• Video: Nebraska coach Doc Sadler speaks at the postgame press conference after the Huskers' 76-57 loss to Kansas State on Tuesday:



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LINCOLN — Curious about the difference between a top-third Big 12 men's basketball team and one from the bottom third?

The 8,231 fans at the Devaney Center on Tuesday night no longer have to wonder.

They saw it first-hand as 10th-ranked Kansas State systematically dismantled Nebraska 76-57.

“You're not beating a good basketball team, especially a team that some say can be an Elite Eight team, making mistakes,'' NU coach Doc Sadler said. “And we made them from the get-go.''

The Huskers (13-9, 1-6) needed seven points in garbage time to avoid, by one point, matching the largest margin of defeat in a home game in Sadler's four seasons.

“I don't know an area that they weren't the best team, and by far the best-coached team,'' Sadler said. “We were never in that basketball game.''

Nebraska teased everyone briefly in the second half.

The Huskers, down 42-28, scored the first seven points after halftime, forcing Kansas State (18-4, 5-3) to call time. NU hadn't been within single digits since the game's first nine minutes.

“But I made some mistakes and didn't keep it going,'' Sadler said. “It turned when we took a couple of bad shots. Then we got some stops, but they got the offensive rebound.

“And then we made two mental mistakes and gave then 3s. And they got it back up to 15 real quick.''

KSU guard Denis Clemente, who led all scorers with 23 points, swished consecutive 3-pointers with 15:42, 15:13 and 14:35 to go to essentially kill any NU upset hopes.

Nebraska did itself no favors in the first half, missing six layups and a dunk, plus having three shots blocked.

“We missed some awfully easy baskets, and that's what a lot of people will look at,'' Sadler said. “But the defensive end ... it was horrendous.''

Nebraska, ranked in the Top 25 nationally in fewest points allowed at 60.2 a game, gave up 25 to Kansas State in the first 10 minutes. KSU got to 61 points with 10:55 to play.

“It was a selfish, selfish basketball team,'' Sadler said. “And that's the first time that's happened. We've got to play as a team.''

NU's plan to take away 3-pointers from Clemente and guard Jacob Pullen while forcing them to drive went awry. Those two combined for 7 of 17 3s.

The other part of the Husker defensive plan — to stay back from K-State's front-court players and make them shoot jumpers — also failed. The Wildcats scored 38 points in the paint, behind 6-foot-8 Curtis Kelly (12 points, five rebounds, five blocks) and 6-7 Jamar Samuels (15 points, nine rebounds).

Kansas State's strength and quickness at all positions seemed to fluster the Huskers.

“I would hope I didn't put any players on the floor who were intimidated individually,'' Sadler said. “But I mentioned the strength to our coaching staff after the game. We've got to do something to have guys look like that.

“We've committed to four days a week in the weight room, and we're not even close to guys like that.''

Freshman center Jorge Brian Diaz, who led Nebraska with 13 points, was asked about K-State's athleticism.

“I don't know about stronger, but they played harder,'' he said. “They were playing hard the whole game.''

Contact the writer:

444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com