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Game Date: Feb. 10, 2010
Tipoff Time: 8:05 p.m. CT
Venue: Devaney Center
Capacity: 13,595
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Game 24 Notes
2009-10 Record: 13-10, 1-7 Big 12
Head coach: Doc Sadler
Record at Nebraska: 68-50 (4th year)
Record at Division I: 116-68 (6th year)
Career Record: 236-107 (11th year)
Baylor Bears
Game 23 Notes
2009-10 Record: 17-5, 4-4 Big 12
Head coach: Scott Drew
Record at BU: 98-100 (8th year)
Career Record: 118-111 (9th year)
NU's Possible Starting Lineup 2009-10 stats
No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Pts. Rbs.
5 Sek Henry Sr. 6-4 200 7.5 3.6
13 Brandon Ubel Fr. 6-10 220 5.0 1.8
21 Jorge Brian Diaz RFr. 6-11 235 9.0 4.3
34 Lance Jeter Jr. 6-3 225 6.8 4.0*
44 Ryan Anderson Sr. 6-4 195 10.7 4.8
*assists per game
BU's Possible Starting Lineup 2009-10 stats
No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Pts. Rbs.
13 Epke Udoh Jr. 6-10 240 14.1 10.4
24 LaceDarius Dunn Jr. 6-4 205 18.7 4.4
41 Anthony Jones So. 6-10 195 6.8 5.6
45 Tweety Carter Sr. 5-11 185 16.7 6.3*
50 Josh Lomers Sr. 7-0 280 6.3 3.5
*assists per game
Huskers Set to Face Third Straight Ranked Foe
After a strong team effort that came up just short at No. 1 Kansas on Saturday, the Nebraska Cornhuskers return home to the friendly surroundings of the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Wednesday, Jan. 10, as they play host to No. 24 Baylor in a game seen around the country on ESPN2.
The Huskers and Bears will tip off at 8:05 p.m. and the game will also be streamed on the Internet at ESPN360.com. It can be heard live around the state of Nebraska on the on the IMG Husker Sports Radio Network (Kent Pavelka, play by play; Matt Davison, color), as well as on the Internet at Huskers.com and on Sirius Satellite channel 122.
Wednesday's contest against Baylor will mark the third straight game for the Huskers against a team ranked in the Associated Press poll. The Huskers also travel to current No. 14 Texas on Saturday and then to No. 9 Kansas State next Wednesday, topping off what is expected to be a streak of five consecutive games against nationally ranked opponents. That stretch would be the longest against AP ranked teams in school history.
The Huskers will be looking for a win over a ranked team for the 10th straight season when they host Baylor this week. Nebraska is 0-3 against ranked squads this season, including 0-2 at home. Overall, the Huskers own an 11-3 record in the Devaney Center this season, their seventh straight season - and 28th overall in 34 years in the building - with a double-figure win total.
When the Huskers return to the court to start the second half of league action Wednesday, Nebraska hopes to see the same assertive play from center Jorge Brian Diaz as he has demonstrated in recent games. Over the past five games, he is the team's leading scorer at 9.8 ppg, including posting 20 points on 9-of-17 shooting Saturday at top-ranked Kansas. He has hit 48.9 percent from the field in that stretch and improved his rebounding average to 5.0 rpg after grabbing nine boards - including six offensive - against KU.
Diaz's strong play in the paint has helped open the door for the Huskers' long-range shooters as well. Nebraska is on pace to set a school record as it is hitting 40.5 percent from beyond the arc after hitting 10-of-17 3-point attempts at Kansas. The current school record is 38.9 percent. Senior Ryan Anderson has led NU in league play, hitting 47.1 percent from long range against Big 12 foes, including drilling 4-of-5 against the Jayhawks.
Series history vs. Baylor
Nebraska and Baylor are meeting for just the 21st time in series history, and the 18th time in the Big 12 era. The Huskers lead the overall series (12-8) and the matchups since the formation of the league before the 1996-97 campaign.
}} Baylor has won three of the past four matchups overall, leaving NU head coach Doc Sadler with a 1-3 mark against Baylor.
}} The Huskers are 7-1 all-time against the Bears at home, including a 6-1 mark in the Devaney Center. The lone loss in those contests came in the last matchup between NU and BU in Lincoln in 2008, when the Bears won a two-point contest.
}} The teams have played each of their last three regular-season matchups to within four points. Overall, six contests in the series have been decided by four or fewer points. Each team has won three of those contests.
}} Nebraska's last win over BU came in the regular-season finale last season when the Huskers earned a 66-62 road victory. That win gave the Huskers their first 8-8 league record in a decade and helped propel them into their second straight postseason appearance.
}} Nebraska won four straight over Baylor between 1998 and 2000, the longest streak by either team in the series. Baylor has won consecutive games on three occasions for its longest win streak.
}} Nebraska has held Baylor to less than 70 points in 13 of the past 15 meetings, including three times (1998, 2004 and 2006) to under 50 points.
Scouting the Baylor Bears
Baylor enters the midweek contest looking to get back on the winning track after falling at Texas A&M, 78-71, on Saturday. The Bears own a 4-4 record in league play including a road victory over then top-10 Texas.
BU has been one of the highest-scoring teams in the league this season and is averaging 78.6 points per game in conference play while hitting 49.1 percent from the field. The Bears have scored at least 80 points four times in league action, including posting a 91-60 victory over Oklahoma to open Big 12 play.
The Bears are led by LaceDarius Dunn, who is among the league's top scorers by averaging 21.0 points per game in conference action. In Big 12 action, Dunn has hit 47.9 percent from the floor (57-of-119) including a sizzling 49.2 percent (29-of-59) from 3-point range while adding 6.0 rebounds per game to rank second on the squad.
Dunn leads three double-figure scorers in league action as Tweety Carter (16.4 ppg) and Ekpe Udoh (13.0 ppg) have each helped the Bears to one of the league's top offenses. Dunn has also hit 89.3 percent (25-of-28) at the line to pace the Bears, who have hit an outstanding 76.7 percent (115-of-150) from the charity stripe in conference play.
Udoh, a transfer from Michigan, has also added 3.2 blocks and 8.9 rebounds per game while Carter has led BU with 6.4 assists per contest in Big 12 play. Over the past five games, Udoh has seen his scoring average rise to 15.2 ppg even though his shooting percentage has been just 36.9 percent (24-of-65). As a team, the Bears have dipped to 45.8 percent shooting over the last five contests, when they have been outrebounded by a 37.2-34.6 margin.
The Bears are coached by Scott Drew (Butler, 1993). He owns a 98-100 record in eight years at Baylor and is 118-111 in his ninth year as a head coach.
Recent Meetings - Nebraska and Baylor
The Huskers and Bears have played a number of close contests, with three of the last four matchups being decided by four points or less, including last year's regular-season finale in Waco.
}} At the 2009 Big 12 Championship, Nebraska shot just 31.5 percent from the floor while Baylor scorched the nets and dominated the glass en route to a 65-49 victory at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City.
Eighth-seeded Nebraska held even through the first period, heading into the locker room trailing by just three points, but struggled throughout the rest of the game. The Huskers hit just 7-of-29 shots (24.1 percent) from the floor in the second half, including opening the frame knocking down just one of their first 10 attempts from the field.
Baylor started the half with a 7-0 run and did not allow a Husker field goal until Ade Dagunduro put in a layup with 14:04 to play. The Bears were up 48-37 after Sek Henry's layup with 6:45 left to play before breaking the game open down the stretch. BU had a 10-0 run over two minutes to open a 21-point lead.
To that point, Dagunduro nearly held the Huskers within reach by himself. The senior from Inglewood, Calif., had nine points in the second half and finished the game with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting with a team-high six rebounds. The Huskers were outrebounded 43-18, with BU senior forward Kevin Rogers personally pulling down 20 rebounds to go with his 10 points.
Nebraska hit just 2-of-18 from 3-point range in the second half. While the Huskers were struggling, the Bears could hardly do wrong as they hit 68.8 percent (11-of-16) from the field in the second period and knocked down 53.5 percent for the game. Curtis Jerrells led the way with 10 points while LaceDarius Dunn added 18.
}} Last year in Waco at the Ferrell Center, redshirt freshman Toney McCray posted a career-best 18 points and the Huskers hit 86 percent from the free throw line to hold on for a 66-62 victory over Baylor in both teams' regular-season finale. With the win, Nebraska finished the conference season with an 8-8 record, marking the first .500 or better season for the Huskers in conference play since 1998-99.
McCray scored 11 points after the intermission while helping Nebraska come back from a six-point deficit. The Missouri City, Texas, native hit 7-of-10 shots from the floor in the game and added four rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Baylor scored the first six points of the second half to move ahead by a 31-26 margin and extended it to six points, 34-28, for their largest lead of the game on Tweety Carter's 3-pointer with 15:34 to play. From there, McCray and redshirt freshman Alonzo Edwards combined to score the Huskers' next 10 points. Edwards, who had played a total of nine minutes in Big 12 action, hit his second 3-pointer of the contest to knot the score at 38-38 with 10:19 to play.
The teams then battled back and forth with Baylor taking its final lead at 42-41 with 6:54 to play. Following Quincy Acy's free throws that gave the Bears a one-point advantage, Ryan Anderson responded with his second 3-pointer of the game, putting NU on top for good. The Bears' final challenge came with 1:48 to play as Curtis Jerrells hit his fourth 3-pointer of the game to pull BU within one, 53-52. But the Huskers had one more answer as Ryan Anderson found Ade Dagunduro for a dunk and virtually sealed the win. The Huskers went 10-of-10 at the free throw line in the final minute to nail shut any chance of a Baylor comeback.
Along with McCray, Dagunduro was the only other Husker in double figures with 11 points, including nine in the second half. Anderson finished with six points and five assists without a turnover. The Huskers hit 45.5 percent from the field but nailed 19-of-22 from the free throw line to seal their third conference road win of the season.
Rankings Game
Nebraska will have plenty of chances over the next couple weeks to extend a streak of knocking off ranked teams as its next three opponents entered this week ranked among the national top 25 in the Associated Press poll.
}} The Huskers have beaten at least one ranked team in each of the past nine seasons since the 2000-01 campaign. Since the start of the streak, Nebraska is 13-41 against ranked teams, including 3-28 against top-15 squads. Nebraska is 7-7 against teams ranked between Nos. 20 and 25 during the streak.
}} The current stretch of five straight games against ranked teams - vs. No. 10 Kansas State (lost), at No. 1 Kansas (lost), vs. No. 24 Baylor on Wednesday, at No. 14 Texas this Saturday, and next week at (currently) No. 9 Kansas State - will be Nebraska's longest stretch of consecutive games (5) against ranked teams in school history.
}} The Huskers have previously faced four consecutive ranked squads on four separate occasions, but have never faced five straight. Nebraska's best mark in a four-game stretch vs. ranked teams was 2-2 in 1991-92. NU also went 1-3 in 1994-95 and 1996-97, and was 0-4 in 1999-2000.
}} Overall, Nebraska is 5-14 against ranked squads under coach Doc Sadler with one victory last season, a 58-55 home win over No. 16 Texas.
}} The Huskers own a 55-207 all-time record against ranked teams, including a 19-110 mark against teams ranked in the top 10 and an 11-63 mark against top-five squads. The Huskers are 19-62 against ranked teams in the Big 12 era, including 2-30 against top-10 teams and 1-19 against top-five squads.
}} Nebraska has won at least two games against ranked teams in two of the past five seasons, and the three wins in 2007-08 against ranked teams were the most for the Huskers since going 4-1 in 1998-99.
}} The Cornhuskers' last win over a top-five team came in 2005, when the Huskers defeated No. 4 Oklahoma State, 74-67, at the Devaney Center. That was NU's first win against a top-five team since the 1994 Big Eight Tournament, when the Huskers knocked off No. 3 Missouri, and the first home win over a top-five team since 1993, when the Huskers beat No. 3 Kansas.
}} Nebraska has played a top-three ranked team 11 times (0-11 record) in the Big 12 era, with all of the matchups coming against Kansas. In the Big 12 era, Nebraska is 0-5 against KU when the Jayhawks are ranked No. 1, 0-3 when ranked No. 2 and 0-3 when ranked No. 3. Two of those 10 games were decided by one field goal (once at home, 2002; once in Lawrence, 2005).
}} The Huskers own three all-time wins over the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, and a 3-11 overall record against top-ranked squads. The wins came on the road at No. 1 Missouri in 1982, and at home against No. 1 Michigan (1964) and No. 1 Kansas State (1958).
Diaz Ranking Among Top NU Freshman Post Players
Redshirt freshman center Jorge Brian Diaz has become more comfortable with his role in the Nebraska offensive attack over the past month and the results have been positive for the Huskers.
}} Diaz has posted five double-figure scoring games in league action, including each of the past three. He is averaging 14.3 points per game over the last three contests while hitting 19-of-38 shots from the field and pulling down 6.3 rebounds per game in that span.
}} With his recent surge, Diaz has improved his season scoring average to 9.0 points per game to rank second on the team. In league action, Diaz has scored a team-high 10.0 points per game.
}} Here is a breakdown of Diaz's season stats compared with those of a few other notable Husker freshman post players. Diaz ranks favorably in several categories against the other top freshman post players in NU history, including the school's all-time scoring leader (Dave Hoppen) and three others who went on to rank among the top 15 scorers all-time at Nebraska (Andre Smith, Aleks Maric and Venson Hamilton):
Name, freshman year GP Min. FG-FGA-Pct. FT-FTA-Pct. Off-Def-Tot-Avg. A TO Blk Stl Pts. Avg.
Dave Hoppen, 1982-83 32 25.9 163-311-.524 119-159-.748 *-*-161-5.0 41 64 19 16 445 13.9
Andre Smith, 1977-78 30 * 105-190-.553 68-111-.613 *-*-144-4.8 27 * 11 10 278 9.3
Jorge Brian Diaz, 2009-10 23 24.0 93-177-.525 22-38-.579 41-48-99-4.3 25 30 33 14 208 9.0
Aleks Maric, 2004-05 27 20.8 79-165-.479 58-71-.781 70-99-168-6.3 13 37 16 13 216 8.0
Venson Hamilton, 1995-96 31 14.6 71-130-.546 54-100-.540 *-*-161-5.0 19 48 39 20 196 6.1
John Turek, 2001-02 26 22.7 61-156-.391 19-50-.380 70-92-162-6.2 17 19 39 14 141 5.4
*complete statistics not available.
Anderson Reaches 1,000-Point Club
Senior guard Ryan Anderson joined Nebraska's 1,000-point club when he posted his first basket of the day against No. 1 Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 6. Anderson joined one of the Huskers' elite fraternities as he became only the 25th Husker ever to cross the 1,000-point barrier
}} Anderson is first Husker to join the 1,000-point club at Nebraska since Aleks Maric did it his junior year in 2006-07. Overall, Anderson is only the sixth Husker to reach the mark while playing in the Big 12 era, including just the fourth to play his whole career after the formation of the conference. The other Huskers to cross the plateau while playing against current Big 12 Conference teams include:
Aleks Maric (No. 5 all-time, 1,630 points, 2005-08)
Tyronn Lue (No. 8, 1,577 points, 1996-98)
Cookie Belcher (No. 9, 1,552 points, 1997-2001)
Venson Hamilton (No. 11, 1,416, 1996-99)
Cary Cochran (No. 23, 1,082, 1999-2002)
}} During his career, Anderson has posted 283 points (10.1 ppg) as a freshman, 278 points (8.4 ppg) as a sophomore, 213 points (7.1 ppg) as a junior and has 236 points (10.7 ppg) so far as a senior.
Versatile Anderson in Elite Company
Even before Ryan Anderson joined the 1,000-point club at No. 1 Kansas on Feb. 6, he was already among an elite list with some of his on-court accomplishments over the past three-plus seasons.
}} With his 12 points at No. 1 Kansas on Feb. 6, Anderson became one the ninth player in the Big 12 era to surpass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 150 3-pointers in a career. He is the first Cornhusker in the Big 12 era to do it and will be just the third Husker ever, joining Eric Piatkowski and Erick Strickland. The other eight players to play solely in the Big 12 era and reach those three marks are (as of Feb. 6):
• Ryan Anderson (Nebraska, 2007-present): 1,010 points, 526 rebounds, 163 3-pointers
• Obi Muonelo (Oklahoma State, 2007-present): 1,226 points, 547 rebounds, 213 3-pointers
• Terrel Harris (Oklahoma State, 2005-09): 1,319 points, 512 rebounds, 153 3-pointers
• Josh Carter (Texas A&M, 2005-09): 1,566 points, 509 rebounds, 299 3-pointers
• Brandon Rush (Kansas, 2006-08): 1,477 points, 602 rebounds, 205 3-pointers
• Richard Roby (Colorado, 2004-08): 2,001 points, 659 rebounds, 214 3-pointers
• Cartier Martin (Kansas State, 2003-07): 1,546 points, 540 rebounds, 178 3-pointers
• Rickey Paulding (Missouri, 2000-04): 1,673 points, 526 rebounds, 191 3-pointers
• Kirk Hinrich (Kansas, 2000-03): 1,753 points, 532 rebounds, 236 3-pointers
Entering the week, Oklahoma's Tony Crocker needs six boards to join the group as he has 1,252 points, 494 rebounds and 189 3-pointers in his career.
}} Last year Anderson 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 163 3-pointers, 156 steals and 207 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 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 526 rebounds are currently No. 20 on the list, and he needs just one more to move up another spot.
}} Anderson crossed the 200-assist plateau with three assists at Colorado this season. He now has 207 assists in his career to rank No. 22 on the Husker all-time list.
}} With at least 40 steals in each of his final three seasons, including 43 steals and counting this year, Anderson has climbed among the top 10 in Husker history for career steals. His 156 career steals rank sixth currently and he needs just five more to set a personal season high and reach No. 5 on the list.
Richardson Making a Charge
Last year, guard Brandon Richardson missed the first four games of league play because 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 14 games that has provided the Huskers a spark at the start of Big 12 Conference action.
}} The talented Richardson has been Nebraska's second-leading scoring leader over the last 14 games, including posting a career-best four-game stretch scoring in double figures heading into league play. Overall he has scored double figures seven times in the last 14 games.
}} A 2,000-point scorer in high school, Richardson has averaged 9.8 points per game in the last 14 contests while hitting 50.0 percent (39-of-78) from the floor.
}} During that 14-game stretch, Richardson has knocked down 16-of-35 3-point attempts (45.7 percent) and 34-of-40 tries (85.0 percent) at the charity stripe. He also has 18 assists while adding 13 steals, all while playing just 23.0 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 on Jan. 13. 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, and was 5-of-5 at the free throw line in 21 minutes off the bench.
}} Richardson added another strong contest as he helped the Huskers to their first Big 12 Conference win of the season when he had 16 points off the bench in a 63-46 victory over Oklahoma. He hit 6-of-11 shots from the field including 2-of-5 from 3-point range and added three rebounds and two steals in 28 minutes of action.
}} It hasn't been a completely perfect run, as he struggled in the rematch with KU in Lawrence on Feb. 6. Richardson was straddled with foul trouble and finished with one point while missing all four shots from the field before fouling out with nine minutes to play in the game.
Board Support
Despite struggling on the glass in league play, Nebraska has won the rebounding advantage 11 times this season, including nine times at home. The Huskers are 10-1 in those contests. Senior Ryan Anderson and redshirt freshman Jorge Brian Diaz have led the way for the Huskers this season, averaging 4.8 and 4.3 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 has moved into the top 20 all-time as he now has 526 rebounds.
}} 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.
}} Diaz narrowly missed his first career double-double when he posted 20 points and nine rebounds against No. 1 Kansas in Lawrence on Feb. 6. It was his highest rebounding total since mid-December and helped him improve his rebounding average to 5.2 rpg over the past six contests.
}} 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 eight games, including two of the past three contests. It is already two more than last year's season total.
}} Nebraska has posted a rebounding advantage in two straight games against Colorado and Oklahoma after opening Big 12 play with four straight contests trailing on the glass. NU held a 36-27 advantage on the glass against Oklahoma, when guard Lance Jeter and center Jorge Brian Diaz each led the Huskers with seven rebounds apiece.
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 9.0 points per game on the season to rank second on the squad and has been one of the top shot blockers in the league this season.
}} On the year, Diaz has posted 10 double-figure scoring games, including each of the past three league contests, and has had four other games with between seven and nine points. He is the leading Husker freshman with 208 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 49.3 percent (37-of-75) 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 over the next three contests.
}} After struggling for three games, Diaz hit 5-of-9 attempts against Oklahoma including a pair of dunks as the Huskers won their first league game of the year. He then came back to add 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting against No. 10/11 Kansas State and 20 points on 9-of-17 shooting at No. 1 Kansas.
}} Diaz has recorded eight blocked shots and had 31 rebounds over the past six games. He matched his season high with three blocks vs. Iowa State and now has 10 blocks in seven league games to rank ninth (1.3 bpg) in league-only games while ranking seventh (1.4 bpg) in the overall season stats. He is the highest-ranking freshman on each listing.
}} While his scoring numbers continue to climb, Diaz has also been more aggressive on the boards in recent games. His best rebounding effort during league play came with nine boards against No. 1 Kansas in his first-ever trip to Allen Fieldhouse. He also had seven rebounds including two offensive boards while helping the Huskers to their first league win with a 63-46 victory over Oklahoma a week earlier.
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.
}} Coming off the bench to provide a lift in energy and effort, Standhardinger has averaged 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in league play. Of his 25 rebounds, 14 have come on the offensive end.
}} Averaging 15.6 minutes per game, Standhardinger has hit just 37.0 percent (17-of-46) from the floor, but he is fourth on the team in scoring as he has gotten to the free throw line in Big 12 play more than any other Husker, hitting 21-of-25 charity shots (84.0 percent).
}} 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 on Jan. 13. In the rematch, he had eight points with three assists and two steals in 18 minutes in Allen Fieldhouse.
}} 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.
}} 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 91 assists and his 4.0 assists per game are 10th in the Big 12 Conference. He has had at least four assists in 10 of the past 14 games.
}} In conference play, the 6-3, 225-pound native of Beaver Falls, Pa., is seventh entering the week with 3.9 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 at home.
}} He also has shown good decision-making as he is second in the league this season with a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio (91 to 42). Entering the week, Jeter rank 56th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio and his assist average placed him 145th 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 had 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 six games. While he has had just 16 assists in the last six contests (2.5 apg), he has posted 29 rebounds (4.8 rpg), setting a career best three times. He posted a then-best six boards against Iowa State and had a team- and career-high seven boards twice, at Missouri and at home against Oklahoma.
Huskers Hitting at Record Pace
Although Nebraska struggled early in the league slate, the Cornhuskers are still hitting at a record pace from 3-point range.
}} Nebraska has drained 150-of-370 attempts from 3-point range this season, good for 40.5 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 seven games this season, including three times in Big 12 play. In two home games, the Huskers drained 11-of-21 (52.4 percent) against No. 3 Kansas and 5-of-9 (55.6 percent) against No. 10 Kansas State. NU also did it on the road at Allen Fieldhouse, connecting on 10-of-17 3-point attempts (58.8 percent) against the No. 1 Jayhawks on Feb. 6.
}} Redshirt freshman Eshaunte Jones is third in the Big 12 Conference on the season by hitting 44.6 percent (33-of-74) from 3-point range this season. His 33 treys are a team high and rank seventh in the NU freshman record book.
}} Along with Jones, Ryan Anderson (32), Brandon Richardson (20), Sek Henry (20), Lance Jeter (15) and Ray Gallegos (12) have each recorded double figures for 3-pointers this season. The Huskers have 150 treys this year and are currently on pace to finish with at least 202 3-pointers, a total which would rank in the top six 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 48th nationally in turnovers per game, and is currently averaging just 12.2 turnovers per contest despite giving up at least 16 miscues in three of its last four contests.
}} Nebraska has averaging 12.9 turnovers per game in Big 12 play after posting 19 miscues at Kansas on Feb. 6, its most in league play this year and one off its season high.
}} The Huskers have turned the ball over seven or fewer times in four games, and less than 10 times on seven occasions including three of the past six 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 week, the Husker defense leads the league in overall scoring defense by allowing 61.6 points per game. Nebraska entered the week ranked 37th nationally in scoring defense after giving up 76 and 75 points, respectively against top-10 opponents Kansas State and Kansas last week.
}} In conference-only games, the Huskers are allowing 67.9 points per contest to lead the Big 12. Kansas (68.1 ppg) is second in scoring defense in Big 12 games, while Texas A&M (69.9 ppg) is the only other team allowing less than 70 points per game in Big 12 play.
}} 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 46-5 record under Sadler when holding teams to 60 or fewer points, including an impressive 40-2 mark at home.
}} The Huskers have allowed more than 70 points to a conference team just 12 times in 43 games (including the conference championship) since the start of the 2008 Big 12 slate. Six of those contests have been at home and six have been on the road.
}} The Huskers held Oklahoma to 46 points in NU's first league win of the season. The total marked the fifth time in coach Doc Sadler's tenure that NU has held a Big 12 opponent to 50 or fewer points, including twice against Oklahoma.
}} 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.
Block Party
Redshirt freshman Jorge Brian Diaz has made a name for himself on the offensive end with a pair of 20-point contests this season, including a 20-point, nine-rebound effort at Allen Fieldhouse against No. 1 Kansas on Feb. 6. He owns two of the Huskers' four 20-point games this season as he also added 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting against TCU in his third career game. But it is on the defensive end that he is looking like one of the top freshmen in school history.
Diaz, who is the top-ranked freshman in blocks in the league, currently leads NU with 33 blocked shots. His 1.3 blocks per game are 10th in the Big 12 Conference on the season, and his 1.3 bpg in Big 12 play rank seventh.
}} Diaz's 33 blocks in 23 games are 15 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 33 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, his high in league play.
}} As a team, the Huskers own 70 blocked shots this season in 23 games, averaging 3.0 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 17 times overall this season.
}} Nebraska posted its top bench production when it got 35 points from the non-starters at Colorado. That was 58.3 percent of its 60 points scored against the Buffs.
}} The Huskers' production of 28 points against Oklahoma was one of 14 games when the Huskers had at least 25 points off the bench.
}} On the season, Nebraska has gotten 615 points (of 1,525 on the season) from its bench. That's 40.3 percent of the production that has come from outside the starting lineup.
}} The 26.7 points per game the Huskers have been getting from the bench are the third-most in the Big 12 Conference this season.
}} 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 16 points against Oklahoma, while Christian Standhardinger had 14 points in 12 minutes off the bench 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 seven of Nebraska's 11 active scholarship players are 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.
}} Diaz became just the seventh Husker freshman with multiple 20-point contests as he posted 20 points on 9-of-17 shooting in his first-ever trip to Allen Fieldhouse as the Huskers played at No. 1 Kansas on Feb. 6. He added nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks, helping NU to a four-point lead with less than 16 minutes remaining before the Huskers fell by 11.
}} 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.
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 on the season as he has connected on 44.6 percent (33-of-74) from beyond the arc this year. His 33 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. In the four seasons since Sadler's arrival in Lincoln, the Huskers have held opponents to 50 or fewer points 23 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 seven teams below 50 points. That defensive effort has helped the Huskers allow just 61.6 points per game, an average led the Big 12 Conference entering the week and was 37th nationally.
}} Dating to the 2007-08 season, Nebraska has held nine of its last 14 Big 12 Conference opponents in the Devaney Center to 57 or fewer points, including four times under 50 points. Two of those four games holding a Big 12 opponent to less than 50 points came against Oklahoma.
}} 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 two to the list this year as Iowa State posted only 56 points and Oklahoma had just 46 points.
}} 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.
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.
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 transferring 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.