Huskers Bomb Away in 80-51 Win

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln ? Behind a dominating first-half performance that featured nine 3-pointers, the Nebraska basketball team cruised to an 80-51 victory over Alabama State on Wednesday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The win was Nebraska’s sixth straight, as the Huskers have started the season 6-0 for the first time in seven years. NU also extended its home non-conference winning streak to 30 games, while AlabamaState fell to 1-4 on the season.

Nebraska hit a season-high 14 3-pointers, shooting 56.0 percent from behind the arc and 51.7 percent overall. The Huskers also had a season-high 23 assists while scoring a season-high 80 points. NU was led by a season-high four players in double figures. Steve Harley led the way with 16 points. He hit 6-of-9 from the field and tied his career high with 3-pointers, while scoring in double figures for the third consecutive contest. Toney McCray added 12 points, while Sek Henry scored 11 and Ryan Anderson poured in a season-high 11 points.

Cookie Miller also had a season high with nine points, while Alonzo Edwards scored a career-high five points after entering the game having only scored four points in his two-game career. Brandon Brooks led Alabama State with 14 points.

Nebraska dominated the first half, building a 50-25 lead at the half. NU enjoyed its highest-scoring half of the year, erupting for 50 points after never scoring more than 38 points in any of their first 10 halves of the season. The Huskers shot 58.1 percent in the first half, including hitting 9-of-14 from behind the arc. Eight players scored in the period, while six Huskers made a 3-pointer.

Fueled by a new starting lineup, the Huskers came out strong, hitting five of their first seven shots, including 3-pointers on four consecutive possessions. Making his first start of the season, Miller scored the Huskers' first five points. Edwards, who earned a start for the first time in his career, then drilled his first 3-pointer as a Husker. Harley made it three consecutive 3-pointers for NU, capping a 9-0 run that put the Huskers in front 11-6. After an AlabamaState trey, Anderson became the fourth Husker to drill a 3-pointer in the opening four minutes.

Anderson's 3-pointer was followed by five straight points from Harley, as Nebraska used an 8-0 spurt to build its first double-digit lead at 19-9. On top 28-19, Nebraska dominated the final 6:30 of the first half. The Huskers outscored AlabamaState 22-6 over that stretch, as the Hornets hit just one field goal the rest of the half.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

A 17-1 run late in the period put NU firmly in control. Anderson scored five points during the run, while Henry added a pair of 3-pointers. By the time Toney McCray capped the run with back-to-back buckets, the Huskers had extended their eight-point lead into a decisive 45-19 advantage. Nebraska then closed the half on a 5-0 spurt, and the period fittingly ended with a Paul Velander 3-pointer with five seconds remaining.

The Huskers continued to bomb away in the second half, as their first 12 points of the period came courtesy of four 3-pointers. Nebraska hit three straight treys during a 9-0 run that put the Huskers in front 62-31.

NU established its season high in points thanks to a quick 7-0 run in a 48-second span. Ade Dagunduro converted a traditional three-point play and Miller added back-to-back hoops to give Nebraska a 72-36 lead with 7:44 remaining.

McCray converted on consecutive baskets a few minutes later to push NU past the 80-point mark for the first time in 26 games. The Hornets meanwhile, were held to just 51 points, as Nebraska has held its first six opponents to under 60 points each for the first time since World War II.

After going undefeated on its four-game home stand, Nebraska hits the road this Sunday for a key battle with ArizonaState. Tip off between the Huskers and the 19th-ranked Sun Devils is set for 1 p.m. (Central) and the contest will be televised nationally on FSN.