Husker Game day
Nebraska Game Notes: Click Here
Game Date: Nov. 22, 2008
Game Time: 1:05 p.m.
Venue: Bob Devaney Sports Center (13,595)
Radio: Husker Sports Radio Network stations. Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka. Color: Andy Markowski.
TV: None
Internet Radio: Free on Huskers.com
Live Stats: Free on Huskers.com
Satellite Radio: None
Parking at the Devaney Center: Map (PDF)
Getting Around: Devaney Center Fan Guide (PDF)
Weather around Lincoln: Lincoln Weather
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Following a strong defensive showing in its first road game of the season, the Nebraska basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the Bob Devaney Sports Center when it takes on Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday, Nov. 22.
The Huskers and Golden Lions will tip off at 1:05 p.m. All of Nebraska’s games can be heard on the IMG Husker Sports Radio Network, consisting of 31 stations around the state, and for free around the world on the Internet at Huskers.com, the official Web site of Nebraska Athletics. Veteran play-by-play man Kent Pavelka will call the action and will be joined on the broadcast this weekend by former Husker Andy Markowski.
Fans coming to the Devaney Center Saturday will be able to see two Husker teams in action, as the NU women’s basketball team also plays at home at 5 p.m. against Southern Utah. All fans holding men’s basketball tickets will be admitted to the Husker women’s game with the Thunderbirds for free.
Both Husker basketball programs will do their part to bring some extra cheer to Lincoln-area families by participating in the Toys for Tots program. Husker fans attending Saturday’s games at the Devaney Center are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy or a cash donation to be collected near the entrances of the Devaney Center by the Marines. The Marines will also be collecting toys at Nebraska’s regular-season finale football game with Colorado at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 28.
NU enters the weekend matchup looking to move to 3-0 to open the season for the third straight year under Coach Doc Sadler, who is gunning for his 40th victory at Nebraska. The Huskers have previously opened a season with at least three straight wins just six times in the Big 12 era.
The Huskers come into the contest brimming with confidence, especially on the defensive end. Nebraska has allowed just 46 and 50 points, respectively, in its first two games in the regular season.
The 96 combined points allowed in the first two games of the season are the fewest given up by the Huskers since allowing just 87 points (44 and 43 points) over the first two games of the 1958-59 season. Last year, the Huskers allowed only 97 points (52 and 45) in the first two contests.
NU has allowed opponents to hit just 32.2 percent from the floor over two games. The Huskers’ 3-point defense has been especially solid, holding teams to 6-of-35 shooting for a paltry 17.1 percent beyond the arc.
Scouting The Golden Lions
The Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions enter this weekend’s matchup in the middle of a difficult season-opening road stretch. The Golden Lions open the season with 11 straight games away from home, including seven games against teams from BCS conferences.
UAPB will play four Big 12 Conference teams in the opening stretch. The Golden Lions have already fallen at Colorado, 76-56, and dropped a contest at Texas A&M, 76-47. UAPB will also play at Missouri on Dec. 2.
Through three games, Arkansas-Pine Bluff is allowing 78.0 points per game, giving up a season high 82 points on Thursday at Creighton. The Bluejays hit 46.3 percent from the floor and connected on 27-of-34 from the free throw line in the easy victory. UAPB knocked down just 32.0 percent of its field-goal attempts, including only 1-of-8 from
3-point range, but did hold a 40-30 advantage on the glass over CU.
Neither team took particularly good care of the ball as UAPB committed 30 turnovers with four assists while CU had 18 turnovers and 12 assists. The Bluejays converted their 18 steals into 31 points off turnovers.
On the season, UAPB has hit 35.4 percent (56-of-158) from the field and just 8-of-35 (22.9 percent) from beyond the arc.
Tavaris Washington entered Thursday’s game averaging 14.5 points per game but posted just four shots, hitting two for four points. Terrance Calvin led the way against Creighton, hitting 5-of-11 attempts from the floor for 15 points, and now ranks second on the team with 10.3 points per game this season, trailing only Washington’s 11.0 points per contest.
The Golden Lions are guided by first-year mentor George Ivory (Mississippi Valley State, 1988), who now owns an 0-3 career record.
Possible UAPB Starting Lineup
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Pt. Rb.
Labaron Weathers F 6-8 245 8.3 8.3
Terrance Calvin G 6-2 170 10.3 4.3
Tavaris Washington G 6-5 215 11.0 5.0
Savalance Townsend G 6-1 160 2.0 2.0
Gavin Montgomery G 6-6 200 2.3 1.8
The Series
The Huskers and Golden Lions will be meeting for the third time in series history this weekend. Nebraska owns a 2-0 record over UAPB, having defeated the Golden Lions by a 97-40 margin in 2004 and 71-42 in 2006. Including this weekend’s contest, all three of the matchups in the series will have been played in the month of November.
Nebraska owns an 11-1 all-time record against Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opponents.
Getting Defensive
Nebraska coach Doc Sadler has never had a problem getting his teams ready to play defense and the 2008-09 version of the Huskers seems to be no different.
Through two games, Nebraska is allowing just 48.0 points per contest. Opponents have hit 32.2 percent (27-of-87) from the field, including 17.1 percent (6-of-35) from 3-point range. Nebraska has also forced 39 turnovers and collected 25 steals through two games.
Nebraska held TCU to just 10 field goals on Wednesday in its first road game of the season. The 10 field goals allowed were the second-lowest by a Husker squad under Sadler, trailing only the nine baskets allowed at home by North Carolina Central last season.
The 10 field goals by the Horned Frogs were the fewest by an opponent away from the Devaney Center since Centenary had 10 baskets to open the 2002-03 season against the Huskers at the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The 50 points scored by TCU marked the fewest Nebraska has allowed on the road since NU held Kansas State to 42 points in the first league road game of the 2005-06 campaign. In non-conference play, it was the fewest points a Husker squad has given up away from the Devaney Center since holding Centenary to 45 points in the first game of the year in the 2002-03 season.
TCU's 50 points were also the fewest Nebraska has allowed in a true road opener since giving up just 49 points at Minnesota in the 1977-78 season.
The Huskers have allowed 96 points in the first two games of the year, the lowest total given up by a Husker defense since the start of the 1958-59 season. Since the formation of the Big Seven in 1947-48, Nebraska has allowed fewer points only three times.
Fewest Points Allowed First Two Games of Year
(Since 1947-48)
1. 1949-50.................................................. 71
2. 1958-59.................................................. 87
3. 1950-51.................................................. 94
4. 2008-09..................................................... 96
5. 2007-08.................................................. 97
6. 2004-05.................................................. 98
7. 1948-49................................................ 100
8. 1985-86................................................ 103
9. 1997-98................................................ 108
10. 2002-03................................................ 109
Energy Guys
Following the season-opening contest against San Jose State, Coach Doc Sadler praised several players for their energy and hustle, especially the ones off the bench.
Leading the way was redshirt freshman Brandon Richardson, who posted six points, three rebounds, an assist and four steals in 16 minutes. Richardson’s numbers did not tell the whole story as he made several dives to the floor and other hustle plays to ignite NU in the second half after SJSU cut the lead from 18 points to five. His steal off an inbounds and three-point play turned the game around, helping NU score 10 points in less than a minute to pull away for good.
Senior Paul Velander also came off the bench to push the Huskers. He finished 3-of-6 from 3-point range for nine points with an assist and a steal in 20 minutes. A scrappy, hard-nosed player, Velander collected three charges against the Spartans in the second half, helping stem the SJSU offensive surge.
Velander took another charge at TCU to help turn away a Horned Frog charge in the second half. Velander leads the team with four charges, and in fact is the only Husker to take on this season.
McCray Making Name For himself
Redshirt freshman Toney McCray has already started to make a name for himself among Husker fans. The lanky 6-6, 205-pound guard leads the team in scoring and rebounding through two games, posting 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He scored game highs with 17 points and nine rebounds against San Jose State in his career debut and followed up with nine points and five rebounds in his first road contest in a victory over TCU.
McCray hit 6-of-15 shots from the floor against the Spartans while only one other Husker had at least eight shot attempts (Steve Harley, 2-of-9). McCray just missed becoming the first Husker freshman to record a double-double in his first career game since Aleks Maric accomplished the feat in 2004-05.
McCray came back with nine points in the first road game of his career at TCU. Paul Velander led the team with 11 points, joining McCray as the only players to reach double figures this year. NU has had just one player reach double digits in each of its first two games, but five players have reached at least six points in each contest.
Turning it over
Nebraska will try to turn up the defensive pressure at times this season, especially while playing with a heavily guard-oriented lineup, including at times five guards on the floor at once.
That strong defensive push was evident in the Huskers’ opener as they forced 25 San Jose State turnovers. Spartans’ point guard Justin Graham was frustrated into 10 turnovers while going 0-of-5 from the floor in 33 minutes of action.
The 25 turnovers Nebraska forced in the season opener against San Jose State were the second-highest total under Coach Doc Sadler. The most turnovers a Husker squad has forced in Sadler’s’ tenure is 26 last season against North Carolina Central.
NU has now forced 39 turnovers through two games, while allowing teams to record just 14 assists on 28 baskets.
Nebraska posted 16 steals in the defensive effort against San Jose State, the most by the Huskers under Sadler. The previous best under Sadler was 15 steals against North Texas in 2006.
Eight Huskers have recorded a steal this year, including four with at least four steals through two games. Junior guard Sek Henry and redshirt freshman Brandon Richardson each had four steals apiece against San Jose State in the opener.
The defensive pressure has helped Nebraska to a 41-22 advantage in points off turnovers this season.
New Lines Drawn
Entering the 2008-09 season, teams around the country are adjusting to one new rule that could have a significant impact on the outcome of games. That is especially true for teams like Nebraska that will be playing without the benefit of a deep front court, making rebounding – especially defensive rebounding – more important that ever.
With the 3-point line moving back one foot – from 19-9 to 20-9 – for the first time in men’s college basketball this season, the Huskers’ smaller lineup could benefit from the floor opening up from longer carooms after missed 3-pointers. In the season opener against San Jose State, the teams hit 11-of-37 from beyond the arc, leaving many opportunities for long rebounds. NU took advantage as it held a 42-38 rebounding lead. Five Huskers collected at least four rebounds with 6-6 guard Toney McCray leading the way with nine.
McCray leads the team through two games with 7.0 rebounds per contest while junior Ryan Anderson, who despite standing just 6-4 has played the 4 spot for the Huskers the past two seasons, ranks second on the team with 6.5 boards per game. Anderson is one of the Big 12’s top returning rebounders from last season as the Seattle, Wash., native ranked 18th in the league in rebounding last season with 5.6 boards per game.
Anderson had a game-high eight rebounds on the road against TCU.
Harley, Dagunduro Set To lead
Guards Ade Dagunduro and Steve Harley look to lead NU to its second consecutive postseason appearance in their senior seasons.
The pair came from the junior college ranks, and while it took some time to adjust to the Division I level of play, each finished the 2007-08 campaign on a high note, setting the tone for this season. Both Dagunduro and Harley were named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team by the league's sportswriters for their play at the end of last year.
Dagunduro struggled in the early part of league play in 2008 but stepped up down the stretch, helping Nebraska to a 7-5 record in the final 12 Big 12 contests. During that period when the Huskers had the third-best record in the league, Dagunduro averaged 6.6 points per game while hitting 47.0 percent from the field. His offensive output was improved but still modest, yet his defensive intensity was turned up several notches as he was one of the Huskers' best man-to-man defenders. He helped Nebraska lead the league in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense.
Over the final 12 league games and the postseason, Harley assumed a lead role in the Husker offense, ranking second on the team with 11.0 points per game as he hit 45 percent from the floor including nearly 43 percent from 3-point range. He shot better than 78 percent from the charity stripe in that stretch.
Anderson Nearing Record Book
At 6-4, guard Ryan Anderson may be a little undersized to play in the front court, but he is one of the biggest players on the court when he steps outside the 3-point line.
Anderson has made a living with the long ball in Lincoln, hitting 100 treys in his career. He ranked second on the NU freshman list with 48 3-pointers in 2006-07 and last year posted 50 treys to rank third on the Huskers' sophomore chart. Only Nebraska's all-time
3-point leader, Cary Cochran, has made more shots from outside the arc by the end of his sophomore season, as Cochran had 101 through two years. Anderson became the only Husker ever to post at least 48 treys in each of his first two years at NU.
Anderson needs just three 3-pointers to tie Chris Cresswell for 10th on the NU career list. By hitting his average of 49 3-pointers this year, Anderson would move into sixth place on the chart and put himself in position to become just the third Husker in history with at least 200 3-pointers, joining Cochran (268) and Eric Piatkowski (202).
Nebraska Career 3-Point Field Goals Made
1. Cary Cochran (1999-2002)....................... 268
2. Eric Piatkowski (1991-94)........................ 202
3. Jaron Boone (1993-96)............................ 181
4. Erick Strickland (1993-96)........................ 179
5. Brian Conklin (2001-04) .......................... 176
6. Cookie Belcher (1997-2001)..................... 146
7. Tyronn Lue (1996-98).............................. 145
8. Joe McCray (2005-06)............................ 117
9. Ray Richardson (1989-90)....................... 105
10. Chris Cresswell (1990-92)....................... 103
-- Ryan Anderson (2007-present)....................... 100
Anderson, Velander AMong Huskers’ most Accurate Duos
Ryan Anderson is not the only 3-point ace for the Huskers as senior guard Paul Velander has also proven to be one of the most accurate long-range shooters in Nebraska history.
The only fifth-year player for the Huskers this season, Velander enters his final year ranked ninth in NU history for 3-point field-goal percentage at 38.5 percent (74-of-192), while coming off the bench in 61-of-62 contests. With another year similar to the last two (36 and 32 3-pointers, respectively), Velander will also have a shot to reach the Nebraska career top 10 in made
3-pointers. He leads the team with six 3-pointers this season, including three in each game played.
3-Point FG Pct. (min. 90 att.)
3FG 3PA Pct.
1. Brian Conklin (2001-04) 176 407 .432
2. Cary Cochran (1999-2002) 268 630 .425
3. Jay-R Strowbridge (2007-08) 50 122 .410
4. Clifford Scales (1988-91) 45 110 .409
5. Henry T. Buchanan (1987-88) 67 165 .406
6. Ryan Anderson (2007-pres.) 100 251 .398
7. Chris Cresswell (1990-92) 103 261 .395
8. Marcus Perry (2006-07) 98 249 .394
9. Paul Velander (2006-pres.) 74 192 .385
10. Ray Richardson (1989-90) 105 278 .378
Miller ready to roll
Cookie Miller was the only true freshman to play for the Huskers last year when he posted near-record numbers for assists (109) and steals (58). This year, he will try to take it a step higher as he is one of the top returning point guards in the Big 12 Conference.
Miller ranked sixth in the league for assists per game (3.6) last year and was the only freshman to rank in the top 10 for assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7). He was fourth in the Big 12 for steals per game (1.93), and owned the top spot with 2.0 steals per game in Big 12-only contests.
This season, Miller has come off the bench in each of the first two games and leads NU with eight assists and five steals while committing just four turnovers. He’s also producing 6.0 points per game, one of seven players averaging at least 6.0 points per contest.
Former Husker great Cookie Belcher owns the Nebraska freshman record for steals with 87 and holds the NU and Big 12 Conference record with 253 steals in his career. Miller will try to join Belcher and Erick Strickland as the only Huskers with at least 100 steals at the end of their sophomore seasons. Belcher had 162 in his first two years while Strickland had 107.
Nebraska Career Steals (since 1978)
1. Cookie Belcher (1997-2001)..................... 353
2. Erick Strickland (1993-96)........................ 257
3. Venson Hamilton (1996-99)...................... 186
4. Clifford Scales (1988-91)......................... 177
5. Brian Carr (1984-87)............................... 159
6. Tyronn Lue (1996-98).............................. 154
7. Larry Florence (1997-2000)...................... 137
8. Jaron Boone (1993-96)............................ 131
9. Eric Johnson (1988-89)........................... 128
Jack Moore (1979-82)............................. 128
-- Ryan Anderson (2007-pres.)........................... 76
-- Cookie Miller (2008-pres.)............................... 63
-- Sek Henry (2007-pres.).................................. 56
Adding Talent
Coach Doc Sadler said from early on in his tenure that he would continue to add talented and athletic players to the roster, and his first two scholarship classes have done just that. Nebraska signed eight players for 2007-08 and added two more for this season.
Among the eight newcomers last year, four redshirted, including Alex Chapman, Alonzo Edwards, Toney McCray and Brandon Richardson. Of the four who did not redshirt, three – Steve Harley, Ade Dagunduro and Cookie Miller – played significant roles as they combined to make 76 starts last year. Harley (9.1 ppg, 20 starts) and Dagunduro (8.9 ppg, 32 starts) ranked second and third on the team in scoring, while Miller led the squad in assists (109, 3.6 apg) and steals (58, 1.9 spg).
This year's newcomers include freshmen Eshaunte Jones and Christopher Niemann. Jones is athletic and possesses a tremendous basketball IQ, but due to a foot injury, he could opt to redshirt. Niemann will not play in 2008-09 as he must sit out under an NCAA ruling.
Jones, a native of Fort Wayne, Ind., played last season at Hargrave Military Academy where he averaged 15 points over the first 12 games before a season-ending injury. He was a first-team all-state player as a senior in Indiana.
Niemann came to Nebraska from Germany and will be the fourth foreign-born player to compete at NU under Sadler. According to Sadler, Niemann is expected to provide an offensive force in the paint in future seasons.
Huskers Sign Four for 2009-10
Third-year coach Doc Sadler announced Friday, Nov. 14, that a strong lineup of four talented athletes, including three standing 6-8 or taller, have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Nebraska basketball squad for the 2009-10 season. Among the signees are: 6-10, 220-pound center Vander Joaquim from Luanda, Angola; 6-8, 210-pound forward Christian Standhardinger from Munich, Germany; 6-9, 220-pound forward Brandon Ubel from Overland Park, Kan.; and 6-2, 175-pound point/shooting guard Rayes Gallegos from Jordan, Utah.
“I’m excited about this class and what they can bring to Nebraska,” Sadler said. “When we go on the road, something we look for in addition to talent is character, and that has been a continued priority this year. I feel good about the way they will represent Nebraska. On the court, I feel they will help us continue to improve and compete for a Big 12 championship.”
Joaquim averaged 21.1 points and 16.8 rebounds per contest last year with 89 blocks. He was ranked the No. 12 high school center in the country by Scout.com (71st nationally overall) and No. 15 center by Rivals.com (115th nationally overall). Joaquim was tabbed the
No. 2 power forward on the West Coast by Scout.com before moving to West Virginia to attend Mountain State Academy in 2008-09.
Standhardinger was named the MVP of the NBBL in 2008 and in the final of the 2008 U19 German Championship, he scored 37 points and posted 12 rebounds. He also earned top scorer honors at the Europe’s Best Junior Tournament in 2007 and was the MVP of the German Top 4 in 2007. Standhardinger also was a member of the German Junior National Team in 2007 and 2008. This season, Standhardinger has averaged 19.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.1 assists per game for his club team.
Ubel is a skilled forward with a nice touch from outside who also possesses the ability to score off a number of post moves and mid-range jumpers. Last year as a junior, he helped Blue Valley West to the state tournament and his team won the Class 6A state title during his sophomore season. During the summer AAU circuit, Ubel averaged close to 20 points and eight rebounds per game for the Wedman Pumas. He owns a 4.1 grade-point average in high school and his sister, Kayla Ubel, is a sophomore on the NU track team.
Gallegos came on during the summer AAU circuit when he averaged about 25 points per game. Gallegos was rated the No. 53 shooting guard in the country by Scouts.com and was tabbed the No. 7 shooting guard on the West Coast. Gallegos was the team’s third-leading scorer at 10.5 points per game as a junior, helping the team to the state tournament.
Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations
