NU slams Frogs for first opening road win in 12 years

Texas Christian made one jump shot in the first half of Nebraska's 62-50 win at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum Wednesday night.

The Horned Frogs went 4-for-21 from the field, and three of those scores came from layups or tip-ins fewer than two feet away from the basket.

Nebraska made more than three times as many field goals than TCU in the first half by going 13-for-25 but led by just 13 points at the break.

The Husker defense stifled the Horned Frog offense for 40 minutes but committed 38 fouls. Free throws ended up accounting for 27 of TCU's 50 points, and the Horned Frogs made just 10 field goals all game on 37 attempts (27 percent).

"I can't be any more happy with our defense when you allow a team on the road to make 10 field goals," NU coach Doc Sadler said. "Then again, maybe it's because we fouled them and put them at the free throw line 38 times. But if that's what it takes, then that's what it takes."

The Huskers had previously lost their first road games in 10 of the last 12 seasons before Wednesday night's victory and the previous two wins came in neutral-site matchups at exempt tournaments.

Overall, Nebraska snapped a streak of 12 straight losses in true road openers that dated back to 1995.

"Any time you can get a win on the road - I don't care who you're playing against, I don't care what sport you're playing - you're going to leave happy," Sadler said.

TCU turned the ball over 14 times, and Nebraska forced the Horned Frogs to shoot more than half of their field goals from beyond the three-point line. TCU was 0-10 from long range in the first half and made just two three-pointers all game.

But despite Nebraska's dominant defensive performance, TCU kept the game close well into the second half. Twenty-two of TCU's 38 free throw attempts came in the final frame, and Nebraska led by just eight with 7:12 left in the game. Nebraska was battling through a shooting slump when two redshirt freshman came up big for NU.

Toney McCray hit a big three-pointer to end the scoring drought and gave Nebraska a 10-point lead and then grabbed a defensive rebound on the other end of the court seconds later. NU's next score came when guard Sek Henry drove into the paint and then kicked the ball out to freshman Brandon Richardson for another important three-pointer.

Sadler called the plays from NU's young talent key turning points in the game.

"Those two guys stepped up and hit two big baskets for us." Sadler said. "That's always a positive for us. You have to really like the young guys and what they're doing for themselves and this basketball team."

Nebraska was led offensively by outside-shooter Paul Velander who led the team with 11 points. Velander made three of his five three-point attempts in the first half, including one with three seconds left that gave the Huskers a 37-24 advantage heading into halftime. McCray and Steve Harley both finished the game with nine points for the Big Red. NU's leading rebounder was Ryan Anderson with eight and Ade Dagunduro contributed four points and five rebounds of his own.

Sadler said he was pleased with his team's overall offensive effort but that it's still not good enough. The coach was proud of the fact that Nebraska did not hurt itself by committing too many turnovers in a game where the Huskers were sending the opposition to the free-throw line so much. Sadler said he was also happy with the performance from NU's young talent but added that NU's veterans will have to step their game up as the season progresses.

"I think some of our better offensive players are young guys," Sadler said. "We know what Steve (Harley) and Ade (Dagunduro) can do, but they haven't had any good games yet. We need them to step up, and we know that they will."

krisknowlton@dailynebraskan.com