Nebraska Faces Road Test at No. 6/5 Oklahoma

Husker Game Day

Nebraska Game Notes: Click Here

Oklahoma Game Notes: Click Here

Big 12 Notes: Click Here

Game Date: Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009

Tipoff Time: 8:05 p.m. CT

Venue: Lloyd Noble Center (12,000)

TV: ESPNU

  Play-by-play: Mike Gleason. Color: Fran Fraschilla.

Radio: Husker Sports Radio Network stations

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

Internet Radio/Stats: Free on Huskers.com

 

 

Nebraska Faces Second Ranked Team of Season in Road Test at No. 6/5 Oklahoma

The Nebraska Cornhuskers hit the road for the second time in a week when they head to Norman, Okla., to take on the No. 6/5 Oklahoma Sooners on Wednesday, Jan. 21. The Huskers and Sooners will tip off at 8:05 p.m. in a game that will be seen nationally on ESPNU. 

 

Mike Gleason will call the action for ESPNU while Fran Fraschilla provides color commentary. In a new twist, an Oklahoma student will serve as sideline reporter as part of the ESPN networks’ Campus Connection Week. Students at all the host schools of games seen this week on the ESPN family of networks will serve in several various roles, from sideline reporters to camera operators to assistants in the truck, including 10 students from Oklahoma.

 

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 calls the action and former Husker Matt Davison adds color commentary.

 

After running their league mark to 2-1 win a win over Kansas State on Saturday, the Huskers will be looking to get on the winning track on the road. NU has dropped three straight league road games dating back to last season. The Huskers’ last conference road win came at No. 22 Texas A&M last season, as Nebraska finished the year 7-5 over the last 12 games, with only co-champions Texas and Kansas holding a better league mark during that span.

 

 The Huskers entered the week with theNo. 2 scoring defense (55.8 ppg) in the country. The Huskers allowed 65 points on the road at Iowa State last week, but held Missouri and Kansas State, two of the Big 12’s top scoring squads, to just 51 points apiece in Lincoln.

 

This year marks only the third time in the last half century the Huskers held their first 16 opponents under 57.0 points per game. However, it is the second straight season the Huskers have reached the mark under the guidance of coach Doc Sadler. The only other time in the last 50 years NU held its first 16 foes to under 57.0 ppg was 1981-82.

 

Nebraska has had three players record a 20-point game this season, and all three were seniors. The most recent was Paul Velander, who had a career-high tying 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting from 3-point range.

 

The Huskers added 6-11, 235-pound center Brian Diaz over the weekend. With the addition, NU now has 12 players on scholarship.

 

Scouting The Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners come into Wednesday’s game ranked sixth in the AP Poll and fifth in the coaches poll after racing out to a 17-1 record. OU is 3-0 in league play, defeating Kansas State and Texas A&M on the road and Texas at home.

 

OU has won five straight games since dropping its only contest this year, a 96-88 setback at Arkansas. The Sooners won 12 straight contests to open the season, with victories over Davidson, Purdue (in overtime), USC, Tulsa and VCU.

In their last outing, the Sooners held on for a 69-63 victory over Texas A&M in College Station. Point guard Austin Johnson powered the Sooners with 19 points and seven assists while Blake Griffin added 16 points and six boards. OU hit 47.1 percent from the floor in its second league road game of the year.

Griffin, a candidate for national player of the year, has averaged 22.0 points and 13.4 rebounds per game, ranking among the nation’s top scorers and rebounders all season. He has hit 63.2 percent from the field (144-of-228) and has 25 blocked shots this year along with 26 steals. He also posts nearly  2.5 assists per game while playing a team-high 32.3 minutes per contest.

Freshman guard Willie Warren is the Sooners’ second-leading scorer this season, averaging 15.5 points per game while hitting an impressive 49.7 percent from the field. He is second on the squad with 31 3-pointers while hitting 37.3 percent beyond the arc, and he leads the squad with 27 steals.

Senior guard Tony Crocker is the Sooners’ third double-figure scorer this year, averaging 10.4 points per game despite hitting just 38 percent from the field. He has connected on 32 3-pointers and has made 80 percent at the line. Taylor Griffin (9.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and Austin Johnson (7.7 ppg, 4.4 apg) complete the starting lineup, as Oklahoma has put the same starting five on the floor all season.

As a team, the Sooners are hitting 47.5 percent from the floor while averaging better than 79 points per game on offense. Oklahoma holds a +4.4 rebounding margin (39.9-35.4) and has held opponents to 64.4 points per game on 37.7 percent shooting.

In Big 12 play, OU is averaging 69.3 points per game on 46.3 percent shooting while allowing teams to hit just 35.8 percent (59.7 ppg). Griffin has averaged 21.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game against Big 12 foes while Johnson has stepped up his play, averaging 13.3 points and 5.3 assists per game in league action.

Oklahoma is coached by Jeff Capel (Duke, 1997), one of the youngest head coaches in the country. Capel is in his third year leading the Sooners and owns a 56-28 in Norman. He has been a head coach for seven seasons, including his first four years at VCU. Overall, he owns a 135-69 career record.

Possible Oklahoma Starting Lineup

Name                   Pos. Ht.   Wt.   Pt.   Rb.

Austin Johnson      G    6-3  176   7.7  4.4*

Willie Warren         G    6-4  207   15.5 2.9*

Tony Crocker         G    6-6  206   10.4 3.6

Taylor Griffin         F     6-7  238   9.1   6.6

Blake Griffin           F     6-10 251   22.0 13.4

*assists per game

 

Nebraska-Oklahoma Team Comparison

NU                      Stat                     OU

66.9______ Points Per Game______ 79.6

55.8___ Points Allowed Per Game___ 64.4

46.3____ Field Goal Percentage____ 47.5

40.1_ Field Goal Percentage Defense_ 37.7

38.5___ 3pt Field Goal Percentage___ 34.7

30.8 3pt Field Goal Percentage Defense 34.5

68.5____ Free Throw Percentage____ 67.3

28.7_____ Rebounds Per Game_____ 39.9

-4.5_______ Rebound Margin______ +4.4

13.8______ Assists Per Game______ 14.6

11.9_____ Turnovers Per Game_____ 13.1

9.4_______ Steals Per Game_______ 8.7

2.1_______ Blocks Per Game_______ 4.7

17.8_______ Fouls Per Game______ 17.8

The Series vs. the Sooners

Nebraska and Oklahoma are meeting for the 185th time in series history. The Sooners hold the upper hand in the series, surging ahead for a 103-81 advantage after winning 33 of the last 45 matchups.

 

 The teams first met in the 1920-21 season with Nebraska winning two contests, both at home.

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 NU won nine of the first 12 matchups in the series. The Huskers’ longest win streak in the series is nine straight between 1967 and 1970. OU’s longest win streak over the Huskers is 11 games between 1942 and 1947.

 

 Nebraska has won three of the last four matchups between the squads.

 

 The Huskers trail 59-21 against Oklahoma in Norman, including winning just four times in 26 matchups at the Lloyd Noble Center.

 

 Nebraska’s last win in Norman came in 1999, the only road victory for the Huskers over OU in the Big 12 era. The 15-point victory was NU’s largest ever over Oklahoma in Norman.

 

 The Huskers fell 70-53 the last time they played in Norman in 2007. Nebraska shot just 34 percent from the floor and was outrebounded by 16 on the glass.

 

 Last year, Nebraska shut down the Sooners in Lincoln, earning a 63-45 victory. Oklahoma hit just 26 percent from the field in the first half as NU led 29-12 at the break. OU hit only 37 percent for the game.

 

 In last year’s game, Blake Griffin had 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting and eight rebounds, while the rest of the team hit 10-of-38 from the field. Steve Harley had 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting for Nebraska. Ade Dagunduro added 13 points and seven boards, while Paul Velander hit all three attempts from 3-point range and finished with 11 points off the bench.

 

Huskers vs. Ranked Teams

Nebraska has defeated at least one ranked team for eight straight years since the 2000-01 campaign, including holding a 3-5 mark against ranked squads in 2007-08. Overall, NU is 4-7 against ranked squads under coach Doc Sadler with one road victory at No. 22 Texas A&M, 65-59, last year.

 

Last year Nebraska defeated No. 16 Oregon, No. 24 KSU and No. 22 A&M; and lost to No. 3 KU, No. 2 KU, No. 20 KSU, No. 9 UT, No. 5 KU.

Nebraska has won at least two games against ranked teams in two of the past four seasons, and the three wins last year against ranked teams are the most for the Huskers since going 4-1 against ranked squads in 1998-99.

The Huskers are 7-11 in their last 18 games against ranked opponents since defeating No. 4 Oklahoma State in Lincoln in 2005. NU is 1-8 against top-10 ranked teams in that span. The win over Oklahoma State was NU's first victory over a top-10 squad since beating No. 7 Iowa State in overtime in Ames in 1996-97.

The win against OSU in 2005 was the Huskers' first against a top-five team since the 1994 Big Eight Tournament, when the Huskers knocked off No. 3 Missouri. The last time NU had defeated a top-five team at home was 1993, when the Huskers beat No. 3 Kansas.

Overall, the Huskers own a 54-200 all-time record against ranked teams, including a 19-106 mark against teams ranked in the top 10 and an 11-61 mark against top-five squads. The Huskers are 18-55 against ranked teams in the Big 12 era, including 2-26 against top-10 teams and 1-16 against top-five squads.

 

Nebraska’s All-Time Wins Over Top-10 Teams

H/A/N            Date              Opponent        Score

H     2/22/05   No. 4 Oklahoma State 74-67

A      2/22/97   No. 7 Iowa State 74-69 (ot)

N     3/13/94   No. 3 Missouri       98-91

H     2/23/94   No. 10 Kansas       96-87

H     2/7/93     No. 3 Kansas         68-64

H     2/19/92   No. 3 Kansas   81-79 (ot)

H     2/5/92     No. 2 Oklahoma State 85-69

H     3/3/91     No. 10 Kansas       85-75       

H          11/28/90  No. 5 Michigan State          71-69

H     2/19/86   No. 10 Oklahoma   66-64

A      2/6/82     No. 1 Missouri       67-51

H     1/25/78   No. 8 Kansas         62-58

H     12/9/69   No. 7 Duquesne     82-77

H     1/18/66   No. 6 Kansas         83-75

H     12/12/64  No. 1 Michigan      74-73

H     *3/3/58    No. 1 Kansas State  55-48

H     *2/22/58  No. 4 Kansas         43-41

H     2/7/53     No. 5 Kansas State  80-67

N     12/28/50  No. 9 Missouri       54-52

*consecutive games

 

Nebraska’s All-Time Road Wins Over Top-10 Teams

A/N   Date      Opponent            Score

A      2/22/97   No. 7 Iowa State 74-69 (ot)

N     3/13/94   No. 3 Missouri       98-91

A      2/6/82     No. 1 Missouri       67-51

Quick hits

Here is a quick look at the Huskers through games of Jan. 17:

 

Quick team notes

 This year’s 12-4 record is NU’s best start under coach Doc Sadler. The last time the Huskers were 12-4 to open a season was 2005-06.

 The last time Nebraska opened a year with 13 wins in its first 17 games was 1995-96, when NU finished 21-14 and won the National Invitation Tournament title. 

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 NU has the Big 12 Conference’s top scoring defense, allowing just 55.8 points per game. NU entered the week ranked second nationally in scoring defense.

 

 The Huskers have held each of their first 16 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.

 The Huskers have held opponents in each of their last four home Big 12 Conference games to 51 or fewer points. Starting with Oklahoma last year, NU has allowed 45 points, 49 (Colorado), 51 (Missouri) and 51 (Kansas State).

 Overall, the Huskers have held Big 12 opponents to 65 or fewer points in 10 of NU’s last 12 games against league teams (including last year’s league tournament).

 Nebraska started the week ranked third nationally in turnover margin and is second in the Big 12 Conference. NU has caused 299 turnovers (18.7 per game) while posting just 190 (11.9 tpg) miscues itself over 16 games, a margin of +6.8.

 Entering the week, the Huskers were also in the top 75 nationally in steals per game (16th), turnovers per game (18th), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (35th), 3-point field-goal percentage (35th), scoring margin (40th), assist-to-turnover ratio (44th), field-goal percentage defense (61st) and field-goal percentage (65th).

 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 are averaging 70.8 points per game at home while hitting 49.3 percent (300-of-608) 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 13.5 points per game over the last eight contests. He has hit 42-of-59 shots (71.2 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.

 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 five times this season but is third on the team with 9.6 points per game. He ranked second nationally from 3-point range entering this week and has now hit 48.9 percent (46-of-94) to date to rank second in the Big 12 Conference.

 Also entering the week, Velander ranked 44thnationally in 3-pointers per game (2.8) and Cookie Miller fell just outside the top 100 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.87-to-1).

 Because of his quick release, Velander is averaging a 3-pointer every 8.6 minutes he is on the court (46 3s in 395 minutes), but has had a turnover only every 79.0 minutes (5 TOs in 395 minutes).

 Velander has hit at least three 3-pointers in 12-of-16 games this season. Dating to last year, he has hit at least three treys in 17 of his last 24 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 12.3 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 27.3 percent (9-of-33) to open the conference slate while averaging 7.0 points per game.

 Sek Henry has been proficient with the basketball on the year, hitting 50.0 percent from the field, including a solid 40.5 percent from 3-point range.

 Sophomore Cookie Miller has posted season highs in points in each of the last two games, gaining 11 points at Iowa State and 15 points against Kansas State. He has hit 9-of-14 shots from the floor, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, in the past two games with five assists.

 Miller leads the team with 60 assists against 32 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.

Diaz Joins Huskers

After an entry process that took longer than anticipated, Nebraska finally got some good news regarding freshman center Brian Diaz. The 6-11, 235-pounder was admitted to the University of Nebraska and was enrolled in classes on Jan. 17. He is immediately eligible to play (he was originally cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse in September 2008) as a true freshman this season.

Diaz, whose given name is Jorge Brian Diaz, will add to a Nebraska lineup that was one of the smallest in the nation. Before Diaz joined the squad, the Huskers had just one eligible scholarship player who stood taller than 6-6 (Chris Balham, 6-8; 10.0 minutes per game).

The Huskers could have a dramatically different look next season. Not only will the Huskers have the 6-11 Diaz, but 6-11 Christopher Niemann is sitting out this year under an NCAA eligibility ruling and NU has signed 6-9 Brandon Ubel for next season as well.

Huskers hit Marks vs. KSU

Just three days after struggling on the road at Iowa State, the Cornhuskers hit on all cylinders on Saturday against Kansas State, running past the Wildcats by a 73-51 margin.

 Nebraska hit 50.0 percent from the floor, the fifth game time in its last nine Big 12 Conference regular-season games NU has hit at least 50 percent from the floor. The Huskers had hit just 36 percent from the field in their first two league games this year.

 NU hit 10 3-pointers against the Wildcats, the Huskers’ most treys against a league team since March 8, 2007, when Nebraska hit 13 against Oklahoma State.

 The Huskers outscored KSU by 22 points, the largest margin of victory over a Big 12 Conference opponent during the coach Doc Sadler era. The last time NU posted a larger margin of victory over a league foe was 2003-04, when the Huskers defeated No. 25 Texas Tech 72-44 in Lincoln.

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 also forced a season-high tying 25 turnovers against Kansas State on Jan. 17.

 The Huskers have now forced 299 turnovers through 16 games, while allowing teams to record just 165 assists on 299 baskets.

 The Huskers have forced at least 20 turnovers in seven 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; 25 vs Kansas 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 14 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 five by junior guard Ryan Anderson against Kansas State on Jan. 17. Four other players have recorded five games with four steals.

The defensive pressure has helped Nebraska to a 337-177 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 11.9 turnovers per game this season to rank 18th nationally entering the week and first in the Big 12 Conference. NU is the only team in the league averaging fewer than 12.0 turnovers per game.

 The Huskers entered the week ranked third nationally in turnover margin, with a +6.81 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 38.5 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 (2.8) and Sek Henry (1.1), although the team is averaging 7.0 treys per game.

 Senior Paul Velander has been more effective than ever despite stepping back further to shoot. He is hitting 48.9 percent (46-of-94) from beyond the arc to rank second nationally and second in the Big 12 Conference.

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

 The Huskers have hit 10 or more 3-pointers three times this season, including against Alabama State (14), Florida A&M (10) and Kansas State (10).

 NU has posted at least eight 3-pointers in a game seven times.

 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.

 Nebraska had another game where all the shots were falling as the Huskers hit 10-of-18 (55.6 percent) against Kansas State on Jan. 17. Velander hit 6-of-10 by himself, while Cookie Miller connected on all three of his attempts. NU hit 50.0 percent from the field in the game.

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 55.8 ppg. No other team in the league is holding opponents below 61 points per game as Texas ranks second at 61.2 points per contest.

 Nebraska ranked 61st 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 30.8 percent from 3-point range, and ranked 41st nationally entering the week. NU has held eight 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 16 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 893 points in the first 16 games of the year.Nebraska has held its first 16 opponents to fewer than 900 combined points to open a season just five times since 1947-48.

 

NU’s Fewest Points Allowed in First 16 Games

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

       Year                           Points (Ppg)

1948-49................................ 839 (52.4)

1981-82................................ 841 (52.6)

1949-50................................ 850 (53.1)

1947-48................................ 858 (53.6)

2008-09................................. 893 (55.8)

2007-08................................ 901 (56.3)

1950-51................................ 922 (57.6)

2003-04................................ 923 (57.7)

1982-83................................ 924 (57.8)

1958-59................................ 927 (57.9)

 Nebraska has forced at least 20 turnovers  in a game seven times this season, including once in Big 12 Conference play (Kansas State, 25).

 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.

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 30.8 percent from beyond the arc. Last season, opponents hit 36.4 percent on the year.

 Nebraska’s 3-point percentage defense was 41st nationally entering the week and is second in the Big 12 Conference.

 Ten of Nebraska’s 16 opponents have been held to five or fewer 3-pointers in a game, including five with three or fewer.

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 16 games, Nebraska trails on the glass by over four rebounds per game
(-4.5 rpg, 33.2 to 28.7).

 Nebraska has trailed on the glass in 12 contests this season, including five straight games before outrebounding Maryland Eastern Shore by seven on Jan. 3.

 NU has trailed in each of its three Big 12 contests, by margins of -5, -14 and -11.

 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.

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 23 rebounds in the past six 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 10.8 points per game. He has scored in double figures in seven of the past nine games, including at least 18 points in three of the last seven 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 13.8 ppg on 66.2 percent shooting (47-of-71) over the past nine 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 nine games, Dagunduro has averaged 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

 In the last eight games, Dagunduro has hit 71.2 percent (42-of-59) from the floor.

 Possibly Dagunduro’s biggest points of the non-conference 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 is leader of the Pack

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 12.3 points per game despite averaging just 7.0 points over the first three league games.

 Despite struggling to score in NU’s three Big 12 games this year, Harley has still come up big for the Huskers. He grabbed five rebounds in each of the first two contests, and averaged more than two assists per game. 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 57 trips to the free throw line (41 made free throws, 71.9 percent). Harley is also averaging 3.6 rebounds and is second on the team with 39 assists and tied for second with 22 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 31.2 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 16 games of this season than at any point in his career. He is one of four players averaging at least 9.0 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 16 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 52-of-104 shots (50.0 percent) from the field, including 17-of-42 (40.5 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 fifth on the team with 20 steals through 16 contests.

 Being aggressive is in Henry’s nature on the court and it is showing this year. Although he has hit just 66.7 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 (30-of-45).

 Henry raised his free throw average significantly of late, hitting 21 of his last 25 (84.0 percent) attempts over the past seven 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 first three games of Big 12 Conference action with an 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 sixth 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 46
3-pointers in 16 games, including 12 games with at least three treys apiece. He is third on the team in scoring at 9.6 points per game.

 Velander is second in the Big 12 Conference and second nationally this week in 3-point percentage, as he has hit 48.9 percent from behind the arc.

 Velander posted as career-high tying 20 points behind a career-best six 3-pointers against Kansas State on Jan. 17.

 He has hit double figures five 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 now has hit just 2-of-9 from inside the arc.

 Velander leads the team with 16 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 30 charges in 16 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 60 assists and leads the team with 23 steals. He is one of seven Huskers with at least 17 steals.

 Miller has 32 turnovers this year. He ranked in the top 100 nationally last week in assist-to-turnover ratio before posting five miscues against Kansas State.

 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 four times, 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 better offensive games of the season against Iowa State, posting 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.)........... 94

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

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

 

Velander reaches top 10

Senior guard Paul Velander is the second Husker this season to place his name on the top-10 list, following junior guard Ryan Anderson who needed just seven treys entering the year.

 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 114 treys, moving past teammate Ryan Anderson as Velander had six 3-pointers against Kansas State on Jan. 17.

 Velander has hit at least three 3-pointers in 12 games this year, with a career-high six against Kansas State (6-of-10 overall).

 He leads the team with 46 3-pointers in 16 games, ranking in 44th nationally for treys per game. His 48.9 percent accuracy from beyond the arc ranks second in the league and secondnationally.

 

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.     Paul Velander (2006-pres.)........... 114

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

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 this season. He has hit just 10-of-35 attempts (28.6 percent) after coming into the season hitting better than 39 percent in his career.

 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

Senior guard Paul Velander has 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 41.8 percent (114-of-273) while coming off the bench in 75-of-76 contests.

He leads the team with 46 3-pointers this season, including three or more 3s in each of 12 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.) 114   273  .418

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    .406

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

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

9.  Ryan Anderson (2007-pres.) 108  282 .383 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 7.1 points per game. He is tied for fourth on the team with 3.4 rebounds per game and leads the squad with 11 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-21 this season from long range.

 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.

 In Big 12 Conference play, McCray has hit 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from the floor while averaging 6.0 points per game.

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.

 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

 Overall, the Huskers are 40-8 in all games (non-conference and Big 12) at the Devaney Center under Sadler.

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.