• Box Score: Nebraska 75, Missouri 60

• Photo Showcase: Nebraska vs. Missouri

• Video: See the postgame press conference video with NU coach Doc Sadler after Wednesday's Nebraska-Missouri game:



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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Surprised by last-place Nebraska's 75-60 romp Wednesday at the Big 12 tournament over NCAA-bound Missouri?

NU senior guard Sek Henry wasn't. You can tell by the heft of his suitcase.

“I brought a lot of clothes,'' he said. “I was expecting us to win. If I had brought nothing, then that would have meant my mind-set was we were going to lose. I brought a lot, and my bag is heavy.''

So no trips today to Wal-Mart for underwear?

“Nope,'' Henry said with a big smile. “I'm good.''

It was almost all good for Nebraska on Wednesday, which had been far less than that while going 2-14 in the regular season and setting a school record for most conference losses.

The Huskers (15-17) got a 3-pointer from Brandon Richardson on their first possession to take the lead and never relinquished it. The sophomore guard went on to post a career-high 19 points plus seven rebounds.

NU led by 17 points in the first half (26-9), by 11 at halftime (39-28) and by 19 in the second half (52-33 with 14:45 to play).

Missouri, to the disappointment of the pro-Tiger crowd of 18,879 at the Sprint Center, made only two semi-threatening comebacks.

The Tigers closed to 61-51 with 4:01 to play. But Richardson countered with a four-point play — a 3 and a free throw — just 25 seconds later.

Then when Missouri cut the gap to 67-59 with 1:59 left, the Huskers nailed eight straight free throws. That made them only the second No. 12 seed in the 14-year history of the Big 12 to defeat the No. 5 seed. Colorado over Baylor in 2008 was the other.

“We didn't come down here with the idea of just playing this game,'' said senior captain Ryan Anderson, who had 16 points and nine rebounds. “Our goal is to get to the last game.

“I'm not saying that out of cockiness. I believe in our guys. This shows what we can do when we play together, whether people believe in us or not.''

So what was different for Nebraska, which hadn't won away from home since Dec. 22?

• Sticking almost exclusively to a seven-man rotation, instead of using 10 or 11 players. The first group got hot, stayed hot and stayed in the game.

• Outrebounding Missouri 38 to 22. The Huskers had been outrebounded in eight of their previous 10 games.

• Sticky perimeter defense, sparked by Henry. He had a big hand in holding Missouri's two senior guards, Zaire Taylor and J.T. Tiller, to 4-of-25 shooting. The Tigers shot just 33.9 percent overall.

But the biggest change was in offensive execution.

Nebraska, the worst shooting team in conference play at 40.1 percent, hit 59.1 percent in the first half and 52.4 percent in the second by patiently running its sets and using Missouri's pressure against it with backdoor plays.

“The last couple of days,'' NU coach Doc Sadler said, “we've talked heavily about offensive execution. It looks a lot better when you shoot the ball well.

“But I thought for about 32 minutes, it was about as good as we could execute.''

Nebraska still had its usual offensive drought — 6:18 without a field goal. But this time it didn't come until late in the game and with an 18-point lead.

“We thought if we could make them play defense for 35 seconds, they would break down,'' NU point guard Lance Jeter said. “And we took advantage of that.''

Contact the writer:

444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com

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