Huskers Welcome Jackson State on Wednesday

HUSKERS ON TV/RADIO/INTERNET
Television: None
Internet Video: HuskersNside (subscription required)
Radio: IMG Husker Sports Radio Network stations
Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka; Color: Matt Davison
Internet Radio/Stats: Free on Huskers.com
Satellite Radio: None

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Game: 7
2010-11 Record: 4-2, 0-0 Big 12
Head coach: Doc Sadler
Record at Nebraska: 74-60 (5th year)
Record at Division I: 122-78 (7th year)
Career Record: 242-117 (13th year)

Jackson State Tigers
Game: 7
2010-11 Record: 1-5, 0-0 SWAC
Head coach: Tevester Anderson
Record at Jackson State: 115-118 (9th year)
Career Record: 218-170 (13th year)

Coming off a dramatic win over USC last Saturday in the Big 12/Pac 10 Hardwood Series opener, the Husker basketball team looks to extend a two-game win streak on Wednesday, Dec. 1, when they play host to Jackson State.

Start time for the match-up between the Huskers and Tigers is set for 7:06 p.m. and the game can be watched on the Internet on HuskersNide (subscription required). It will be the first of six games shown on HuskersNside during the 2010-11 season. To sign up and watch Wednesday's game, go to Huskers.com and click on the HuskersNside icon on the right side of the page.

Wednesday's game will also be carried across the state on the 32-station IMG Husker Sports Radio Network with Kent Pavelka and Matt Davison on the call, including KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha, KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln and KRVN 880 in Lexington. Free audio will also be available on Huskers.com.

Tickets for Wednesday's game can be purchased for as little as $5 at Huskers.com or at the Devaney Sports Center beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the NU Ticket Office at 800-8-BIGRED.

The Huskers opened a school-record 10-game homestand in dramatic fashion, overcoming a 20-point first-half deficit to down USC, 60-58. Nebraska, which improved to 4-2 on the season with the win, matched its largest comeback in the Big 12 era and had to hold on as the Trojans missed a desperation 3-point shot at the buzzer.

It was a tale of two halves for the Huskers, which allowed 57 percent shooting in the first half before holding USC to just 27 percent, including just 1-of-9 from beyond the arc, in the final 20 minutes.

More importantly, the Huskers found their own offensive stride in the second half. NU hit 58 percent from the floor after halftime behind the inside play of Jorge Brian Diaz. The sophomore center hit 5-of-6 shots in scoring 10 of his 14 points in the second half and is averaging 11.5 ppg and shooting 59 percent in Nebraska's last four contests.

Nebraska is in the midst of a stretch where it plays six of its first eight games against teams that reached postseason play a year ago.

Wednesday's opponent, Jackson State, won the SWAC regular-season title with a 17-1 mark en route to an appearance in the NIT. The Tigers are 1-5 on the season, but have played Baylor and Louisville tough during the early stages of the year. Jackson State has four returning starters and comes off its best effort of the season, a 87-75 win over Chattanooga last Wednesday as Jenirro Bush led all scorers with 31 points.

Scouting Jackson State
Jackson State comes to Lincoln following its best effort of the season, an 87-75 win over Chattanooga last Wednesday night. In that game, JSU shot 56 percent from the floor, including 11-of-19 from 3-point range. Jenirro Bush led all scorers with 31 points, including 5-of-8 shooting from 3-point range, to place four Tigers in double figures. Jackson State had 25 assists on its 28 baskets, including eight assists by Rod Melvin and seven from Tyrone Hanson, and committed just 11 turnovers in the win. The Tigers have been tested in the early season, traveling to Baylor and Louisville before breaking into the win column for the first time against Chattanooga.

The Tigers, who are coached by Tevester Anderson, are coming off a 19-13 season and NIT appearance after Jackson State was upset in the SWAC Tournament after going 17-1 in league play. The Tigers, who returned four starters and 13 of 14 letterwinners from a year ago, were the overwhelming choice in the preseason SWAC poll, placing four players (Melvin, Grant Maxey, De'Suan Dixon and Hanson) on the preaeason SWAC teams.  

Last Year's Game vs. Jackson State
This is the second time Nebraska and Jackson State have met in basketball. NU posted a 57-41 win over the Tigers in the first-ever matchup last season. In that game, Quincy Hankins-Cole produced a career-high 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting and Nebraska held Jackson State to nine first-half points on its way to a 57-41 win. Hankins-Cole posted 13 points after the break and helped NU go ahead by as many as 24 points while holding JSU to 32.7 percent shooting. The Huskers grabbed a 41-32 advantage on the boards and forced 17 turnovers, but Nebraska did not execute well on offense, hitting just 41.5 percent for the game, allowing the Tigers to hang around. JSU was within seven points before Hankins-Cole spurred a 16-3 run midway through the second half to put the game out of reach. Senior guard Ryan Anderson added 10 points on 5-of-10 shooting and had five rebounds while Jorge Brian Diaz had five points, five rebounds, three blocked shots and three assists.

The Huskers are 13-1 all-time against SWAC opponents, with the only loss coming in a 71-68 overtime loss to Grambling on Jan. 6, 1988. NU is 1-0 against SWAC schools this yearfollowing an 83-40 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 15.

Last Time Out: Huskers Rally Past USC
Nebraska trailed by as much as 20 points and did not take its first lead until under five minutes remaining, as the Huskers matched their largest comeback in school history with a 60-58 win over USC.

Jorge Brian Diaz scored 10 of his team-high 14 points in the second half to lead the Huskers back from a 39-26 halftime deficit. Nebraska, which surrendered 39 first-half points, held USC to 19 second-half points on 28 percent (8-of-29) shooting from the field. Nebraska's strong defensive effort over the last 20 minutes included five blocks and four steals, as the Huskers created opportunities with their man-to-man defense. The Huskers 20-point deficit matched a school record set against Kansas State on Jan. 15, 1997, and easily topped the previous largest deficit overcome in Sadler's five seasons, which was 14 points last year against Texas Tech.

Lance Jeter put together one of the best games of his career, finishing with 13 points, a career-high eight rebounds and five assists without a turnover in 34 minutes, while Caleb Walker had 10 points, including two key 3-pointers late in the first half to start the comeback, and five rebounds. Nebraska trailed 37-17 before Walker's back-to-back 3-pointers helped NU close the half on a 9-2 spurt. The Huskers, who held USC to just one field goal in the final 7:46, used an 11-0 spurt to overcome a 55-49 deficit, taking the lead for good at 56-55 on a pair of Walker free throws with 4:47 left. The Huskers eventually pushed the lead to 60-55 after a Standhardinger jumper. USC pulled to within 60-58 on a Maurice Jones' three-point play with seven seconds, but Jones' desperation three-point attempt fell short at the buzzer to give NU the win.

Quick Notes from the USC Game
The 20-point deficit Nebraska overcame in the win is believed to equal the largest in school history, matching a 20-point deficit Nebraska overcame in an 87-77 overtime win over Kansas State on Jan. 15, 1997. Prior to Saturday, the largest comeback under Sadler at Nebraska was 14 points, set against Texas Tech on Feb. 27, 2010...Nebraska is now 3-1 in Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series games, going 2-0 against USC and 1-1 against Arizona State. Only Texas, which is 3-0 in series games and plays at USC on Dec. 5, has a better record among Big 12 teams....Nebraska improves to 3-5 all-time against USC, but 2-0 in the Devaney Center. The Huskers defeated the Trojans, 93-84, in the Devaney Center in 1991...Nebraska finished the game shooting at 50 percent (24-48), marking the second straight game and third time this season NU has shot 50 percent or better...NU was just the second opponent to shoot 50 percent or better against USC this season...The Huskers have won 16 straight home non-conference games and is now 40-1 at home in non-conference games under Sadler...Lance Jeter's eight rebounds was a career best, topping his previous high of seven on four occasions. He also totaled 13 points and had five assists without a turnover. He is the seventh different person to lead NU in rebounds this season..Jorge Brian Diaz's 14 points was a season best and the third straight game he finished in double figures...USC out-rebounded NU, 32-30, becoming the first team in eight games dating back to last season to out-rebound Nebraska. It fell one game shy of Nebraska's longest streak in the Big 12 era...Caleb Walker's 10 points was the second time he has been in double figures this year and first since getting 13 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff...Walker's two 3-pointers also matched his entire season total entering the contest. 

Comeback Kids
Nebraska showed its resiliance in its win against USC on Nov. 27, overcoming a 20-point first half deficit on two occasions (the last being at 37-17 with 2:05 left in the first half) to win 68-58.

• The 20-point deficit equaled the largest deficit the Huskers have overcome in a game in the Big 12 era (1996-97 to present) and is believed to equal the largest deficit NU has overcame in a win. The Huskers also overcame a 20-point deficit in an 87-77 overtime win against Kansas State on Jan. 15, 1997.
• It was the 13th double-digit comeback for an NU win in the Big 12 era, and the fourth under coach Doc Sadler, whose teams now own four of the top five largest comebacks by Nebraska since the formation of the Big 12 (complete list is on the right).
• The Huskers trailed by 16 points with 18:13 left before using a 14-3 run over the next 5:20 to pull within 46-44 with 12:53 left. NU finally took control late, using an 11-0 run to turn a 55-49 deficit into a five point lead with 2:21 left. NU held the Trojans to just one field goal in the final 7:46, a three-point play by USC's Maurice Jones with seven seconds left.
• It marked just the second time in 57 games under Sadler that Nebraska had trailed with 5:00 left and came back to win.

Home for the Holidays
When Nebraska returned to Lincoln from San Juan on Nov. 21, the Huskers began the longest homestand in program history. Nebraska is currently in game two of a 10-game homestand, as the Huskers will not hit the road for 51 days when the Huskers leave for Missouri in the Big 12 road opener. Prior to this season, NU's longest homestand was seven games, done three other times, most recently in 2007-08.

Holding court
Nebraska has been strong on its home court over the years, and will try to continue an impressive run at home under Coach Doc Sadler. In the history of the Bob Devaney Sports Center, Nebraska has posted a 413-131 record for a .759 winning percentage.

In the past four seasons under Sadler, Nebraska has dominated to the tune of a 57-17 record (.770 winning percentage) against all teams. Facing non-conference opponents, the Huskers have been nearly unbeatable at home under Sadler. During his tenure, the team has earned a 40-1 record at the Devaney Center, with the lone loss coming in the 2008-09 season. The Huskers have won 16 straight home non-conference games heading into Wednesday's game with Jackson State. More impressively, Big 12 teams enter this week with a 104 game home win streak against non-conference opponents and are 149-1 since the start of last season.

The Sum is Greater than the Parts
When talking about the 2010-11 Huskers, Nebraska Coach Doc Sadler mentioned that this is the deepest team he has had in his five seasons. The Huskers have relied on the depth during the first two weeks of the season, as 11 players have averaged 10 minutes per game. The Huskers don't have a player in the top 20 in the league in either scoring or rebounding, but have been balanced offensively. NU has had five different players lead the team in scoring, as only Jorge Brian Diaz has topped NU more than once, and seven different Huskers lead in rebounds.

Huskers Rely on Bench Support
If it seems like Nebraska's bench has been more productive in recent years, it has been the case in 2010-11. The Huskers are averaging 32.5 points per game from their bench in the first six games while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor. NU has doubled the opposition in bench scoring in four of the five contests, including a 37-5 advantage in Nebraska's 62-47 win over Hofstra on Nov. 21. The USC game marked the first time the Husker bench had been out-scored this season, although NU won the game 60-58.

Both of NU's individual 20-point efforts have come off the bench (Almeida vs. South Dakota; Stanhardinger vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff). The highest points per game average from NU's bench this decade is 27.9 points per game, set during the 2003-04 season. Here is a look at the bench production during Sadler's five years at Nebraska.

Controlling the Boards
Nebraska's size on the interior has helped the Huskers control the backboards during the early portion of the season. The Huskers have out-rebounded five of its first six opponents and rank 65th nationally in rebound margin (+6.5 per game). NU had out-rebounded seven straight opponents dating back to last season before USC had a 32-40 edge on the glass.