Huskers Start Homestand Against Sooners

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Game Date: Jan. 30, 2010
Tipoff Time: 7 p.m. CT
Venue: Devaney Center
Capacity: 13,595

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Game 21 Notes
2009-10 Record: 12-8, 0-5 Big 12
Head coach: Doc Sadler
Record at Nebraska: 67-48 (4th year)
Record at Division I: 115-66 (6th year)
Career Record: 235-105 (11th year)

Oklahoma Sooners
Game 21 Notes
2009-10 Record: 12-8, 3-3 Big 12
Head coach: Jeff Capel
Record at OU: 81-41 (4th year)
Career Record: 160-82 (8th year)

Huskers on TV/Radio/Internet
Television: Big 12 Network, ESPN FullCourt, Play-by-play: Mitch Holthus, Color: Bryndon Manzer
Radio: IMG Husker Sports Radio Network, Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka , Color: Andy Markowski
Internet Radio/Stats: Free on Huskers.com
Internet Video: ESPN360.com

NU's Possible Starting Lineup                                                           2009-10 stats         
No.          Name                                      Yr.           Ht.           Wt.          Pts.          Rbs.       
3              Brandon Richardson            So.          6-0           190          8.5           2.0          
5              Sek Henry                              Sr.           6-4           200          7.9           3.6          
21            Jorge Brian Diaz                    RFr.         6-11         235          8.3           4.0          
34            Lance Jeter                            Jr.            6-3           225          6.8           4.0*         
44            Ryan Anderson                     Sr.           6-4           195          10.7         5.1          
*assists per game

OU's Possible Starting Lineup                                                       2009-10 stats         
No.          Name                                      Yr.           Ht.           Wt.          Pts.          Rbs.       
1              Ryan Wright                          Sr.           6-9           240          3.8           3.9          
11            Tommy Mason-Griffin           Fr.           5-11         206          12.9         4.7*         
24            Tiny Gallon                            Fr.           6-9           296          10.8         8.6          
34            Cade Davis                            Jr.            6-5           199          9.1           3.4          
41            Ray Willis                                               So.          6-6           164          3.6           2.0          
*assists per game

Huskers Return Home for three of Next Four Games
The Nebraska Cornhuskers return home to the friendly confines of the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Saturday, Jan. 30, when they take on the Oklahoma Sooners.

Inclement weather throughout the South and lower Midwest has delayed the Oklahoma men’s basketball team from leaving Norman, Okla., on Friday evening, forcing the Sooners to travel to Lincoln on Saturday morning for the previously scheduled 12:47 p.m. contest at the Devaney Center. The teams will now tip off at 7 p.m. The game was previously scheduled to be seen on the Big 12 Network and ESPN FullCourt, however a final decision about television for Saturday evening has not been determined.

The Nebraska radio broadcast can be heard around the state on the on the IMG Husker Sports Radio Network (Kent Pavelka, play by play; Andy Markowski, color) and on the Internet at Huskers.com.

Nebraska returns home looking for its first league win of the season after falling to 0-5 in Big 12 action with Wednesday's setback at Colorado. It is the first 0-5 start in league play by the Huskers since 1989-90 when NU went lost five straight before defeating No. 18 Kansas at home.

The Huskers will be able to get comfortable at home as they play three of their next four contests at the Devaney Center. NU owns a 10-2 record at home, the seventh straight season Nebraska has won at least 10 home games. The Cornhuskers, who are also aiming to snap a two-game home losing streak Saturday, have hit 47.1 percent from the field and an impressive 43.2 percent from 3-point range in the Devaney Center this season. 

Senior Ryan Anderson leads the way with 11.8 points per game at home while shooting 52.1 percent from the floor and 41.5 percent from long range. Jorge Brian Diaz (9.9 ppg) and Brandon Richardson (9.4 ppg) each also shoot at least 50 percent from the floor at home, with Diaz boosting his rebounding total to 5.3 boards per game.

While the offensive numbers are solid, the Huskers will need to see their defensive intensity lead the charge. Playing in the Devaney Center, NU has held eight of its last 12 conference opponents to 57 or fewer points since earning a 63-45 victory over Oklahoma two years ago. NU is 7-5 in that span, with the five losses by a total of 25 points, including three by three or fewer points.

Nebraska has held teams to 40 percent shooting at the Devaney Center this year, including 34.4 percent from 3-point range. Oklahoma has hit 37.3 percent away from home this season, including 27.4 percent from 3-point range.

At Saturday's Game
There will be several programs and people being recognized throughout the Nebraska-Oklahoma game on Saturday, including:

}} The coaches for both Nebraska and Oklahoma will be wearing sneakers with their suits as part of the Suits and Sneakers weekend to bring awareness to the fight to save lives from cancer. The Coaches vs. Cancer program is a partnership between the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society. For more information on the national event that runs throughout the weekend in college and high school basketball games, check out www.coachesvscancer.org or www.cancer.org/coaches. 

}} The Red Cross will be collecting money on Saturday for the Haiti Relief Fund. More than $10,000 was collected at last weekend's women's basketball game at the Devaney Center. This is the first home men's game since the money raising initiative was announced through the Nebraska Athletic Department.

}} During halftime of Saturday's game, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is expected to be on hand to be recognized by the athletic department for the numerous national awards he won this past fall.

}} At the under 4:00 media timeout of the first half, former Husker player and coach Bob Gates will be recognized. A guard on the 1948-49 and 1949-50 Nebraska teams that won Big Seven championships, Gates played on the first Nebraska team ever that climbed into the national rankings. He was the leading scorer in a home game against Oklahoma the week the Huskers entered the rankings in 1950, scoring 13 points. Gates later was an assistant coach for basketball and baseball for the Huskers.

Scouting the Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners come into the weekend matchup at Nebraska looking to get back over the .500 plateau in conference action. OU currently holds a 12-8 record on the season and is 3-3 in the league standings, just a game out of third place entering the weekend.

OU won its last contest, an 89-84 home victory over Iowa State, to get back to even in conference action. The Sooners played without two of their top three scorers as Willie Warren and Tony Crocker missed the game with ankle injuries.

Despite the loss of nearly 30 points of offense from the two prolific guards, Oklahoma responded well, getting a career performance from point guard Tommy Mason-Griffin. The speedy freshman scored a career-best 38 points on 13-of-21 shooting including knocking down 5-of-10 3-point attempts while playing all 40 minutes. He added six assists and two steals as he scored nearly half of the team's total points while taking almost one-third of the team's field-goal attempts. Mason-Griffin was joined by Cade Davis, who hit 9-of-17 shots (4-of-9 3-pointers) for 24 points and had three steals in 39 minutes, as the two accounted for 62 of the Sooners' 89 points.

Iowa State made it a game against the short-handed Sooners, scoring 52 second-half points as the Cyclones connected on 20-of-32 field-goal attempts after the break. ISU hit 58.9 percent against the Sooners overall including nailing 10-of-19 from 3-point range.

Mason-Griffin increased his scoring average to 12.9 points per game and now ranks second on the team behind Warren, who has been talked about extensively as a possible lottery pick in the NBA Draft. Warren has averaged 17.6 points in 17 games this season but has hit just 43.7 percent from the field and only 28.6 percent from long range. Mason-Griffin leads the Sooners with 43 3-pointers while Cade Davis (31), Crocker (30), Steven Pledger (28) and Warren (24) each have at least 20 treys this season.

In Big 12 play, Mason-Griffin has averaged 18.8 points per contest while hitting 48.9 percent from the field including an outstanding 50 percent (20-of-40) from 3-point range. Warren has added 14.8 points on just 39.1 percent shooting in league action while Davis has stepped up his game to produce 10.3 points and 2.0 steals per game.

As a team, the Sooners have hit only 43.9 percent from the floor but have connected on a solid 35 percent beyond the arc and an impressive 74.3 percent at the charity stripe. Warren has gotten to the line a team-high 108 times, knocking down 87 (80.6 percent). In league play, those numbers have dipped for the Sooners as OU has connected on just 40.1 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from 3-point range.

The Sooners are coached by Jeff Capel (Duke, 1997), who is in his fourth year on the Oklahoma bench. He owns an 81-41 record in Norman, and is 160-82 overall in his eighth year as a head coach.

Series history vs. Oklahoma
Nebraska and Oklahoma meet for the 186th time in series history this weekend when they face off at the Devaney Center. The teams first met during the 1920-21 campaign with a Husker win, the first of nine wins in the opening 12 meetings. Since then, Oklahoma has taken control of the series, holding a 104-81 advantage.

}} Oklahoma owns a 10-5 series advantage in the Big 12 era. OU won seven straight in the series between 2000 and 2005 before a 59-58 last-second Husker victory over the No. 12 Sooners in 2006.

}} Nebraska is 1-2 against Oklahoma under coach Doc Sadler with the win coming in 2008 at home.

}} The home team has won each of the last five regular-season matchups.

}} Nebraska holds a 46-38 series lead over the Sooners in Lincoln, including a 15-12 advantage at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

}} Overall, Nebraska has won three of the past five meetings with Oklahoma, its best five-game stretch against the Sooners since the early 1980s.

Recent Meetings - Nebraska and Oklahoma
The home team has had the upper hand each of the past five regular-season meetings between the Huskers and Sooners. In 2009, Nebraska held a half-time lead on the road but future NBA No. 1 draft pick Blake Griffin carried OU to the victory. The previous season, Oklahoma came to Lincoln during a Husker hot streak as NU ran away with the victory and its third straight league win. Typically, the matchups between NU and OU in the Big 12 era have not been close affairs as only three meetings have been decided by five points or less, with Oklahoma taking two of those contests.

}} Last year in Norman, Nebraska did everything it could to pressure No. 6/5 Oklahoma into the final minute but came up just short as the Huskers dropped a 72-61 contest against the Sooners. After a hot first half shooting from the field, Nebraska cooled off in the second frame by hitting just 31 percent after the intermission as OU outscored Nebraska 40-23 to take the 11-point victory.

National player of the year Blake Griffin led the way for Oklahoma, posting 27 points and 18 rebounds. He scored the majority of his points in the second half as OU hit 53.8 percent from the field following intermission. Oklahoma started the second half on a tear, outscoring NU 11-4 over the first four minutes to pull within one. OU had trailed by six at the break, its largest deficit of the game.

NU came back to tie the game at 53-53 with 8:27 to play and Nebraska had two chances to take the lead but misfired and the Sooners finally broke the tie two minutes later with a 3-pointer to push ahead for good. Nebraska got within one point in the final three minutes but could not get over the hump as Nebraska finished the game hitting just 40.7 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from long range. The Sooners hit better than 46 percent, including 14-of-26 shots in the second half with 10-of-15 made inside the arc. NU committed just seven turnovers and trailed on the glass by three, 39-36, but the Huskers hurt themselves by hitting just 5-of-14 from the free throw line.

Ryan Anderson led the way for the Huskers off the bench, posting 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including hitting 4-of-12 3-point attempts, although he was 0-of-4 from long range in the second period. Steve Harley added 11 points and Sek Henry had 10 points.

}} Two years ago in Lincoln, Nebraska used a solid all-around performance to build a 17-point halftime lead and never looked back while posting its third conference victory in a row with a 63-45 win over Oklahoma at the Devaney Center. Nebraska placed four players in double figures, led by Aleks Maric, who recorded 16 points and 11 rebounds to post his eighth double-double in nine games. Steve Harley added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Ade Dagunduro scored 13 and Paul Velander posted 11 points on perfect shooting.    

NU shot 50 percent from the field, while holding Oklahoma to just 37 percent. Nebraska also turned the ball over just eight times and recorded 14 assists. Nebraska used a harassing defensive effort to overcome a slow shooting start en route to building a 17-point halftime advantage, its largest of the conference season. Oklahoma had stretches of 4:58 and 7:05 without a field goal while hitting just 5-of-19 shots in the first half.

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 156 3-pointers, 155 steals and 202 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 977 career points, leaving him 23 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 517 rebounds are currently No. 21 on the list, and he needs just two to move into the top 20.

}} Anderson crossed the 200-assist plateau with three assists at Colorado on Wednesday. He now has 202 assists in his career to rank No. 23 on the Husker all-time list.

}} 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. 29):

            • Obi Muonelo (Oklahoma State, 2007-present): 1,199 points, 530 rebounds, 210 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 matchup, Oklahoma's Tony Crocker needs 10 boards to join the group as he has 1,241 points, 490 rebounds and 188 3-pointers in his career.

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 as well as having the flu and suffering a thigh bruise all during the first week of league play. Despite the roadblocks, he's quietly slid into a comfort zone over the last 11 games that has provided the Huskers a spark at the start of Big 12 Conference action.

}} The talented Richardson has been Nebraska's scoring leader over the last 11 games, including posting a career-best four-game stretch scoring in double figures heading into league play. Overall he has scored double figures six times in the last 11 games.

}} A 2,000-point scorer in high school, Richardson has averaged 10.5 points per game in the last 11 games while hitting an impressive 53.4 percent (31-of-58) from the floor.

}} During that 11-game stretch, Richardson has knocked down 14-of-29 3-point attempts (48.3 percent) and 29-of-34 tries (85.3 percent) at the charity stripe. He also has 15 assists against just six turnovers in those contests while adding nine steals. All of this has come in only 22.9 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 the flu which 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 10 times this season, including eight times at home. The Huskers are 9-1 in those contests. Senior Ryan Anderson and redshirt freshman Jorge Brian Diaz have led the way for the Huskers this season, averaging 5.1 and 4.0 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 likely finish in the top 20 all-time as he now has 517.

}} 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 six games, the same total as last year.

Diaz Stacking Up Nicely
Center Jorge Brian Diaz has been fairly consistent this season in the scoring department for a freshman. The 6-11, 235-pounder has averaged 8.3 points per game on the season and has been one of the top shot blockers in the league this season.

}} On the year, Diaz has posted seven double-figure scoring games, and has had four other games with between seven and nine points. He is the leading Husker freshman with 165 points this season, and is currently on pace to challenge for a spot on the Nebraska freshman scoring list. Tenth place is Jamel White with 8.7 points per game in 2006.

}} In conference play, Diaz has hit 48.6 percent (18-of-37) from the field. He knocked down 12 of his first 17 shots from the field (70.4 percent) over two games before going 6-of-20 from the floor the past three contests.

}} Diaz 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.

}} Despite struggling from the field the past three games, Diaz has recorded five blocked shots and had 12 rebounds. He matched his season high with three blocks vs. Iowa State and now has seven blocks in five league games to rank 11th (1.4 bpg) in league-only games while ranking eighth (1.5 bpg) in the overall season stats. He is the highest-ranking freshman on each listing.

Standhardinger Showing Flashes
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 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. He had a more difficult time against Iowa State, scoring only two points on 1-of-7 shooting while adding two rebounds, a steal and an assist.

}} Standhardinger posted his most efficient game yet at Colorado, when he had 14 points in 12 minutes off the bench. Showcasing his slashing European style of play, Standhardinger made nine trips to the free throw line in his limited minutes, converting eight attempts, and hit 3-of-5 shots from the floor.  He also added four rebounds, including three offensive boards.

}} With three offensive boards at Colorado, Standhardinger now has nine offensive boards in four games played. He has three more offensive boards than defensive rebounds (9 to 6).

}} 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.

Jeter Does A little of Everything
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 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.

}} Jeter leads the team with 80 assists and his 4.0 assists per game are 10th in the Big 12 Conference. He has had at least four assists in eight of the past 11 games.

}} In conference play, the 6-3, 225-pound native of Beaver Falls, Pa., is sixth entering the weekend with 4.0 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 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio (80 to 36). Entering the week, Jeter ranked 48th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio and his assist average placed him 128th 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.

}} Jeter can also be a force on the glass as he has shown the past three games. While he has had just five assists in the last three contests, he has posted 18 rebounds, setting a career best two times. He posted a then-best six boards against Iowa State and had a team- and career-high seven boards at Missouri.

Huskers Hitting at Record Pace
Although Nebraska has struggled in the past three games by hitting just 14-of-52 (26.9 percent) beyond the arc, the Cornhuskers are still hitting at a record pace from 3-point range.

}} Nebraska has drained 130-of-333 attempts from 3-point range this season, good for 39.0 percent. That average would be a school record if the season ended today as the current mark stands at 38.9 percent by the 2003-04 squad. That team hit 210-of-540 attempts beyond the arc. 

}} NU has hit at least 50 percent from 3-point range in five games this season, including once in Big 12 play when the Huskers drained 11-of-21 (52.4 percent) against No. 3 Kansas.

}} Redshirt freshman Eshaunte Jones is among the Big 12 Conference leaders by hitting 44.4 percent (32-of-72) from 3-point range this season. His 32 treys are a team high and rank seventh in the NU freshman record book.

}} Along with Jones, Ryan Anderson (25), Brandon Richardson (18), Sek Henry (17), Ray Gallegos (12) and Lance Jeter (11) have each recorded double figures for 3-pointers this season. The Huskers have 130 treys this year and are currently on pace to finish with 208 3-pointers, a total which would rank fourth in school single-season history.

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 25th nationally in turnovers per game, and is averaging just 11.9 turnovers per contest despite posting 16 miscues at Colorado. The Huskers had 13 turnovers in the first period against CU, but settled down and gave up the ball only three times after the intermission.

}} Nebraska has been just as good in its first four conference games as the Huskers are averaging just 11.8 turnovers per game in Big 12 play. NU is tied for second in turnovers per game and is tied for second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1, 62 assists, 59 turnovers) in Big 12-only games.

}} The Huskers have turned the ball over seven or fewer times in four games, and less than 10 times on six occasions including two of the past three 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 leads the league in overall scoring defense by allowing 61.0 points per game. Nebraska entered the week ranked 25th nationally in scoring defense.

}} In conference-only games, the Huskers are allowing 69.2 points per contest to rank fourth in the Big 12. Kansas leads the high-scoring conference by allowing "only" 67.2 points per game.

}} 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 games 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 40 games (including the 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 20 games this season, they've proven their mentor right despite struggling recently in league play. The Huskers are hitting a solid 45.3 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.

}} Nebraska's current percentage of 45.3 would be the fifth-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 130-of-333 from 3-point range (39.0 percent), including draining a season-high 12 treys (on 19 attempts) against Southeastern Louisiana in the non-conference finale.

}} Nebraska ranked 21st nationally in 3-point percentage entering the week after hitting at least 40 percent from beyond the arc in five of the past 10 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 30 blocked shots, and his 1.5 blocks per game are eighth in the Big 12 Conference on the season, where he is the top-ranked freshman. Diaz's 30 blocks in 20 games are 12 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 30 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' contest against Iowa State at home.

}} As a team, the Huskers own 64 blocked shots this season in 20 games, averaging 3.2 blocks 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 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 15 times overall this season.

}} Nebraska posted its top bench production when it got 35 points from the non-starters on Wednesday at Colorado. That was 58.3 percent of its 60 points scored against the Buffs.

}} The production against CU was one of 13 games when the Huskers had at least 25 points off the bench.

}} On the season, Nebraska has gotten 552 points (of 1,341 on the season) from its bench. That's 41.2 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 and Christian Standhardinger had 14 points in 12 minutes at Colorado.

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 is third in the Big 12 Conference in 3-point percentage as he has connected on 44.4 percent (32-of-72) from beyond the arc this year. His 32 3-pointers are seventh 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 held six teams below 50 points. That defensive effort has helped the Huskers allow just 61.0 points per game, an average leads the Big 12 Conference this year 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.

}} Overall, 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). The Huskers 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.