Game 5 vs. Minnesota. Release date: Dec. 7, 2004

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1 Nebraska Sports Information 116 S. Stadium Lincoln, NE Office phone: (402) Fax: (402) Basketball SID: Jerry Trickie Cell phone: (402) Nebraska Ready for Matchup with Golden Gophers Playing for the second time in three days, the Nebraska men's basketball team hits the Devaney Center court Wednesday, Dec. 8, against Minnesota in a nationally televised contest. The Huskers and Golden Gophers will tip off at 8 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN2 with Dave Barnett calling the action and Tim McCormick handling play-by-play. All Nebraska games can also be heard on the Pinnacle Sports Network and Huskers.com with Randy Lee (play-by-play) and Matt Davison (color) providing the commentary. Nebraska enters the contest looking to continue its strong defensive play from Monday when it shut down Morgan State. The Huskers held MSU to just 12 points in the second period, tying the lowest scoring mark under Coach Collier at Nebraska (also against Bethune- Cookman last season), while limiting the Bears to just 34 points. No MSU player reached double figures. It was the third time in the past two seasons NU held an opponent to less than 40 points. It marked the third-lowest opponent point total since 1947, trailing the 26 points allowed last season against Bethune- Cookman and the 32 points NU gave up against South Dakota in The Huskers will try to use that defensive pressure to stop the Golden Gophers, who come into the game with a 3-3 record while averaging 72.3 points per game. NU hopes to take advantage of UM mistakes like it did Monday when it used 10-1 and 13-2 runs in the first and second periods, respectively, to put away the Bears. Nebraska's freshmen have carried the load recently, but the Husker senior class has past exprience on its side. Nebraska's seniors own a 2-1 record vs. Minnesota and are looking to pick up NU's first three-game winning streak over the Golden Gophers since 1934 to Meeting the Minnesota Golden Gophers Minnesota enters Wednesday's matchup with a 3-3 record, including a 1-2 mark away from home. After opening the season with a home win over Lipscomb, the Golden Gophers beat Furman in the first round of the Great Alaska Shootout before falling to nationally ranked Alabama and Oklahoma. UM then dropped a one-point decision at home to Florida State before Team Comparison UM (3-3) NU (3-1) 72.3 Points per game Scoring margin Field goal percentage pt. field goal percentage pt. field goal made per game Free throw percentage Rebounds per game Rebound margin Assists per game Turnovers per game Steals per game Blocks per game 4.3 Possible Lineups Nebraska Yr. Ht. Wt. Pts. Reb. G Marcus Neal Jr. Sr G Jason Dourisseau Jr G Jake Muhleisen Sr * G Joe McCray Fr C Aleks Maric Fr Minnesota Yr. Ht. Wt. Pts. Reb. G Aaron Robinson Sr G Vincent Grier Jr G Brent Lawson Sr C Spencer Tollackson Fr F J'son Stamper Jr *assists rebounding with a win over Holy Cross last Saturday. Junior guard Vincent Grier led the Gophers with 19 points in 40 minutes against the Crusaders. Grier leads Minnesota with 19.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He has hit 55.6 percent (40-of-72) from the floor while averaging 37.0 minutes per contest. Along with Grier, freshman Dan Coleman is the Gophers' only other double-figure scorer with 11.5 points per game off the bench. The Gophers are hitting 48.6 percent from the floor this season while allowing opponents to hit 45.7 percent, including 45.0 percent from threepoint range. UM holds a slim rebounding advantage through six games. The Golden Gophers are coached by Dan Monson (Idaho, 1983), who is in his sixth year guiding the program. Monson has a career record as a head coach, including an mark at Minnesota. 1 Game 5 vs. Minnesota Release date: Dec. 7, 2004 The Matchup Who: Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-3) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) When: Wednesday, Dec. 8, 8:01 p.m. (CST) Where: Devaney Center (13,595) Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network Randy Lee, play-by-play Matt Davison, color TV: ESPN2 Dave Barnett, play-by-play Tim McCormick, color Internet: Huskers.com (live radio, stats) Series: UM leads Coaches: NU Barry Collier ( ) UM Dan Monson (134-95) Nebraska Schedule Date Opponent Time/Result Nov. 8 Monterrey Tech (exh.) W, Nov. 13 Nebraska-Kearney (exh.) W, Nov. 23 Arkansas-Pine Bluff W, Nov. 27 Texas Southern W, Dec. 2 at UAB (ESPN2) L, Dec. 6 Morgan State W, Dec. 8 Minnesota (ESPN2) 8 p.m. Dec. 11 Creighton (FSNMW) 1:05 p.m. Dec. 18 North Carolina A&T 7:05 p.m. Dec. 21 at Marquette (FSNMW) 8 p.m. Dec. 30 at Tennessee (FSNMW) 6 p.m. Jan. 2 Montana State (FSNMW) 1:05 p.m. Jan. 8 Kansas State 7:05 p.m. Jan. 12 at Colorado (FSNMW) 8 p.m. Jan. 15 Texas (ERT) 12:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at Kansas (FSNMW) 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at Missouri (ERT) 12:30 p.m. Jan. 26 Texas A&M (FSNMW) 7:05 p.m. Jan. 29 at Texas Tech (ERT) 12:30 p.m. Feb. 1 Utah Valley State 7:05 p.m. Feb. 5 Kansas (ESPN) 11 a.m. Feb. 8 Iowa State (FSNMW) 7:05 p.m. Feb. 12 at Baylor (FSNMW) 7 p.m. Feb. 16 at Oklahoma 7 p.m. Feb. 19 Missouri 8:05 p.m. Feb. 22 Oklahoma State 7:05 p.m. Feb. 27 at Iowa State (ERT) 1 p.m. March 2 Colorado (FSNMW) 7:05 p.m. March 5 at Kansas State (ERT) 12:30 p.m. March Big 12 Tournament (ERT) TBA All times are Central and subject to change. ERT -- ESPN Regional Television, FSNMW -- FSN Midwest For tickets, contact the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at 800-8BIGRED or check on-line at Huskers.com

2 *Times are subject to change. Contact NU Basketball SID Jerry Trickie at for specific practice details. Tuesday Dec. 7 Wednesday Dec. 8 Thursday Dec. 9 Friday Dec. 10 Saturday Dec. 11 Sunday Dec. 12 Monday Dec. 13 Practice 2:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Devaney Center* Game vs. Minnesota 8 p.m. Devaney Center ESPN2 Practice 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Devaney Center* Practice 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Devaney Center* Game vs. Creighton 1:05 p.m. Devaney Center FSNMW Off Practice 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Devaney Center* Head Coach Barry Collier Coach Barry Collier is in his fifth season in charge of the Husker basketball program and his 16th season as a head basketball coach. In , the Huskers are looking to continue the momentum built within the program last year, when Collier led Nebraska to its first postseason berth in five seasons. NU took advantage of the bid, as it went 2-1 in the National Invitation Tournament. The success in came through hard work, as the Huskers ranked among the top teams in the nation in team defense and three-point fieldgoal percentage. NU led the league in three-point percentage and set a school record by hitting 38.9 percent as a team. The NIT appearance last year marked Coach Collier's seventh postseason bid in 15 years as a head coach. He has taken his team to the NCAA Tournament three times and to the NIT on four occasions. Collier was named the 25th head coach in Nebraska history on April 5, During his first three years, he helped the Huskers set team records for three-pointers made, three-point field-goal percentage defense and fewest single-game turnovers, among others. Collier came to Nebraska after spending 11 years as head coach at Butler. The Bulldogs had a record during his tenure. Collier coached his alma mater to five 20-win seasons and the Bulldogs reached the NCAA Tournament in 1997, 1998 and Butler also reached the National Invitation Tournament three times under Collier and won two MCC regular-season titles under Collier (1997 and 2000). Collier Year-by-Year At Butler Season Overall MCC Postseason NIT NIT NCAA NCAA NIT NCAA Overall At Nebraska Season Overall B12 Postseason NIT Overall Totals NCAA, 4 NIT The Series History Wednesday's contest marks the 10th straight season the Huskers and Golden Gophers have met and the 63rd time in the series. Minnesota owns a commanding series advantage, although the Huskers have held even in recent play by winning five of the past 10 matchups, including each of the past two seasons. Nebraska has won the past two meetings with UM in the Devaney Center, including an rout over the No. 20 Golden Gophers in It was NU's largest win in the series. John Turek and Jake Muhleisen played a key role in the contest, as Turek set a career high with five blocked shots and Muhleisen added a career-best 10 assists. Muhleisen's total marked the first double-figure assist mark for the Huskers since 1999 when Cookie Belcher had 10 against Pittsburgh. Nebraska also received an outstanding performance from Andrew Drevo in the upset of the Gophers, as he poured in 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting and added 14 rebounds. Nate Johnson hit 5-of-10 from the floor for 14 points in the win as NU's only other double-figure scorer. Both Drevo and Johnson are now playing professionally overseas. Last year, the Huskers took a road victory against the Gophers. It was just the sixth time in the series with Minnesota that NU won away from home. Johnson had 25 points in the contest and Brian Conklin added 17, with both coming off the bench. Turek added eight points, six rebounds and three blocks despite facing foul trouble and seeing just 14 minutes of action. The win snapped NU's 11-game road losing streak and was the Huskers' largest victory margin on the road since Nebraska owns a all-time record against the Big Ten Conference. Toys for Tots Collection At Wednesday s game against Minnesota (8 p.m. tip off), the U.S. Marines will be collecting unwrapped presents to give to needy children in the area as part of the Toys for Tots campaign. Toys will be collected at the door. Nebraska's Last Time Out Lincoln -- After struggling on offense most of the first half, Nebraska picked up its third win of the season by using a better defensive intensity in the second frame while running to a victory over Morgan State Monday in front of 5,888 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Huskers (3-1) held MSU without a field goal for the first 9:27 of the second period until the Bears Christopher Grant hit a jumper in the lane. By that point, it was too late. Morgan State (2-5), which hit just two of its first 16 shots after halftime, trailed by 21, 48-27, after the basket and never got below 20 the rest of the way. The Bears finished the game hitting 24.0 percent (12-of-50) from the floor, and just 15.0 percent (3-of-20) from three-point range. MSU recorded only three baskets in the second frame (3-of-23, 13.0 percent), and the 12 points in the second period tied for the fewest allowed under Coach Barry Collier at Nebraska. We hoped to improve tonight by playing with a higher level of intensity and by playing smarter, Collier said. I think, by and large, we did those two things. We re not perfect, but we re getting better. Nebraska broke open the game early in the second period. After a pair of Marcus Neal Jr. baskets gave NU a quick 12-point lead, Joe McCray scored eight points in a 2:07 span to move NU ahead by 19. McCray finished with 12 points to pace the Huskers, and has scored double figures in each of his four collegiate games, including leading NU in scoring three times. McCray s outburst helped the Huskers to a 13-1 run, which came on the heels of a 10-2 surge at the end of the first half. At one point, Nebraska hit seven straight shots in the 23-3 spurt. McCray s baskets, along with free throws by Aleks Maric and a tip-in by Jason Dourisseau gave the Huskers a lead with 13:39 left in the game before Grant s basket ended the MSU dry spell. The Huskers got off to sluggish start, hitting just three of their first eight shots to open the game. Maric, who along with McCray made his first career start, recorded four points and three rebounds before the first media timeout. He finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, just missing his third double-double of the season. Morgan State did not fare much better against the Husker defensive pressure in the opening frame. MSU hit just 33.3 percent (9-of-27) from the floor in the first period, including 2-of-10 from three-point range. The Bears kept it close by not committing their first turnover until 7:04 remaining before the half. The Huskers trailed once in the opening stanza, 11-10, until Charles Richardson Jr. drained the Huskers first three-pointer of the night for a Husker advantage. NU could not pull ahead by more than three points 2

3 Numerical Roster Stats No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (Previous School) PPG RPG A B S 1 Jason Dourisseau** G Jr. Omaha, Neb. (Burke) Joe McCray G Fr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Laurinburg [N.C.] Inst.) Charles Richardson Jr.* G So. Maywood, Ill. (Proviso East) Marcus Perry G Jr.-TR Anniston, Ala. (Southern Union State CC) JUCO transfer; will likely redshirt 10 Marcus Neal Jr.* G Sr. Annapolis, Md. (Polk CC) Wes Wilkinson** F Jr. Grand Island, Neb. (Grand Island) Jake Muhleisen***# G Sr. Lincoln, Neb. (Southeast) Bronsen Schliep** F Jr. Fairfield, Neb. (Sandy Creek) Corey Simms*** G Sr. St. Louis, Mo. (Normandy) Paul Velander G Fr. Blacksburg, Va. (Blacksburg) True freshman; will likely redshirt 31 Aleks Maric C Fr. Sydney, Australia (Burlington [N.J.] Life Center) Jim Ledsome F Fr. Severna Park, Md. (Severna Park) True freshman; will likely redshirt 44 John Turek*** F Sr. Council Bluffs, Iowa (Abraham Lincoln) Tony Wilbrand** C Jr. Alliance, Neb. (Alliance) *letters earned #team captain until Dourisseau s putback of a Maric missed shot for a lead with 2:19 left before intermission. Jake Muhleisen started a 10-2 run to end the first period with a drive down the right side of the lane that resulted in a scoop shot off the glass and a lead. Maric added a pair of free throws and McCray had an athletic drive up the left side of the lane for a advantage. John Turek ended the first-half scoring with a jumper for a advantage at the break. Dourisseau added with 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals while Turek had eight points and six boards off the bench. Sam Brand led the Bears with seven points, 11 below his season average. Nebraska postgame notes vs. Morgan State Nebraska took a 1-0 series lead over Morgan State in the teams first-ever meeting. NU is now 9-0 alltime against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference teams. NU faces another MEAC opponent on Dec. 18, when it plays host to North Carolina A&T at the Devaney Center. Nebraska improved to 3-1 with the victory. The Huskers are 1-0 at home after a road loss this season after going 5-1 last year. The Huskers improved their non-conference home winning streak to 16 games dating back to the season. Nebraska has led by at least 20 points in each of its three home games this season, and has won all three home contests by an average margin of 35.7 points per game. Junior Jason Dourisseau picked up eight rebounds in the game. He has had at least eight boards in three of NU s first four games after not having eight rebounds in any of his first 60 career games. Aleks Maric just missed his third double-double of the season with 10 points and nine rebounds. He has had at least a share of the team lead in rebounding three times in four games. Nebraska grabbed 47 rebounds on the night, gaining a +16 advantage. It was the first time this season NU has not had at least 50 rebounds in a game. Freshmen Joe McCray and Aleks Maric made their first career starts. The pair combined for 22 points and 14 rebounds in 52 minutes of action. Huskers Hitting the Glass Nebraska has been relentless on the boards early this season. The Huskers started on a strong note by pulling down 55 boards against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and added 50 against Texas Southern and UAB. In their last outing, the Huskers grabbed a season-low 47 rebounds against Morgan State, with all 11 players recording at least one board. Entering the week, the Huskers led the Big 12 Conference in rebounding offense and rebounding margin, and ranked second in rebounding defense as they held their first three opponents to an average of 30.0 rebounds per game. Freshman Aleks Maric ranks second in the league with 10.5 rebounds per game, joining KU's Wayne Simien as the only players averaging double figures in rebounds. Maric has recorded 15- and 14-rebound games this season to pace the Huskers. Junior Jason Dourisseau ranks in the top 15 in the league in after gaining 7.5 rebounds over the first four contests. Nebraska's three straight 50-plus rebound efforts to start the year came after NU had just two 50-rebound games in the past four years. In , the Huskers pulled down 51 boards in a victory over No. 25 Texas Tech and had 50 rebounds in a win over Bethune-Cookman. The last time NU had three straight 50-rebound games came in Overall, the Huskers have had plus rebound games since complete box scores have been included in NU record books ( ). Only 13 times during that period has NU recorded more than 55 boards Team Information Head Coach...Barry Collier (5th year) Alma Mater... Butler, 1976 Record at Nebraska , fifth season Overall Record , 16th season Assistant Coaches... Reggie Rankin (5th year)... Doug Novsek (3rd year)...scott Spinelli (2nd year) Director of BB Operations...Tim Waller Basketball Video Coordinator...Steve Hinerman Men's Basketball Trainer... Brad Brown Record (15-3 H, 3-9 A, 0-1 N) Big 12 Record (Finish) (t-9th) Big 12 Postseason Tournament Postseason... National Invitation Tournament...def. Creighton, (opening round)... def. Niagara, (first round)... lost at Hawaii, (second round) Starters Returning/Lost... 3/2 Lettermen Returning/Lost... 9/6 Newcomers... 5 Starters Returning (3)* John Turek, 6-9, 245, F, Sr. (21 starts) 9.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.2 bpg Jake Muhleisen, 6-4, 200, Sr., G (31 starts) 7.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 spg Marcus Neal Jr., 6-0, 180, Sr., G (19 starts) 5.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.0 apg Other Lettermen Returning (6): Corey Simms, 6-5, 205, Sr., G (13 starts) 4.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg Charles Richardson Jr., 5-9, 160, So., G (10 starts) 2.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.1 apg Jason Dourisseau, 6-6, 195, Jr., G (3 starts) 5.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 48.1 FG pct. Bronsen Schliep, 6-7, 215, Jr., F (1 start) 1.6 ppg, 0.8 rpg Wes Wilkinson, 6-9, 215, Jr., F Tony Wilbrand, 6-10, 250, Jr., C Newcomers (5): Marcus Perry, 6-2, 180, Jr.-TR, G Aleks Maric, 6-11, 265, Fr., C Joe McCray, 6-5, 210, Fr., G Jim Ledsome, 6-9, 215, Fr., F Paul Velander, 6-2, 175, Fr., G 3

4 McCray Debut a Smash Since freshmen regained eligibility in , no frosh had scored 20 or more points in the first game of the season until Joe McCray posted 23 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 23. Here is a list of 20-point scorers in the Huskers' season openers since Player (Yr.)... Season...Points Jerry Fort (So.) Jerry Fort (Jr.) Andre Smith (Sr.) Jack Moore (Jr.) Stan Cloudy (Sr.) Dave Hoppen (So.) Dave Hoppen (Jr.) Dave Hoppen (Sr.) Anthony Bailous (Sr.) Brian Carr (Sr.) Eric Johnson (Sr.) Rich King (Jr.) Eric Piatkowski (Jr.) Eric Piatkowski (Sr.) Jaron Boone (So.) Jaron Boone (Jr.) Erick Strickland (Sr.) Steffon Bradford (Sr.) Cookie Belcher (Sr.) John Turek (Jr.) Joe McCray (Fr.) Double Down Under Freshman Aleks Maric made a solid first impression in the Huskers' season opener as he posted 12 points and 14 rebounds for his first career double-double. The Sydney, Australia native is the second freshman to record a double-double in a season opener since freshmen became eligible in (the only other was Ron Taylor in the 1973 opener). Here is a complete list of double-doubles in Husker season openers since Player (Yr.)...Season...Pts... Reb. Ron Taylor (Fr.) Bob Siegel (So.) Larry Cox (Sr.) Andre Smith (Sr.) Dave Hoppen (So.) Dave Hoppen (Jr.) Dave Hoppen (Sr.) Anthony Bailous (Sr.) Bill Jackman (Sr.) Pete Manning (Sr.) Rich King (Jr.) Rich King (Sr.) Tony Farmer (Jr.) Derrick Chandler (Sr.) Bruce Chubick (Jr.) Chris Sallee (Jr.) Mikki Moore (Sr.) Venson Hamilton (So.) Venson Hamilton (Jr.) Andy Markowski (Jr.) Venson Hamilton (Sr.) Steffon Bradford (Jr.) John Turek (Jr.) Aleks Maric (Fr.) The Huskers' +36 advantage (55-19) on the glass in the season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff is the largest rebounding margin since at least The previous high was a +30 advantage (72-42) against Oklahoma in the campaign. Freshman Sensation Freshman guard Joe McCray has played just four regular-season games, but the rookie is already showing signs that he could be among the most successful freshmen in the Big 12 Conference this season. Entering the Minnesota game, McCray ranks second in the Big 12 in scoring at 17.5 points per game and is second with 3.25 three-pointers per game. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native recorded a gamehigh 23 points in 22 minutes against Arkansas-Pine Putting Up the Points Freshman Joe McCray has two 20-plus point games this Bluff in his first career game. McCray hit 9-of-17 shots season. Here is a list of freshman with at least two 20-point from the floor, and added six rebounds and two steals. scoring games in their rookie season. McCray's point total was the most by a freshman in Player pt. Gms...Year a Nebraska season opener since freshmen became 1. Jerry Fort eligible in He came back with 11 points 2. Dave Hoppen on 4-of-8 shooting (3-of-6 from three-point range) 3. Eric Piatkowski with four rebounds, two assists and one steal against 4. Joe McCray Texas Southern to earn co-big 12 Rookie of the Week Tyronn Lue Ron Taylor honors on Nov. 29. NOTE: Complete records available since In his third career game, McCray recorded 24 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including hitting 5-of-10 attempts from three-point range. The 24 points rank seventh on the NU freshman single-game scoring chart, and he became just the sixth Husker freshman to record two 20-plus point games in his rookie season. With 13 three-pointers in four games, McCray needs just three more treys to move into a tie for 10th place on the Husker freshman three-pointer chart. Junior Jason Dourisseau recorded 16 three-pointers as a rookie in to rank 10th, while senior Jake Muhleisen ranks third with 35 treys in The NU freshman record is 44 three-pointers by Eric Piatkowski in Maric in the Middle Freshman Aleks Maric has also been making noise for the Huskers early in his rookie season. The 6-11, 265-pounder has been a workhorse in the paint, averaging a double-double with 10.0 points and 10.5 rebounds over the first four games. Double Trouble Maric ranks second in the league in rebounding. He Since when freshmen were re-instated, only five is one of only two players along with KU's Wayne NU freshmen had recorded a double-double until Aleks Simien to average a double-double. Maric is also Maric joined the group this season. Here is a list of frosh among the league leaders in field-goal percentage by double-doubles during that span: hitting 72.2 percent (13-of-18) from the field. Player...Pts... Reb...Year Maric began his career in high fashion as he Aleks Maric picked up a game-high 14 boards in the season Dave Hoppen opener while adding 12 points for his first career Andre Smith double-double. He was the first NU freshman since Ron Taylor in to record a double-double in Carl McPipe his first career game. Ron Taylor Maric came back with eight points, three boards, an assist and two blocks against TSU, before adding points and 15 rebounds on the road against UAB. Rickey Harris Maric's two double-doubles pace the team this season and equal the most by a Husker last year. The big man just missed a third double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds against Morgan State in his first career start. Maric needs one more double-double to tie the NU freshman mark of three set by Taylor in Maric is only the sixth NU freshman to record a double-double since freshman eligibility was re-instated in Only Taylor, Rickey Harris and Andre Smith recorded more than one double-double as a rookie until Maric joined the group in only his third career game. Neal Continues Steady Improvement Senior guard Marcus Neal Jr. struggled from the floor in the Huskers' Australian Summer Tour, but he has recently found his form from last year that helped him earn Big 12 All-Newcomer Team honors. Neal ended hitting 50.0 percent from the floor over the final five regular-season games. He came back to hit 12-of-18 in 2004 exhibition play, including 7-of-8 from long range, and led the team with 18.0 points per game in the exhibition season. He paced the squad in scoring just once all last season. In the Huskers' first four regular-season games, Neal has hit 15-of-38 shots from the floor while averaging 11.8 points per game to rank third on the team. Neal is second on the team with six three-pointers and is shooting 30.0 percent (6-of-20) from three-point range. Neal leads the team with nine steals. 4

5 Neal sparked Husker runs in each of the first two games. Against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Neal hit three consecutive three-pointers to start a staggering 27-0 Husker run. Before Neal's outburst, the Huskers led just at the 9:42 mark of the first half and finished the run ahead with 2:37 before intermission. Then against Texas Southern, he combined with Joe McCray on back-to-back three-pointers to punctuate a 10-2 run that put NU ahead by double figures midway through the first half. Dourisseau Making Strides Coaches and players alike have raved throughout fall practice about the improvements junior guard Jason Dourisseau has made in his game. In the Huskers' first four regular-season games, he has shown Nebraska fans exactly what they were talking about. A native of Omaha, Dourisseau is second on the team in scoring (13.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg) and ranks third by hitting 48.6 percent (18-of-37) from the floor. He also leads the squad in assists (13) and minutes (112) and is tied for second in steals (6). Dourisseau ranked 17th in the Big 12 Conference in scoring, 11th in rebounding and 12th in assists per game entering the week. Dourisseau opened the season with 17 points in 22 minutes during NU's home-opening victory. He hit 8-of-13 attempts from the floor and added eight rebounds and two assists without a turnover. Dourisseau followed with his best game as a Husker, as he posted 18 points and set a career high for the second straight game by grabbing 12 rebounds. He also set career highs with eight free throws and 11 free throw attempts after getting fouled repeatedly while slashing to the basket. Last year, Dourisseau hit 48.1 percent from the field and 27.0 percent from three-point range while averaging 5.3 points and 2.0 rebounds. He had 17 assists against 41 turnovers on the year. Muhleisen Gains Spotlight in Sports Illustrated On Campus Three-year captain Jake Muhleisen has not received much national credit despite the outstanding way he runs the team, both on and off the court. That changed on Nov. 11 when Sports Illustrated On Campus, the collegiate version of the popular sports magazine, named him one of nine men's basketball players who are unsung heroes because they do "the little things that don't show up in a box score." The 'Glue Guys' are "the ties that bind their respective teams," according to the article. Along with Muhleisen, SIOC named Josh Pace (Syracuse), Roger Powell (Illinois), Chuck Hayes (Kentucky), Isma'il Muhammad (Georgia Tech), Jamal Levy (Wake Forest), Alando Tucker (Wisconsin), Ellis Myles (Louisville) and Nick Robinson (Stanford) to the 'Glue Guys' list. Huskers Face Loaded Schedule in Nebraska will take on a tough slate in as it looks for back-to-back postseason berths for the first time since the and campaigns. Along the way, the Huskers will face: 12 teams that reached the postseason last year, including: NCAA Tournament teams UAB, Texas, Kansas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, and NIT participants Creighton, Marquette, Tennessee, Colorado, Missouri, Iowa State and Oklahoma. two opponents that reached either the NCAA Tournament Final Four (Oklahoma State) or the NIT Final Four (Iowa State) last year. The Big 12 Conference has had at least one team in the NCAA Final Four each of the past three seasons, including two teams twice. The Huskers play 16 regular-season home games at the Bob Devaney Sports Center this season, where NU earned a 15-3 record in Nebraska renews series with Minnesota and Creighton at home this week, and opened a new non-conference series on the road last Thursday against UAB, which made the Sweet 16 last year. The Huskers also open a new series at Marquette, which reached the 2003 Final Four, and complete a home-home series at Tennessee this season in Knoxville. The Blazers and Golden Eagles return the game in Lincoln in McCray Earns Big 12 Honor After averaging 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds over his first two career games, freshman guard Joe McCray was named co-big 12 Rookie of the Week on Nov. 29. McCray helped the Huskers to a pair of season-opening wins with an average margin of victory of 38.5 points. McCray hit 52.0 percent (13-of-25) from the floor while ranking second on the team in scoring in the opening week. He led the Huskers with six three-pointers, including three in each contest, and tied for fourth on the squad in rebounding. McCray's four steals ranked second on the squad, as the Huskers had 26 steals while forcing 39 turnovers in the two games. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., McCray is the first Husker since Andrew Drevo in 2003 to earn a Big 12 weekly honor. Drevo was named the league's rookie of the week on March 3, It was the second straight week the Huskers had a rookie of the week honoree, as Nate Johnson also earned the accolade on Feb. 24. McCray was just the seventh Husker and only the second NU freshman to earn the award since the formation of the league in Cookie Belcher also was named rookie of the week as a freshman in the Big 12's inaugural season. Alvin Mitchell and Larry Florence also earned the award that season as sophomores, while junior Kimani Ffriend won it three times in four weeks in Drevo and Johnson were also juniors when they won the award in Player of the Week Rookie of the Week 12/6 John Lucas, OSU, G, Sr. Martin Zeno, TT, G, Fr. 11/29 Jared Homan, ISU, C, Sr. Joe McCray, NU, G, Fr., Terrell Everett, OU, G, Jr. 11/22 Wayne Simien, KU, F, Sr. Taj Gray, OU, F, Jr. Unprecedented Television Coverage Nebraska can be seen on television more times this season than any other year in the program's history. The Huskers will play to a regional or national audience at least 18 times through the regular season, plus any games in postseason play. Much of NU's added exposure comes from an agreement with FSN Midwest to televise 10 games as part of the Huskers' new third-tier package. The telecasts, including five games on the road and six against conference foes, will be produced and distributed by FSN Midwest throughout the state of Nebraska (channel 37 on Time Warner in Lincoln, channel 47 on Cox Cable in Omaha and channel 33 on Qwest Choice in Omaha). Along with the FSN games, the Huskers will be seen on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN Regional an additional eight times in the regular season. The Huskers have averaged more than 12 televised contests (national, regional and local) each of the past four years. 5

6 Nebraska Media Policies Postgame Procedures Following Nebraska's home contests, Coach Collier will meet with the media following a brief cooling-off period in the postgame interview room, located near the southeast corner of floor. Requested players will be available following Collier's press briefing. On the road, Coach Collier and at least two players will be made available outside the Huskers' locker room. Media Credentials Credential requests for Nebraska home games should be faxed to Vicki Cartwright's attention at (402) or sent to Nebraska Sports Information, 116 South Stadium, P.O. Box , Lincoln, NE, Interview Requests Nebraska players or coaches are available for interviews daily after practice and at press conferences, as scheduled. The Huskers will practice from 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. during this year, alternating between the Devaney Center and Mabel Lee Hall. The best time to reach Coach Barry Collier for an interview is immediately following practice or on the Big 12 weekly teleconference on Mondays. Post-practice interview requests should be placed at least 24 hours in advance and directed to Assistant SID Jerry Trickie, at (402) or (402) NU Weekly Press Conferences Nebraska coaches and players will be available at weekly press gatherings at the Devaney Center during the conference season. Contact SID Jerry Trickie at for times and details of the next press conference. Big 12 Weekly Teleconference Through Premier Teleconferencing, the Big 12 hosts individual telephonic news conferences with each head coach, starting at 10 a.m. (Central time) on select dates during the season. The briefings originate from conference headquarters on the 28th Floor of the Wyndham Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, Texas. Media wishing to attend the sessions at the conference office may do so. Otherwise, contact the Big 12 Conference office for a call-in number. There will also be a replay which will be made available after 4 p.m. Central the day of the teleconference Briefing Schedule The session schedule (all times CST) for is: Tuesdays Dec Mondays Jan ; Feb ; March 7-14* 10:00-10:10 Bill Self, Kansas 10:10-10:20 Billy Gillispie, Texas A&M 10:20-10:30 Eddie Sutton, Oklahoma State 10:30-10:40 Scott Drew, Baylor 10:40-10:50 Quin Snyder, Missouri 10:50-11:00 Bob Knight, Texas Tech 11:00-11:10 Ricardo Patton, Colorado 11:10-11:20 Jim Wooldridge, Kansas State 11:20-11:30 Kelvin Sampson, Oklahoma 11:30-11:40 Barry Collier, Nebraska 11:40-11:50 Rick Barnes, Texas 11:50-Noon Wayne Morgan, Iowa State Noon-12:10 Selected Student-Athlete *For those coaches advancing into the NCAA Tournament and the Postseason NIT. Postseason Aspirations The Nebraska men's basketball team returned for the season looking to continue its momentum from last year when it reached the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. After winning a pair of games in the postseason their first postseason appearance in five years the Huskers look to earn backto-back postseason berths for the first time since they made nine consecutive postseason appearances between 1991 and Overall, Nebraska has reached the postseason 13 times in the NIT and six times in the NCAA Tournament. Home Sweet Home The Huskers own a 16-game non-conference home winning streak that dates back to the campaign, and are 3-0 at home this season after a victory over Morgan State on Dec. 6. Nebraska's first win this season came with a victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the season opener. The 57-point victory was a Devaney Center record and the second-largest margin of victory in Nebraska history. Nebraska was a perfect 10-0 at home last year in non-conference games, including a win over Niagara in the NIT first round. The last time Nebraska lost a non-conference game at home came on Dec. 21, 2002, against Creighton (81-73). Nebraska has been outstanding at home over the past 28 years since moving into the Devaney Center. The Huskers own a home record over that span, including a 15-3 mark at home last year. The 15 wins tied for second most in Devaney Center history. Overall, the Huskers are now at home under Coach Collier with nine of the losses coming against ranked teams. Turek Making Mark on Record Books Senior forward John Turek has a chance to put his name in elite company this season. After finding great improvement each of his first three seasons, Turek is leaving his name among Nebraska's best rebounders and shot blockers while climbing the NU scoring chart. With Turek Among the Elite numbers similar to last season, Turek can top John Turek looks to become just the third Nebraska player the 1,000-point plateau this winter while moving with at least 1,000 career points, 700 rebounds and 100 into Nebraska's career top 10 for rebounds. Turek blocked shots. enters Wednesday's matchup with Minnesota Player (Years)... Pts.... Reb... Blk. 1. Rich King ( )... 1, with 706 career points and 565 rebounds, just Venson Hamilton ( )... 1, , boards shy of moving into the Nebraska top John Turek (2002-pres.) Already one of the top shot blockers in Nebraska NOTE: Complete blocks records for individuals not available before history, Turek has a chance to do something this year that no Husker has ever accomplished. Turek, who ranks sixth in NU history with 133 blocked shots, has led Nebraska in blocked shots each of the past three years, including tying the NU freshman record with 39 blocks in By leading the team in blocks this season, Turek would be the first Husker ever to lead the squad in four consecutive seasons. Dave Hoppen, the Huskers' career scoring leader, also had a share of the team lead for blocked shots all four years, but tied Ronnie Smith for the team high during Hoppen's junior season. Turek is within reach of becoming just the third Husker ever with 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 100 blocks. If he reaches those totals, he will join a pair of players who were taken in the NBA Draft Rich King, a first-round selection, and Venson Hamilton, a second-round draft pick and the 1999 Big 12 Player of the Year. Muhleisen Shows All-Around Game Senior guard Jake Muhleisen has proven to be one of the top all-around players in Nebraska history over the past three seasons. Muhleisen, who has played all three guard positions during his career, looks to join elite company this year as he has the chance to become only the fourth player in program history to record at least 1,000 career points, 350 rebounds, 250 assists and 100 steals. If he reaches those marks, Muhleisen would join Eric Piatkowski, Erick Strickland and Cookie Belcher on the elite list. Muhleisen enters the Minnesota contest with 752 points, 266 rebounds, 215 assists and 76 steals. Downing The Big Boys The Huskers have defeated at least one ranked team each of the past four seasons and will look to keep their streak alive in Nebraska had two wins over ranked teams last season as it ran past No. 12 Kansas, 74-55, and No. 25 Texas Tech, The 28-point margin of victory over the Red Raiders was NU's largest ever against a ranked opponent while the win over Kansas also ranked in the top four. 6

7 One More Time Nebraska will be looking for back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since posting 20-win campaigns in (20-12) and (20-13). The 1999 season marked the last of nine straight winning seasons for the Huskers before they posted an record in Since 1980, the Huskers have recorded winning marks in 19 of 25 seasons and reached the NIT or NCAA Tournament in 17 of those winning campaigns. All About Defense Under Coach Barry Collier, the Huskers have continued to rewrite the Nebraska defensive record book over the past four seasons. Last year, the Huskers posted some of the best defensive numbers at NU in the last four decades, including: allowing opponents to hit just 40.0 percent from the field to rank 20th nationally in field-goal percentage defense. It tied NU's lowest mark since a team scoring defense of 62.9 points per game, the program's best defensive mark since the 1982 campaign. Among the other outstanding single-game marks the Huskers posted last year were: limiting South Florida to just 2-of-19 shooting from three-point range, the lowest single-game opponent three-point field-goal percentage (.105) in four years under Coach Collier. holding Bethune-Cookman to just 26 points in the game, the lowest point total allowed by NU since a victory over Kansas State in BCC also shot a Devaney Center record low 21.2 percent (11-of-52) from the field while setting a Big 12 single-game opponent record low point total. holding Tennessee to three field goals in the first half including one from two-point range the fewest NU has allowed in one period since the 1987 NIT against Arkansas. limiting No. 12/13 Kansas to a season-low 55 points and 36.2 percent shooting from the floor, including just 27.8 percent from three-point range. Nebraska got off to a strong start again this year, as the Huskers: limited Arkansas-Pine Bluff to 40 points on 32.7 percent shooting in a victory. NU forced 20 turnovers in the largest victory in Devaney Center history. NU improved to 11-0 under Coach Collier when holding teams to 50 or fewer points, and overall, Collier-coached teams moved to 41-0 when holding opponents to 50 or fewer points. defeated TSU by 20 points while holding the Tigers to just 32.8 percent shooting from the floor and forcing 19 turnovers. held UAB to just 24.0 percent shooting (6-of-25) from three-point range, including just 3-of-14 in the opening frame. allowed just 12 points in the second half of a victory over Morgan State. NU held the Bears to 23.5 percent shooting, including 15.0 percent from three-point range, as they recorded the third-fewest points by an NU opponent since It was the third time NU has held its opponent to less than 40 points in the past two seasons. In , Nebraska's defense held opponents to the lowest field-goal percentage total since 1961, as it gave up just 40.0 percent shooting from the field, including 32.7 percent from three-point range. The previous year, the Huskers ranked first in the league in three-point field-goal percentage defense by allowing opponents to hit a school-record low 30.2 percent from behind the arc. Getting Aggressive Nebraska installed an aggressive, attacking-style offense at the beginning of fall practice in 2003 and went on to average 70.5 points per game last season, up 7.2 points per game over the season (63.3 ppg). It was the largest increase in scoring production in one season at Nebraska since to (+9.0, 68.2 ppg to 77.2 ppg). It was just the second time in the past six seasons Nebraska averaged at least 70.0 points per game, both coming under Coach Collier (also ). The Huskers have had a full year of practice in their current offense and look to make more improvements in the scoring department in The Huskers started on a strong note as they put up 97 points on the board, the second-highest point total under Coach Collier. Nebraska hit 54.4 percent from the floor while gaining its most points since a win over Kansas State on Feb. 9, Through four games, NU is averaging 76.3 points per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the field. Classroom Champions The Huskers have had great success in the classroom the past four seasons and look to continue that trend in Each of the past two years, John Turek has been named a first-team academic All-Big 12 selection. Turek will try to become only the fifth Husker to earn academic all-league honors three times in his career and is also an academic All-America candidate this season. Along with Turek, returning letterwinners Jake Muhleisen, Jason Dourisseau and Tony Wilbrand were selected to the first team. In total, Nebraska had six first-team selections last year a Big 12 record while 10 Huskers were named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll in at least one semester. USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll Week 4 Team (1st place votes)... Record 1. Illinois (18) Kansas* (10) Georgia Tech (2) Syracuse Oklahoma State* (1) Connecticut Wake Forest North Carolina Duke N.C. State Kentucky Pittsburgh Texas* Louisville Arizona Michigan State Maryland Alabama Virginia Cincinnati Washington Wisconsin Mississippi State Iowa George Washington * Husker opponents Other Husker opponents receiving votes: Marquette, Oklahoma, Creighton, UAB. Associated Press Poll Week 4 Team (1st place votes)... Record 1. Illinois (25) Kansas* (23) Georgia Tech (12) Syracuse (9) Oklahoma State* (2) Wake Forest Connecticut (1) North Carolina Duke Kentucky Pittsburgh N.C. State Louisville Texas* Arizona Washington Iowa Alabama Virginia Michigan State George Washington Mississippi State Maryland Wisconsin Gonzaga * Husker opponents Other Husker opponents receiving votes: Creighton, Oklahoma, Marquette, UAB. 7

8 Team Leaders Double-Figure Scoring Games Joe McCray 4; Jason Dourisseau 3; Aleks Maric 3; Marcus Neal Jr. 2; John Turek 1 Double-Figure Rebounding Games Aleks Maric 2; Jason Dourisseau 1 Double-Doubles Aleks Maric 2; Jason Dourisseau 1 20-Point Games Joe McCray 2 Games Leading NU in Scoring* Joe McCray 3; Jason Dourisseau 1 Games Leading NU in Rebounding* Aleks Maric 3; Jason Dourisseau 1 Games Leading NU in Assists* Jason Dourisseau 3; Jake Muhleisen 2; Marcus Neal Jr. 1; Corey Simms 1 Games Leading NU in Blocks* Aleks Maric 2; John Turek 2; Wes Wilkinson 2; Jason Dourisseau 1; Joe McCray 1; Jake Muhleisen 1 Games Leading NU in Steals* Marcus Neal Jr. 3; Jason Dourisseau 2; Aleks Maric 1; Joe McCray; Charles Richardson Jr. 1; *includes ties Running Away Scoring runs of at least eight straight points Nebraska: 4 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (27-0 1st half; nd half; nd half; 8-0 2nd half) 1 vs. UAB (9-0 2nd half) 1 vs. Texas Southern (9-0 1st half; 8-0 2nd half; 8-0 2nd half) 2 vs. Morgan State (8-0 1st half; nd half) Opponents: 1 Texas Southern (9-0 1st half; 8-0 2nd half) Barry Collier Radio Show The Barry Collier radio show, a weekly statewide call-in show co-hosted with Randy Lee, begins its fifth year on the Pinnacle Sports Network. Broadcasts can be heard on Mondays at 6 p.m. on anchor affiliates KLIN (1400) in Lincoln and KFAB (1110 AM) in Omaha, as well as other Pinnacle affiliates across the state. The show, which can also be heard on Huskers.com, will run through the end of the season. The Barry Collier Show The Barry Collier Show, a weekly television show about Nebraska men's basketball hosted by Randy Lee and Matt Davison, is in its fifth year in Telecasts can be seen on Sunday evenings at 10:35 p.m. on KOLN in eastern Nebraska, and on other stations across the Midwest. The show will run through the end of the Huskers season. Captain... Again Senior Jake Muhleisen returns for his third season as team captain, leaving him in a unique position. Muhleisen is believed to be the first three-year captain in Nebraska history, and is the first three-year captain to play for Coach Barry Collier. A native of Lincoln, Muhleisen has been roommates with NU football team co-captain and career leading tackler Barrett Ruud each of his four years of college. Filling the House The Huskers look to continue the momentum gained at the end of last season when the Huskers recorded five straight games with at least 10,000 fans in attendance. NU averaged more than 9,900 fans per game during the 2004 Big 12 home slate. The total was an increase of nearly 1,200 from the previous season and was the Huskers' highest conference attendance total since That late-season support has carried over to The Huskers sold 7,033 season tickets before the start of the regular season, including 976 new season tickets. Add in the 1,888 student season tickets sold and the Huskers have sold 8,921 season tickets, up 608 or a total of seven percent from last year's 8,313 season tickets sold. Nebraska's biggest non-conference crowd could come on Dec. 11, when the Huskers play host to instate foe Creighton at the Devaney Center. As of Tuesday, Dec. 7, the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office had sold 12,267 tickets to the game. Looking for the Close One With an experienced lineup returning to the court this season, Nebraska looks to take better advantage of its opportunities in close games. Nebraska was 7-6 in its final 13 contests last year, including a pair of wins in the National Invitation Tournament. Of the six losses, five were decided by five points or less, including an overtime contest on the road at No. 7 Oklahoma State and a one-point setback that ended the Huskers' season at Hawaii. Two of the wins were by three points or less. Huskers' 2005 Recruiting Class Among Top 25 Nationally Five highly rated players signed national letters-of-intent during the early signing period and will join the Nebraska basketball team and attend the University of Nebraska starting in The group is ranked among the top 30 recruiting classes nationally according to at least one service. The Huskers have one scholarship still remaining for next season. Among the four signees on the first day of the early signing period (Nov. 10) were Will Harris, Jamel White, Chris Balham and Kyle Marks, while Marcus Walker signed his scholarship papers on Nov. 16. The class is tied with seven teams for No. 23 nationally with 18 points by hoopscooponline.com. Nebraska's class is fourth among Big 12 schools, trailing only Baylor (No. 10), Kansas (No. 12) and Oklahoma State (No. 13). It marks the Huskers second top-25 recruiting class in four seasons. Harris and White have each been ranked among the national top 100 by separate recruiting services, giving Nebraska four top-100 signees over the past two seasons. Current freshmen Joe McCray and Aleks Maric were each also ranked among the top 100 before joining the Huskers. A native of Queens, N.Y., Harris leads the way among the Husker signees after earning a top-100 ranking by several publications. The 6-7, 230-pound swingman was ranked No. 94 nationally by recruiting expert Bob Gibbons and the No. 25 wing/forward by hoopmasters.com. Harris, who currently attends Maine Central Institute, was ranked 15th nationally among fifth-year players by hoopscooponline.com after ranking No. 119 last year as a senior at Troy (N.Y.) Redemption Christian Academy. Harris averaged 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists as a senior, after playing at Christ the King the previous two years. Following his senior season, Harris had a breakout summer in 2004 on the AAU circuit. Harris, who has played for the New York Gauchos and New York Elite, was ranked the No. 1 wing/forward at the 2004 National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp by Gibbons. His strong performance also helped him rank No. 66 nationally in Lindy s. The addition of White gives the Huskers a pair of New Yorkers on next year s roster. A native of New York City, White is considered one of the top prep school guards in the country while playing for Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute this season, the No. 1 prep school team in the nation with a 7-0 record. The 6-3, 175-pounder has averaged 12 points and nearly nine assists per game for Laurinburg, after gaining 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists per contest at Grady High School last season. White was recently ranked 91st in the country among breakdownmagazine.com s top 100, a national ranking that includes all classes. He was also ranked No. 33 among fifth-year players by hoopscooponline.com. White was the first commitment to the Huskers 2005 class. Along with Harris and White, the Huskers added two other athletic players in Balham and Marks. Balham, a 6-8, 225-pounder, has been playing basketball for less than four years since coming to the United States from France before his freshman season. Balham, who is from Lenexa, Kan., has played two seasons at Shawnee Mission West, where he averaged 9.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks while helping the Vikings to an record. Despite finishing one game above.500, West was the leading defensive team in the state as it allowed only 41.9 points per game while holding opponents to just 38 percent shooting 8