2008 Woodie Awards
Huskers top Cyclones
Michael McHale
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: Sports
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Nebraska (13-6, 2-4 Big 12 Conference) picked up its second league win of the season Saturday by knocking off Iowa State 64-56 inside a crowded Bob Devaney Sports Center.
But the 9,812 fans on hand were treated to two different versions of the Cornhuskers - one that sluggishly lost four straight games last month, and one that finished off Missouri in emphatic fashion last Wednesday.
The second one entertained them a bit more.
"Coach (Doc Sadler) challenged us at halftime," said NU junior guard Ade Dagunduro. "He said it looked like (the Cyclones) were beating us up out there. They were being the more aggressive team. So he challenged us at halftime to pick up our energy level, and we did a good job of doing that."
Despite rough starts, the teams went into the break tied at 29. So when the Huskers dialed up their level of play, they snared any leftover momentum.
That meant shots fell and defense thrived.
Four Huskers scored in double figures, including senior center Aleks Maric's 14 points and sophomore guard Sek Henry's 11. On the other end, they forced ISU to commit 20 turnovers, leading to a slew of extra possessions.
Then there was Cookie Miller. Nebraska's freshman point guard didn't practice on Thursday and Friday, instead using the time to ice his injured thigh. That's where a Mizzou player slammed his knee during NU's 66-62 win in Columbia, Mo., last week.
On Saturday, Miller donned a uniform and walked gingerly - though a little too gingerly for Sadler's liking.
"He said (ISU's) point guard was, I guess, beating me up, throwing me around." Miller said. "I didn't see that. I took that kind of personally, and I came out in the second half with some more energy."
And as Miller goes, so do his teammates. At least that's what the Huskers said.
"He even brought the crowd into it," Henry said, "and everybody started playing extremely hard. The point guard does lead the team, and he has to show it."
Almost everyone showed it in the second half. On NU's side, that is.
The Huskers opened the final period with a flurry, scoring six points in less than two minutes.
On the first possession, NU junior guard Steve Harley drilled a pull-up jumper, giving his team a 31-29 lead. Next, Dagunduro sliced through the defense for an easy layup.
Then the kicker, the one that silenced the raucous group of ISU students sitting in the northwest corner of the arena.
Maric picked off an Iowa State pass, dribbled awkwardly down court and dunked the ball just as the Cyclones caught up to him. The 6-foot-11 Australian's antics gave the Huskers a 35-29 advantage.
"I thought the second half we were a much better basketball team than we were the first half," Sadler said.
The Cyclones, though, eventually tracked down the Huskers, tying the score at 40 midway through the final period.
But NU answered with an 8-1 run, all but sealing its second straight win.
It took a while, but the Huskers finished the job on Saturday.
"The way we came back out in the second half, our energy was tremendous," Dagunduro said. "I think that was the reason why we won."
MICHAELMCHALE@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
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