Saturday, November 21, 2009

High-scoring start

2:05 p.m.: Wow! An amazingly high-scoring 20 minutes from two teams better known for their defense.

Nebraska and TCU are tied 44-44 at halftime.The Huskers had a 23-11 run early. The Horned Frogs countered with an 18-2 run.

Jorge Brian Diaz came off the bench to score 12 points and grab two rebounds. TCU has hung in by hitting 12 of 13 free throws.

- Lee Barfknecht »

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Slowly filing in
12:50 p.m.:The Nebraska football team's sellout streak isn't having an impact on today's Husker basketball crowd.

Folks are slowly filing in. Looking for 7,000 to 8,000. Maybe football games on the big screens and some bubbly drinks would have filled the place.

Anyway, TCU and NU tip off here soon. The Huskers need a better offensive showing to get going.

- Lee Barfknecht »

Friday, November 20, 2009

UNC could be on NU's schedule next season
3:05 p.m.: There's a chance Nebraska could play North Carolina in basketball next season.

Those are two of the eight teams selected for the 2010 Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic in San Juan, set for the weekend before Thanksgiving. It's a loaded field. The other teams are West Virginia, Minnesota, Western Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Davidson and Hofstra.

The event will be a homecoming for NU forward Jorge Brian Diaz, who is from Caguas, P.R.

The last time the Huskers played in Puerto Rico was the San Juan Shootout in 2000.

- Lee Barfknecht »

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

NU down, but has momentum
7:55 p.m.: It's halftime and Saint Louis leads Nebraska 28-27.

The Huskers have never led, but take some momentum into halftime. They held SLU to 2 of 12 shooting over the final nine minutes to get back into the game after a sloppy start (five turnovers in the first eight possessions).

Jorge Brian Diaz got bloodied when he took an elbow in the mouth in the first two minutes and hasn't returned.

--Lee Barfknecht »

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Almost time for tipoff
6:40 p.m.: We're about 20 minutes from the Nebraska at Saint Louis basketball tipoff.

A crowd of 6,000 to 7,000 is expected at the two-year-old Chaifetz Center, a beautiful 10,600-seat arena. Not a bad seat in the house, and it should be loud in here.

The Big 12 starts tonight 23-0 in nonconference play. This is one of four Big 12 games tonight.

--Lee Barfknecht »

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Money will talk at KU
2:25 p.m.: The speculation has been wild about the investigation of Kansas football coach Mark Mangino .

But when in doubt on stories like this, follow the money.

This fall, Kansas announced a $34 million Gridiron Club project to build fancy seating for football.

The early response to that project has been lukewarm at best. Losing five games in a row doesn't help. And Mangino isn't the type of personality to jolly with boosters and glad-hand the donors of substance.

Also, bluntly, Mangino's weight problems make him an uncomfortable face of the program.

So let's check in on Athletic Director Lew Perkins. He didn't hire Mangino but is in charge of getting the Gridiron Club funded. Can you put 2 and 2 together yet?

Mangino was tolerable when winning 12 games and going to the Orange Bowl. When he's a .500 coach, he's a bully with a volcanic temper who has never courted many friends.

Change appears to be coming to Lawrence.

— Lee Barfknecht »

Sunday, November 15, 2009

OSU planning on Robinson
6:50 p.m.: Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said Sunday that he will game-plan for Thursday's matchup with Colorado as if senior quarterback Zac Robinson will be ready to play.

Robinson and Texas Tech safety Jamar Wall were involved in a vicious helmet-to-helmet tackle with 1:38 left in OSU's 24-17 victory. Physicians examined Robinson on the field for several minutes before walking him to the locker room.

Gundy said testing of Robinson for a concussion produced good results.

--Lee Barfknecht »

Saturday, November 14, 2009

NU holds halftime lead in opener
7:50 p.m.: Nebraska got through a sloppy first half (nine turnovers) to take a 31-24 lead into the locker room over South Carolina-Upstate in the season opener.

NU's Ryan Anderson already has five steals, which is his career high and ties the most of any Husker in a game from last season.

Point guard Lance Jeter leads NU with eight points and four assists.

- Lee Barfknecht »

Saturday, November 14, 2009

It's official: Huskers land Almeida
11:30 a.m.: I'm in Manhattan, Kan., for Missouri at K-State football, but there is some Nebraska basketball news to talk about first.

It's official. The Huskers have one of their biggest recruits in years, literally and figuratively.

The paperwork has cleared on Arizona Western center Andre Almeida, who stand 6-foot-10 and weighs 315 pounds.

Almeida was the MVP of his junior college conference as a freshman, and has been tabbed a preseason first-team All-American for 2009-10.

I'll have much more on Almeida later on Omaha.com and in Sunday's World-Herald. Check back for more details.

-Lee Barfknecht »

Friday, November 13, 2009

NU to face big center
1:35 p.m.: Those who attend Nebraska's basketball opener Saturday night will see one of the biggest players ever to enter the Devaney Center.

South Carolina-Upstate senior center Nick Schneiders stands 7-foot-3 and weighs 260 pounds. He is believed to be the biggest player to face NU since 7-4 Alan Bannister from Oklahoma State in the late 1980s.

Schneiders, from Germany, is in his fifth year of organized basketball. Last season, he averaged 9.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.

- Lee Barfknecht »