Huskers Host Tigers on Senior Night

Game 29: Missouri
Game Date: March 1, 2011
Tipoff Time:  7:04 p.m.
Venue: Bob Devaney Sports Center
Capacity: 13,595

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Game: 29
2010-11 Record: 18-10, 6-6 Big 12
Head coach: Doc Sadler
 Record at Nebraska: 88-68 (5th year)
 Record at Division I: 136-86 (7th year)
 Career Record: 256-125 (13th year)

Missouri Tigers
Game: 30
2010-11 Record: 22-7, 8-6 Big 12
Head coach: Mike Anderson
 Record at Missouri: 110-53 (5th year)
 Career Record: 199-94 (9th year)

Broadcast Information
Television: Big 12 Network and ESPN Full Court. A complete list of stations carrying Tuesday's game is on page 9 of this release.
 Play-by-Play: Doug Bell
 Color: Stephen Howard
Internet: ESPN3.com

Radio: IMG Husker Sports Radio Network
 Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka
 Color: Andy Markowski
Internet Radio/Stats: Free on Huskers.com

Huskers Host Tigers on Senior Night
The Nebraska men's basketball team looks to snap a two-game losing streak on Tuesday night, as the Huskers host Missouri in the final Big 12 regular-season of the season.

Tipoff is set for 7:04 p.m. and the game will be televised across the region and throughout the nation on the Big 12 Network with Doug Bell and Stephen Howard on the call.  In Nebraska, the game will be shown on KLKN (Ch. 8) in Lincoln and KPTM's digital channel (My 42.2) in Omaha.  The game can also be seen on other markets around the region (complete list is on page 11), as well as on ESPN Full Court and on the Internet on ESPN3.com.

The Nebraska-Missouri game will also be available on the 32-station IMG Husker Sports Radio Network with Kent Pavelka and Andy Markowski on the call, including KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha, KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln and KRVN 880 in Lexington and available on the Internet at Huskers.com.

The Huskers (18-10, 6-8 Big 12) come off a heartbreaking 83-82 loss at Iowa State on Saturday afternoon. Nebraska put up 82 points, including a career-high 27 from Lance Jeter, but was unable to slow down Iowa State's offense. The Cyclones shot 51 percent from the floor, including 10-of-21 from 3-point range against a defense which was fifth nationally in opponent shooting percentage.  ISU hit 8-of-13 from long range in the first half in jumping out to a 41-33 halftime lead, forcing Nebraska to play catch up the rest of the night.

Nebraska will honor seniors Drake Beranek, Matt Karn and Lance Jeter in pregame ceremonies, as the trio has helped the Huskers rebound after a disappointing 2009-10 season. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:30 p.m. for the senior night tribute.

While Jeter leads Nebraska in scoring (11.4 ppg) and is among the Big 12 leaders in both assists (4.4 apg) and steals (1.8 spg), both Beranek and Karn have come off the bench to help the Huskers this season and provided leadership to a relatively young squad.

Tuesday's game will also feature a halftime ceremony honoring the Huskers' final home game as a member of the Big 12. The game will feature video tributes from past conference rival coaches, as well as a special halftime ceremony that will include some of the memorable moments and players in school history.

While the night will take a look back, the Huskers also have an opportunity to improve in the Big 12 race. Nebraska is 6-8 in the league, but just one game out of sixth in the league standings. Tuesday's game against Missouri will not be easy, as the Tigers (22-7, 8-6 Big 12) are sixth in the nation in scoring at 82.8 points per game and looking to earn one of the byes for the first round of next week's Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in Kansas City.

Scouting Missouri
The Tigers come into Tuesday's game with a 22-7 record, including an 8-6 mark in the Big 12. Under Head Coach Mike Anderson, the Tigers returned eight players, including a pair of starters, from a team that won 23 games and reached the second round of the NCAAs last year. Missouri, which has been ranked in the national polls all season, saw its four-game win streak snapped in an 80-70 loss at Kansas State Saturday afternoon.  In that game, Marcus Denmon led Missouri with 22 points, while Laurence Bowers added 16 points and a game-high nine rebounds, as the Tigers were held to 41 percent shooting.  Missouri is a perfect 17-0 at home, but 1-6 in road games in Big 12 action.

Missouri is one of the deepest teams in the league with five players, as Missouri averages 82.8 points per game to rank fifth nationally. The Tigers are among the league leaders in shooting percentage (.471) and connect on 38 percent from 3-point range. Denmon leads Missouri with 16.7 points per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and 45 percent from 3-point range. The Tigers also rely on their inside game, as Bowers averages 11.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, while junior college transfer Marcus Ratliffe chips in 11.1 points and a team-high 6.4 blocks per game.  The Tigers' other strength is their defensive pressure as Missouri is third nationally averaging 9.6 steals per game and forces teams to turn the ball over 18 times per contest.  MU is also among the top 25 nationally in blocked shots at 5.3 per game, as Bowers and Ratliffe have combined for 97 blocked shots on the season.

Last Meeting:  Toney McCray had a then-season-high 17 points, but a hot start by Missouri's Marcus Denmon keyed the No. 15 Tigers' to a 77-69 win on Jan 12.  Denmon scored eight of the Tigers' first 10 points on his way to matching his career high with a 27-point effort. He connected on 5-of-7 from 3-point range and helped the Tigers build a 13-point first half lead before Nebraska regrouped.  McCray led a Husker comeback, scoring 10 of his 17 points in the second half, as Nebraska pulled within 44-41 with 15:51 remaining and stayed within striking distance until the final 30 seconds. Trailing 72-61, McCray scored five straight points for the Huskers, who eventually whittled the lead to 73-69 with 31 seconds left.  That would be as close as Nebraska would get, as Denmon and Kim English each converted a pair of free throws to end the Huskers' bid for a 12th straight win. Caleb Walker had 12 points while Lance Jeter added nine points and five assists before fouling out. Ricardo Ratliffe and Laurence Bowers joined Denmon in double figures with 12 points apiece for the Tigers.

Nebraska-Missouri Series
The Huskers and Tigers are meeting for the 219th time in series history and the 36th time since the formation of the Big 12 Conference.

• Missouri holds a 126-92 series lead over the Huskers since first meeting in the 1907-08 season. In the Big 12 era, the Tigers have earned a 22-13 series advantage following a 77-69 win in Columbia on Jan. 12.
• The teams have split 34 meetings at the Devaney Center, and NU looks for its first win in Lincoln against Missouri since a 56-51 win over the Tigers on Jan. 10, 2009.
• Nebraska is 6-5 against Missouri under coach Doc Sadler, including a 74-60 win over the Tigers in last year's Big 12 Tournament.

Last Time Out
Lance Jeter had a career-high 27 points, including a 3-pointer to send it into overtime, but Diante Garrett's driving basket with 1:06 remaining broke a 79-all deadlock, as Iowa State handed Nebraska an 83-82 defeat.

Jeter willed the Huskers back from an eight-point second-half deficit, scoring nine of his 14-second-half points in the final five minutes of regulation, hitting a 3-pointer from the wing with 3.4 seconds left to tie the score at 72-all.  The senior point guard played one of the best games of his career, totaling 27 points, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds and dishing out five assists as the Huskers fell to 18-10 on the year and 6-8 in Big 12 action.

In the extra session, Nebraska trailed 77-74 before a Jeter basket and a 3-pointer by Toney McCray with 2:16 remaining gave the Huskers their first lead since the first half at 79-77. Iowa State tied the score at 79 on Melvin Ejim's basket on their next possession before Garrett, who finished with 17 points and nine rebounds while playing all 45 minutes, gave the Cyclones the lead for good.

Garrett's 17 points led five Cyclones in double figures, as the Cyclones shot 51 percent, including 10-of-21 from 3-point range.

Jorge Brian Diaz and McCray joined Jeter in double figures, as Diaz had a season-high 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the year, while McCray had 14 points, including three 3-pointers as Nebraska hit a season-high 12 3-pointers in the loss.

Noting the Iowa State game

• Saturday's game was the Huskers' first overtime game this season and first since Feb. 27, 2010, against Texas Tech. The Huskers are 3-5 in overtime games under Doc Sadler.
• Nebraska falls to 2-2 in one-point games this season and eight of Nebraska's 14 conference games have been decided by five points or less. Both of NU's games against Iowa State were decided by one point.
• Nebraska's 12 3-pointers were a season high (previous high was 10 vs. TCU), as the Huskers hit 12-of-22 from beyond the arc. The Huskers' 54.5 percent shooting from 3-point range was NU's second-best effort of the year.
• The 83 points allowed was the Huskers' second-highest total this season (86 vs. Kansas) and Iowa State became only the third team to shoot over 50 percent against NU this season (also Texas Tech and Kansas State).
• Lance Jeter had a career-high 27 points, topping his previous career best of 21 at Iowa State last season. Both of his 20-point efforts have come at Iowa State.
• Jeter set career bests in points (27), 3-pointers (five), 3-point attempts (seven), field goals (10) and rebounds (10) and field goal attempts (17). His 27-point performance was the most by a Husker since Aleks Maric had 32 points against Missouri on Feb. 13, 2008.
• Jeter grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds, besting his previous season and career high of eight, in picking up his second double-double of the year and third of his career.
• Jorge Brian Diaz put together his second double-double of the season with a season-high 18 points and 11 rebounds.
• Nebraska's bench was out-scored for just the fourth time all season and the second time in Big 12 play.
• NU had eight turnovers, the third time this season the Huskers had less than 10 turnovers in a game.
• Nebraska's 82 points was one off its season high set on Nov. 15 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

 A Win against Missouri Would...

• Give Nebraska a 19-10 record, matching the program's best record after 29 games in the Big 12 era (also 1997-98).
• Would give Nebraska 19 regular-season wins, its highest regular-season win total (not counting conference tournament and postseason) since winning 19 regular-season games in 1997-98.
• Improve Nebraska to 17-2 at home this season, matching the program's single-season record for home wins. NU also won 17 home games in both 1982-83 (17-1) and 2007-08 (17-3, includes one home win at the Qwest Center over Oregon).
• Improve the Huskers' record against ranked teams to 3-3 on the season, the first time Nebraska has knocked off at least three ranked teams in a season since 2007-08 and only the third time in the Big 12 era that Nebraska has defeated at least three ranked teams.
• Be the Huskers' sixth home win in Big 12 play, matching the program's most home conference wins in the Big 12 era (also 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99).
• Give Nebraska Coach Doc Sadler his 89th win at Nebraska, tying Barry Collier for fourth place on Nebraska's career wins list.

Huskers Enjoying Strong Season
Nebraska enters the final week of the regular season with an 18-10 record, already topping last season's victory total. Of the Huskers' 10 losses this season, five are teams currently in the top 30 in the NCAA's latest RPI rankings (2 vs. Kansas and K-State, 1 each vs. Vanderbilt, and Missouri).

• The record matches the Huskers' best 28-game record in the Big 12 era, as Nebraska was also 18-10 after 28 games in 1997-98.
• Nebraska has two wins over ranked teams, victories over No. 13 Texas A&M and No. 3 Texas, the first time Nebraska has defeated a top-three team since 1994.
• The Huskers swept the two Oklahoma schools for the first time since 2005-06 and only the second time in the Big 12 era.
• Nebraska's quick start was recognized on Jan. 10, when the Huskers received four points in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. It was the first time since Jan. 16, 2006, that Nebraska had received any points in the coaches poll. NU received votes in both the AP and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll on Jan. 30, the first time that has happened in Doc Sadler's five seasons.

Down to the Wire
One of the keys to Nebraska's success this season has been the ability to get into close contests. Nebraska has played 11 games decided by five points or less. That is a change from last year, where Nebraska played just 10 games decided by 10 points or less.

• Eight of the Huskers' 14 games in conference action have been decided by five points or less and NU is 3-5 in those games.
• Nebraska has been within five points with 2:30 left 12 times this season, including eight times in conference play. NU has a 5-7 mark in those games following Saturday's overtime loss at Iowa State.
• In seven of NU's 10 losses (Vanderbilt, Davidson, Kansas, Texas Tech and Baylor), Nebraska was within five points with 2:30 remaining. In addition, at Missouri, Nebraska used a late run and cut a nine-point deficit to four points with 31 seconds left.
• The 2010-11 season marks the first time in six years that Nebraska has been involved in multiple one-point games (63-62 win over Iowa State on Jan. 8; 72-71 loss at Texas Tech on Jan. 22; 59-58 win at Oklahoma on Feb. 16).