma and Colorado at the DevaneyCenter. NU held OU to just 12 first-half points while CU posted only 14 first-half points.

 

|+| Anderson Makes Impact

Guard Ryan Anderson was the second-leading returning scorer from last season and because of the early success as a true freshman, he has had high expectations put on him in his young career. After struggling to find his rhythm early in the season, Anderson made a huge impact for the Huskers between Jan. 30 and Feb. 23.

During the eight-game surge, Anderson averaged 10.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while hitting 44.4 percent from the field, including 42.1 percent from 3-point range. Sixteen of his 27 made shots during the stretch came from beyond the arc. He also had 21 assists against just 12 turnovers and added 16 steals in those eight league contests.

Anderson added two double-doubles during the eight-game span and is the only current Husker with a career double-double besides center Aleks Maric, who is sixth in the Big 12 era with 38 career double-doubles. Both of Anderson's double-doubles came against Missouri, with 11 points and 10 rebounds in Columbia and 15 points and a career-high tying 11 rebounds in Lincoln.

 

|+| 40-pointers

Nebraska's impressive defensive performances against SavannahState and North Carolina Central marked the first time in the 31-year history of the DevaneyCenter that NU held consecutive opponents in the building to less than 40 points. NCCU's 28 points was the second-lowest total in building history and the second-fewest points allowed in a game by Nebraska since 1947. SSU's 37 points were the sixth-lowest in building history.

Overall, the Huskers have held just five teams to less than 40 points in DevaneyCenter history, including two this season.

The last time Nebraska held consecutive teams to less than 40 points at home was the first two games of the 1949-50 campaign. That season marked the last time Nebraska won a league title, as it tied for first place in the Big Seven Conference that year. 

 

|+| Under Pressure

Since his introductory press conference, Coach Doc Sadler has said that he wants to get to the point where his team can pressure the opponent for 94 feet. With an upgrade in athleticism, speed and talent, that philosophy has already come into play more often this year.

Sadler's penchant for a disruptive defense has been widely embraced by the players and fans alike. Nebraska has forced 485 turnovers while recording 260 steals. Twelve Huskers posted at least one steal in a game this year, including five players averaging at least one steal per contest.

Nebraska posted a season-high-tying 14 steals against North Carolina Central, equaling the mark set against Alabama A&M. The 14 steals are the second-most by a Husker squad under Sadler, trailing only the 15 against North Texas last year. The 14 steals against NCCU made it three consecutive games with double-figure steals.

 Nebraska also had at least 10 steals in four straight games against Baylor, at Kansas, at Missouri and against IowaState. It was the first time since 1999 the Huskers had double-figure steals in four straight games.

Overall this season, Nebraska has posted double-figure steals 12 times. The Huskers have had at least nine steals in 17 games this year after posting at least nine steals in just four games in 2006-07.

Nebraska led the Big 12 in league-only contests with 7.9 steals per game. NU was second in the regular season in steals with 8.45 per game.

 

 

|+| Accurate Trio Climbing Chart

Sophomore guard Jay-R Strowbridge received great praise from Coach Doc Sadler during the preseason as one of the most improved players on the team. Despite battling injuries that have set him back twice this season, Strowbridge has again proven to be one of the Huskers' top 3-point shooters.

After setting a blistering pace as a rookie last season, Strowbridge has hit at a 36.5-percent clip from beyond the arc this season, knocking down 23-of-63 3-point attempts. While it is behind last year's average that ranks third in single-season history and first in the NU freshman record book (47.3 percent, 25-of-54), Strowbridge still ranks third on the career chart with a 41.0 percent (48-of-117) average.

With 117 attempts in his career, Strowbridge now qualifies for the Nebraska career record where he is in third place behind Brian Conklin, who knocked down 43.2 percent (176-of-407) in his career, and NU's career 3-point leader Cary Cochran, who hit 268-of-630 attempts (42.5 percent) from long range.

Along with Strowbridge, two other current Huskers are on pace to land on the list at the end of their careers. Sophomore Ryan Anderson is currently sixth all-time in
3-point percentage at Nebraska and is on pace to break onto the NU career 3-pointers made list early next year.  Paul Velander, a junior walk-on, has also bounced between the
No. 9 and No. 11 spots on the career chart this season.

 

|+| Anderson Builds Solid Resume

Entering last season with only a handful of players with Division I experience meant that some newcomers would have to step up. The first to answer Coach Doc Sadler's call was Ryan Anderson, who despite standing just 6-4, played the majority of the season at the 4 spot and created offensive mismatches against opponents on a nightly basis.

As one of five returning scholarship players, the Seattle native is continuing to build a strong resume as one of the Huskers' top all-around players. A starter in every game this year, Anderson has averaged 8.6 points per game this year to rank third on the squad. Anderson owns the team lead with 48 3-pointers and 29.7 minutes per contest.

Anderson posted one of his most complete games against then-No. 16 Oregon, when he poured in 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting and added nine rebounds and four steals as the Huskers knocked off the nationally ranked Ducks. Two weeks earlier, Anderson knocked down four 3-pointers on his way to 14 points with seven rebounds and two steals against ArizonaState, helping the Huskers go 2-0 against the Pac-10 this season.

Anderson has been forced to become one of Nebraska's best rebounders, and has done a terrific job despite standing just 6-4. He has averaged 5.4 boards per game to rank second on the squad and 17th overall in the Big 12 conference. He posted his first career double-double ? and third career double-figure rebounding game ? with 11 points and 10 rebounds in a road win against Missouri this season and came back with 15 points and a career-high tying 11 rebounds against Missouri in Lincoln.

Anderson had his best offensive game in league play against Texas Tech, posting 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting. He hit all three of his attempts from long range and added seven rebounds, two steals and an assist in 37 minutes.

Anderson put up some of his best games against the top competition.

In his career, Anderson has faced 12 ranked teams and averaged 11.6 points per contest (139 total points). As a true freshman last year as he averaged a team-best 15.8 points over four games in 2006-07 against ranked teams.

 Last year, Anderson was second on the team with 10.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while ranking among the top 10 freshmen all-time at Nebraska in points scored, field goals, rebounds, 3-pointers and steals.

Anderson was second on the squad with 48 3-pointers in 2006-07, the second-highest total by a freshman in Nebraska history. He tied the NU single-game 3-point percentage record with a 5-for-5 effort from beyond the arc at Rutgers and equalled NU freshman record with seven treys against Hawaii.

 

|+| Huskers Earn 1-1 Record at

Big 12 Championship

Nebraska made a strong showing in the Big 12 Championship as it earned a 1-1 record with a first-round win over Missouri before falling to No. 5 Kansas in a hard-fought, second-round contest.

The Huskers got 13.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game from center Aleks Maric, who hit 71.4 percent from the floor in the two contests. Maric also had seven blocked shots and three steals while playing 31.5 minutes per game.

Along with Maric, junior guard Ade Dagunduro averaged 10.5 points per game while hitting 47.1 percent from the floor. Dagunduro led Nebraska with 13 points against Kansas while Maric had a team-high 17 points against Missouri.

Defensively, the Huskers were on top of their game, holding teams to 37.8 percent shooting on the weekend while allowing just 60.0 points per contest. NU held Missouri, the league's fourth-highest scoring team, to a season-low 56 points, while limiting Kansas, the highest-scoring team in the conference, to nearly 18 points below its season average. Kansas' 64 points were its third-lowest scoring total of the season.

Against the second-seeded Jayhawks, Nebraska led by five points at halftime before Kansas’ 16-4 run to open the second period turned the tide as Kansas held on for a 10-point victory.

Along with Dagunduro, Paul Velander had 12 points and Aleks Maric added 10 points and seven rebounds. Maric hit 5-of-8 attempts from the floor but did not get to the foul line, where Nebraska hit 7-of-10 attempts while Kansas made 22-of-31 free throw attempts.

The Huskers’ defensive effort was stellar from the start, as the league’s best scoring defense held Kansas to just 22 points in the first period, tying the Jayhawks’ season low.

KU got on the board with Brandon Rush’s 3-pointer at the 18:22 mark to take a 3-2 lead, but NU held Kansas to just four field goals the first 10 1/2 minutes as Sherron Collins’ basket at 9:31 knotted the score at 13-13. Collins added a free throw to complete a three-point play before the Huskers took control of the contest.

Dagunduro hit a 3-pointer at the 8:29 mark to give Nebraska a two-point cushion and Maric added a basket on his first field-goal attempt before Jay-R Strowbridge put in five points around a KU basket to give Nebraska a 23-16 lead with just over four minutes remaining before halftime.

Cookie Miller added a free throw and Velander’s 3-pointer with 32 seconds left in the period gave Nebraska the five-point edge at the break. Dagunduro led the way for the Huskers in the opening period, scoring 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting while adding three assists, a blocked shot and two steals in the frame.

The Jayhawks, who defeated Nebraska by an average of 28.5 points per contest in the first two meetings this season, came out as the aggressors in the second half, running to a 16-4 surge to take a 38-31 lead on Darnell Jackson’s free throw with 13:58 to play. Nebraska hit just 2-of-8 shots from the floor and had four turnovers in the stretch.

Kansas extended the lead to nine points midway through the half before Velander completed his second four-point play in four games to trim the KU lead to 47-42 with 7:23 left. The Jayhawks then moved the lead out to double digits in the final four minutes.

The night before, Nebraska showcased one of the best defenses in the league by holding Missouri to 31.6 percent shooting and a season-low point total as the Huskers earned a 61-56 victory over the Tigers. Maric posted 17 points and 13 rebounds and junior guard Steve Harley added 14 points in the win.

After a slow start, Missouri picked up steam while running to a 12-8 lead behind 3-pointers from Matt Lawrence and Keon Lawrence before the Huskers started to gain command of the contest. Nebraska reeled off a 10-0 run on baskets from five different players, taking an 18-12 advantage on a Harley jumper at the 8:00 mark.

Missouri regained the lead with the long ball, hitting three treys over the next six minutes to extend the lead to 25-20 on Matt Lawrence’s second 3-pointer with 2:54 to play. NU chipped away, tying the game twice before Steve Harley’s jumper with less than a second remaining in the half gave Nebraska a 30-28 lead at the break.

Nebraska came out strong in the second half, with Dagunduro scoring a pair of baskets in the first two minutes to help NU extend the lead to five points. Ryan Anderson’s 3-pointer at the 14:48 mark put NU ahead by seven and Maric added a dunk 30 seconds later to force a Missouri timeout as the Huskers’ lead grew to 41-32.

Dagunduro’s third basket of the period with 12:51 to play gave Nebraska its biggest lead of the game at 10 points, 44-34. Missouri then started to turn the tables, chipping away at the Husker lead as Nebraska hit just two of its next seven shots from the floor. The Tigers took advantage, pulling within two, 51-49, on Leo Lyons’ jumper with 6:12 remaining.

After the Huskers stretched the lead back to six, Missouri had one more run left, getting as close as 57-56 on Jason Horton’s jumper with 2:13 to play. But Harley and Maric were too much down the stretch, combining for 15 straight points over an 11-minute stretch. Jay-R Strowbridge, who posted a pair of free throws to seal the game with eight seconds left, was the only Husker in the final 12 minutes score besides Harley and Maric.

As a team, the Huskers hit just 57.1 percent at the line, connecting on 12-of-21, while MU nailed 11-of-13 charity shots. Nebraska made up for it with solid shooting from the floor, hitting 46.9 percent (23-of-49), including draining 20-of-36 (55.6 percent) inside the arc.

 

|+| Single Digits Rarity?

In what is typically an uncommon sight, the Huskers held SavannahState without a double-figure scorer on Dec. 11. Only two players scored more than five points on the night with Anthony Jones leading the way with eight points.

While it may not be common, it was the second time this year ? and the second time in three home games ? the Huskers held every player on the opposing team to nine or fewer points. NU also turned the trick against ArizonaState on Dec. 2, when three players each scored eight points to lead the team in a 62-47 loss to Nebraska.

Against North Carolina Central, the Huskers nearly made it three games without allowing a double-figure scorer as NCCU posted just 28 points in the contest, the second-fewest points NU has allowed since 1947. But Bryan Ayala's last basket gave him 11 points on the night to lead the Eagles. Only three other players scored for NCCU, one with seven points, one with six and one with four.

 

|+| Forcing the Issue

Nebraska's defensive pressure has forced teams into an average of 15.6 turnovers per game (485 through 31 games) this season. NU has forced at least 20 turnovers in a contest six times this season, including a season-high 26 against North Carolina Central.

Against IowaState on Feb. 2, NU forced 20 Cyclone turnovers. It was the second straight conference home game that NU forced at least 20 turnovers, as Baylor had 21 on Jan. 19, the most by a conference opponent since NU forced 26 against Texas Tech in 1999.

 

|+| Taking Care of Business

Coach Doc Sadler stresses the importance of ball security and being smart with every pass. The Huskers have done a solid job of listening to Sadler's direction while taking care of the ball this season as they have averaged just 13.4 miscues per game (415 turnovers in 31 games).

Nebraska had a season-low seven turnovers against then-No. 16 Oregon, including going the final 9:27 of regulation and all of overtime without a turnover. The Huskers also posted just seven turnovers in the non-conference finale against Maryland Eastern Shore.

NU opened conference play by posting only 12 turnovers against the strong defensive pressure of the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks and had nine turnovers on the road against Colorado and 10 turnovers at both Texas A&M and Texas.

The Huskers had their most secure league game handling the ball against Oklahoma, when they committed just eight turnovers. In Big 12 play, NU averaged 13.0 turnovers per game in conference action.

NU's season high for turnovers came on the road against Western Kentucky when the Huskers had 23 miscues. Nebraska also had 21 turnovers in its road opener at Creighton, including 17 in the first half, and added a Big 12-high 19 turnovers at OklahomaState.

 

|+| Getting in Gear

Nebraska struggled at times early in the season to get the offense in full gear, but cranked it up a notch over the last five games of the non-conference season. During that span, the Huskers averaged 80.8 points per game on 52.0 percent shooting in five straight victories.

The Huskers had one of their most productive offensive games against SavannahState despite playing 14 players (everyone on the roster except five redshirts). All but two players scored in the contest with three earning career highs and one gaining a season high. Eleven Huskers scored at least five points apiece with junior forward Shang Ping leading the way with a game-high 11 points.

Nebraska started the game on a 26-2 run and hit 60.0 percent from the floor in the opening half before finishing the game hitting half of its attempts (27-of-54). The 82 points were just one off the then-season high and tied for the third-highest scoring game in the coach Doc Sadler era.

Nebraska came back to add 88 points in an overtime win over then-No. 16 Oregon and posted 71 points in a 43-point victory against North Carolina Central. Nebraska topped the 70-point mark for the fourth straight game with 77 points against AlcornState and rounded out the non-conference slate with 86 points against Maryland Eastern Shore.

The five-game streak scoring at least 70 points was the second-longest under second-year head coach Doc Sadler. Last year, NU had a seven-game streak, all in non-conference action.

 

|+| Holding at 80

Nebraska has allowed just three teams (four occasions) to top the 80-point plateau in the Coach Doc Sadler era. Kansas (84 points) and Missouri (86 points in overtime) have topped the mark this season while Kansas (92) and Hawaii (81) reached the plateau last year. The first three contests were on the road while Missouri became the first team to score 80 points against a Sadler-led squad in Lincoln. All four games ended with Husker losses.

NU had gone 22 games without allowing a team to reach the 80-point plateau until Kansas scored 84 points against the Huskers in Lawrence earlier this season.

Much of Nebraska's success this season has come as a result of a pesky defense that ranked 14th nationally in scoring defense through the regular season and a field-goal percentage defense that was 31st nationally.

 

|+| Maric Chart Watch

With eight rebounds against Maryland Eastern Shore, senior center Aleks Maric improved his career total to 789 boards to rank second all-time on the Nebraska career rebounding chart. The Sydney, Australia, native took sole possession of the runner-up spot, passing Leroy Chalk who had 782 in his career. Maric will trail only Nebraska record-holder Venson Hamilton, who posted an amazing 1,080 rebounds in his career.

Maric, who currently has 995 career boards after picking up a double-double in 12 of his last 14 games, also moved into the career top 10 for scoring at Nebraska. Entering the game at KansasState on Feb. 6, Maric had 1,403 career points to rank 11th all-time in Husker history. He scored 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting to move into the Nebraska career top 10, passing 1999 Big 12 Player of the Year Venson Hamilton who had 1,415 career points.

Entering the season, Maric already ranked in the NU career top 10 for blocked shots, and currently he sits in seventh place with 142 after passing former teammate Wes Wilkinson (112).

Maric is already in the Nebraska top 10 for free throws made (441, 3rd) and attempted (667, 2nd), field goals  (579, 5th) and games started (97, t-6th).

  

|+| Scoring Droughts

Nebraska has dominated games this season by holding opponents to lengthy scoring droughts.

Among its best defensive starts to a game, Nebraska held North Carolina Central without a point for the first 5:00 of the game and allowed only one field goal in the opening 15:07 of the contest. NCCU went 10:07 between its first and second basket as NU ran to a 25-4 lead.

That strong start is becoming a similar trend as the Huskers also ran out to a 26-2 lead to start the contest with SavannahState. NU allowed just six points in the first 18:22 of the game as SSU went 6:07 without scoring a point to open the contest and then after its first field goal, did not score another point for another 7:46.

Nebraska has held an opponent without a field goal for at least five minutes 30 times this year (5:38 vs. Presbyterian; 5:05 and 5:28 vs. Alabama A&M; 5:28 vs. Alabama A&M; 7:59 vs. Norfolk State; 12:48 and 6:51 vs. Arizona State; 5:02 and 5:33 vs. Rutgers; 6:07, 7:46 and 5:05 vs. Savannah State; 5:00, 10:07, 10:05 and 6:58 vs. North Carolina Central; 5:04 and 5:24 vs. Alcorn State; 5:09 and 6:05 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore; 5:48 vs. Baylor; 5:42 and 7:19 vs. Iowa State; 5:25 at Kansas State; 6:08 vs. Texas Tech; 10:26 vs. Iowa State; 7:05 vs. Oklahoma; 7:36 and 5:56 vs. Colorado; 5:23 and 6:09 vs. Missouri).

In what was expected to be its toughest non-conference matchup of season at the Devaney Center, Nebraska put on a defensive clinic against ArizonaState. Nebraska allowed just one basket ? and only four points total ? over the final 11:26 of the opening period. After a 3-pointer at the 8:36 mark, ASU had just four more shots in the half and missed all of them while committing eight turnovers in the stretch. The Sun Devils then recorded one basket in the first 11:03 of the second period. That made it 12:48 between baskets (8:36 in first half to 15:48 in second half) and a stretch of 19:39 with only one made field goal and 14 total points (one 3-pointer and 11 free throws).

The performance against ASU (12:48 between field goals) was the second-longest opponent scoring drought in the coach Doc Sadler era. Last year, the Huskers recorded 20 stretches of at least 5:00 off the clock without allowing a field goal, including a season-high 14:28 for Houston between baskets in the second half.

 

|+| Going 80

Nebraska topped the 80-point plateau in consecutive games against Oregon and SavannahState, and four times total this season. Nebraska reached at least 80 points in back-to-back contests only one time last year, when NU posted three straight games over 80 points to end the non-conference season.

Overall, NU had six 80-point games last year. The Huskers are now 10-0 when scoring at least 80 points under second-year coach Doc Sadler.

Eight of the 10 highest scoring games under Sadler have come at the DevaneyCenter. The only times Nebraska has topped the 80-point plateau away from Lincoln was in an 82-67 victory over Miami on a neutral court last year and the 88-79 overtime win over then-No. 16 Oregon in Omaha this year, which is Nebraska's highest-scoring game under Sadler.

 

|+| Slowing the Scoring

Nebraska has been solid on defense this season and has allowed a Big 12-low 60.3 points per game on 40.0 percent shooting this season. NU held eight opponents to 50 or fewer points this year, after holding just two opponents to under 50 points ? including a Division II school ? all of last season.

Through the NCAA reporting period on March 10, the Huskers ranked 14th in scoring defense and 31st nationally in field-goal percentage defense.

The most high-profile teams Nebraska has held under 50 points this season were likely NCAA Tournament squads in ArizonaState and Oklahoma. The Pac-10's Sun Devils recorded just 21 points in the first period and 26 in the second. In fact, NU turned up the defensive pressure enough that the Sun Devils had just 31 points with 6:40 to play in the contest.

Against Oklahoma, Nebraska kept the Sooners off the scoreboard for the first 4:58 of the game and held them scoreless for a 7:05 stretch in the first half. OU posted just 12 points in the first half, one off the Big 12 record Nebraska set two weeks earlier at Iowa State when the Huskers held ISU to just 11 first-half points.

Oklahoma turned around to break the Big 12 record set by Nebraska against Iowa State, as the Sooners held A&M to just 10 first-half points on March 1.

The Huskers also held Colorado under 50 points in the regular-season finale, allowing just 49 points, the fewest by the Buffs in the series since 1980. Nebraska limited CU to just one field goal in the first 10:33 of the game.

Nebraska opened the year on a strong note as it held its first three opponents to 52 or fewer points, the first time it accomplished the feat to open the season since 1946-47. The last time NU held three straight opponents to 52 or fewer points at any point in a season was 1981-82.

 

|+| Aussie Honors

After a solid junior campaign that saw him average 18.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, center Aleks Maric was the top returning scorer and rebounder in the Big 12 Conference and will contend for All-America honors this winter.

A second-team all-league selection following last season, Maric was named an Athlon Sports magazine third-team  preseason All-American this fall and was a member of the  preseason All-Big 12 team selected by the coaches. If he picks up All-America honors, Maric would become just the ninth Husker ever to earn postseason All-America honors and the first since Carl McPipe in 1978.

In addition to the preseason honors, Maric was among 50 players named to the initial watch lists for two prestigious player-of-the-year honors, the Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy.

 

|+| Shutting It Down

Nebraska ranks fourth in the Big 12 Conference as it has held opponents to 40.0 percent shooting from the field this season, including limiting four opponents to less than 28 percent shooting from the floor. The Huskers set a season-low by allowing North Carolina Central to hit just 19.6 percent from the field, a DevaneyCenter opponent record.

Over consecutive games, the Huskers held Alabama A&M to just 27.6 percent shooting from the floor while allowing NorfolkState to connect on only 26.8 percent of its shots. The last time Nebraska held back-to-back opponents to less than 28 percent shooting was in 2003 when Tennessee hit 27.9 percent followed by Bethune-Cookman hitting 21.2 percent, the previous building low until NCCU broke the record. Bethune-Cookman scored just 26 points in that contest, also a building and Big 12 Conference record opponent low.

NU held SavannahState to just 26.4 percent shooting this season. Nebraska has now held opponents to less than 30 percent shooting 19 times during the Big 12 era.