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Husker Game Day
Nebraska Game Notes: Click Here
Game Date: Jan. 31, 2009
Release Date: Jan. 30, 2009, 10 a.m.
Tipoff Time: 7:05 p.m. CT
Venue: United Spirit Arena (15,098)
TV: Big 12 Network Play-by-play: Brad Sham. Color: Paul Splittorff.
Radio: Husker Sports Radio Network stations Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka. Color: Andy Markowski.
Internet Radio/Stats: Free on Huskers.com
Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Weekend
The Nebraska and Texas Tech coaching staffs will all wear sneakers on their respective benches during Saturday's game as part of the national Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Weekend. This will be the third straight season coach Sadler and his staff have joined the initiative to help raise awareness and funds for a cure for cancer.
Huskers Hit the Road for Three of Next Four Games Starting at Texas Tech
The Nebraska Cornhuskers will hit the road for the sixth time this season when they head south to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders at the United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday, Jan. 31. The Huskers and Red Raiders will tip off at 7:05 p.m. in a game seen around the country in select markets on the Big 12 Network. Brad Sham (play by play) and Paul Splittorff (color) will call the action. In the state of Nebraska, the game will be seen on KLKN Channel 8 in Lincoln, KXVO Channel 15 in Omaha and KIIT Channel 30 in North Platte.
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 Andy Markowski adds color commentary.
The Huskers will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak when they take on Texas Tech. Nebraska has won two straight over the Red Raiders, including snapping five-game losing streak in Lubbock two years ago. That game saw Charles Richardson Jr. hit a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer for the victory as Nebraska rallied from a 13-point deficit earlier in the game. It was the second of two straight road wins after starting league play 1-5 in coach Doc Sadler’s first year on the bench.
The contest Saturday will start a stretch of three road games in the next four contests. Nebraska will also have its bye date during that frame as it does not play between Feb. 7 and Feb. 14.
Despite seeing its average rise slightly the past three games, Nebraska still easily leads the Big 12 Conference in scoring defense at 58.4 points per game. The Huskers’ scoring defense ranked sixth nationally entering the week.
Nebraska leads the league in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.317). NU has held 11 teams to five or fewer 3-pointers in a game, including four times in Big 12 play.
Nebraska recorded just eight turnovers against Kansas, it’s fourth-lowest total of the season. The Huskers are second in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+6.6, third nationally entering the week) while also ranking second in the league in steals (9.1, 22nd nationally).
Senior guard Ade Dagunduro has been Nebraska’s offensive spark over the past few weeks. In the last 12 games, he has averaged 13.9 points and 3.9 rebounds while hitting 60.2 percent from the floor. He scored a career-high 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting on Wednesday against Kansas.
Scouting The Red Raiders
The Huskers will be looking for ways to snap a three-game losing streak when they travel to Lubbock, Texas, to take on the Red Raiders. Texas Tech, however, has been solid at home, earning a 10-2 record in the United Spirit Arena this season with the only losses coming to Texas and TCU.
Texas Tech, which owns an 11-9 overall record and 1-4 mark in the Big 12 Conference, has been among the league leaders all season in scoring offense. The Red Raiders have averaged 78.8 points per game this season, although their scoring average has dipped a little in league play, where they have gained 65.8 points per contest.
To date TTU has topped the 80-point plateau seven times. Texas Tech has been held to less than 70 points only seven times, including three times in five Big 12 contests.
TTU posted one of the more incredible scores in recent memory as it earned a 167-115 victory over East Central University in regulation. That makes 282 combined points scored in the game, which averages to 7.05 points scored per minute off the clock.
On the defensive end, Texas Tech has allowed 77.2 points per game this season, including allowing 80 points on eight occasions, giving up more than 110 points twice this season.
TTU has trailed by nearly 10 points per game in league play, allowing 75.0 ppg. The Red Raiders are hitting 43.0 percent from the floor vs. Big 12 teams and just 33.7 percent from long range.
Senior guard John Roberson has led the Red Raiders, averaging 14.4 points per game on 41.1 percent shooting. Roberson, who has gained a team-best 12.6 points per contest in league action, has posted 125 assists, an average of 6.3 per game to lead the Big 12 Conference.
Roberson and freshman forward Robert Lewandowski each posted 20 points in Wednesday’s loss at Texas A&M. The Red Raiders fell by nine, 79-70, as Lewandowski, Roberson and senior guard Alan Voskuil combined for 56 points on 23-of-43 shooting while the rest of the team was 6-of-18 for 14 points. Roberson added 13 assists, four boards and two steals in 40 minutes.
Voskuil is second on the team with 13.7 points per contest and Mike Singletary is third with 10.6 ppg. In league action, Voskuil has gained 11.4 points while Lewandowski has stepped up to post 10.0 points per contest.
Texas Tech is coached by Pat Knight (Indiana, 1995). Knight owns a 15-16 overall record since taking over for his father, Bob Knight, midway through the Big 12 season last year. Pat Knight owns a 5-11 mark in league games as the Red Raiders’ head coach.
Possible Texas Tech Starting Lineup
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Pt. Rb.
Alan Voskuil G 6-3 181 13.7 4.4
John Roberson G 5-11 165 14.4 6.3*
Robert Lewandowski F 6-10 240 6.2 3.4
Michael Prince F 6-7 208 3.9 3.1
Damir Suljagic F 6-9 250 2.3 1.7
*assists per game
Nebraska-Texas Tech Team Comparison
NU Stat TTU
66.7______ Points Per Game______ 78.8
58.4___ Points Allowed Per Game___ 77.2
45.2____ Field Goal Percentage____ 46.0
42.1_ Field Goal Percentage Defense_ 42.9
37.3___ 3pt Field Goal Percentage___ 37.3
31.7 3pt Field Goal Percentage Defense 34.5
68.1____ Free Throw Percentage____ 69.9
28.6_____ Rebounds Per Game_____ 38.3
-5.3_______ Rebound Margin______ -0.4
13.6______ Assists Per Game______ 15.9
11.5_____ Turnovers Per Game_____ 15.4
9.1_______ Steals Per Game_______ 6.4
1.9_______ Blocks Per Game_______ 3.8
17.8_______ Fouls Per Game______ 20.1
The Series vs. the Red Raiders
Nebraska and Texas Tech are meeting for the 24th time in series history. The Huskers enter the weekend with the upper hand, holding a 14-9 advantage in the series.
The Huskers and Red Raiders first met in the 1955-56 season with Nebraska winning an overtime thriller, 69-63, in Lincoln.
Nebraska and Texas Tech have met in Lubbock 11 times with TTU holding a slim 6-5 advantage. The Red Raiders have posted a 3-1 lead in games played in the United Spirit Arena.
The Huskers have won each of the past two contests under the guidance of coach Doc Sadler. NU had lost four of the previous six before Sadler’s arrival.
Last year, the Huskers earned a 73-62 victory in Lincoln. Ryan Anderson is the top returning scorer from that game, as he hit 8-of-9 shots from the floor including all three of his attempts from 3-point range to score 19 points. He added seven rebounds while Cookie Miller had 10 points and six assists and Steve Harley had 12 points.
The previous year, Nebraska won in Lubbock for the first time since 1988-89, snapping a streak of five straight losses on the Red Raiders’ home court. Charles Richardson hit a 3-pointer less at the buzzer to complete Nebraska’s comeback from 13 points down.
It was the largest comeback by the Huskers since overcoming a 20-point deficit against Kansas State in 1996-97.
Quick Hits
Here is a quick look at the Huskers through games of Jan. 28:
Quick team notes
Nebraska is looking to snap a four-game road losing streak in Big 12 Conference play when it takes on Texas Tech in Lubbock. Two of the four Husker losses in that stretch were to top-10 squads. Nebraska’s last road win in conference play came at No. 22 Texas A&M.
NU has the Big 12 Conference’s top scoring defense, allowing just 58.4 points per game. NU entered the week ranked sixth nationally in scoring defense.
Nebraska has forced two of its first six conference opponents (Kansas State, 25; Kansas, 21) into 20 or more turnovers this season. Nebraska is first in turnover margin in Big 12-only games at +6.3 (11.0 turnovers, 17.3 opponent turnovers).
The Huskers held each of their first 16 opponents under 67 points, becoming the first NU squad since 1981-82 to accomplish the feat. Only two teams (No. 6/5 Oklahoma and Oklahoma State) have topped 70 points against the Huskers this year.
The Huskers held four straight Big 12 Conference opponents to 51 or fewer points in games at the Devaney Center before Oklahoma State scored 76 in overtime. Starting with Oklahoma last year, NU allowed 45 points, 49 points (Colorado), 51 points (Missouri) and 51 points (Kansas State) in consecutive home games.
The Huskers have held Big 12 opponents to 70 or fewer points in 12 of their last 15 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 on the year at +6.6 entering Saturday’s game.
The Huskers were also in the top 75 nationally entering the week in turnovers per game (16th), steals per game (22nd), assist-to-turnover ratio (43rd), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (44th), 3-point field-goal percentage (45th) and scoring margin (49th).
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, seven at No. 6/5 Oklahoma and eight vs. Kansas.
The Huskers are averaging 70.4 points per game at home while hitting 47.9 percent (344-of-718) from the field at the Devaney Center. On the road, NU has averaged 56.6 points on 37.8 percent (98-of-259) shooting.
Individual quick notes
In Big 12-only games, junior guard Ryan Anderson ranks 10th in rebounding with 6.0 boards per game. He also is tied for third in steals with 2.0 per contest vs. Big 12 teams.
Anderson averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per contest in two games against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, while Cookie Miller has added 11.5 points and 5.5 assists per game in the same contests.
Nebraska has had a different leading scorer in each of the past five straight games. Each of the last four games has had a Husker score at least 19 points, including a team season high 24 points by Ade Dagunduro against Kansas.
Ade Dagunduro is averaging a team-best 13.9 points per game over the last 12 contests. He has hit better than 60 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 fourth on the team with 9.0 points per game. He ranked fourth nationally from 3-point range entering this week and has now hit 45.9 percent (50-of-109) to rank second in the Big 12 despite hitting just two of his last 13 trey attempts.
Also entering the week, Velander ranked 62nd nationally in 3-pointers per game.
Because of his quick release, Velander is averaging a 3-pointer every 9.5 minutes he is on the court (50 3s in 473 minutes), but has had a turnover only every 78.8 minutes (6 TOs in 473 minutes).
Velander has hit at least three 3-pointers in 12-of-19 games this season. Dating to last year, he has hit at least three treys in 17 of his last 26 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 12.0 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 35.4 percent (23-of-65) to open the conference slate while averaging 8.8 points per game.
Sek Henry has been proficient with the basketball on the year, hitting 48.4 percent from the field, including a solid 40.0 percent from 3-point range.
Henry has scored in double figures 10 times in 19 games this season, after scoring in double figures just nine times in his first 64 games.
Sophomore Cookie Miller posted season highs in points in three of his past five games. He gained 11 points at Iowa State and 15 points against Kansas State before tying his career high with 19 points against Oklahoma State. He had 19 points vs. the Cowboys on 4-of-6 shooting while hitting 9-of-10 at the free throw line.
Miller leads the team with 74 assists. 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. Miller’s season-high seven assists at No. 6/5 Oklahoma were one less than his total (8) over the first three Big 12 Conference games.
Getting Offensive
Nebraska received some significant offense from unexpected places against No. 6/5 Oklahoma and Oklahoma State as guards Ryan Anderson and Cookie Miller stepped up to help the Huskers.
Miller, the Huskers’ assist leader (71) this season, has averaged 9.8 points per game in league action while hitting 42.9 percent (18-of-42) from the field and 88.2 percent (15-of-17) from the line. He has averaged 35.5 minutes per game in league action.
Miller has set a season scoring high in three of the last five games. Miller had 11 points at Iowa State and came back with 15 at home against Kansas State before posting a career-high tying 19 points against Oklahoma State last Saturday.
Anderson has led NU with 19 points and seven rebounds against Oklahoma and 14 points and eight rebounds against Oklahoma State. His 19 points at Oklahoma were a season high and the 33 points over the two games equaled his total from his previous eight games combined.
Anderson has averaged 7.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in Big 12 play. His rebound average is 10th in league-only games.
Stealing the Spotlight
Nebraska has been among the national leaders all season for steals, entering this week ranked No. 22 in the country with 9.1 steals per game. Overall seven Huskers have posted at least 17 steals this year, with five averaging at least 1.0 steal per game.
It's much of the same from a pair of familiar faces when it comes to steals. Junior guard Ryan Anderson and sophomore guard Cookie Miller have shown an impressive court awareness since joining the Huskers and have been among the teams' top defenders despite their size.
Anderson became just the 14th player in Nebraska history to record 100 steals in a career when he picked off one pass against Kansas on Jan. 28. At his current pace of 1.6 steals per game (eighth in the Big 12), Anderson could finish this season just within 10 steals of reaching the NU top 10.
Miller ranks 11th in the league in steals at 1.4 per game and has a chance to reach 100 before the end of his sophomore season. Miller is trying to join Cookie 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.
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.
Nebraska Career Steals (since 1978)
No. Player, Years Steals
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
10. Jack Moore, 1979-82 128
11. Jamar Johnson, 1992-94 126
12. Carl Hayes, 1990-92 125
13. Greg Downing, 1980-83 118
14. Ryan Anderson, 2007-present 100
15. Andre Smith, 1978-81 92
-- Cookie Miller, 2008-present 84
-- Sek Henry, 2007-present 74
Sadler Approaches Plateau
Coach Doc Sadler has been known to get everything possible out of his players and teams, as his work ethic has carried over to the court. In the past two seasons, Sadler’s effort pushed the Huskers to 17 and 20 wins, respectively, with last year’s first-round NIT victory giving the Huskers just the 12th 20-win season in the 112-year history of the program.
Behind his solid guidance, the Huskers have won 49 games in the past two-plus seasons. The Huskers’ next victory will mark Sadler’s 50th victory and at this pace he will be the fourth-fastest to 50 wins at Nebraska in history. Only three coaches in Husker history have recorded 50 wins faster, and two of those men coached at Nebraska before World War I.
Coaches to Win 50 Games at Nebraska
Coach Record at 50 wins
Doc Sadler.................................... ???
Barry Collier............... 50-57 (107 games)
Danny Nee................... 50-42 (92 games)
Moe Iba....................... 50-32 (82 games)
Joe Cipriano................ 50-44 (94 games)
Jerry Bush.................. 50-66 (116 games)
Harry Good.................. 50-42 (92 games)
Charles T. Black.......... 50-55 (105 games)
R.G. Clapp................... 50-19 (69 games)
E.O. Stiehm................... 50-9 (59 games)
Diaz Joins Huskers; Will Redshirt
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 was originally cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse in September 2008 before finally making it to Nebraska as a true freshman in January when he was immediately eligible to play. Diaz suited up against No. 6/5 Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, but did not play in either contest.
Diaz told coach Doc Sadler of his intention to redshirt this season prior to the Kansas game on Jan. 28. He will sit out this season and will have four years remaining.
Diaz, whose given name is Jorge Brian Diaz, added to a Nebraska lineup that was listed by kenpom.com as the shortest 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).
Diaz also gives NU 12 scholarship players this season, as Nebraska entered the year with an open scholarship and lost one scholarship player at the semester.
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 Jan. 17 against Kansas State, running past the Wildcats by a 73-51 margin.
Nebraska hit 50.0 percent from the floor, the fifth time in nine Big 12 Conference regular-season games NU 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 345 turnovers through 19 games, while allowing teams to record just 199 assists on 375 baskets.
The Huskers have forced at least 20 turnovers in eight games this year. Last year, the Huskers forced 20 turnovers in a game six times all season.
Most Opponent Turnovers in 2008-09
Opponent Turnovers
San Jose State 25
Kansas State 25
Creighton 24
Oregon State 24
IPFW 24
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 23
South Carolina State 21
Kansas 21
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 16 games this season.
Eight Huskers have recorded a steal this year, including five averaging at least 1.0 steal 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 seven games with four steals.
The defensive pressure has helped Nebraska to a 385-216 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.
NU has averaged just 11.5 turnovers per game this season and ranked 16th nationally entering the week.
The Huskers are first in the Big 12 Conference and are the only team in the league averaging fewer than 11.9 turnovers per game. Texas (11.9) is the only other Big 12 team averaging less than 12.3 turnovers per game.
The Huskers entered the week ranked third nationally in turnover margin, and currently have a +6.6 margin to rank second in the Big 12 Conference.
The Huskers tied the school record by committing just three turnovers against Maryland Eastern Shore. NU equaled the team mark originally 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 posted just seven turnovers at No. 6/5 Oklahoma, marking the ninth time under coach Doc Sadler that NU had 11 or fewer turnovers in a road game, and second time this season (also at Oregon State, 11 TO).
Nebraska’s Best Turnover Games of 2008-09
Opponent NU Turnovers
Maryland Eastern Shore 3
Saint Louis 6
Oklahoma 7
Kansas 8
Nebraska had only three turnovers in the first half against Alabama State. NU also had two turnovers in the second half against Saint Louis, three in the first half at No. 6/5 Oklahoma and three in the second period against Kansas, giving the Huskers six halves this season (including each half vs. UMES) with three or fewer turnovers.
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 37.3 percent from long range. Last season, Nebraska hit 34.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Paul Velander has been more effective than ever despite stepping back further to shoot. He is hitting 45.9 percent (50-of-109) from beyond the arc to currently rank second in the Big 12 Conference. He was fourth nationally entering the week.
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 eight 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 stats in 2008-09.
Nebraska was sixth in the country in scoring defense entering the week and currently leads the Big 12 in at 58.4 ppg. No other team in the league is holding opponents below 61 points per game as Texas ranks second at 61.6 points per contest.
The Huskers have allowed teams to hit a Big 12-low 31.7 percent from 3-point range, and ranked 44th nationally entering the week. NU has held eight teams under 25.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc this season.
The Huskers did not allow any of their first 16 opponents to score more than 66 points in a game. It was the longest streak to open a season without allowing an opponent to reach 67 points since the 1981-82 NU squad did it through the first 18 games of the year.
Only one other time (2003-04) in the 3-point era before this season 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 Nebraska held six consecutive opponents to fewer than 60 points in any stretch 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.
Nebraska has forced at least 20 turnovers in a game eight times this season, including twice in Big 12 Conference play (Kansas State, 25; Kansas, 21).
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.
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 31.7 percent from beyond the arc. Last season, opponents hit 36.4 percent on the year.
Nebraska’s 3-point percentage defense entered the week ranked 44th nationally. The Huskers are currently leading the Big 12 Conference in that category.
Eleven of Nebraska’s 19 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 19 games, Nebraska trails on the glass by over five rebounds per game
(-5.3 rpg, 33.8 to 28.6).
Nebraska has trailed on the glass in 14 contests this season, including all six league contests. Overall, the Huskers have trailed on the boards in 11 of the past 13 games.
NU has trailed in each of its Big 12 contests, and has a -9.7 rebounding margin in league action. Nebraska’s 36 rebounds against No. 6/5 Oklahoma were its third-highest total of the season, and -3 margin against the Sooners was its best in Big 12 play. NU has been outrebounded by at least nine boards four times so far in league action.
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 has had at least 10 offensive rebounds in a game six times, most recently against Kansas when 13 of the Huskers’ 22 boards were on the offensive glass. NU also had 10 offensive boards against No. 6/5 Oklahoma on the road.
Dagunduro Getting on Track
After a sluggish start to the season, senior guard Ade Dagunduro has turned up the intensity on both ends of the court during league play.
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 11.4 points per game. He has scored in double figures in nine of the past 12 games, including at least 18 points four times.
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 13.9 ppg on 60.2 percent shooting (65-of-108) over the past 12 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 then-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.
Dagunduro had the best offensive game of his career against Kansas at home, posting a career-high 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting. He added five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 29 minutes while helping the Huskers remain within one point in the final 30 seconds.
In the last 12 games, Dagunduro has also averaged 3.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
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 has been 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 only 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.
Harley is currently leading the team with 12.0 points per game despite averaging just 8.8 points ? third on team ? over the first six Big 12 Conference games.
Despite struggling to score in NU’s six Big 12 games this year, Harley has still come up big for the Huskers. He has had 19 rebounds, 11 assists and 11 steals in the first six league games.
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 65 trips to the free throw line (42 made free throws, 64.6 percent). Harley is also averaging 3.4 rebounds and is second on the team with 43 assists and leads the squad with 29 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 nine 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 one of only two players (also Cookie Miller) averaging more than 26 minutes per game. Harley has played a team-high 31.7 minutes per contest this season, 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 19 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 10 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 vs. 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 10 times in 19 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 60-of-124 shots (48.4 percent) from the field, including 20-of-50 (40.0 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 this year. He is currently tied for fifth on the team with 22 steals through 19 contests.
Being aggressive is in Henry’s nature on the court and it is showing this year. He has raised his average to 67.3 percent from the free throw line, as he has done a nice job getting to the stripe recently. He is one of only three Huskers with at least 40 attempts from the line (33-of-49).
Henry raised his free throw average significantly of late, hitting 24 of his last 29 (82.8 percent) attempts over the past nine 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.”
After sitting out the first four games of Big 12 Conference action with an injury, Richardson came back to hit 2-of-3, including both 3-point attempts, to score eight points in 15 minutes against Oklahoma State. He has now hit seven of his last 13 shots overall, including 4-of-9 from long range. The recent aggressiveness with ball came as a direct result of the coaching staff telling Richardson to focused on attacking on the offensive end.
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 last two games of non-conference play after scoring just 12 points in his previous eight games.
He has posted at least three steals in a game three times this year, and is tied for 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 50
3-pointers in 19 games, including 12 games with at least three treys apiece. He is fourth on the team in scoring at 9.0 points per game.
Velander is currently second in the Big 12 Conference and was fourth nationally entering the week in 3-point percentage. He has hit 45.9 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 19 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 36 charges in 19 games.
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 eight games, Balham has averaged 12.9 minutes per game, with a total of 103 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 played 18, 14, 17, 14, 10 and 12 minutes, respectively, between the Maryland Eastern Shore and Oklahoma games, the first time in his career he gained at least 10 minutes in more than three straight games. Overall, he has played at least 10 minutes in eight of the last nine games.
Balham tied his career high with eight rebounds against Florida A&M. Of his 30 rebounds in the past nine games, 18 are offensive boards.
Balham scored a season-high seven points in consecutive games near the end of the non-conference slate this season. The only time Balham 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.
Miller Ready to Lend a Hand
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 74 assists (4.1 apg) and is third the team with 26 steals (1.4 apg). He is one of seven Huskers with at least 17 steals.
Miller has 38 turnovers to go with his 74 assists, ranking in the top five in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9-to-1). After posting a season-high five miscues with one assist against Kansas State on Jan. 17, Miller rebounded to have his best game distributing the ball at Oklahoma. He had seven assists with just two turnovers against the No. 6/5 Sooners on the road.
Miller has had at least four assists in 12 contests this season, including five straight games to end non-conference play. Miller’s season high is seven assists at No. 6/5 Oklahoma, and has had six assists on four occasions this year.
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 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.
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.
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 is eighth in Nebraska history with 118 treys. He moved past teammate Ryan Anderson as Velander posted 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).
Velander’s 45.9 percent accuracy from beyond the arc is currently second in the Big 12 Conference.
He leads the team with 50 3-pointers in 19 games, and ranked 62nd nationally in 3s per game entering the week. He entered the week ranked fourth nationally in 3-point percentage before going 1-of-5 against Kansas on Wednesday.
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. Paul Velander (2006-pres.)........... 118
9. Joe McCray (2005-06)................ 117
10. Ryan Anderson (2007-pres.)......... 113
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 113 treys in his career to rank 10th 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 15-of-55 attempts (27.3 percent) after coming into the season hitting better than 39 percent in his career.
Anderson’s best long-range game this year came with four 3-pointers at No. 6/5 Oklahoma, marking the 15th time in his career he has had at least three treys in a single game. He also had three treys earlier this season against Alabama State.
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 in a 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 fourth in NU history for 3-point field-goal percentage at 40.9 percent (118-of-288) while coming off the bench in 78-of-79 contests.
He leads the team with 50 3-pointers this season, including three or more 3s in each of 12 games this year. Despite ranking second in the Big 12 Conference in 3-point percentage this season (45.9), Velander has struggled lately, hitting just two of his last 13 attempts over the past two games. However, he has hit at least one trey in every game this season.
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. Jay-R Strowbridge (2007-08) 50 122 .4098
4. Paul Velander (2006-pres.) 118 288 .4097
5. Clifford Scales (1988-91) 45 110 .409
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. Ray Richardson (1989-90) 105 278 .378
10. Ryan Anderson (2007-pres.) 113 302 .374
McCray Starts Strong
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.
McCray ranks sixth on the team with 6.4 points per game. He is fourth on the team with 3.3 rebounds per game and leads the squad with 11 blocked shots.
McCray played inside most of the first 18 games of the season, but moved back onto the wing before the Kansas game, which was the first contest in this season that he did not play any minutes.
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 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from the floor while averaging 5.0 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 non-conference losses 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 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.