2008-2009 Husker Basketball Season Recap
March 26, 2009 by Bret Nellor, under News, Season Recap.
It’s been a little over a week since the Husker’s season ended with a loss to New Mexico in the first round of the NIT tournament. Now that I’ve had some time to sit back and reflect back on this season, I felt that a recap was in order.
Off-season struggles
The story of Nebraska’s 2008-2009 basketball season began well before any games were played. The offseason was not kind to the NU program as they learned in late May that prized recruit Roburt Sallie was denied entrance by the Big 12 Conference. Unfortunately the fact that Sallie was enrolled briefly back in 2006 led to him being denied entry by the Big 12. The loss of a key recruit was a major blow to the momentum that Sadler and the Huskers had picked up through the 2007-08 season.
NOTE: Sallie ended up playing for John Calipari and the Memphis Tigers. Sallie, who had a quiet season, suddenly became the darling of the Tigers as he led them to a first round NCAA tourney win by hitting 10 three pointers and scoring 35 points against Cal State Northridge. That kind of explosive scoring ability would have been quite helpful for NU this past year.
This lost recruit ended up summing up the tale of the off-season for Coach Sadler as Nebraska appeared to be cursed. The team was desparate to replace Sallie’s scholarship with another player to address their lack of size. They were unable to secure a big man until Brian Diaz comitted in August, little did they know at the time that he would not be admitted to Nebraska until January 2009 and after a few short weeks decided to redshirt. Shortly before the season began, 6-11 Christopher Niemann was ruled ineligible by the NCAA. Which then led us to 6-9 Alex Chapman, a redshirt sophomore who waited until a few weeks into the season to leave the team and decide to transfer. Needless to say the Huskers were left with what would be the shortest team in Division I basketball.
Despite the team’s “short”comings, NU pressed on. Coach Sadler knew this team would have a difficult time but if he could get them to give maximum effort and play tough defense they had a chance. Behind the example of 4 seniors Ade Dagunduro, Steve Harley, Paul Velander and Nick Krenk, that’s just what this team did.
Let’s get the season started
The Huskers started the season 6-0 which included a nice win over Creighton before enduring their first 2 losses to Arizona State and Oregon State. After a rebound win over IPFW, the Big Red had their first devastating home loss of the season to UMBC. This was the game that showed how thin the margin for error was for Nebraska. Without an inside presence or a true go-to scorer they would continue to have a tough time scoring points all season. These weaknesses combined with the loss to UMBC foreshadowed a return trip to the NIT.
Big 12 Conference
NU reached Big 12 play with a 10-3 record and came out of the gates with a surprising upset of the Missouri Tigers. This was followed up with a rough stretch that saw the team lose 4 of their next 5 games – a tough road loss to Iowa State, a 2 point overtime loss at home to Oklahoma State, and a close loss at home to Kansas. Although they sat at 2-5 in the conference at this point, Sadler’s team was encouraged by the fact that they had played Blake Griffin and a very good Oklahoma team close on the road and were so close against OSU and KU.
Nebraska then rattled off 2 straight road wins and an impressive upset of Texas to get back to .500 in the conference. As soon as hope had returned that the Huskers could somehow manage their way to an NCAA tournament bid, they dropped 4 of the next 5 games. The most damaging loss of that stretch came when Texas A&M won with a last second shot in Lincoln. NU finished strong winning 2 of their final 3 games to reach 8-8 in the conference for the first time since the 1998-99 season.
Post-season blues
The Big Red clung to a very slim chance that they could still get an at-large NCAA bid if they could get to the championship of the Big 12 tourney. But they faced a difficult challenge having to play Baylor in the first round after having beat them in Waco only 4 days earlier. Baylor, who had underachieved the entire Big 12 season finally started to play up to their potential and sent the Huskers home after a short stay in the tournament and sealing their NIT fate.
Second-straight NIT berth
Nebraska soon learned they would play on in the NIT, earning a #6 seed and traveled to #3 seed New Mexico for a first round game. Hopes were high that NU could string together a run and possibly reach the NIT final four in New York. It wasn’t meant to be however as the Lobos used their home court advantage to eliminate the Big Red from the tournament. The loss ended the Huskers season at 18-13 overall.
The big picture
Before the season started I predicted that Nebraska would finish at 19-9 and an NIT appearance. I also figured that Coach Sadler would get them to 20 wins for the second consecutive season with at least one post-season victory. I was a little off on that, but considering that the team reached .500 in the Big 12 for the first time this decade, I feel like that was a major step forward for the program. Especially when you consider the obstacles this team had to overcome to get there. One could argue that this may have been Doc Sadler’s most impressive coaching job.
It’s hard not to look back at the season and say what could have been had the ball bounced differently for the Huskers – turn the Oregon State, UMBC, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M games into wins and Nebraska could have held a 22-7 record going into the Big 12 tourney and quite possibly a lock for an at-large NCAA berth.
Of course, college basketball doesn’t live in the imaginary “what could have been” world, but I am hopeful that what this undersized team was able to accomplish has helped to set the foundation for the future. While the Nebraska basketball future may not be so bright that we need to wear shades just yet, I believe we’re taking the necessary steps to get there.
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Cold shooting dooms Huskers in loss to the Bears
March 11, 2009 by Bret Nellor, under Big 12 Tournament Game Recap, News.
Nebraska came to the Big 12 tournament but left their shooting touch in Lincoln and lost to Baylor 65-49. The Huskers shot a miserable 31.5% from the floor and 20.8% from behind the arc thanks to a 2-3 zone employed by the Bears. The poor shooting also contributed to Baylor dominating the glass 43-18. NU’s NCAA tourney hopes are over as their record falls to 18-12 overall.
Ade Dagunduro led the team with 21 points and 6 rebounds. Steve Harley added 10 points. Harley and Dagunduro combined to hit 54% of their shots and score 31 of the Big Red’s 49 points.
Turning point in the game:
- Nebraska was down by 3 at half, but Baylor came out and outscored NU 16-6 over the first 11 minutes of the second half. The Huskers’ inability to knock down shots against the BU zone allowed Baylor to cruise the rest of the way for the first round win.
Encouraging points:
- Fortunately for the Huskers, this is not the final game of the season. The Big Red figure to land a berth in the NIT and will know on Sunday who they’ll face.
- Ade Dagunduro had another good game and may be working his way into an opportunity to play professionally after the season is over.
This was obviously a tough matchup for Nebraska as they had just beaten Baylor 66-62 only 4 days ago. Kudos to BU coach Scott Drew who made the necessary adjustments from that game to guide his team to the win.
The loss puts the 20 win marker in jeopardy for Doc Sadler’s troops. He’ll need to rally the team and get them prepared to play in the NIT. One area he may want to focus on is repairing his players’ confidence in their shooting (especially Paul Velander). Another performance like today’s will lead to a season-ending loss in the NIT.
Up next: the Huskers will wait to hear the seeds for the NIT to see if they’ll be home or on the road.
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Big 12 Tournament Pre-game: Baylor vs. Nebraska
March 9, 2009 by Bret Nellor, under Big 12 Tournament Pre-game, News.
#9 Baylor Bears 17-13 (5-11) vs.
#8 Nebraska Cornhuskers 18-11 (8-8)
March 11 – 11:30 a.m. tipoff
TV: Big 12 Network
The Big 12 tournament kicks off with Baylor and Nebraska in the 8/9 game in Oklahoma City Wednesday. The game is the rematch of their game this past weekend in Waco which the Huskers won 66-62. Toney McCray and Ade Dagunduro led NU with 18 and 11 points respectively in the victory.
This game marks the 3rd time in the past 4 years that Nebraska will face the same team they played to end the regular season. The Huskers stand at 1-1 in those previous rematches. Doc Sadler holds a 1-2 record in the Big 12 tournament as the Husker head coach. He’ll be looking to improve on that record after leading the Big Red to their first .500 record in the Big 12 since NU last finished at 10-6 in the ‘98-’99 season under then head coach Danny Nee.
BU leading scorers
Curtis Jerrells 16.2 ppg
LaceDarius Dunn 15.1 ppg
Kevin Rogers 12.1 ppg
NU leading scorers
Ade Dagunduro 12.7 ppg
Steve Harley 10.1 ppg
Sek Henry 8.1 ppg
This game represents a tough draw for the Huskers. They did pick up the win last Saturday in Waco against the Bears, but that was a very close game that saw NU pull away thanks in large part to their good free throw shooting in the final minute. Besides that, anyone who has played organized basketball knows how difficulty it is to beat a twice in back to back matchups. Not only that, but head coach Scott Drew and his Baylor team certainly realizes that the Big 12 tournament is their last chance to continue their season and land a berth in a post-season tournament.
Nebraska appears to be a lock for an NIT berth. A win against Baylor could help cement a first-round NIT home game for NU. A win would also give them a shot at #1 seed Kansas. I think the Huskers would relish another chance to play Kansas on a nuetral court. But first things first.
Coach Sadler will need to have his squad put together another good defensive performance against Baylor and contain their guards. He’ll also need to manufacture some offense as it’s unlikely that Toney McCray will have another big scoring game. Someone will need to step up and hit some shots for the Huskers. Perhaps Paul Velander can break out of his shooting slump. I think Nebraska will be able to frustrate a Baylor team that already seems to have lost their spirit this season. If NU gets ahead early, there’s a chance that they could cruise to a first round win. However, if it’s another tight game or Baylor gets up early the Bears will start to believe. And that would be trouble for the Big Red.
My pick: Nebraska
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McCray earns Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors
March 9, 2009 by Bret Nellor, under News.
In the season’s final Big 12 weekly awards, Toney McCray was named the Rookie of the Week by conference media writers. McCray earned the honor after a strong performance against Baylor where he scored 18 points and grabbed 4 rebounds and helped lead the Huskers to a victory. Nebraska will certainly be looking for McCray to continue his good play in the upcoming Big 12 tournament.
This is the second time McCray has won the Rookie of the Week honor this season. Back in November, the redshirt freshman earned the award after a big game against San Jose St. in what was his first game as a Husker.
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Pre-game: Nebraska vs. Baylor
March 5, 2009 by Bret Nellor, under Husker Basketball Pre-game, News.
Nebraska Cornhuskers 17-11 (7-8) vs.
Baylor Bears 17-12 (5-10)
March 7 – 3 p.m. tipoff
TV: Big 12 Network
Nebraska travels to Baylor to close out the each team’s Big 12 conference regular season. The Huskers sit at 8th in the conference while Baylor stands at 9th. The Bears will be celebrating their Senior Day, which may be the last opportunity for the Waco fans to see their team on the home court.
Coach Scott Drew’s club has had a difficult time in conference play. In fact, Baylor is the most disappointing team in the league this season. Many had projected them to finish in the top 3 of the Big 12. The Bears enter this game looking to somehow scratch their way into an NIT bid. In order to do that, they’ll also need to win a few games in the Big 12 tournament next week.
NU leading scorers
Ade Dagunduro 12.8 ppg
Steve Harley 10.3 ppg
Sek Henry 8.1 ppg
BU leading scorers
Curtis Jerrells 16.3 ppg
LaceDarius Dunn 15.0 ppg
Kevin Rogers 12.1 ppg
The ugly story line for this game is the fact that both team’s conference tourney seeds are already locked up. NU at the 8th seed and BU at the 9th seed, means that despite the outcome of this game these teams will head to Oklahoma City to face each other again. It’s a bad draw for either team because it’s tough to beat a team twice over a period of 5 days. Ironically, for Nebraska this will be the 3rd time in the past 4 seasons that this same scenario has played out.
The Huskers do have something to play for this Saturday however besides strengthening their NIT bid. With a win, NU can reach 8-8 in the Big 12. This would be the first time since the 98-99 team to finish at .500 or above in the Big 12. That could be a huge step forward for Doc Sadler’s program.
Unfortunately, I think Baylor will be too much for the Big Red. Their talented set of guards will handle Nebraska’s defensive pressure while at the same time disrupting the Husker offense. Those things combined with the emotion of the final game for Baylor’s seniors will lead to victory for the Bears.
My pick: Baylor
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Nebraska beats Iowa State on Senior Night
March 4, 2009 by Bret Nellor, under Husker Basketball Game Recaps, News.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers used a second half surge to push past the Iowa State Cyclones 77-61. The Huskers improve to 17-11 on the season and 7-8 in the Big 12 conference with one regular season game left. The Big Red’s 77 points was their highest point total since dropping 82 against Texas Tech 8 games ago.
Ade Dagunduro led the way for NU on Senior Night scoring 24 points, which matched his career high. Three other Huskers joined Dagunduro in double figures – Cookie Miller with 14 points, Ryan Anderson with 11 points, and fellow senior Steve Harley finished with 10 points.
Iowa State’s Craig Brackins continued his All-Conference caliber play scoring 25 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. He and Lucca Steiger accounted for 42 of ISU’s 61 total points.
Turning point in the game:
- Nebraska took control of a close game just a few minutes in to the second half. Coach Sadler dialed up full-court defensive pressure that forced several Cyclone turnovers which allowed the Huskers to pull away. During a 10 minute stretch NU outscored ISU 23-6 to push their lead to 19 points.
Encouraging points:
- The Huskers have now scored over 70 points in 2 consecutive games and may be picking up some offensive momentum heading into the Big 12 tournament.
- Nebraska’s bench poured in 27 points to help make sure the seniors went out with a win in the Devaney Center. The bench can be an important piece of the puzzle for NU if they are to make a run late in the season.
- The Big Red is still in position to reach .500 in the conference. It won’t be easy, but it would be the first time Nebraska finished at .500 or better in the Big 12 in a decade.
- One more win should lock down an NIT bid for Nebraska, while 2 more wins may give the Huskers a home game in the NIT.
It was good to see the Huskers finish out their home schedule with a win. Especially in a season where some home losses really have defined the course of the season for this team. And of course, I must mention the respect I have for this group of seniors. They led this team that was undersized and not expected to do much this year to play with so much passion that I really enjoyed watching them compete. This group of 2 juco transfers and 2 walk-ons have now helped set the standard for how basketball is played at Nebraska. That’s a legacy to be proud of.
Thank you to Ade Dagunduro, Steve Harley, Paul Velander and Nick Krenk.
Up next: The Huskers head to Waco, TX to face the Baylor Bears on Saturday at 3 p.m for the final game of the regular season.
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Pre-game: Nebraska vs. Kansas State
February 27, 2009 by Bret Nellor, under Husker Basketball Pre-game, News.
Nebraska Cornhuskers 16-10 (6-7) vs.
Kansas State Wildcats 19-9 (7-6)
Feb. 28 – 7 p.m. tipoff
TV: Big 12 Network
Doc Sadler’s Nebraska basketball team travels to Manhattan, KS for an evening game in Bramlage Coliseum against the Kansas State Wildcats. The Big Red won the first matchup between these Big 12 North Division teams 73-51 back in January. Since that game NU has gone 4-6, tied for 7th in the conference and KSU has gone 8-3 tied for 5th in the league. Both teams are jockeying for post-season attention, but with very little separating the middle of the pack Big 12 teams each win is crucial down the stretch.
Coming in to this game, the Huskers will look to bounce back from a tough loss to Texas A&M last Tuesday while the Wildcats will also try to rebound from their 74-94 loss to Missouri. KSU’s coach Frank Martin has done a very good job with his team guiding them into contention for an NCAA tourney bid after losing 2 starters to the NBA draft last season (Michael Beasley and Bill Walker). This game with the Huskers could shape up to be an elimination game for the Wildcats and their NCAA hopes. Win and it strengthens their position; lose and it could be devastating.
NU leading scorers
Ade Dagunduro 12.2 ppg
Steve Harley 10.5 ppg
Sek Henry 8.3 ppg
KSU leading scorers
Denis Clemente 15.3 ppg
Jacob Pullen 13.4 ppg
Darren Kent 8.9 ppg
Nebraska figures to be playing for little more than a top seed in the NIT tournament. Their hopes for an NCAA at-large bid seemingly evaporated after the loss to the Aggies this week, unless they can somehow win the Big 12 tournament. Of course, there are a few other things that the Huskers can still play for – a .500 or better record in the Big 12, a finish in the upper half of the conference, and a good seed in the Big 12 tournament to position themselves for a tourney run.
None of these things will be easy to come by against Kansas State. The Huskers have traditionally struggled in Bramlage Coliseum holding a 2-10 record there against the Wildcats during the Big 12 era. NU’s last win in Manhattan came in 2006. It will be a tough atmosphere as KSU is expecting a sell-out crowd to cheer them on. Nebraska will certainly bring their tough defense, but which offensive team will show up? The team that scored 37 first half points the other night against Texas A&M or the team that scored 7 points over the last 14 minutes against A&M? For a team that has struggled so much on offense over the last 6 games it’s hard to see them having a lot of success on the road.
My pick: Kansas State
