Huskers Return Home to Face Kansas State

Husker Game Day

Nebraska Game Notes: Click Here

Kansas State Game Notes: Click Here

Big 12 Game Notes: Click Here

Game Date: Jan. 17, 2009

Tipoff Time: 5:05 p.m. CT

Venue: Bob Devaney Sports Center

TV: Big 12 Network

  Play-by-play: Steve Physioc. Color: Bryndon Manzer.

Radio: Husker Sports Radio Network stations

  Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka. Color: Matt Davison.

Internet Radio/Stats: Free on Huskers.com

Internet Radio: Sirius channel 125

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Huskers Return Home to Face Kansas State in NU’s Hall of Fame Game

Looking to get back on the winning track after its first loss in league play, the Nebraska basketball team returns home this Saturday, Jan. 17, when it plays host to Kansas State at the Devaney Center. The game will tip off at 5:05 p.m. and can be seen in select markets around the country on the Big 12 Network (channel 8 KLKN in Lincoln; channel 15 KXVO in Omaha; alternate channel 30 KIIT in North Platte). Steve Physioc (play by play) and Bryndon Manzer (color) will call the action.  

 

All of Nebraska’s games can also be heard on the IMG Husker Sports Radio Network, consisting of 31 stations around the state and around the world for free on the Internet at Huskers.com, the official Web site of Nebraska Athletics. Veteran play-by-play man Kent Pavelka will call the action alongside former Husker Matt Davison, who will provide color commentary.

 

Pavelka will be one of four people honored at halftime Saturday by the Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame. Pavelka is this year’s Bud Cuca Special Merit Award winner and he will be honored alongside 2009 Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Danny Nee and Erick Strickland, and Distinguished Hall of Fame Alumni Award winner Rex Ekwall. See page three of today’s game notes for more information on the Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame honorees.

After dropping its first Big 12 game of the season at Iowa State, Nebraska hopes to use the upcoming schedule to its advantage. NU plays three of its next four contests at home in the Devaney Center.

 

 The Huskers have won four straight Big 12 Conference games at home in Lincoln. Overall, Nebraska has won six of its last seven home league games with the only loss in that stretch coming in overtime last season. The last time Nebraska won five consecutive home conference games was 1998-99.

 

 Nebraska has allowed just 54.5 points per game at home this season, but has gained 70.5 points per game on offense while shooting 49.3 percent from the floor.

 

 The Huskers entered the week with the No. 2 scoring defense (55.5 ppg) in the country. The Huskers allowed 65 points at Iowa State on Wednesday, and are now holding teams to 56.1 points per game, which would have ranked fifth entering the week.

 

This year marks only the third time in the last half century the Huskers held their first 15 foes under 850 combined points, and the second straight season under coach Doc Sadler.

Scouting The Wildcats

The Kansas State Wildcats enter this weekend’s matchup looking for their first win in conference play after starting with two of the league’s top teams, Oklahoma and Kansas. KSU opened league play at home and fell to the nationally ranked Sooners, 61-53, before hitting the road on Tuesday where they fell 87-71 at in-state rival Kansas.

Overall the Wildcats own an 11-5 record, including a 1-4 mark away from Manhattan, Kan. KSU’s lone win away from its home floor was a 69-59 victory over Cleveland State on Nov. 22. It was part of a five-game win streak to open the season. KSU added a six-game win streak to end non-conference play.

The Wildcats are led by point guard Jacob Pullen, who has averaged 14.2 points per game this season. He has led the team with 36 3-pointers, 59 assists and 28 steals so far, and helped Kansas State average 79.1 points per game, one of the top scoring teams in the Big 12 Conference.

Along with Pullen, Denis Clemente, a transfer from Miami who sat out last season under NCAA guidelines, ranks second on the squad with 12.3 points per game. Clemente has also posted 47 assists and 22 3-pointers on the season.

KSU’s third double-figure scorer is Fred Brown, who has averaged 10.1 points on 42.0 percent shooting. As a team, the Wildcats have hit 44.6 percent from the floor, including 35.4 percent from long range.

The Wildcats also have three others averaging at least 8.0 points per game, including Jamar Samuels (9.7), Darren Kent (8.5) and Dominique Sutton (8.3). Kent and Ron Anderson have averaged 6.0 and 6.1 rebounds per game, respectively, helping Kansas State to the top rebounding average in the Big 12 Conference this year.

Kansas State’s effectiveness against the Huskers may be determined on the boards, as KSU leads the Big 12 by averaging 40.8 rebounds per game. The Wildcats hold a +7.8 rebounding margin over opponents, with five players averaging at least 4.0 rebounds per game.

KSU has also been strong with the ball, ranking among the league leaders with a +4.8 turnover margin. The Wildcats have been turning the ball over just 13.8 times per game this season while forcing 18.6 opponent miscues. One area the Wildcats are looking to improve yet this season is at the free throw stripe, where KSU has hit just 63.7 percent this season.

Kansas State is guided by coach Frank Martin (Florida International, 1993), who is in his second year leading the Wildcats. Martin led KSU to a 21-win season last year and an NCAA Tournament berth behind No. 2 overall selection in the NBA Draft, Michael Beasley, and second-round pick Bill Walker. Overall Martin owns a 32-17 record at Kansas State.

Possible KSU Starting Lineup

Name                   Pos. Ht.   Wt.   Pt.   Rb.

Jacob Pullen          G    6-0  200   14.2 3.7*

Denis Clemente      G    6-1  175   12.3 3.1*

Dominique Sutton   F     6-5  210   8.3   4.9

Darren Kent           F     6-11 230   8.5   6.0

Luis Colon            C     6-10 265   5.5   4.9

*assists per game

 

Nebraska-Kansas State Team Comparison

NU                      Stat                    KSU

66.5______ Points Per Game______ 79.1

56.1___ Points Allowed Per Game___ 62.6

46.1____ Field Goal Percentage____ 44.6

40.1_ Field Goal Percentage Defense_ 39.3

37.4___ 3pt Field Goal Percentage___ 35.4

31.1 3pt Field Goal Percentage Defense 30.0

67.6____ Free Throw Percentage____ 63.7

29.1_____ Rebounds Per Game_____ 40.8

-4.1_______ Rebound Margin______ +7.8

13.7______ Assists Per Game______ 15.2

11.7_____ Turnovers Per Game_____ 13.8

9.4_______ Steals Per Game_______ 7.6

2.1_______ Blocks Per Game_______ 3.4

17.6_______ Fouls Per Game______ 21.0

The Series vs. the Wildcats

Nebraska and Kansas State are meeting for the 215th time in series history with KSU holding a 122-92 record in the series. The teams first met in the 1905-06 campaign with Nebraska earning an impressive 50-14 victory in Manhattan.

 

 Nebraska won nine of the first 11 matchups in the series. Kansas State dominated the series in the 1950s and 1960s, winning 31-of-37 contests at one point.

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 The Huskers have been able to hold their own in Lincoln, earning a 59-33 series advantage  at home. Nebraska leads the series by a 23-10 margin in the Devaney Center.

 

 NU has won its home contest against KSU in three of the past four seasons, including each year under coach Doc Sadler.

 

 During the Big 12 era, the teams have played nine contests in Lincoln that have been decided by 10 or fewer points, including two in overtime. NU is 6-3 in those contests.

 

 Each team has seen an outstanding individual performance in the past two seasons. In 2007, Aleks Maric scored 41 points against KSU, setting the mark for points scored by a Husker in the Devaney Center. Last year, Michael Beasley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, scored 35 points vs. NU in Manhattan, the most ever by a Wildcat against Nebraska.

 

 The Huskers knocked off a ranked Kansas State team in Lincoln last year. Steve Harley scored a season-high 20 points and Nebraska  ?limited’ Beasley to 17 points and 10 rebounds as NU upset No. 24 KSU, 71-64. Maric had 15 points and 17 rebounds in the win as Nebraska shot 51.9 percent from the field.

Four Honored by Nebraska Basketball Hall oF Fame

This weekend, the Husker basketball program will proudly induct two new members into the Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame when former coach Danny Nee and Husker standout Erick Strickland earn the prestigious honor. Nee and Strickland will be joined in the celebration by Kent Pavelka, the Bud Cuca Special Merit Award winner, and Rex Ekwall, the Distinguished Hall of Fame Alumni Award winner. All four will be honored at an induction banquet on Friday evening hosted by the Nebraska Athletic Department and the Rebounders Club. The foursome will be introduced to the fans at the Devaney Center on Saturday at halftime of the Nebraska-Kansas State game, and all Hall of Fame members in attendance will also be recognized during pregame.

 

Nee and Strickland will join elite company upon their induction into the Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame. Nee will be the sixth head coach enshrined in the hall and first since Moe Iba earned the honor in 1996, while Strickland will be only the second player inducted in the past five years. Overall, 59 former coaches and players have been inducted into the Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame since 1989.

 

Nee recorded more wins at Nebraska than any coach, accumulating 254 victories over 14 years. He owned a .572 winning percentage (254-190) at Nebraska while leading the Huskers to five NCAA Tournament and six NIT berths. Nee is the only coach since 1950 to lead the Huskers to a league or national title, helping Nebraska to the 1994 Big Eight Tournament and the 1996 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) titles.  

 

In his first season coaching the Huskers, Nee guided Nebraska to 21 wins in 1986-87, one of seven 20-win seasons under Nee. Nebraska has had 12 20-win campaigns in history. 

 

Nee led NU to a school-record 26 wins in 1991 and earned league coach-of-the-year accolades as the Huskers posted the school’s highest-ever final ranking of No. 9 (AP) and 11 (UPI). He coached 10 of Nebraska’s 25 1,000-point scorers and recruited and coached all three of NU’s first-round selections in the NBA Draft (Rich King, 1991; Eric Piatkowski, 1994; Tyronn Lue, 1998), as well as 1999 Big 12 Player of the Year Venson Hamilton (second-round NBA pick). 

 

Strickland was a key component of Husker squads that won 79 games between 1992-93 and 1995-96, with three seasons earning at least 20 wins. During his career, Strickland played in two NCAA Tournaments and two NITs, including helping Nebraska win five straight games in March to earn the 1996 NIT championship. 

Along the way, Strickland played in 127 games with 84 starts, while averaging 12.5 points per game for his career. He had his best scoring season as a junior when he averaged 16.3 points per game and hit a career-best 54 3-pointers with 5.4 rebounds per game.

 

A native of Bellevue, Neb., Strickland was the MVP of the 1996 NIT and earned Big Eight All-Defensive Team honors three times. A complete player, Strickland ranks third in Nebraska history in career games played, fourth in 3-pointers (179), third in 3-point attempts (512), fifth in assists (414) and second all-time at Nebraska in steals with 257. He also averaged 4.0 rebounds per game for his career and hit 35.0 percent from beyond the arc and better than 77 percent from the charity stripe. 

 

Following his Husker career, Strickland earned a spot in the NBA as a free agent, playing nine years in the league primarily with Dallas and Milwaukee. He averaged more than 20 minutes per game while collecting 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists over 501 games, including 122 starts. 

 

Pavelka is the 19th person to earn the Special Merit Award and first since 2003. The award is given to someone who helps shape the Husker basketball program from a supporting role. The award was renamed in 2003 in honor of Bud Cuca, a long-time Husker basketball supporter who passed away earlier that year following a battle with cancer. 

 

Pavelka returned to the microphone as the Huskers’ basketball voice in 2006-07, and now has more than 20 years under his belt calling Nebraska hoops. He began his basketball radio career in 1974, calling Husker games until 1996. He is a six-time winner of the Nebraska Sportscaster-of-the-Year Award. Pavelka also was a member of the Husker football broadcast team from 1974 to 1996.

 

Also earning a special honor from the Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame this year is Ekwall, a letterwinner for the Huskers from 1955 to 1957.Ekwall still holds the Nebraska career record for rebounding average, as he pulled in 679 boards in 65 games for an average of 10.4 per game. More than 50 years after he last played, Ekwall is still 10th on the rebounds chart and 35th in scoring at Nebraska (880 points, 13.5 points per game).

 

Ekwall is the second former Husker to earn the Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame Distinguished Alumni Award, following Bus Whitehead who received the inaugural honor in 2003. The award honors a former player and Hall of Fame member who has been a positive force in the state and local community since his playing days ended.

Quick Hits

Here is a quick look at the Huskers through games of Jan. 14:

 

Quick team notes

 NU has the Big 12 Conference’s top scoring defense, allowing just 56.1 points per game. NU entered the week ranked second nationally in scoring defense.

 

 The Huskers have held each of their first 15 opponents under 67 points, becoming the first NU squad since 1981-82 to accomplish the feat. They are also just the second NU squad in the 3-point era to hold all of their non-conference opponents under 67 points.

 Nebraska started the week ranked third nationally in turnover margin and is second in the Big 12 Conference entering the weekend. NU has caused 274 turnovers (18.3 per game) while posting just 175 (11.7 tpg) miscues itself over 15 games, a margin of +6.6.

 Entering the week, the Huskers were also in the top 60 nationally in turnovers per game (11th), steals per game (20th), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (35th), scoring margin (39th), assist-to-turnover ratio (44th), field-goal percentage defense (49th), field-goal percentage (50th) and 3-point field-goal percentage (50th).

 NU tied the school record (originally set at Iowa State in 2002) with only three turnovers against Maryland Eastern Shore. NU also had just six turnovers against Saint Louis.

 Nebraska snapped a streak of trailing on the boards in five straight games by gaining a 30-23 advantage on the glass against Maryland Eastern Shore.

 The Huskers have started each season under coach Doc Sadler with an 11-4 record through 15 games. The last time the Huskers were 12-4 to open a year was 2005-06.

 The Huskers are averaging 70.5 points per game at home while hitting 49.3 percent (276-of-560) from the field at the Devaney Center. On the road, NU has averaged 55.5 points on 37.0 percent (74-of-200) shooting.

 

Individual quick notes

 Ade Dagunduro is averaging 14.3 points per game over the last seven contests. He has hit 38-of-54 shots (70.4 percent) from the field in that span.

 

 Earlier this season Dagunduro had hit 26-of-32 (81.3 percent) over a four-game span (ending with Maryland Eastern Shore).

 

 Dagunduro tied the school single-game record by hitting all nine field-goal attempts against UMBC, the second-best single-game mark in the league during the Big 12 era.

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 Dagunduro tied the school single-game record by hitting all nine field-goal attempts against UMBC, the second-best single-game mark in the league during the Big 12 era.

 Dagunduro had three straight made field goals to end the IPFW contest, connected on nine consecutive against UMBC and then knocked in his first three shots against South Carolina State to set the school record for consecutive made field goals at 15. Dagunduro surpassed Mikki Moore for the mark, as Moore had 13 straight made shots over three games in the 1997 NIT.

 Paul Velander has reached double figures just four times this season but is fourth on the team with 8.9 points per game. He ranked fourth nationally from 3-point range entering this week and has now hit 47.6 percent (40-of-84) to date to rank second in the Big 12 Conference.

 Also entering the week, Velander ranked 82nd nationally in 3-pointers per game (2.6) and Cookie Miller was 41st nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.29-to-1).

 Because of his quick release, Velander is averaging a 3-pointer every 9.3 minutes he is on the court (40 3s in 370 minutes), but has had a turnover only every 74.0 minutes (5 TOs in 370 minutes).

 Velander has hit at least three 3-pointers in 11-of-15 games this season. Dating to last year, he has hit at least three treys in 16 of his last 23 games. Before that, he had hit at least three 3-pointers in a game just six times in his first 51 career games.

 Senior guard Steve Harley leads the team with 12.5 points per game, and scored in double figures in 11 straight games to end non-conference play. Harley has found a tough stretch to open league play, hitting just 23.8 percent (5-of-21) to open the conference slate while averaging 6.0 points per game.

 Despite struggling from the field against Iowa State (1-of-11), Sek Henry has been proficient with the basketball on the year, hitting 50.0 percent from the field, including a solid 39.0 percent from 3-point range.

 Seven Huskers are averaging at least 1.1 steal per game. Cookie Miller leads the way with 23 steals, while six others have at least 17 steals apiece.

 Sophomore Cookie Miller leads the team with 59 assists against 27 turnovers this season. He is looking to become the first Husker to lead NU in assists as a freshman and sophomore since Tyronn Lue in 1995-96 and 1996-97.

Turning Teams Over

Nebraska will try to turn up the defensive pressure at times this season, especially while playing with a heavily guard-oriented lineup, including many sets with five guards on the floor at once. 

That strong defensive push was evident in NU’s opener as they forced 25 San Jose State turnovers. Spartans’ point guard Justin Graham was frustrated into 10 turnovers while going 0-of-5 from the floor in 33 minutes of action.

 The 25 turnovers Nebraska forced in the season opener against San Jose State were the second-highest total under Coach Doc Sadler. The most turnovers a Husker squad has forced in Sadler’s tenure is 26 last season against North Carolina Central.

 NU has now forced 274 turnovers through 15 games, while allowing teams to record just 160 assists on 282 baskets.

 The Huskers have forced at least 20 turnovers in six games this year (25 vs. San Jose State;  23 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff; 24 vs. Creighton; 24 at Oregon State; 24 vs. IPFW; 21 vs. South Carolina State). Last year, the Huskers forced 20 turnovers in a game six times all season.

The 24 turnovers forced at Oregon State are the most by a Husker opponent away from Lincoln since Texas Tech had 26 turnovers against Nebraska in the first round of the 1999 Big 12 Championship.

 Nebraska posted 16 steals in the defensive effort against San Jose State, the most by the Huskers under Sadler. The previous best under Sadler was 15 steals vs. North Texas in 2006.

 The Huskers have had double-figure steals six times this season and at least eight steals in 13 games this season.

 Eight Huskers have recorded a steal this year, including seven averaging at least 1.1 steals per game.

 The most steals in a game by a single Husker this season is four. Junior guard Sek Henry and redshirt freshman Brandon Richardson each had four steals apiece against San Jose State in the opener and Henry added four more against UAPB. Cookie Miller had four against IPFW and Toney McCray became the most recent Husker to post four steals in a game against Maryland Eastern Shore.

The defensive pressure has helped Nebraska to a 303-166 advantage in points off turnovers this season.

Handling with Care

Nebraska coach Doc Sadler has preached that the Huskers need to be efficient within their offense and not give away easy points. That philosophy includes taking care of the ball, something the Huskers have succeeded in doing well early in the season.

 Nebraska has averaged just 11.7 turnovers per game this season to rank 11th nationally entering the week and first in the Big 12 Conference. NU is the only team in the league averaging fewer than 11.9 TOs per game.

 The Huskers entered the week ranked third nationally in turnover margin, with a +6.6 margin.

 The Huskers tied the school record by committing just three turnovers against Maryland Eastern Shore. NU equaled the team mark set in 2002 at Iowa State. Nebraska had just one turnover in the first half against Maryland Eastern Shore, and two miscues following the break.

 Nebraska posted just six turnovers against Saint Louis, tying the previous low mark for miscues in Sadler’s first three years. NU also had just six turnovers against Colorado in 2007.

 Nebraska had only three turnovers in the first half against Alabama State. NU also had two turnovers in the second half against Saint Louis, giving the Huskers four halves this season (including each half vs. UMES) with three or fewer turnovers.

 Nebraska posted just 11 turnovers at Oregon State, marking the eighth time under coach Doc Sadler that NU had 11 or fewer turnovers in a road game.

Bombs Away

Nebraska has been strong from outside the arc during coach Doc Sadler’s tenure, including this year. The Huskers are among the national leaders, hitting 37.4 percent from long range. Last season, Nebraska hit 34.2 percent from beyond the arc.

 Only two Huskers are averaging more than 1.0 3-pointer per game, Paul Velander (2.6) and Sek Henry (1.1), although the team is averaging 6.8 treys per game.

 Senior Paul Velander has been more effective than ever despite stepping back further to shoot. He is hitting 47.6 percent (40-of-84) from beyond the arc to rank fourth nationally and second in the Big 12 Conference.

 Nebraska has hit better than 40 percent from the 3-point line as a team four times this season, including a season-high 56.0 percent against Alabama State.

 The Huskers hit 10 3-pointers against Florida A&M to end the non-conference slate, their second-best total of the season.

 NU has posted at least eight 3-pointers in a game six times, including a season-best 14 against Alabama State.

 Nebraska hit an impressive 14-of-25 (56.0 percent) from beyond the arc against the Alabama State. NU “only” connected on 51.7 percent (30-of-58) from the floor overall.

 The 14 3-pointers were the most by the Huskers since hitting 15 against Miami on the road in the 2006-07 season. The school record is 18 3-pointers against No. 1 Kansas in 2002.

 Six Huskers hit from outside the arc, including four players with three 3-pointers apiece. Sek Henry led the way with a perfect 3-for-3 night beyond the arc while Ryan Anderson (3-of-4), Steve Harley (3-of-5) and Paul Velander (3-of-6) each had three treys apiece.

 Amazingly when all the 3s were falling against Alabama State, Velander attempted his first two shots inside the arc, missing both. Velander’s first 26 attempts from the field this season were 3-point attempts until a missed jumper in the first half against Alabama State. Entering the matchup with Iowa State, he is now 2-of-9 from inside the arc this season.

Keeping Opponents in Line

While the 3-point line moved back one foot ? from 19-9 to 20-9 ?  for the first time in men’s college basketball this season, Nebraska’s
3-point defense has improved dramatically with the change in the line.

 Nebraska’s 3-point defense this year has been solid as opponents have hit just 31.1 percent from beyond the arc. Last season, opponents hit 36.4 percent on the year.

 Nebraska’s 3-point percentage defense was 35th nationally entering the week and is fifth in the Big 12 Conference.

 Nine of Nebraska’s 15 opponents have been held to five or fewer 3-pointers in a game, including four with three or fewer.

Defense Among NCAA’s Best

Nebraska is among the Big 12 and national leaders in several defensive categories in 2008-09.

 Nebraska was second in the country entering the week and currently leads the Big 12 in scoring defense at 56.1 ppg. No other team in the league is holding opponents below 60 points per game as Iowa State ranks second at 60.5 points per contest.

 Nebraska ranked 50th nationally entering the week and is currently seventh in the conference in field-goal percentage defense. NU has held eight opponents below 40 percent shooting, and has allowed just one team to hit over 47 percent from the field this season.

 The Huskers have allowed teams to hit just 31.1 percent from 3-point range, and ranked 35th nationally entering the week. NU has held seven teams under 25.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc this season.

 The Huskers have not allowed an opponent more than 66 points in a game over the first 15 contests this season. It is the longest streak to open a season without allowing a team to reach 67 points since the 1981-82 NU squad did it through the first 18 games of the year.

 Only one other time in the 3-point era (2003-04) has Nebraska held every non-conference team below 67 points.

 Nebraska held each of its first six opponents to fewer than 58 points. The last time NU held opponents to less than 60 points over the first six games of the year was the start of the 1943-44 season.

 The last time the Huskers held consecutive opponents to fewer than 60 points in any stretch of at least six games was the seven contests between games 12 through 18 of the 1981-82 season. That was a streak of 820 games before it was matched starting this season.

 The Huskers have allowed 842 points in the first 15 games of the year.Nebraska has held its first 15 opponents to fewer than 850 combined points to open a season just eight times since 1947-48.

 

NU’s Fewest Points Allowed in First 15 Games

(Since 1947-48, beginning of Big Seven Conference)

       Year                           Points (Ppg)

1981-82................................ 794 (52.9)

1948-49................................ 796 (53.1)

1947-48................................ 802 (53.5)

1949-50................................ 809 (53.9)

2007-08................................ 829 (55.3)

2008-09................................. 842 (56.1)

1950-51................................ 843 (56.2)

1982-83................................ 845 (56.3)

2003-04................................ 851 (56.7)

1958-59................................ 877 (58.5)

 Nebraska has forced at least 20 turnovers  in a game six times this season.

 Nebraska held TCU to just 10 field goals in NU’s first road game of the season. The 10 field goals allowed were the second-lowest by a Husker squad under Sadler, trailing only the nine baskets allowed at home by North Carolina Central last season.

 The 10 field goals by the Horned Frogs were the fewest by an opponent away from the Devaney Center since Centenary had 10 baskets to open the 2002-03 season at the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska.

 The 50 points scored by TCU marked the fewest Nebraska has allowed on the road since NU held Kansas State to 42 points in the first league road game of the 2005-06 campaign.

 TCU's 50 points were also the fewest Nebraska has allowed in a true road opener since giving up just 49 points at Minnesota in the 1977-78 season.

On the Glass

The Huskers will put a small lineup on the floor just about every night this season, giving coach Doc Sadler reason to be interested in Nebraska’s rebounding, especially on the defensive end. All of NU’s guards will need to be capable rebounders this season to keep the opposing team from getting easy baskets on second chances.

 Through 15 games, Nebraska trails on the glass by just over four rebounds per game
(-4.1 rpg, 33.2 to 29.1).

 Nebraska has trailed on the glass in 11 contests this season, including five straight games before outrebounding Maryland Eastern Shore by seven on Jan. 3.

 Nebraska won the battle on the boards in each of the last two non-conference games, outrebounding teams by a combined 21 boards (+7 vs. UMES, season-high +14 vs. FAMU).

 The Huskers posted 11 offensive rebounds in each of the last three non-league games (33 total) after recording 27 offensive boards in the previous five games combined.

 NU trailed on the glass by five in the league opener against Missouri, losing the rebounding battle 35-30, and was outrebounded by 14 at Iowa State, 42-28. 

Balham Making Most of Minutes

Junior forward Chris Balham has been limited by chronic knee problems throughout his career and while he has not been able to practice or get on the court in games as much as he and coach Doc Sadler would like, Balham has made the most of his court time lately.

 Over the past five games, Balham has averaged 14.6 minutes per game, with a total of 73 minutes of action. He saw 46 minutes of action combined in his first seven games of the year, with a high of 10 minutes at TCU. He also missed three games this year because of chronic knee issues.

 He has played 18, 14, 17, 14 and 10 minutes, respectively, over the past five contests, the first time in his career he has gained at least 10 minutes in five straight games.

 During his recent extended stretch of playing time, Balham has averaged 4.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while hitting 7-of-9 from the field and 10-of-15 at the line. His season averages are 2.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.

 Balham tied his career high with eight rebounds against Florida A&M. Of his 22 rebounds in the past five games, 12 are offensive boards. He helped NU average 11 offensive boards per game over the final three non-conference contests of the year.

 The only time he has scored more than seven points (his totals against SCSU and UMES) in a game was a career-high 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting in a road victory over No. 22 Texas A&M last season.

Dagunduro Getting on Track

After a sluggish start to the season, senior guard Ade Dagunduro has begun to turn up the intensity on both ends of the court.

One of the most athletic players in the Big 12 Conference, Dagunduro has recently brought his scoring average up to rank second on the squad with 11.0 points per game. He has scored in double figures in seven of the past eight games, including at least 18 points in three of the last six contests.

 Dagunduro started the season averaging just 4.8 points per game in three contests against San Jose State, TCU and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

 After posting 11 combined points against Alabama State and Arizona State, Dagunduro has averaged a team-best 14.5 ppg over the past eight games.

 Dagunduro set a career high by scoring in double figures in five straight games (Oregon State, IPFW, UMBC, South Carolina State, Maryland Eastern Shore).

 The senior posted a career high in the Big 12 opener, gaining a game-high 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting while helping Nebraska to its third league-opening win in 13 years. He also had five rebounds and three steals in 29 minutes.

 In the last eight games, Dagunduro has averaged 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

 In the last seven games, Dagunduro has hit 70.4 percent (38-of-54) from the floor.

 Possibly Dagunduro’s biggest points of the young season came in the final seconds of a comeback victory over Creighton. The Inglewood, Calif., native got free on the right block when his defender hedged to the middle of the lane as Steve Harley drove to the basket. Harley made a nice wrap-around pass to Dagunduro, whose uncontested layup with 2.7 seconds remaining was the game-winner.

 Dagunduro’s slow start this season is the exact opposite of last year, which could be a good thing for the Huskers in the long run. Dagunduro started 2007-08 on fire, averaging 11.8 points per game in non-conference play while hitting 54.8 percent from the field. In league action, he gained 5.8 points per game while knocking down just 40.4 percent from the field.

Record Performance

Senior guard Ade Dagunduro had what the Huskers hope to be a breakout game against UMBC as he posted 19 points in 27 minutes of action. He topped his previous career best of 17 points last year in an overtime road loss to Western Kentucky.

Dagunduro scored 15 of his 19 points against UMBC in the second half and added three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals for an impressive all-around performance.

But the most impressive aspect of Dagunduro’s line on the stat sheet was the field-goal column. He finished the game hitting 9-of-9 attempts from the field, helping Nebraska hit 48.9 percent from the floor.

 Dagunduro tied the school single-game record by hitting all nine of his attempts from the field against UMBC.

 Dagunduro became the fifth Husker in history to connect on nine consecutive shots from the floor in a single game. It was the fourth time the feat happened by a Husker against a non-conference opponent.

Consecutive Field Goals in Game (NU Record)

FG   Name (Opponent)                       Date   

9     Ade Dagunduro (UMBC)        12/23/08

9     Mikki Moore (at Nevada)         3/19/97

9     Venson Hamilton (Iowa State)    2/3/96

9     Dave Hoppen (Southern Illinois) 11/26/85

9     Chuck Jura (Iowa)                 12/5/70

 Dagunduro’s mark was originally believed to be a single-game conference record, however, since then it has been established that Colorado center David Harrison had a 10-for-10 effort versus Baylor in 2004. It is believed that Dagunduro’s mark ties for second place in the Big 12 record book.

 Dagunduro extended his streak of consecutive made field-goal attempts to 15 over three straight games, setting a new Nebraska record. He had three made shots to end the game against IPFW, added nine against UMBC and then hit his first three against South Carolina State to surpass Mikki Moore, who held the previous NU record by hitting 13 straight shots in three games in 1997.

Consecutive FG in Multiple Games (NU Record)

FG   Name                       Season, games

15    Ade Dagunduro           2008-09, three   

13    Mikki Moore                1996-97, three

 Dagunduro’s streak of 15 straight made shots fell two shy of the old Big 12 record. His streak is second in the league this season behind Baylor’s Quincy Acy, who set the new Big 12 record by making his first 20 attempts from the field to start his career.

Harley Starting to Rev Up

Guard Steve Harley came on strong at the end of last season when he was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team by the league's sportswriters for his play in league action.

 

Over the final 12 league games and the postseason, Harley assumed a lead role in the Husker offense, ranking second with 11.0 points per game while hitting 45 percent from the floor including nearly 43 percent from 3-point range. He shot better than 78 percent from the charity stripe in that stretch.

 

This year he has picked up where he left off as he tries to guide the Huskers to their second straight postseason berth.

 Harley is currently leading the team with 12.5 points per game despite averaging just 6.0 points over the first two league games.

 Despite struggling to score in NU’s two Big 12 games this year, Harley has still came up big for the Huskers, grabbing five rebounds in each contest. He also made a tremendous hustle play against Missouri, tossing a blocked shot by Ade Dagunduro back up court while diving out of bounds on MU’s baseline. Dagunduro eventually tracked down Harley’s toss and scored at the other end.

 Harley set a career high with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting against IPFW. It was his second career 20-point performance and the Huskers' first 20-point game this year.

 He has been one of the most aggressive Huskers getting to the basket, as he is second on the team with 55 trips to the free throw line (40 made free throws, 72.7 percent). Harley is also averaging 3.7 rebounds and is second on the team with 35 assists and tied for second with 21 steals.

 Harley has tied his career high for rebounds twice this season, posting six against San Jose State in the season opener and again in the come-from-behind win over Creighton. He has had at least four rebounds in a game seven times this season.

 Harley had just one assist against Creighton, but it was the biggest one of the game. With the contest tied at 52-52, Nebraska had the ball with the shot clock off. Coach Doc Sadler drew up a play for Harley as the first scoring option. As he drove the lane to the basket, CU hedged to the middle and Harley made a nice wrap-around pass to Ade Dagunduro, who had an uncontested layup for the game-winning basket with 2.7 seconds remaining.

 Harley is the only Husker averaging more than 28 minutes per game, as he has played 31.1 minutes per contest, including a career-high 40 minutes against UMBC.

Hot Henry

After a strong offseason, junior guard Sek Henry started out on a tear while helping the Huskers win six straight games to open a season for just the second time in the Big 12 era.

Henry has been more consistent on offense through the first 15 games of this season than at any point in his career. He is one of three players averaging at least 9.5 ppg, and has recorded eight double-figure scoring games.

 Henry posted 19 points against each Saint Louis and Florida A&M, one off his career high and the most points he has scored at home in the Devaney Center. He nearly matched the mark with 18 points against South Carolina State.

 Henry added 13 points against Missouri to help Nebraska to a win in the Big 12 opener. It was the second-highest point total of his career against a Big 12 squad, trailing the 14 points he scored last season at Missouri.

 He has scored in double figures eight times in 15 games this season, after scoring in double figures just nine times in the first 64 games of his career. Henry posted double figures five times last year and four times as a freshman.

 Henry has hit 51-of-102 shots (50.0 percent) from the field, including 16-of-41 (39.0 percent) from 3-point range. His career averages entering this season were 36.7 percent shooting and 26.4 percent from beyond the arc.

 Henry has twice this season tied his career high with four steals in a game. He is currently tied for fourth on the team with 20 steals through 15 contests.

 Being aggressive is in Henry’s nature on the court and it is showing this year. Although he has hit just 64.1 percent from the free throw line, he has done a nice job getting to the stripe as he is one of only three Huskers with at least 30 attempts from the line (25-of-39).

 Henry raised his free throw average significantly of late, hitting 16 of his last 19 (84.2 percent) attempts over the past six games. Henry hit an impressive 7-of-8 from the line against UMBC after entering the game hitting 45.0 percent in his first nine games this year, and followed with a 7-of-9 effort against SCSU.

Energy Guy

Following the season-opening contest against San Jose State, Coach Doc Sadler praised several players for their energy and hustle, especially the ones off the bench.

Leading the way that day was redshirt freshman Brandon Richardson, who posted six points, three rebounds, an assist and four steals in 16 minutes in his career debut.

Richardson’s numbers did not tell the whole story as he made several dives to the floor and other hustle plays to ignite NU in the second half after SJSU cut the lead from 18 points to five. His steal off an inbounds and three-point play turned the game around, helping NU score 10 points in less than a minute to pull away for good.

Following another strong performance in Nebraska’s game against IPFW, Sadler said:

“Brandon Richardson makes plays that don’t show up on the box score. When we went to the 1-3-1 for the first time (that night), he made two huge hustle plays. He does things that might give you three or four more possessions that you wouldn’t otherwise get in a game.”

 Against UAPB, he scored a season-high nine points and had two assists without a turnover in 23 minutes of action.

 He posted 13 points over the past two games of non-conference play after scoring just 12 points in his previous eight games.

 Richardson hit 3-of-6 from the field against Maryland Eastern Shore and knocked down 2-of-3 vs. Florida A&M. The recent surge (before sitting out the Missouri and Iowa State games with injury) has come as a direct result of the coaching staff telling Richardson to focus on being more aggressive on the offensive end.

 He has posted at least three steals in a game three times this year, and is fifth on the team with 17 steals. He needs seven steals to move onto the Nebraska freshman top-10 list.

Energy Guy . . . Too

Along with Richardson, senior Paul Velander has also been praised by Sadler for his energy coming off the bench, including following the Saint Louis game. In his postgame press conference that night, Sadler said:

“We’ve got to get the rest of the team to make effort plays like Paul Velander. There’s not a player in the country who makes more effort plays than that guy.”

 Velander has come off the bench to hit 40
3-pointers in 15 games, including 11 games with at least three treys apiece. He is fourth on the team in scoring at 8.9 points per game.

 Velander is second in the Big 12 Conference and fourth nationally this week in 3-point percentage, as he has hit 47.6 percent from behind the arc.

 Velander posted as season-high 14 points with four 3-pointers against UMBC. He has hit double figures just four times this season, including three of the last four games of the non-conference slate.

 He also made his first 2-point basket of the year against UMBC and drew two charges against the Retrievers.

 He leads the team with 14 charges taken, including three against each San Jose State and Saint Louis. If the statistic were kept nationally, it’s possible that Velander would lead the nation in charges taken.

 Velander’s effort finally rubbed off on his teams against IPFW. NU had six charges taken, each by a different individual, including one by Velander. As a team, NU has taken 27 charges in 15 games.

Miller Ready to Roll

Cookie Miller was the only true freshman to play for the Huskers last year when he posted near-record numbers for assists (109) and steals (58). This year, he is trying to take it a step higher as one of the top returning point guards in the Big 12 Conference.

Miller was sixth in the league in assists (3.6 apg) last year and the only freshman in the top 10 for assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7). He was fourth in the Big 12 for steals (1.93), and led the league in Big 12-only contests (2.0 spg).

 This season, Miller leads NU with 59 assists and leads the team with 23 steals. He is one of seven Huskers with at least 17 steals.

 Miller has 27 turnovers to go with his 59 assists. He entered the week ranked 41st nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio.

 Miller has had at least four assists in 10 contests this season, including five straight games to end non-conference play. Miller’s season high is six assists on four occasions this year, which ties for the fourth-highest total of his career.

 Miller was efficient in leading the Huskers to a win in the Big 12 opener against Missouri. He had three assists against two turnovers in 36 minutes, but helped NU continually break the Tigers’ press. His defense also helped NU force MU into 16 turnovers with only 10 assists after the Tigers came into the game ranked third nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. Miller also drew three charges, all in the first half, against MU.

 Miller had one of his best games of the season against Missouri, posting a season-high 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting while adding four assists and three steals in 30 minutes.

 He also had a solid game against Alabama State, scoring nine points while tying his season highs with six assists and four rebounds in 25 minutes. It was the first game he started this season.

 Miller came off the bench to efficiently guide the Husker offense in the second half of a comeback victory over Creighton. Miller had five assists and a steal in 15 minutes in the second half as Nebraska came back from 13 points down to earn the win. He finished with season highs in assists (6) and rebounds (4) while adding two steals in the win.

 Miller also sparked a struggling Husker squad in the second half against IPFW. He came off the bench and posted six assists, including four in the second half, with four steals to lead the Huskers to a come-from-behind victory.

 Former Husker great Cookie Belcher owns the Nebraska freshman record for steals with 87 and holds the NU and Big 12 Conference record with 353 steals in his career. Miller is trying to join Belcher and Erick Strickland as the only Huskers with 100 steals at the end of their sophomore seasons. Belcher had 162 in his first two years while Strickland had 107.

Nebraska Career Steals (since 1978)

1.     Cookie Belcher (1997-2001)........ 353

2.     Erick Strickland (1993-96)........... 257

3.     Venson Hamilton (1996-99)......... 186

4.     Clifford Scales (1988-91)............ 177

5.     Brian Carr (1984-87).................. 159

6.     Tyronn Lue (1996-98)................ 154

7.     Larry Florence (1997-2000)......... 137

8.     Jaron Boone (1993-96).............. 131

9.     Eric Johnson (1988-89)............. 128

       Jack Moore (1979-82)................ 128

--     Ryan Anderson (2007-pres.)........... 89

--     Cookie Miller (2008-pres.).............. 81

--     Sek Henry (2007-pres.)................. 72

 

Velander Reaches Top 10

Along with Anderson, senior guard Paul Velander is the second Husker this season to place his name on the top-10 list.

 Velander hit 1-of-2 from long range in the Big 12 opener against Missouri to match Ray Richardson’s mark for 10th place. He now ranks ninth in Nebraska history with 108 treys, tying teammate Ryan Anderson.

 Velander has hit at least three 3-pointers in 11 games this year, with a season-high of four against each UMBC and Florida A&M.

 He leads the team with 40 3-pointers in 15 games, ranking in 82nd nationally for treys per game. His 47.6 percent accuracy from beyond the arc ranks second in the league and fourth nationally.

 

Nebraska Career 3-Point Field Goals Made

1.     Cary Cochran (1999-2002).......... 268

2.     Eric Piatkowski (1991-94)........... 202

3.     Jaron Boone (1993-96).............. 181

4.     Erick Strickland (1993-96)........... 179

5.     Brian Conklin (2001-04) ............ 176

6.     Cookie Belcher (1997-2001)........ 146

7.     Tyronn Lue (1996-98)................ 145

8.     Joe McCray (2005-06)................ 117

9.     Ryan Anderson (2007-pres.)......... 108

       Paul Velander (2006-pres.)........... 108

11.   Ray Richardson (1989-90).......... 105

Hitting From Long Range

At 6-4, guard Ryan Anderson may be a little undersized to play in the front court, but he is one of the biggest players on the court when he steps outside the 3-point line. Anderson has made a living with the long ball, hitting 108 treys in his career to rank ninth in NU history.

 Despite being one of the best 3-point shooters in the league the past two years, Anderson has struggled some this season. He has hit just 10-of-33 attempts.

 He went 3-of-3 from the field against Florida A&M but did not attempt a 3-pointer. It was the first time in 30 games, and only the fifth game in his career, that he did not attempt a 3-pointer.

 Anderson’s best long-range game this year came with three 3-pointers against Alabama State, marking the 14th time in his career he has had at least three treys in a single game.

 Anderson is the only Husker ever to post at least 48 treys in each of his first two years at Nebraska.

 Anderson ranks second on the NU freshman list with 48 3-pointers in 2006-07 and last year posted 50 treys to rank third on the Huskers' sophomore chart.

 Only Nebraska's all-time 3-point leader, Cary Cochran, made more shots from outside the arc by the end of his sophomore season, as Cochran had 101 through two years.

Anderson, Velander Among Huskers’ Most Accurate Duos

Ryan Anderson is not the only 3-point ace for the Huskers as senior guard Paul Velander has also proven to be one of the most accurate long-range shooters in Nebraska history.

The only fifth-year player for the Huskers this season, Velander ranks third in NU history for 3-point field-goal percentage at 41.6 percent (108-of-263) while coming off the bench in 74-of-75 contests.

He leads the team with 40 3-pointers this season, including three or more 3s in each of 11 games this year. With Anderson and Velander, four of the players in the NU top 10 have played under Coach Doc Sadler.

 

3-Point FG Pct. (min. 90 att.)    

                                    3FG  3PA  Pct.

1.  Brian Conklin (2001-04)   176   407  .432

2.  Cary Cochran (1999-2002) 268  630  .425

3.  Paul Velander (2006-pres.) 108   263 .4106

4.  Jay-R Strowbridge (2007-08) 50 122 .4098

5.  Clifford Scales (1988-91)   45   110 .4091

6.  Henry T. Buchanan (1987-88)    67  165    .4061

7.  Chris Cresswell (1990-92) 103   261  .395

8.  Marcus Perry (2006-07)     98   249  .394

9.  Ryan Anderson (2007-pres.) 108  280  .386

10. Ray Richardson (1989-90) 105  278  .378

McCray Looking for More

Guard Toney McCray started the season out strong, scoring game highs with 17 points and nine rebounds in the season opener against San Jose State. McCray hit 6-of-15 shots from the floor in his career debut against the Spartans and just missed becoming the first Husker freshman to record a double-double in his first career game since Aleks Maric accomplished the feat in 2004-05.

After redshirting last year, he is showing the ability Coach Doc Sadler has seen in practice, which translated into three starts at the end of non-conference play.

 McCray ranks fifth on the team with 7.0 points per game. He is tied for fourth on the team with 3.5 rebounds per game and leads the squad with 10 blocked shots.

 McCray has his best stretch of games in his young first season on the court when he scored in double figures three times in four games.

 McCray hit three 3-pointers against IPFW (3-of-5) after connecting on just 3-of-10
3-point attempts in his first eight games. Overall, he is 8-of-20 this season from long range, hitting each of his last two shots.

 McCray had nine points and five boards in the first road game of his career at TCU. He has shown he likes playing on the road as he added 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals at Oregon State.

 In his first game in front of a big crowd, McCray settled in nicely, posting six points, five rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals in 23 minutes off the bench against Creighton.

 In his first Big 12 Conference tilt, McCray posted five points with one rebound in five minutes. His 3-pointer late in the second half was a needed offensive spark as the Huskers held on for a victory over Missouri.

Huskers Roll Up Wins at Home

When coach Doc Sadler took over the program before the 2006-07 season, Nebraska made winning at home a priority especially in the non-conference season.

 

When adding in the Huskers’ home game against Oregon at the Qwest Center in Omaha (considered a home contest due to RPI standards by NCAA), the Huskers won 31 straight games against non-conference teams, including 26 straight under Sadler, to tie the school record with 31 consecutive non-conference home wins. The streak ranked eighth nationally until NU fell to UMBC on Dec. 23.

 Following the win over Florida A&M to end the non-conference schedule, Nebraska is now 29-1 under Coach Doc Sadler at home against non-conference opponents.

 Before falling to UMBC, Nebraska’s last home loss to a non-conference team came on Dec. 3, 2005 against UAB in a 73-72 setback.

 Overall, the Huskers are 42-2 since last suffering consecutive home losses to non-conference teams in 2004-05.

 During the school-record tying 31-game home non-conference win streak, NU had one game decided by five or fewer points (two-point win over Creighton this year) and one other decided in overtime (win over Oregon at Qwest Center).

NU’s Longest Non-Conference Home Win Streaks

Games      Dates                                 

31            Dec. 8, 2005 to Dec. 20, 2008

31            Jan. 18, 1963 to Dec. 1, 1971

30            Dec. 30, 1989 to Nov. 27, 1994

16            Dec. 3, 1993 to March 16, 1995

15            Dec. 31, 2002 to Dec. 6, 2004

15            Dec. 23, 1985 to Dec. 4, 1987

14            Dec. 11, 1971 to Dec. 14, 1974

14            Dec. 11, 1948 to Dec. 1, 1951

Comeback Kids

Nebraska not only picked up its second straight win in Lincoln over in-state foe Creighton on Nov. 29, but it also made for one of the more memorable comebacks by the Huskers since the formation of the Big 12 Conference.

Nebraska’s come-from-behind victory was keyed by a strong second-half performance from Steve Harley and Cookie Miller. Harley finished with a game-high 18 points with three steals and had the key assist on Ade Dagunduro’s game-winning basket with 2.7 seconds remaining. Miller posted six assists and two steals and got the Huskers’ offense into high gear after trailing by 13 points at halftime.

 The 13-point deficit the Huskers overcame matched the largest comeback under Coach Doc Sadler. It also tied for the second-largest comeback by Nebraska during the Big 12 era, matching the 13-point deficit NU overcame at Texas Tech during Sadler’s first season on the sideline.

 The largest deficit Nebraska has rebounded from to win since the formation of the Big 12 Conference was 20 points against Kansas State in the first year of the league (1996-97). KSU also had the biggest halftime lead that NU has overcome in the Big 12 era as the Wildcats led by 18 points at the break.

 

Largest Nebraska Deficits Overcome to Win

(Big 12 era only, since 1996-97)

                                                Deficit

Year        Opponent                  Overcome

1996-97   Kansas State              20 points

2008-09    Creighton                    13 points

2006-07   at Texas Tech             13 points

2002-03   vs. UC Santa Barbara    12 points

1998-99   Texas A&M                12 points

2005-06   Baylor                      11 points

2004-05   Oklahoma State          11 points

2001-02   Colorado                  11 points

2000-01   Missouri                    11 points

1999-2000                        Eastern Illinois    10 points

1997-98   Baylor                      10 points

2003-04   Creighton (NIT game)    9 points

 Nebraska nearly added another fantastic finish to the list as it rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit, and 20-point overall deficit in the first half, to have the final shot at the win against UMBC. The Huskers pulled within two in the final minute and had the ball with less than 8 seconds remaining but came up short, falling by two points, 66-64.

 The near comeback against UMBC came just three days after the Huskers rallied from a five-point halftime deficit at home to pull away for a 75-48 victory over IPFW.

 In an continuing theme, NU fell behind by 13 points at Iowa State before battling back to tie the game at 45-45 with under seven minutes to play. With 2:13 remaining, NU trailed by just two points, 55-53, but saw the Cyclones go on a 10-0 run to end the game.