Huskers Open Two-Game Road Trip at Missouri

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Game Date: Jan. 23, 2010
Tipoff Time: 5:05 p.m.
Venue: Mizzou Arena
Capacity: 15,061

Huskers on TV/Radio/Internet
Television: Big 12 Network; ESPN FullCourt, Play-by-play: Mitch Holthus, Color: Jon Sundvold
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 19 Notes
2009-10 Record: 12-6, 0-3 Big 12
Head coach: Doc Sadler
Record at Nebraska: 67-46 (4th year)
Record at Division I: 115-64 (6th year)
Career Record: 235-103 (11th year)

Missouri Tigers
Game 19 Notes
2009-10 Record: 14-4, 2-1 Big 12
Head coach: Mike Anderson
Record at MU: 79-39 (4th year)
Career Record: 168-80 (8th year)

NU's Possible Starting Lineup                          2009-10 stats      
No.          Name     Yr.           Ht.           Wt.          Pts.         Rbs.       
5              Sek Henry             Sr.           6-4          200         7.8          3.8         
13           Brandon Ubel       Fr.           6-10        230         5.7          2.0         
21           Jorge Brian Diaz  RFr.         6-11        235         8.8          4.1         
34           Lance Jeter           Jr.            6-3          225         6.9          4.2*        
44           Ryan Anderson    Sr.           6-4          195         11.1        5.0         
*assists per game

MU's Possible Starting Lineup                         2009-10 stats      
No.          Name     Yr.           Ht.           Wt.          Pts.         Rbs.       
4              J.T. Tiller                Sr.           6-3          200         8.7          2.6         
11           Zaire Taylor          Sr.           6-4          189         7.9          3.0         
15           Keith Ramsey       Sr.           6-9          217         5.9          6.1         
23           Justin Safford       Jr.            6-8          230         7.7          3.7         
24           Kim English          So.          6-6          200         15.3        3.7         
*assists per game

Huskers Start Two-Game Road Trip at Missouri
The Nebraska Cornhuskers will start a two-game road swing this weekend when they head to Columbia, Mo., to take on the Missouri Tigers on Saturday, Jan. 23. The Huskers will have a difficult road ahead as they face the Tigers on their homecourt at Mizzou Arena, where MU has won 30 straight contests, the third-longest active homecourt winning streak in the nation.

The Huskers and Tigers will tip off at 5:05 p.m. on Saturday in a game seen in select areas around the country on the Big 12 Network and ESPN FullCourt. Mitch Holthus (play by play) and Jon Sundvold (color) will call the game, which will also have a live video stream available on ESPN360.com.  Kent Pavelka (play by play) and Matt Davison (color) will call the action for the IMG Husker Sports Radio Network, which can also be heard around the world on the Internet at Huskers.com.

The Cornhuskers will be aiming for their first conference win after suffering setbacks in each of their last three contests. Nebraska played well on the road in its league opener at Texas A&M and pushed No. 3 Kansas at home before faltering in the final minutes. Despite last Saturday's three-point loss to Iowa State at home, Nebraska still has a chance to tie its best 19-game record in the Big 12 era. The Huskers were 13-6 after 19 games on three occasions in the Big 12 era, including the 2007-08 season, when NU started 0-4 in league play and rebounded for a 7-9 final mark in Big 12 action. Nebraska jumpstarted that stretch run with a victory at Missouri, where NU has won two of the past three seasons.

For the Huskers to grab a victory, they will have to play extremely well including putting an extra focus on taking care of the ball. Nebraska has been one of the best teams in the country at ball security this year, ranking 27th in the country with just 11.6 turnovers per game. That strength will be tested this weekend as Missouri comes into the game ranked first nationally in steals per game, averaging 12.5 thefts.

Both teams had the midweek off from game action, a benefit to the Huskers who have seen a number of injuries and illnesses alter the lineup in the past two weeks. One player who has been counted heavily in league play is senior Ryan Anderson, who leads the team with 11.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest. He paces the Big 12 with 2.3 steals per game while MU has three other players who rank 2-3-4 in the league in steals.

Scouting the Missouri Tigers
Like the Cornhuskers, the Missouri Tigers will head into the weekend matchup rejuvenated after not having a midweek contest. In their last outing, the Tigers lost last weekend in a road contest against Oklahoma, 66-61. The point total was MU's third lowest of the season, and the lowest since their last loss, a 60-59 setback on the road at Oral Roberts on Dec. 9. Between the losses, MU reeled off nine straight victories.

At home, Missouri has topped the 80-point plateau in 9-of-11 contests while improving its home-court win streak to 30 straight games. The Tigers' last loss at Mizzou Arena came in the home finale in 2008 when MU fell to Iowa State. That season, Nebraska also won in Columbia, as the Huskers have won two of the past three matchups on the road vs. the Tigers.

In their last home contest, the Tigers knocked off nationally ranked Kansas State, which defeated No. 1 Texas this past Monday. Missouri earned a hard-fought 74-68 victory over the Wildcats and made it two straight wins to open league play when they knocked off Texas Tech, 94-89 in overtime on the road. Last weekend at OU, the Tigers held a five-point halftime lead but hit just 39.3 percent from the floor in the second period, including only 1-of-8 from 3-point range as OU charged back for the five-point win.

Laurence Bowers came off the bench to score 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting as the only Tiger in double figures against Oklahoma. Bowers has averaged 11.1 points per game this season to rank third on the squad despite starting just five games. He also paces the squad with 32 blocked shots and is one of five Tigers with at least 20 steals this season. Bowers is second on the team in rebounding with 6.0 boards per game, trailing only Keith Ramsey's 6.1 boards per game.

Kim English leads the Tigers with 15.3 points per game although the sophomore is shooting just 43.1 percent from the field. English and Bowers are joined by Marcus Denmon, who has posted 11.6 points per game as the team's third double-figure scorer. He has hit a team-high 42 3-pointers (on 96 attempts; 43.8 percent) and is closely followed by English's 39 treys.

The Tigers are coached by Mike Anderson (Tulsa, 1982), who is in his fourth year on the MU bench. He owns a 79-38 record in Columbia, and is 168-80 overall in eight years as a head coach.

Series history vs. Missouri
Overall the Cornhuskers and Tigers will be meeting for the 215th time in series history, which dates back to the 1907-08 campaign  when the Huskers won a pair of high-scoring affairs, 41-30 and 43-31, both at home. Nebraska won both of those games but entered the win column just three times in the next 15 matchups as Missouri took an early series lead and has maintained that edge throughout the years.

}} The Tigers own a 67-26 series advantage over the Cornhuskers in Columbia. In the Mizzou Arena, the Tigers hold a 3-2 record over Nebraska, a slim margin compared to the dominating 25-6 series lead they held in the Hearnes Center.

}} Nebraska has won seven of the past 10 meetings with Missouri overall, including taking 5-of-7 matchups with coach Doc Sadler on the Husker bench.

}} The Huskers' sweep of the Tigers in 2007 (coach Doc Sadler's first year at NU) was the first in the series by Nebraska since 1993. NU Had won four of its previous 15 games against Missouri before sweeping MU that season.

}} Four of Nebraska's 11 losses in Columbia during the Big 12 era have been decided by three or fewer points or in overtime.

}} The teams have played four overtime games in the Big 12 era with each team winning two. Three of the OT contests have taken place in Lincoln.

}} Possibly Nebraska's biggest win in program history came in Columbia, when the Huskers knocked off No. 1 and previously unbeaten (19-0) Missouri, 67-51, on Feb. 6, 1982.

Last Year's Meetings - Nebraska and Missouri
Nebraska and Missouri matchup in the first two weeks of the Big 12 slate for the second straight season. Last year, the Huskers and Tigers opened Big 12 play in Lincoln, with Nebraska pulling off a hard-fought victory on its home court. It was the sixth win in seven meetings for the Huskers over MU, although the Tigers cruised nearly the rest of the season into the Elite Eight, including a 70-47 win at home over Nebraska.

}} The No. 17/19 Missouri Tigers used a 19-8 run midway through the second half to open up a 28-point lead and cruised to a 70-47 victory over Nebraska at the Mizzou Arena. Playing in front of a soldout arena, the Tigers hit just 42.6 percent from the floor but forced Nebraska into 28.6 percent shooting and a season-high 20 turnovers to stop the Huskers' three-game winning streak. Missouri extended its home-court win streak to 17 straight games.

Missouri broke the game open with a 12-3 run capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Matt Lawrence and Marcus Denmon and a Denmon driving layup off the glass. Denmon's consecutive baskets put MU ahead by 17 points with 11:59 to play. The Huskers, who trailed 25-19 at the half, had crept back within six points on Sek Henry's basket at the 17:05 mark of the second period, pulling NU to 31-25. Brandon Richardson led the Huskers with 12 points off the bench.

}} In the team's first meeting of the season, a strong defensive performance by Nebraska pushed the Huskers to a 14-point halftime lead, and NU withstood a late Missouri rally to hold on for a 56-51 victory in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

After scoring just 18 points in the first half, Missouri scored more points in the opening 10 minutes of the second half than it did in the entire first period and eventually pulled even at 51-all with 1:12 remaining in the game. Nebraska then scored the final five points to pull away for the win.

The NU defense held Missouri to a season-low 51 points. After hitting just seven first-half field goals and shooting just 31.8 percent, MU hit 44 percent from the field in the second half. Missouri's strength inside showed in the second half, as the Tigers scored 16 of their 33 points in the paint and added 10 free throws. Leo Lyons scored 12 second-half points after being held scoreless in the first half.

The Huskers' go-to-man was Ade Dagunduro, who scored team-high 20 points and got help down the stretch from Sek Henry and Ryan Anderson. Henry snapped the 51-51 tie with a driving basket, while Anderson pulled down huge rebounds on both ends in the final 15 seconds and hit 3-of-4 free throws to seal the win. Anderson finished with a season-high 10 rebounds, while scoring eight points. Henry added 13 points, including six in the second half.

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 tough part has been building on those fast starts in the rough-and-tumble Big 12 Conference. Each season, NU has gotten out to a 12-6 start through 18 games, including this year.

}} The Cornhuskers' 12-6 record to open the season ties for the best mark by the Huskers in the Big 12 era, also matched five other times.

}} A win Saturday over Missouri would tie for Nebraska's best 19-game start in the Big 12 era. The Huskers have been 13-6 on three previous occasions through 19 games in the Big 12 era, including 1997-98, 2005-06 and 2007-08, but have not had a better 19-game start since 1995-96 when NU opened 15-4.

}} The Huskers' current start of 12-6 ties for the 16th-best season-opening record overall in 114 years of Nebraska basketball.

}} 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 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.

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 made their career Big 12 debuts 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 Texas A&M contest, half of their total players to get into the game. 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.

}} Nebraska has started three freshmen in league play through three games. Redshirt freshman Jorge Brian Diaz has started all three contests while redshirt freshman Eshaunte Jones and freshman Brandon Ubel have each also started once.

}} Coach Doc Sadler has seen solid production out of his youngsters early in the league slate. Through three games, Nebraska's freshman class consisting of Eshaunte Jones (10.5 ppg), Jorge Brian Diaz (10.3 ppg), Christian Standhardinger (7.7 ppg), Brandon Ubel (3.0 ppg) and Ray Gallegos (0.0 ppg) have combined for 31.5 points per game.

}} As a team, Nebraska is averaging 59.3 ppg, meaning the freshmen have produced 44.9 percent of the total points. The freshmen also have 31 of the team's 87 rebounds (35.6 percent).

Diaz Enjoying Fine Start to Big 12 Play
Center Jorge Brian Diaz has been fairly consistent this season in the scoring department for a freshman. The 6-11, 235-pounder has averaged 8.8 points per game on the season, second among Huskers with at least 10 games played. His numbers, however, have been even better in his first three games in Big 12 Conference play despite going up against veteran big men like Bryan Davis of Texas A&M and preseason All-American Cole Aldrich of Kansas early in the slate.

}} Diaz is one of three Huskers averaging double figures with 10.3 points per game through the first three contests. He posted 15 points against No. 3 Kansas with a variety of post moves as well as a number of mid-range jumpers. It was his highest scoring output since posting a career-best 22 points against TCU at the end of November.

}} In conference play, Diaz has hit 50.0 percent from the field. He knocked down 12 of his first 17 shots from the field (70.4 percent) over two games before going 3-of-13 from the floor against Iowa State last weekend. He is still among the top 10 in the Big 12-games only standings for field-goal percentage.

}} Despite struggling from the field against Iowa State, Diaz had three blocked shots, matching his career high for the fifth time this season. He now has five blocks in three league games and ranks ninth (1.7 bpg) in league-only games while ranking seventh (1.6 bpg) in the overall season stats. He is the highest-ranking freshman on each listing.

}} The Caguas, Puerto Rico native has come on strong the past couple weeks since Christmas, leaving coach Doc Sadler to note that Diaz is "starting to get it not just physically, but mentally too. It's starting to click with him and it shows." That is notable as Diaz has scored double figures in three of the past five games after posting double figures four times in the first 13 games of his career.

}} Since facing potential first-round NBA pick Jerome Jordan of Tulsa in the Las Vegas Classic just before Christmas, Diaz has hit 35-of-63 (55.5 percent) from the floor.

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 eight 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 tied as Nebraska's scoring leader over the last nine games, including posting career-best four straight games scoring in double figures heading into league play. Overall he has scored double figures five times in that stretch.

}} A 2,000-point scorer in high school, Richardson has averaged 11.1 points per game in the last nine games while hitting an impressive 58.7 percent (27-of-46) from the floor.

}} During that nine-game stretch, Richardson has knocked down 14-of-24 3-point attempts (58.3 percent) and 21-of-24 tries (87.5 percent) at the charity stripe. He also has 14 assists against just four turnovers in those contests while adding seven steals. All of this has come in only 21.4 minutes of action per game.

}} Richardson set a career high with 18 points to lead Nebraska in a 12-point loss against No. 3 Kansas. Despite missing the previous two days with an illness that caused him to lose about eight pounds, Richardson hit 5-of-6 shots from the floor, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, in 21 minutes off the bench. He also drained all five free throw attempts.

Board Support
Despite struggling on the glass in league play, Nebraska has won the rebounding advantage nine times this season, including eight times at home. The Huskers are 9-0 in those contests. Senior Ryan Anderson and redshirt freshman Jorge Brian Diaz have led the way for the Huskers this season, averaging 5.0 and 4.1 rebounds per game, respectively.

}} Anderson has been a mainstay on the backboards for the Huskers the past four years. While he will not break into the career top 10, the 6-4 Seattle native moved past the 500-rebound plateau on Jan. 16 against Iowa State when he had a team-high eight boards. Anderson became the 24th Husker in history to record at least 500 rebounds, and he will have a chance to finish in the top 20 all-time.

}} Anderson posted a career-best and team-season high 14 rebounds to go with 16 points in a win over Oregon State in December. It was his sixth career double-figure rebounding game and his third career double-double. 

}} In the regular-season opener, 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.

}} Along with Diaz and Anderson, sophomore Myles Holley is the only other Husker with a double-figure rebounding game this year. He had 11 boards and seven points against Southern Utah.

}} As a team, 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.

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 154 3-pointers, 152 steals and 197 assists. With his five steals against Iowa State on Jan. 16, Anderson joined Strickland as the only two Huskers ever with at least 150 in each of those three categories.

}} Anderson is also reaching other heights as he is nearing the 1,000-point plateau. He currently has 963 career points, leaving him 37 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.

}} Anderson reached the 500-rebound mark when he posted a team-high eight boards against Iowa State on Jan. 16. The 6-4 Anderson will not reach the NU career top 10 (10th place is 679 boards by Rex Ekwall in 1955-57), but to his credit, Anderson has battled and persevered at the 4 spot each year despite giving up 6-8 inches and 50-80 pounds to most Big 12 opponents and still has moved his way into all-time top 25 rebounders at Nebraska. His 505 rebounds are currently No. 22 on the list, and he needs just 15 to move into the top 20.

}} 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 (as of Jan. 18):

            ? Obi Muonelo (Oklahoma State, 2007-present): 1,151 points, 511 rebounds, 198 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 weekend, Oklahoma's Tony Crocker needed 25 boards to join the group.

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 home state of W. Va. 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 45 assists against just 14 turnovers in the Huskers' past nine games.

}} Jeter leads the team with 76 assists and his 4.2 assists per game is ninth in the Big 12 Conference. He has had at least four assists in eight of the past nine games and has had more than one turnover in a game just four times in that span.

}} In conference play, Jeter is second entering the weekend with 5.3 assists per game. He posted a career high in each of his first two career Big 12 games with seven assists at Texas A&M and then eight against No. 3 Kansas.

}} He also has shown good decision-making as he owns a 2.38 assist-to-turnover ratio (76 to 33). Entering the weekend, Jeter ranks in the top 40 in the country and eighth in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio. His 4.2 apg placed him among the top 125 assist men in the nation.

}} Jeter has had at least five assists in eight games this season, including six straight between Dec. 23 and Jan. 13. The six straight games with at least five assists is the longest streak by a Husker in the Big 12 era, surpassing the five straight games Charles Richardson Jr. had at least five assists in 2006-07.

}} While Jeter is not looked at as a primary scoring option, he has shown the ability to get to the basket and provide an offensive spark on occasion. He has posted five double-figure scoring games, including 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting against Iowa State on Jan. 13. Prior to that game, Jeter has scored just 13 points in the previous six games combined while going 4-of-27 from the field.

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 A&M 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.

}} In his second career game, Standhardinger posted eight points on 2-of-7 shooting with two rebounds (both offensive) in 19 minutes off the bench against No. 3 Kansas, but had a more difficult time against Iowa State, scoring two points on 1-of-7 shooting while adding two rebounds, a steal and an assist.

}} Standhardinger 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 to raise fan expectations around the state. 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.

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 2009 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 27th nationally in turnovers per game, and comes into the Missouri matchup averaging just 11.6 turnovers per contest.

}} Nebraska has been even better in its first three conference games as the Huskers are averaging just 10.3 turnovers per game in Big 12 play. NU ranks first in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.42, 44 assists, 31 turnovers) in Big 12-only games, and is third in turnover margin (+2.67) and assists (14.67 apg) entering the weekend.

}} The Huskers have turned the ball over seven or fewer times in four games, and less than 10 times on six occasions including each of the past two games. 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.

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. This year has been much of the same despite the fact that the Huskers have just three returning scholarship players available from last year's NIT squad.

}} Entering the weekend, the Husker defense is ranked first in the league by allowing 59.8 points per game, the only team in the Big 12 allowing less than 60 points per game on the season. Nebraska entered the week ranked 21st 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 45-5 record under Sadler when holding teams to 60 or fewer points, including an impressive 39-2 mark at home.

}} The Huskers have allowed more than 70 points to a conference team just 10 times in 38 games (including conference championship) since the start of the 2008 Big 12 slate. Five of those contests have been at home and five have been on the road.

}} Nebraska allowed a season-low 39 points to Chicago State, 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.

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 18 games this season, they've proven their mentor right. The Huskers are hitting a solid 45.8 percent from the field midway through the season, including hitting at least 50.0 percent from the field six times.

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.

}} Despite struggling recently in league play, Nebraska's current percentage of 45.8 would be its highest since the 2003-04 campaign and the fourth-highest by a Husker squad during the Big 12 era.

}} Part of the Huskers' offensive effectiveness has come behind solid shooting from beyond the arc, where Nebraska has nailed 121-of-300 from 3-point range (40.3 percent), including draining a season-high 12 treys (on 19 attempts) against Southeastern Louisiana in the non-conference finale.

}} Nebraska ranked 17th nationally in 3-point percentage entering the week after hitting at least 40 percent from beyond the arc in five of the past eight games. 

}} Nebraska's strong shooting from outside was 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 28 blocked shots, and his 1.6 blocks per game are seventh in the Big 12 Conference on the season, where he is the top-ranked freshman. Diaz's 28 blocks in 18 games are 10 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 28 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.

}} Diaz has had a career high with three blocked shots in five contests this season including the Huskers' last contest against Iowa State.

}} As a team, the Huskers own 61 blocked shots this season in 18 games, averaging 3.4 per game. Last year, Nebraska had just 52 blocks in 31 games (1.7 bpg).

Bench Production
The Cornhuskers have spread the scoring around this season with only one player averaging double figures while eight 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 504 points from its bench. That's 41.0 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. Brandon Richardson also had 18 points off the bench against No. 3 Kansas.

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 (9-of-12 at home overall). Last year, it took nine games at the Devaney Center before the Huskers recorded their fifth 70-point effort.

}} To date, Nebraska has 10 70-point efforts this season after posting 24 70-point games over the past two years (12 each season). Overall, the Huskers have reached the 70-point plateau in four of the last six contests, including posting 72 points against No. 3 Kansas, which entered the game with the second-rated scoring defense in the Big 12 Conference by allowing just over 60 points per game at the time.

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 46.2 percent (30-of-65) from beyond the arc this year. His 30 3-pointers tie for eighth on the NU freshman top 10 list.

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 59.8 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 eight of its last 12 Big 12 Conference opponents in the Devaney Center to 57 or fewer points, including three times under 50 points. NU held six teams to 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), and have added one to the list this year as Iowa State posted only 56 points on Jan. 13.

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.