Huskers Head Home to Face No. 3 Kansas

Live game stats
Live radio broadcast (free)
Buy season or single-game tickets NOW!!!
Check out the team and coaches on NU Hoops Blog
Live video stream on ESPN360.com (free) 

Game Date: Jan. 13, 2010
Tipoff Time: 8:05 p.m.
Venue: Devaney Center
Capacity: 13,595

Huskers on TV/Radio/Internet
Television: ESPN2, Play-by-play: Ron Franklin, Color: Bill Raftery
Radio: IMG Husker Sports Radio Network, Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka, Color: Matt Davison
Internet Radio/Stats: Free on Huskers.com
Internet Video: ESPN360.com

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Game 17 Notes
2009-10 Record: 12-4
Head coach: Doc Sadler
Record at Nebraska: 67-44 (4th year)
Record at Division I: 115-62 (6th year)
Career Record: 235-101 (11th year)

No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks
Game 16 Notes
2009-10 Record: 14-1
Head coach: Bill Self
Record at KU: 183-41 (7th year)
Career Record: 390-146 (17th year)

Nebraska Heads Home to Face No. 3 Jayhawks
The Nebraska basketball team hits its home court for the first time in Big 12 Conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 13, as it plays host to the No. 3-ranked Kansas Jayhawks at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Tipoff for the nationally televised contest is set for 8:05 p.m. with Ron Franklin and Bill Raftery making the call on ESPN2.

A live video stream of Wednesday's game can be seen on the Internet at ESPN360.com. It will also be heard live on the IMG Husker Sports Radio Network and around the world on the Internet at Huskers.com with veteran play-by-play man Kent Pavelka calling the action while former Husker Matt Davison adds color commentary.

After suffering a Big 12-opening loss at Texas A&M on Saturday, the Huskers start the home portion of league play with a daunting task. Kansas comes into the Devaney Center averaging 85.1 points per game (fifth nationally) and boasts two first-team preseason All-Americans in point guard Sheron Collins and center Cole Aldrich.

While Nebraska has not shown the same offensive firepower as the Jayhawks, the Huskers are on par with KU on the defensive end as both teams come into the contest ranked among the league and national leaders in scoring defense. Nebraska is allowing just 58.6 ppg this season to lead the Big 12 Conference while the Jayhawks are just behind, giving up only 59.8 ppg. They are the only two teams in the league allowing less than 60 points per contest.

Nebraska will try to counter with a potent long-range attack that has helped the Huskers hit 40.4 percent from 3-point range this season. At home, those numbers are even better as NU has knocked down 44 percent beyond the arc.

Redshirt freshman Eshaunte Jones leads the Big 12 Conference in 3-point percentage, hitting 48.1 percent (26-of-54), although junior point guard Lance Jeter has been the Huskers' top 3-point threat at home where he has hit 52.6 percent (10-of-19). Five Huskers have at least 10 3-pointers apiece on the Devaney Center court this season, with Ryan Anderson tying Jones for the team lead with 12.

Anderson has led Nebraska all year as he has produced 11.2 points per contest while pacing the conference with 2.2 steals per game. He needs just four steals to become only the seventh player in NU history to reach 150 in a career.

Scouting the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks
The Kansas Jayhawks will head into Lincoln on Wednesday looking to get back on the right track after suffering their first setback of the season at Tennessee this past Sunday. With the loss, Kansas fell out of the top spot in the national polls for the first time this year, dipping to No. 3 in the nation.

The Vols found the right formula to knock off the previously undefeated Jayhawks, hitting 48 percent from the floor including nailing 9-of-18 3-pointers while committing just eight turnovers. KU held a 42-35 advantage on the boards but hit just 38 percent from the field in the upset. Senior point guard Sherron Collins led the KU charge with 22 points but was just 7-of-20 from the field, including 2-of-10 from 3-point range. Kansas' other preseason first-team All-American, center Cole Aldrich had just seven points on 3-of-5 shooting, but pulled down 18 rebounds and added four blocked shots for the Jayhawks.

On the season, freshman Xavier Henry leads the team with 15.7 points per game while hitting nearly 50 percent from the floor. Henry also leads the Jayhawks with 33 3-pointers, connecting on 45.8 percent from long range to rank second in the Big 12 Conference, only behind NU's Eshaunte Jones (48.1 percent). Henry has added 4.2 rebounds and a team-high 26 steals while averaging 28.1 minutes per game.

Along with Henry, Collins has posted 15.6 points per game and added 30 3-pointers while producing 4.2 assists per game. In fact, all of Kansas's top four scorers have each averaged at least 10 points while hitting 46 percent from the field and at least 71 percent from the free throw line. The other two double-figure scorers are Aldrich (10.9 ppg) and Marcus Morris (10.5 ppg), who have each hit better than 55 percent from the floor.

Aldrich also is averaging a double-double with 10.5 rebounds per contest while helping KU to +8 rebounding margin (41.9 to 33.9). He has also ranked among the top five in the country with 3.7 blocked shots per game, as KU is averaging 6.9 blocks per contest as a team. In fact, Aldrich has more blocks by himself (56) than the Huskers do as a whole team (55).

The Jayhawks are coached by Bill Self (Oklahoma State, 1986), who is in his seventh year on the KU bench. Self owns an impressive 183-41 record with the Jayhawks and owns 390 career wins (146 losses) in his 17th season as a head coach.

Series history vs. Kansas
Nebraska and Kansas are meeting on the hardwood for the 238th time in series history, which dates back to the 1899-1900 season. That year, Nebraska handed KU its worst loss in the teams' first-ever meeting. Since then, the series has been dominated by the Jayhawks. 

}} Kansas has won 12 straight games over Nebraska entering 2009-10, tying the all-time series high. Overall, KU has won 21 of the past 22 meetings and owns a 26-3 record against Nebraska in the Big 12 era.

}} The Huskers snapped a nine-game KU win streak with a win over the No. 12-ranked Jayhawks in 2004. The 19-point victory in Lincoln was NU's largest against the Jayhawks since a 75-55 home win in 1982.

}} Nebraska was handed its worst home loss in Devaney Center history when the Jayhawks won 81-51 in 2003.

}} Nebraska's regular-season sweep of Kansas in 1999 marked the Huskers' first sweep against the Jayhawks in 16 seasons, and NU's win at Lawrence was its first at Allen Fieldhouse in nearly two decades (since 1983).

}} The teams combined for 39 points in overtime at Lawrence in 1996-97, only one point shy of the then-NCAA record.

}} Nebraska handed Kansas a 48-8 defeat in the first-ever meeting between the schools on March 2, 1900. It was the Jayhawks' biggest margin of defeat in program history. Kansas turned the trick on Nebraska in 1957-58, handing NU its worst loss ever, 102-46, in Lawrence.

Last Year's Meetings - Nebraska and Kansas
Nebraska and Kansas are meeting for the first time since the Jayhawks handed NU a 70-53 road setback on Feb. 21 last season. That Jayhawk victory was the 10th straight over the Huskers in Lawrence, and the 12th straight overall in the series.

A Jayhawk win on Wednesday would mark the longest KU win streak over the Huskers in the history of the series. The current stretch of 12 straight wins ties the series long for KU, which also won 12 straight over Nebraska two other times, from 1939 to 1945 and from 1950 to 1955.

}} Nebraska struggled to knock down shots in the first half and was outmuscled on the glass by the much taller Jayhawks as No. 15/18 Kansas raced to a 70-53 victory over the Huskers at Allen Fieldhouse. KU's Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich combined for 40 points and 14 rebounds for the Jayhawks, who hit 47.4 percent from the floor. Nebraska, which hit just 38.2 percent, was outrebounded by a 46-24 mark, with Kansas posting a 15-4 advantage on the offensive end. Ade Dagunduro led the Huskers with 13 points while Steve Harley hit 5-of-11 shots for 11 points. Ryan Anderson also came off the bench to post 10 points while Sek Henry added seven points and a team-high seven rebounds.

}} In their most recent meeting in Lincoln last year, the Huskers forced Kansas into a season-high 21 turnovers, but the Jayhawks' strong shooting allowed them to erase a five-point halftime deficit and hang on for a 68-62 win over the Huskers at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Kansas attempted just 39 shots, but the Jayhawks hit 22 of them to shoot at a 56.4-percent clip. Nebraska shot just 40 percent, as the Huskers hit only 9-of-30 from the field in the second half.

NU saw its halftime lead erased after Nebraska hit just one field goal over the first 10:21 of the second half, opening the final period just 1-of-14 from the floor. Despite the poor shooting, Nebraska was in front 50-48 with 7:01 remaining. Kansas took the lead for good on its next possession, but the Huskers were not finished.

Trailing 63-56 with 1:31 left, Sek Henry hit back-to-back 3-pointers just 18 seconds apart to pull NU within one point with 1:06 remaining. Nebraska had the ball down just one in the last minute but turned it over. NU looked to have one more life as it appeared to stop Kansas with less than 30 seconds left, but Ryan Anderson was called for a foul and Sherron Collins hit a pair of free throws to stretch the lead to three. NU had the ball down three with a chance to tie, but Collins then stole a Husker inbounds pass with 16 seconds remaining and hit two more free throws to seal the victory.

Fast Starts
In each of coach Doc Sadler's four seasons in Lincoln, Nebraska has jumped out to fast starts during non-conference play. The Huskers have opened with at least 11 wins before picking up their fourth loss of the year each season, with those marks among the best non-conference records in program history.

}} Nebraska's current 12-4 start ties for the best start to a season by the Huskers in the Big 12 era. NU was also 12-4 to open the 2008-09 and 2005-06 seasons.

}} In fact, the current start of 12-4 ties for the 10th-best season-opening record overall in 114 years of Nebraska basketball. Since World War II, the 12-4 opening is tied for the sixth-best record at NU.

}} This year's squad set Nebraska's Big 12-era record with 12 non-conference wins, bettering the previous best of 11. It's the third-highest regular-season total in school history.

}} The 12-3 record in non-conference play tied the program's best mark through 15 games since the formation of the Big 12 Conference for the 1996-97 season. The only other time the Huskers started a year 12-3 since the formation of the Big 12 was in 2005-06, when the Huskers began conference play with a 2-0 record after going 10-3 in non-conference action.

}} The Huskers' 12th win came on Jan. 5, making it the fastest Nebraska has reached 12 wins (in terms of date) since 1990-91 when the Huskers posted their 12th win on Dec. 30. NU went on to post a school-record 26 wins (eight losses) that season while reaching the first of four straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

}} Nebraska is now 44-11 against non-conference opponents during the regular season under Sadler.

Nebraska in Big 12 Home Openers
The Cornhuskers return home looking for their first league win of the season when they take on third-ranked Kansas Jayhawks on Wednesday. The Cornhuskers have won four of their last five Big 12 home openers overall. During the Big 12 era, Nebraska is 8-5 in its first conference game at home.

}} Nebraska is 2-1 in Big 12 home openers under coach Doc Sadler. The Huskers defeated Colorado, 71-50, in Sadler's first season, and knocked off eventual Elite Eight participant Missouri, 56-51, last year. The one loss came to No. 3 Kansas, 79-58, in 2008.

}} Nebraska has played Colorado the most frequently in Big 12 home openers, owning a 3-1 record, while also facing Texas (1-1) and Texas A&M (1-1) twice, and Kansas State (1-0), Missouri (1-0), Oklahoma (1-0), Iowa State (0-1) and Kansas (0-1) once each.

}} The Huskers are 2-1 against ranked teams in Big 12 home openers, defeating No. 22 Texas, 80-67, in 2001 and No. 12 Oklahoma, 59-58, in 2006, while falling to No. 3 Kansas, 79-58, in 2008.

Huskers vs. Ranked Teams
Nebraska has defeated at least one ranked team for nine straight years since the 2000-01 campaign. Overall, NU is 5-11 against ranked squads under coach Doc Sadler with one victory last season, a 58-55 home win over No. 16 Texas.

}} Overall, the Huskers own a 55-204 all-time record against ranked teams, including a 19-107 mark against teams ranked in the top 10 and an 11-61 mark against top-five squads. The Huskers are 19-59 against ranked teams in the Big 12 era, including 2-27 against top-10 teams and 1-17 against top-five squads.

}} Nebraska has won at least two games against ranked teams in two of the past five seasons, and the three wins in 2007-08 against ranked teams were the most for the Huskers since going 4-1 against ranked squads in 1998-99.

}} The Cornhuskers' last win over a top-five team came in 2005, when the Huskers defeated No. 4 Oklahoma State, 74-67, at the Devaney Center. That was NU's first win against a top-five team since the 1994 Big Eight Tournament, when the Huskers knocked off No. 3 Missouri, and the first home win over a top-five team since 1993, when the Huskers beat No. 3 Kansas.

}} Nebraska will be playing a top-three ranked team for the ninth time (0-9 record) in the Big 12 era, with all of the matchups coming against Kansas. In the Big 12 era, Nebraska is 0-4 against KU when the Jayhawks are ranked No. 1, 0-3 when ranked No. 2 and 0-2 when ranked No. 3. Two of those nine games were decided by one field goal (once at home, 2002; once in Lawrence, 2005).

}} The Huskers own 15 wins against ranked Kansas squads in 78 all-time meetings with KU in the national polls.

}} The Huskers own three all-time wins over the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, and a 3-11 overall record against top-ranked squads. The wins came on the road at No. 1 Missouri in 1982, and at home against No. 1 Michigan (1964) and No. 1 Kansas State (1958).

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

Welcome to the League
Nebraska coach Doc Sadler played 10 players in the Huskers' Big 12 Conference opener at Texas A&M on Jan. 9. In that contest, seven Huskers were making their career Big 12 debut as only three - Ryan Anderson, Sek Henry and Brandon Richardson - had ever faced a league squad.

}} The Huskers had five freshmen (three true, two redshirts) play in the contest, half of their total players to get into the game. The freshmen combined to score 34 of the team's 53 points and grab 14 of NU's 28 rebounds.

}} At one point midway through the game, Nebraska had a lineup on the floor that included four freshmen - Jorge Brian Diaz, Christian Standhardinger, Eshaunte Jones and Ray Gallegos - and a junior college transfer - Lance Jeter - who had combined for zero minutes in Big 12 action before that day.

Standhardinger Makes Debut
After sitting out the non-conference slate, freshman forward Christian Standhardinger jumped right into the action as conference play got started on Jan. 9 at Texas A&M. The 6-8, 210-pounder quickly made his presence felt for the Huskers as he had a team-high 13 points and seven rebounds vs. the Aggies.

}} Standhardinger made his career debut just over seven minutes into the game and had five points and three rebounds in the opening period. His 3-pointer in the second half gave Nebraska a 42-40 lead and his free throw less than a minute later gave NU its final lead of the game, 43-42.

}} Standhardinger also led Nebraska in scoring in each of the two exhibition games, finishing the preseason with 17.5 points per contest while shooting 11-of-18 (61.1 percent) from the floor. He nailed 13-of-15 free throw attempts, including 9-of-11 in his first appearance, while adding 7.0 rebounds per game.

}} In Nebraska's final exhibition game, Standhardinger got a spot in the starting lineup where he hit 7-of-11 shots from the field for 18 points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes of action.

}} An NCAA amateurism ruling mandated that the freshman forward had to sit out the first 15 games of the season because the club team he played on in his native Germany included a professional. It was the same team that produced fellow Husker Christopher Niemann, who had to sit out all of last season because of the NCAA's ruling at the time. Standhardinger was not allowed to travel with the team, but practiced with the Huskers during the non-conference season.

Cool Hand Lance
Coming into the season, there was some question about who would become Nebraska's floor general as, after last season, two-year starting point guard Cookie Miller decided to transfer and go to school back in his native West Virginia. As the non-conference slate has now turned to league play, there is no question who that commander is as point guard Lance Jeter has made his presence felt throughout the program.

The 6-3, 225-pound native of Beaver Falls, Pa., has been a steady force for the Huskers, taking turns knocking down big shots and learning when to pass the ball to his new teammates. That second talent has been on display at the highest level in the past three weeks as Jeter has posted 36 assists against just nine turnovers in the Huskers' past seven games (5-2 record).

}} Jeter leads the team with 67 assists and his 4.2 assists per game is sixth in the Big 12 Conference. He has had at least four assists in each of the past seven games and has had more than one turnover in a game just twice in that span.

}} He also has shown good decision-making as he owns a 2.39 assist-to-turnover ratio (67 to 28) after posting a career-high seven assists against two turnovers on Saturday at Texas A&M. Entering the week, Jeter ranked 42nd nationally and sixth in the Big 12. His 4.2 apg placed him among the top 125 in the nation.

Richardson Making a Charge
Last year, guard Brandon Richardson missed the first four games of league play becuase of a shoulder injury suffered in the non-conference finale. After he came back, it took him a little while to settle in and start to gain some confidence back on both ends of the court.

This season, Richardson has still had health problems with a bad back that forced him to miss a game, but he's quietly slid into a comfort zone over the last seven games that could provide him - and the Huskers - a spark during the meat grinder that will be Big 12 Conference action in 2010.

}} The talented Richardson has posted Nebraska's second-highest scoring average over the last seven games, including posting career-best four straight games scoring in double figures heading into league play. A 2,000-point scorer in high school, Richardson has averaged 10.5 points per game in the last seven games while hitting an impressive 54.3 percent (19-of-35) from the floor.

}} During that seven-game stretch, Richardson has knocked down 9-of-17 3-point attempts (52.9 percent) and 16-of-19 tries (84.2 percent) at the charity stripe. He also has 13 assists against just three turnovers in those contests while adding five steals. All of this has come in only 22.0 minutes of action per game.

}} On the season, Richardson has posted a team-leading 2.58 assist-to-turnover ratio. He has 31 assists against 12 turnovers and has had one or no turnovers in 11 games.

Versatile Anderson in Elite Company
Ryan Anderson joined an elite club last year as he became just the seventh Husker to record at least 100 3-pointers, 100 assists and 100 steals in a career. Among that short list are Eric Piatkowski, Tyronn Lue, Erick Strickland, Cookie Belcher, Cary Cochran and Jaron Boone, along with Anderson.

For his career, Anderson now has 149 3-pointers, 146 steals and 189 assists. He needs one trey and four steals to join Strickland as the only two Huskers ever with at least 150 in each of the three categories.

}} Anderson is also reaching other heights as he is nearing the 1,000-point plateau. He currently has 942 career points, leaving him 58 points from becoming only the 25th Husker ever to cross the 1,000-point barrier, and the first since Aleks Maric did it his junior year in 2006-07.

}} Much closer is the 500-rebound mark, which Anderson will reach with six more boards. The 6-4 Anderson will not reach the NU career top 10 (10th place is 679 boards by Rex Ekwall in 1955-57), but he has etched his name into Husker fans' collective memories as he has battled and persevered at the 4 spot each year despite giving up 6-8 inches and 50-80 pounds to his opponents in the post nearly every night of Big 12 play.

}} If Anderson reaches 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 150 3-pointers, he would become one of only a handful of players in the Big 12 era to surpass each of those marks in a career. He will be the first Cornhusker in the era to do it and will be just the third Husker ever, joining Piatkowski and Strickland. The other eight players to play solely in the Big 12 era and reach those three marks are:

            ? Obi Muonelo (Oklahoma State, 2007-present): 1,104 points, 501 rebounds, 188 3-pointers
            ? Terrel Harris (Oklahoma State, 2005-09): 1,319 points, 512 rebounds, 153 3-pointers
            ? Josh Carter (Texas A&M, 2005-09): 1,566 points, 509 rebounds, 299 3-pointers
            ? Brandon Rush (Kansas, 2006-08): 1,477 points, 602 rebounds, 205 3-pointers
            ? Richard Roby (Colorado, 2004-08): 2,001 points, 659 rebounds, 214 3-pointers
            ? Cartier Martin (Kansas State, 2003-07): 1,546 points, 540 rebounds, 178 3-pointers 
            ? Rickey Paulding (Missouri, 2000-04): 1,673 points, 526 rebounds, 191 3-pointers
            ? Kirk Hinrich (Kansas, 2000-03): 1,753 points, 532 rebounds, 236 3-pointers

Entering the week, Oklahoma's Tony Crocker needed 34 boards to join the group.

Taking Care of the Ball
Coach Doc Sadler's teams at Nebraska have always been noted for their blue-collar work ethic and their attitude toward having a stalwart defense, but over the past couple years another area has become a trademark of a Sadler-led program: ball security.

Last season, the Cornhuskers ranked 18th nationally and first in the Big 12 Conference in turnovers per game, giving up the ball just 11.5 times per contest. NU was one of only two teams (also Texas) to give up less than 12 turnovers per game in Big 12 Conference play as the Huskers led the league with just 185 turnovers in league action (11.6 tpg).

}} This season, Nebraska is holding on to the ball nearly as well. NU entered the week ranked 34th nationally in turnovers per game, and comes into the Kansas matchup averaging just 11.9 turnovers per contest.

}} The Huskers have turned the ball over seven or fewer times in four games, including two of their last four contests. Nebraska set this year's season low with four turnovers against Southern Utah, one off the Nebraska all-time single-game record of three (set twice, including once by a Sadler-led club in 2009). NU  also had just six turnovers in the non-conference finale.

}} Nebraska entered the week 16th nationally and second among Big 12 teams in turnover margin. The Huskers have a +4.4 turnover margin this year.

50 is the New 60
Nebraska has made it a habit of holding teams to 50 points or less since coach Doc Sadler took over in 2006-07. Since his arrival, the Huskers have held opponents to 50 or fewer points 22 times. In the first 10 years of the Big 12 era before Sadler arrived, Nebraska managed the feat on 26 occasions.

The most times NU has held teams to 50 or fewer points in a season under Sadler is nine times in 2007-08.  This season, the Huskers have already held six teams below 50 points. That defensive effort has helped the Huskers allow just 58.6 points per game, an average that ranks first in the Big 12 Conference and is among the national leaders.

}} During Nebraska's three home games between Dec. 10 and Dec. 19, the Huskers held all three teams to 44 or fewer points, including 39 points by Chicago State, 44 by Oregon State and 41 by Jackson State. The 39 points by Chicago State tied for the 10th lowest point total allowed by the Huskers since 1947.

}} The last time a Nebraska squad matched a streak of three straight games holding teams to below 45 points was the 1943 season. In fact, the last time the Cornhuskers even held three straight teams to below 50 points was 1958 as NU won three straight games over Colorado (41 points), No. 4 Kansas (41 points) and No. 1 Kansas State (48) as part of a four-game win streak.

}} Dating to the 2007-08 season, Nebraska has held seven of its last 10 Big 12 Conference opponents in the Devaney Center to 57 or fewer points, including three times under 50 points. NU held six teams 57 or fewer points in Big 12 play last year, including Missouri (51), Kansas State (51), at Colorado (53), Texas (55), Colorado (41) and Texas A&M (57).

Defense Taking Shape
Coach Doc Sadler's squads have led the Big 12 Conference in scoring defense each of the past two seasons and ranked among the top 25 defenses in the country at the end of those years. After giving up 69 points at Saint Louis and 77 at home against TCU in the second and third games of this season, Sadler put the Cornhuskers back to work on the defensive end as they tried to continue their reputation for defensive dominance.

Sadler's efforts were rewarded as Nebraska held six of its next seven opponents to less than 55 points. The best mark came against Chicago State as the Huskers allowed only 39 points, the 10th fewest points given up by a Nebraska squad since 1947. It was the third time a Sadler-led Nebraska team held an opponent to less than 40 points.

}} Entering the week, the Husker defense is ranked first in the league by allowing 58.6 points per game. Nebraska entered the week ranked 14th nationally in scoring defense.

}} Earlier in the season, the Huskers had the nation's top-ranked defense as Nebraska entered the Las Vegas Classic on Dec. 22 allowing just 54.1 ppg. The Huskers held the distinction for just one week as they gave up 70 and 88 points, respectively, while splitting with Tulsa and BYU on a neutral court.

}} The magic mark under Sadler seems to be the 60-point plateau. Nebraska now has a sterling 45-4 record under Sadler when holding teams to 60 or fewer points, including an impressive 38-1 mark at home.

Huskers Finding the Mark
Nebraska coach Doc Sadler has said from Day One that he thought this team "could shoot the ball well," and through the first 16 games this season, they've proven their mentor right. The Huskers are hitting a solid 46.6 percent from the field midway through the season, including hitting at least 50.0 percent from the field six times so far this year.

Nebraska hit a season-high 55.6 percent against Chicago State and had its best half of the year against Southern Utah when it hit 67.9 percent (19-of-28) after the intermission. At Creighton on Dec. 6, the Huskers hit 50.0 percent (24-of-48) from the floor for its best effort on the road since last season at Texas Tech.

}} Part of the Huskers' offensive effectiveness has come behind solid shooting from beyond the arc, where Nebraska has nailed 105-of-260 from 3-point range (40.4 percent), including draining a season-high 12 treys (on 19 attempts) against Southeastern Louisiana in their last home contest. Nebraska ranked 20th nationally in 3-point percentage entering the week.

}} Nebraska has now hit at least 40 percent from beyond the arc in four of its last six games.

}} Nebraska's strong shooting from outside was also on display as it tied a Devaney Center record and set a team building record by hitting 75.0 percent (9-of-12) from 3-point range against Texas-Pan American on Dec. 2. The Huskers hit seven straight at one point and bettered Nebraska's previous building record of 66.7 percent set three times. 

Block Party
Redshirt freshman Jorge Brian Diaz quickly made a name for himself as he posted one of just three Husker 20-point games this season when he had 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting against TCU in his third career game. But it is on the defensive end that he is quickly - and quietly - looking like one of the top freshmen in school history.

Diaz currently leads NU with 24 blocked shots, and his 1.5 blocks per game are eighth in the Big 12 Conference, where he is the top-ranked freshman. Diaz's 24 blocks in 16 games are six more than NU's individual high last year (18 by Toney McCray) in 31 games.

}} Diaz already ranks third in the Nebraska freshman record book with his 24 blocks. The only two rookies to ever record more are Venson Hamilton (1996) and John Turek (2002), who hold the Nebraska freshman record with 39 blocks each in their initial season.

}} As a team, the Huskers own 55 blocked shots this season in 16 games, averaging 3.4 per game. Last year, Nebraska had just 52 blocks in 31 games.

Bench Production
The Cornhuskers have spread the scoring around this season with two players averaging double figures while seven other active Huskers are averaging at least 5.0 points per game. Much of that production has come from the bench, as Nebraska has a deeper roster than many recent seasons.

}} The Husker bench outscored opponents in each of the first eight games and 14 times overall this season. The top production came as Nebraska held a +28 advantage in bench scoring against Chicago State and NU has had three other games (TCU, +19; UTPA, +20; SUU, +21) with at least 19 more points off the bench than the opponent.

}} On the season, Nebraska has gotten 468 points from its bench. That's 42.4 percent of the production that has come from outside the starting lineup.

}} The most points by a Husker off the bench this year is 22 by Jorge Brian Diaz, who went 9-of-10 against TCU, while Eshaunte Jones added 21 points, including five 3-pointers, in a loss to BYU.

Senior moments
Coach Doc Sadler has said that he's been trying to find ways to get his team to be more aggressive since the start of practice in September, letting them know that he wants them going after other teams and not sitting back and waiting for opponents to come at them. Senior guards Sek Henry and Ryan Anderson have each had a turn taking the coach's words to heart this season while leading their team to victory.

}} Henry's strong play was highlighted against TCU as he distributed the ball efficiently, posting a career-best 11 assists, becoming the first Husker since Charles Richardson Jr. (15 at Rutgers in 2006) to post more than 10 assists in a game. Overall, Henry's assist total ranks second on the Nebraska single-game chart for the Big 12 era, and ties for the ninth-best total by a Husker in any game since the 1983-84 season.

}} Along with his 11 assists, Henry posted 11 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots in 30 minutes of action. He missed the school's first regular-season triple-double by three rebounds. The only known triple-double by a Husker came when Brennon Clemmons had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in an exhibition game in 2002 vs. Northwest Sports Tours. In the 15 years before that, the closest a Husker came to a triple-double in a game that counted was Beau Reid's 14-point, 12-rebound, 8-assist performance against Toledo in 1990.

}} Henry came back the next contest against UMKC to produce a game-high 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including drilling both of his 3-point attempts. The treys came less than 30 seconds apart and started a game-changing 21-5 run to end the first half. Henry added five rebounds, four assists and two blocks against the Kanagroos.

}} Anderson had his first moment against Texas-Pan American on Dec. 2, as he helped bust the game open in the middle of the second half. After UTPA pulled within five, 45-40, Anderson guided Nebraska on a 22-2 run to put the game out of reach, scoring 11 points while adding three steals, two rebounds and an assist in less than four minutes. He finished the game with 21 points, the second-highest scoring effort of his career, on 8-of-9 shooting as Nebraska pulled away for an 81-53 win.

}} The Seattle, Wash., native added another veteran contest as he produced 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in the Huskers' 50-44 victory over Oregon State. Anderson had seven rebounds in the first eight minutes of the game and collected his final one of the night with less than five seconds remaining. He was fouled after grabbing the board and hit two free throws for the final margin, helping Nebraska defeat its second Pac-10 team of the season.

Off to the Races
Nebraska has shown the potential to be an efficient force on the offensive end with its revamped roster. One of the prime examples came as the Huskers posted 90 points against TCU. It was the first time NU topped the 90-point plateau since 2006 when the Huskers earned a 93-77 victory over Colorado.

The Husker offense was running in high gear against the Horned Frogs as Nebraska hit 54.0 percent (27-of-50) from the field. The trend has continued as Nebraska has hit at least 50.0 percent from the field in five games at the Devaney Center, and six games overall.

}} The Huskers scored 81 points against Texas-Pan American on Dec. 2 while hitting 53.7 percent from the field, including tying the Devaney Center record by hitting 75.0 percent (9-of-12) from 3-point range. In Nebraska's 74-39 win over Chicago State on Dec. 10, the Huskers hit a season-high 55.6 percent.

}} Against Southern Utah, Nebraska moved NU to 31-3 - including 29-0 at home - under Sadler when connecting on 50.0 percent of its shots from the floor as it nailed 54.1 percent from the field, including 67.9 percent (19-of-28) in the second half.  The Huskers won the contest 94-61, making it the Huskers' highest-scoring game in the Doc Sadler era at Nebraska while also helping NU improve to 17-0 under Sadler when reaching at least 80 points.

}} Nebraska scored at least 70 points in each of its first five home games this season (8-of-10 at home overall). Last year it took nine games at the Devaney Center before the Huskers recorded their fifth 70-point effort. NU also posted a 70-point game away from Lincoln in a 74-70 victory over Tulsa in Las Vegas.

Board Support
Nebraska has won the rebounding advantage nine times this season, including eight times at home. The Huskers are 9-0 in those contests. In five games away from Lincoln, Nebraska was outrebounded by USC, Creighton and BYU and tied with Saint Louis. NU picked up its only rebounding win away from Lincoln when it held a 33-27 advantage over Tulsa in the Las Vegas Classic. 

NU started the season on a strong note as it held a 39-27 rebounding advantage in the season opener against South Carolina Upstate. The total against USCU was the best for the Huskers since last season's opener when NU had 42 rebounds vs. San Jose State and the +12 advantage was also better than all but one game last year (+14 vs. Florida A&M).

Nebraska came back to post 35 boards against both Saint Louis and TCU, giving the Huskers three straight games of at least 35 rebounds for the first time since the final three games of non-conference play in the 2007-08 campaign. Last year, the Huskers did not have consecutive games with at least 35 rebounds.

}} Nebraska posted a season-high 41 rebounds against each Chicago State and Jackson State. Overall, the Huskers have recorded at least 35 rebounds in five games, after reaching the mark in only six games all of last year.

}} In the regular-season opener, Jorge Brian Diaz had 11 rebounds to go with nine points in his first career game. He added a second double-figure rebounding game with 12 boards against Chicago State. At the time, Diaz's season high was the most by a Husker since 2007-08 as NU did not have a player with a double-double last season. Ryan Anderson had the team's high for single-game rebounds last year with 10 boards against Missouri on Jan. 10, when he had just eight points.

}} Along with Diaz, Ryan Anderson and Myles Holley have each had a double-figure rebounding game this season. Anderson had a career-best and team-season high 14 rebounds to go with 16 points in a win over Oregon State while Holley had his first double-figure rebounding game with 11 boards and seven points against Southern Utah.

Freshman Highlights
Nebraska has had season-ending injuries to two players - Toney McCray and Christopher Niemann - who could have each earned starting roles this year. Add on to that the fact that eight of Nebraska's 13 scholarships are held by freshmen and sophomores, and it's easy to see why one of the least experienced teams in the Big 12 has had to rely on a number of youngsters in the early portion of the season.

Two of those players - redshirt freshmen Jorge Brian Diaz and Eshaunte Jones - have shown promise as they had performances that stack up among the best in NU freshman history.

}} Diaz made his presence felt early and often as the Huskers raced past TCU on Nov. 21 in a 90-77 victory, just one game after he took an elbow to the face and had a pair of front teeth knocked loose and suffered a cut inside his mouth in the opening minute at Saint Louis. The Caguas, Puerto Rico, native set a team season high with 22 points vs. TCU as Nebraska reached the 90-point plateau for the first time since 2006.

}} Against TCU, Diaz connected on 9-of-10 shots from the floor, with only a first-half miss keeping him from the NU record book. The Husker single-game record for most field-goals attempted without a miss is nine set on five occasions, including last year by Ade Dagunduro. Diaz's .900 shooting percentage is the third highest single-game mark by a Big 12 player this season.

}} Diaz became the first freshman since Sek Henry in 2006 to post a 20-point contest for the Huskers. Henry's outburst that season came one day after Ryan Anderson put his name on the list with 29 points, the second-highest total by a Husker freshman ever.

}} Jones followed as he produced 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting in a loss to BYU in the HoopTV Las Vegas Classic. He hit 5-of-7 3-point attempts while adding three rebounds and two assists without a turnover.

}} Overall, Diaz and Jones are the 21st and 22nd freshmen to record a 20-point game for the Huskers since freshmen were reinstated by the NCAA for the 1972-73 season. Joe McCray set the record with the most 20-point games by a Husker freshman when he had 10 contests with at least 20 points in 2004-05. Only six Husker freshmen in history have had multiple 20-point contests.

Taking the Shot
With so many new faces on the squad, it was only a matter of time before one of the youngsters was asked to step up and make a game-changing play. At USC on Nov. 29, it was more than just a game-changing play... it was a game-deciding shot.

}} Redshirt freshman Eshaunte Jones, playing in his ninth career game, had made just two field goals in the first half and had only been off the bench for a total of five minutes in the second period before being called upon with less than a minute to play in a tie game. Jones didn't hesitate as the buried the game-winning shot from the corner, a 3-pointer with 11.7 seconds remaining. The shot was reviewed at length by the officials who determined it was indeed a 3-pointer. From there, the Huskers defended the perimeter well and USC only managed to get off an off-balance desperation shot at the buzzer.

}} Jones finished the USC game with seven points, and his 3-pointer gave the Huskers their first road win of the season, and just the second true road win over a non-conference opponent under fourth-year coach Doc Sadler. It was NU's first road victory over a non-conference BCS team since defeating Tennessee, 62-61, in Knoxville in 2004.

}} Jones also led the Huskers in scoring in both games at the HoopTV Las Vegas Classic just before Christmas. He posted 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting, all from 3-point range, to lead the Huskers to a victory over Tulsa, and came back a night later to record a career-best 21 points. He hit 6-of-11 shots from the field with five made baskets from 3-point range (seven attempts).

}} Jones leads the Big 12 Conference in 3-point percentage as he has connected on 48.1 percent (26-of-54) from beyond the arc this year. His 26 3-pointers tie for 10th on the NU freshman top 10 list.

Niemann, McCray Out for Season
After making what looked to be a successful return from a torn ACL suffered in the final week of the regular season last year, 6-10, 265-pound sophomore center Christopher Niemann had a major setback as he tore the same ACL for a second time in the first week of September. After surgery to repair the damage that occurred during a non-basketball conditioning workout, Niemann will be out for all of the 2009-10 campaign.

Niemann is currently making good progress through rehab again, and is on pace to join the team for offseason workouts in late spring. He will have three years remaining on his original eligibility clock to play three seasons with the Huskers.

}} Nebraska coach Doc Sadler announced following Nebraska's game against UMKC on Nov. 24 that sophomore guard Toney McCray would have surgery on his elbow and be out for the remainder of the season. McCray injured the elbow in a pickup game in early September, sustaining a torn ligament. McCray tried to play through the pain as doctors assured him that it would get no worse if he waited until after the season to have surgery. But Sadler said that McCray indicated he had little confidence in his elbow and wasn't able to help the team the way he wanted to, and thought it would be better to have surgery now and be ready for the offseason in the spring of 2010.

McCray had successful surgery on Dec. 7 to repair the UCL in his elbow. He started rehab that week and is doing well, as he is on pace to try to join the team in the spring during offseason workouts.

}} Both Niemann and McCray were looked at as possible starters heading into the start of the season. McCray averaged 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds over three games this year, hitting 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from the field. He played 18.3 minutes per game. Niemann has yet to play a game in a Husker uniform.

Nebraska Receives Rare Waiver
Nebraska petitioned the NCAA with a waiver that was granted in early September, allowing the Huskers to have 14 players on scholarship for the 2009-10 season. The rare allowance given to NU is only for this season and Nebraska will be required to return to 13 scholarships for the 2010-11 season.

While the Huskers were able to receive the waiver, there was one stipulation as it said that one player had to redshirt this season to get the active roster down to 13 scholarship players. Unfortunately with Christopher Niemann's preseason injury, he is out for the year and it was determined that he would count as the one who would count toward that provision. 

}} While NU received the extra scholarship, it enters Big 12 play already down to the 13-scholarship limit, including only 11 active scholarship players. Toney McCray and Christopher Niemann are out for the season with injury, while freshman Adrien Coleman transfered out of the program at the end of the first semester.

}} Nebraska has two seniors leaving it with 11 scholarship players eligible to return next season. In the fall, the Huskers signed 6-11, 315-pound Brazilian center Andre Almeida, who is in his second and final season playing for Arizona Western College this season.

New Faces Line Husker Roster
While the Huskers will rely on three returning scholarship players for leadership - seniors Ryan Anderson and Sek Henry, and sophomore Brandon Richardson - most of the eyes will be focused on the faces of several newcomers who dot the inexperienced Nebraska roster.

}} Among the scholarship newcomers who have seen action for the first time in their Husker careers this season are juniors Lance Jeter and Quincy Hankins-Cole, sophomore Myles Holley, redshirt freshman Jorge Brian Diaz and freshmen Ray Gallegos and Brandon Ubel. Freshman Adrien Coleman also played in the first semester before transfering at the holiday break. 

}} Freshman Christian Standhardinger, who was forced to sit out the first 15 games of the season because of an NCAA amateurism ruling, became eligible for the league opener at Texas A&M. He is the eighth scholarship Husker to play his first game for Nebraska this season.

}} Including walk-ons Matt Karn and Mike Fox, more than 60 percent (9 of 14 active players; 64.2 percent) of the Huskers who have recorded time during the regular season are playing for the first time in a Nebraska uniform this year. Another Husker - Eshaunte Jones - played only four games last year before an injury forced him to redshirt.

2009-10 Scholarship Breakdown
Seniors: 2 (returnees Sek Henry and Ryan Anderson)
Juniors: 2 (transfers Lance Jeter and Quincy Hankins-Cole)
Sophomores: 4 (returnees Toney McCray, Brandon Richardson and Christopher Niemann*; newcomer Myles Holley)
Redshirt Freshmen: 2 (Eshaunte Jones and Jorge Brian Diaz)
True Freshmen: 3 (Brandon Ubel, Ray Gallegos, Christian Standhardinger)
*sat out last season per NCAA ruling on amateur status; has not played at Nebraska

Youth Movement
While Nebraska entered the season knowing it will have a number of young players in the lineup on any given night, it did not realize it would have two of the youngest players in their respective classes.

}} Freshman Brandon Ubel is the third-youngest player overall in the Big 12 Conference this season. Born on Aug. 29, 1991, only Jaye Crockett of Texas Tech (Oct. 16, 1991) and Tyler Stone of Missouri (Sept. 8, 1991) are younger than Ubel.

}} While Ubel is one of the youngest in the league, another Husker is the youngest for his class. Junior college transfer Quincy Hankins-Cole, who graduated high school when he was 16 and played the past two years at Polk (Fla.) CC, will not turn 20 years old until Feb. 18, 2010. The next youngest junior in the Big 12 is Kansas State's Jacob Pullen, who turned 20 on Nov. 10. In fact, Hankins-Cole is three months younger than redshirt-freshman Jorge Brian Diaz, who turned 20 on Nov. 13.

Huskers Look to Build on 8-8 League Mark
Heading into this weekend's Big 12 Conference opener at Texas A&M, the Huskers have one thing in mind despite facing 16 games in arguably the nation's toughest conference: continuing their upward momentum against Big 12 foes.

}} Last year, the Huskers finished with an 8-8 record in Big 12 Conference play, their best mark in a decade and just the third time since the formation of the league that NU has finished at .500 or better. The mark came as the Huskers won each of their last two regular-season games, giving Nebraska its third straight season with an improved league mark. NU had six league wins in 2007 and seven in 2008.

}} Only three teams in the Big 12 have improved their win total in league play each of the past three years. That small group includes Nebraska, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

}} This year, Nebraska will try to do something done only once before in program history as the only other time the Huskers improved their conference win total for four straight years was from 1952 to 1955.