I've had it with rumors for now.  I'll believe hard news, but I will be taking anything without a named sources with a salt mine, and you should, too.  And, to help you along, here's a little bit of a rumormongering lexicon:

"A person close to the program" -- someone near a copy of Internet Explorer

"A source close to the situation" -- a cast member on Jersey Shore

"A reliable source" -- a source that can be relied on either for their unfailing accuracy or unfailing inaccuracy

"A player on the team" -- a member of some team -- possibly football, flag football, broomball, or Quiz Bowl

"a source with ties to the program" -- a rope supplier or possibly someone who walks on the railroad tracks near Memorial Stadium

"A source with knowledge of the situation" -- someone who watches Jersey Shore

"A member of the coaching staff" -- someone who coaches a team -- possibly football, softball, cheerleading, or 9-Ball

"A trusted source" -- a source with a trust fund

"An anonymous source" -- someone the reporter can't identify because they have no idea who they are

"A source inside the program" -- someone standing on campus

"My cousin/brother/sister/roommate" -- the reporter

Feel free to add anything I've forgotten, and enjoy sifting through the endless cycles of rumors and speculation!

Nebraska Cornhuskers (18-12, 8-8 Big XII) at New Mexico Lobos (21-11, 12-4 MWC)

9 PM, The Pit, Albequerque, NM

TV: ESPNU; Radio: Husker Sports Network

Winner Plays: Notre Dame/UAB winner

This is an exciting bracket within the NIT -- Kentucky, New Mexico, and Notre Dame all have good hoops traditions, and two arch rivals -- Creighton and Nebraska -- could theoretically meet for a trip to New York.  It's quite a fun time.

Of course, none of that matters to Husker fans if New Mexico holds the home court tonight.  Nebraska will likely not play a game in the State of Nebraska before the regional finals, barring two upsets tonight.  We've struggled on the road at times, so let's hope that tonight is not one of those nights.

Ade is hobbled a bit, and was limited in practice tonight, but I don't expect it to slow him down.  If the Huskers lose, it's his last game anyway, so I expect him to give every little bit he has.  Same goes for everyone else -- one thing you can say about Doc Sadler's players is that they always give their all.

Join us tonight for what may be the final game of the season.  Hopefully, we can keep playing this weekend, maybe even in Lincoln.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (18-12, 8th, Big XII) at New Mexico Lobos (21-11, T1st MWC)

After shocking the surprisingly strong Mountain West Conference and finishing tied for 1st, the Lobos probably hoped they could make the NCAA Tournament.  Nebraska, on the other hand, after some close losses at home and a few bad losses saw its season vary narrowly between an NCAA tournament run and a CBI appearance, ending up disappointingly with an NIT road game, and a very tough region.

The Lobos have a lot going for them.  The Pit, New Mexico's famous home court, is a big home-court advantage (81% of home wins in 40+ years), and have first-team All-MWC Guard Tony Danridge, who has averaged 22.4 points over his last 6 games.  Expect Ade Dagunduro -- NU's best defender -- to match up all night with Danridge.

Nebraska and New Mexico had three common opponents: The Huskers went 3-0 against Creighton, TCU, and Texas Tech (with road wins at TCU and Tech), while the Lobos went 2-2 (sweeping TCU, but losing at Creighton and Texas Tech).

It will be a difficult endeavour for the Huskers to pull out a win, but they can do it.  Win, and they likely head to South Bend to play Notre Dame.  Lose, and the season's over.

Big XII Tournament, Opening Round

Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK

Nebraska vs. Baylor, and other games

11:30 AM

TV: Big 12 Network (all games); Radio: Husker Sports Network (NU only)

Today is the day when some Big XII teams will fight to maintain what good karma they've accumulated and others will try for their last push for the Big Dance, the Little Dance, or even one of the side events.  For some teams, this will be the last day of the season.  Others will get to play on at least one more day.  It's Conference Tournament time, and only 4 shopping days remain before Selection Sunday.

Nebraska plays Baylor to tip it off at 11:30, followed by Texas-Colorado at 2.  The second session features OSU-ISU at 6, followed by A&M-Texas Tech at 8:30.  This thread will be open for all 4 games, though we care more about the first one (for obvious reasons).

News: In a side note, the Hendricks family, native to Lincoln, has pledged $10M to a new basketball practice facility (which would pay for more than half the project).  This is not only a huge donation, but it's also huge for a basketball-specific project.

It all comes down to 4 days in Oklahoma City for the Cornhusker's last chance at an NCAA Tournament appearance.  It's somewhat painful to think that the Huskers let slip away enough games that just winning two (say, the two ended by horrendous calls against Oklahoma State and Texas A&M) and they would have a first-round bye in league play and be a virtual lock in a weak tournament field that may yet include Northwestern, the only BCS-league school never to make an NCAA Tournament.

The Huskers probably need to win the automatic bid to get in, but might have an outside shot at an at-large berth should they reach the finals.  The bad news is that the Huskers have to play Kansas in the second round should they advance; the good news, though, is that NU is on what appears to be the weaker side of the bracket.  Both Oklahoma teams (who will enjoy a massive home court advantage) are on the far side, as are white-hot Texas A&M, flavor-of-the-month Missouri, and the league's best player on a bad team, Craig Brackins of Iowa State.  Texas Tech, the worst team on that side, just blew out regular season champ Kansas on Wednesday.

The Husker's bracket is actually a lot easier, despite the presence of the Huskers' personal mongoose in the second round.  Baylor is a shell of what it was expected to be, Kansas State and Texas haven't exactly been show-stoppers, Kansas is consistent, but not even half the juggernaut they were last year when they wanted to be, and Colorado is Colorado.  Better still, the Huskers are 5-3 against teams on their side of the bracket, whereas they are 3-5 against teams on the far side.

I expect the Huskers to make it to the 2nd round and that's about it.  But, as tight as the top 8 teams in the league really are (and Baylor, at #9, isn't far behind, if they put it together), don't be too surprised if the Huskers reach the title game.  After all, stranger things have happened.

The First Round:

(8) Nebraska vs. (9) Baylor -- Didn't we just play this game?  Nebraska just went to Baylor's home court, on senior day, and beat the Bears.  This is on a neutral site, and Nebraska has a little more to play for.  Nebraska still plays smothering defense, and Baylor still doesn't play defense.  I like the Huskers, by a similar score to Saturday.

(5) Texas vs. (12) Colorado -- I would just dismiss this right now as a Texas win, but Colorado always seems to take their first-round opponent to the wire when they're in the 11 or 12 spot, not to mention the Buffs took Texas to OT earlier this year.  Texas should win, but they may have to sweat a lot.

(7) Oklahoma State vs. (10) Iowa State -- This could be Craig Brackins' last game in a Cyclone uniform.  OSU has been white-hot, and will have the crowd on its side.  An upset here would destroy all the good karma the Cowboys have built.  I like the favorite, but it will be closer than it should be.

(6) Texas A&M vs. (11) Texas Tech -- A&M looked like it was headed for the scrap heap before exploding for 6 straight wins to end the year.  Tech has been awful when not playing Kansas.  Aggies can't afford to lose this game, especially if Kansas State wins its game against the Colorado/Texas winner.  A&M should run away with it.

The game thread will be up tomorrow morning (tip is at 11:30), although many of you will be at work, and will be for all day's action.  First round games are on Big 12 Network; Thurday's Kansas vs. NU/Baylor winner will be on ESPN2.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (17-11, 7-8) at Baylor Bears (16-12, 5-10)

3 PM, Ferrell Center, Waco, TX

TV: Big 12 Network, ESPN FullCourt/ESPN 360; Radio: Husker Sports Network

The regular season ends today in a bit of an anticlimax.  The Big XII's most disappointing team hosts its scrappiest in a preview of the rematch Wednesday morning.  The Huskers are playing for one thing, and one thing only: finishing the season with a non-losing conference record for the first time in a decade.  The Bears are playing for pride and senior day; the hopes of a 2nd straight NCAA appearance after being ranked most of the non-conference season evaporated when they lost 9 of their last 11 games.

This is a matchup of teams that are equal and opposite in many ways.  Both teams are guard-heavy, but use them differently.  The Huskers try for efficient offense and smothering defense, whereas Baylor tries for high-fire offense and occasional defense (part of the reason they have struggled).

On paper, Baylor is the better team, but their lack of defense -- and struggles with the efficient defenses of teams like Missouri, Texas, and Kansas -- casts doubt on their ability to handle the Huskers.  On the flip side, Baylor's defense has been absolutely atrocious, but so has Nebraska's offense.  The bright side: the Husker's O has been clicking the last two games.

This isn't the big game, though.  These teams meet again in 4 days for the right to play Kansas in the Big XII Quarterfinals.  That's the game both teams want to win; today is the warmup.  The Huskers want to get to 8-8, but it's the last game for a couple Baylor seniors who've had to endure a roller coaster.

Iowa State Cyclones (14-15, 3-11) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (16-11, 6-8)

6:30 PM, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE

TV: FSN Midwest, ESPN Full Court/ESPN360; Radio: Husker Sports Network

Opponent's Blog: Clone Chronicles

With the NCAA Tournament effectively out of reach, the Huskers need to recoup and focus on getting to .500 in conference and getting a first-round home game in the NIT during the final week of Big XII play.  The Huskers are all but locked into the 8-9 game in the Big XII Tournament, which would likely be an immediate rematch against Saturday's opponent, Baylor, unless Texas A&M loses to Colorado tonight and Missouri on Saturday.  The Cyclones, however, can move into the #9 slot by winning tonight and Saturday, and Nebraska beats Baylor on Saturday.

Not counting a potential NIT home game, tonight will be the final home game for four Husker seniors: Steve Harley, Paul Velander, Nick Krenk, and Ade Dagunduro.  Harley, Velander, and Dagunduro have all been major on-the-court contributors in their time at NU, and Ade has a shot at 2nd- or 3rd-team All-Big XII honors this year.   Nick Krenk was a former student manager who tried out for and made the team during Doc's first year, and has contributed with minutes in clean-up time over the last 3 years.

In other news, it appears that Ade may not be the last Dagunduro in the pipeline: He and Ola have a younger brother, Olayinka, who is a freshman high school quarterback in California.   He is talking now about wanting to play for USC (who doesn't these days?), but with two older brothers who played at Nebraska, maybe he'll keep the tradition alive.

The title of When March Went Mad: the Game That Transformed Basketball is misleading.  It's not a book about the 1979 NCAA Basketball Championship Game between Larry Bird's Indiana State Sycamores and Magic Johnson's Michigan State Spartans, which is still the highest-rated college basketball game of all time.  That's probably a good thing, since the game wasn't that great.

First and foremost, WMWM is instead a book about Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Coaches Jud Heathcote and Bill Hodges, and both teams' supporting casts.  Like a documentary, the story in WMWM recounts the roads Magic and Bird took to their respective schools, and the roads their teams took to the Final Four.  It's a great narrative, and does a good job of painting the world of college basketball in the late 70s (the Big 8 Coaches of the 80s make guest appearances: Johnny Orr at Michigan, Billy Tubbs at Lamar, and Danny Nee as a Notre Dame assistant).

Of course, the history lesson is only the framework of the real themes of the book.  At its heart, WMWM is about two things.  One is stated, and provides the framework of the narrative.  In the prologue, Davis recounts the production meeting before NBC's broadcast of the championship game, where Don Ohlmeyer recognized the birth of spectacle: Magic and Bird were far bigger than anything else about this game.  1979 was a year that transformed the way America watches sports.  ESPN was born, the NBA was about to erupt into the biggest thing around, and the NCAA Tournament went from a niche event to the biggest month in sports.

The other theme present through the book is leadership.  Magic and Bird were great players not because they were scoring machines (though they were) but because they could do so much.  The best game skill either possessed was their ability to pass -- distributing the ball to where their teammates could do the most damage.  They were great on-the-floor leaders, and it showed.  Likewise, the coaches, Heathcoate and Hodges, demonstrate highly contrasting styles, but both achieving the same results.

Seth Davis, a college basketball analyst for Sports Illustrated and CBS, adds his own touch to the narrative.  His connections throughout the college basketball world are a big asset, as he is able to connect with all the people who played major roles in the 1979 season, and his ability to connect the world of sports before the Game and after makes it an informative and entertaining read.  Moreover, his focus on the human aspects of the season, especially the stars, makes it an enjoyable and relatable read, highly recommended for any fan of college basketball, or sports in general.

Nebraska Cornuskers (16-10, 6-7) at Kansas State Wildcats (19-9, 7-6)

7 PM, Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, KS

TV: Big 12 Network, ESPN FullCourt/360 (affiliates), Radio: Husker Sports Network

Opponents' Blog: Bring on the Cats

It's time that we think back and remember just what our realistic expectations for this season were.  Personally, I thought that our schedule stacked up nicely for an 8-8 Big XII finish, if we won the games we should.  I didn't really think that we would ever seriously be considered for an NCAA Tournament Berth.  Yet, here we were a couple weeks ago, being seriously considered at least a bubble team for the big dance.

Realistically, this team lacks a primary scoring threat.  Ade Dagunduro is a great defensive player and a solid scorer, but he's really built to be a #2 guy.  There simply isn't a #1 guy.  Roburt Sallie was supposed to be that guy, but the Big XII wouldn't let him play; now, he's contributing off the bench for a loaded Memphis squad.  There's also no big man: Brian Diaz couldn't get into school until 4 games into Big XII play, Chris Niemann was forced to redshirt by the NCAA, and Chris Balham's knees have severely limited his minutes.  The result? Weak rebounding and difficult scoring through zones.

So, why are we so upset that a team that we knew would have difficulty scoring and rebounding has struggled lately against teams that are, at least on paper, far more talented?  Because we've seen that, despite all those shortcomings, this team plays far better than its talent level, and hang with some of the best teams in the country (including Oklahoma and a win over current number 8 Missouri).

But, the whole point of this was to urge perspective.  Sure, this team could very easily have been 10-3 or 9-4 in conference, but they could just as easily have been 3-10.

Tonight, the Huskers head to Bramlage Coliseum, where they haven't won since 2005.  Earlier, the Huskers demolished Kansas State when the Wildcats looked D.O.A. in the Big XII.  Now, Kansas State is playing much better (blowout loss to red-hot Mizzou notwithstanding).  The loser of this game essentially sees their at-large hopes go bye-bye; the winner clings to life for another few days.

Sometimes, I just feel like opening the window and screaming at the top of my lungs in frustration when I watch the Huskers play.  It's one thing to go cold for long stretches.  It's another to choke away a huge lead -- at home -- because they stop doing what got them ahead.

It happened earlier this year against Missouri, but the Tigers couldn't hit the shots down the stretch.  A&M started drilling shots late in the game, and Nebraska -- which didn't commit a turnover until 11:00 to go in the second half -- had 8 turnovers in the last 11 minutes to give A&M 10 easy points.

What happened?  Well, Ade Dagunduro came out with 5 quick points after halftime, then vanished.  Steve Harley was hitting shots in the first half, then couldn't hit anything.  Velander didn't get touches at all.  Anderson was missing shots.

The biggest thing, though, was that the Huskers backed off the aggressive drive-and-shoot scheme they used for a number of easy shots in the first half run.  Just like they do every time they get a lead.  Seriously -- ATTACK THE BASKET!

A&M kept chipping away.  NU would stop them 3 or 4 possessions in a row, but couldn't hit a shot to put it away.  NU missed only 2 FTs all game.  Unfortunately, one of them was Cookie's 1-and-1 attempt with 20 seconds to go.

The officiating was all over the place on both sides.  A&M didn't get called for a number of horrible moving screens, but did get a questionable technical on a "chin-up" dunk.  On the other hand, they also got the benefit of two horrible calls in the final minutes.

Then, of course, Josh Carter went and did what he seems to do best -- drain a 3 in the Devaney Center to beat the Huskers.

Report Card

Offense: F.  The offense earns an "A" for the first half, but completely came unglued in the second.  The Huskers backed off the aggressive drive offense in  the second half, and died.

Defense: B.  A+ for most of the game, but there were enough lapses late in the game to drag this down.  Huskers stopped A&M seemingly every possession for most of the game.

Rebounding: D.  This was an "B" in the first half, when the Huskers were only out-rebounded by 1.  The Huskers kept A&M from getting second-chance shots until late, but the Aggies erupted for 11 offensive boards, mostly late in the game.

Ball Handling: B.  Zero turnovers for 29 minutes is impressive.  Eight in 11 is impressive in a different way.  It makes it so much worse that every Husker turnover seemed to be incredibly costly.

Coaching: C.  I have no idea what happened after halftime, but the team came out asleep, and that's on Doc.  This team is used to being the underdog, but it needs to know how to play with a lead.

Overall: D.  It's hard to believe that the first half and second half were from the same game.  In the first half, Nebraska looked like the far, far better team.  In the "third quarter," the teams looked fairly even.  In the last 12 minutes, NU looked like a high school JV team.  It doesn't frustrate me that NU loses games; it frustrates me that they should win these games and find a way to lose.

Texas A&M Aggies (19-8, 5-7) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (16-9, 6-6)

8:30 PM, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE

TV: ESPN 2; Radio: Husker Sports Network

Opponent's Blog: I am the 12th Man

Forget everything that has come so far.  From now until the Big XII Semifinals or so, every game is a must-win game.  Offensive woes in the last 4 road games (both at top-20 foes) have dropped the Huskers back to 6-6 in conference, competing for what hopes to be the 5th NCAA bid out of the Big XII.

Barring a miracle run in the conference tournament, that means the Huskers likely have to finish 10-6 and win one game in the conference tournament (since a 10-6 record likely means NU is the 4 seed in the conference tournament, that means reaching the semifinals).  Any less than that, and you're looking at an NIT bid.  Lose 3 of 4, and we may struggle for an NIT home game.  Lose all 4, and the Huskers may drop from the post season entirely.

The good news is that all 4 remaining regular season contests are winnable.  The bad news is that they are all losable, especially if people like Steve Harley, Paul Velander, or Ryan Anderson can't start finding the bottom of the net.  Even lowly 2-10 Iowa State (who has won 3 of its last 4 trips to Lincoln) isn't a guarantee.

Tonight, the Huskers face a talented but beatable team in Texas A&M.  The Aggies have only one road win in conference, at Texas Tech, but they have solid inside players and decent perimeter shooting.  NU's transition defense and half-court pressure should give the Aggies fits, and the Husker's speed should hopefully offset A&M's size advantage.  If the shots start falling, the Huskers should win.

Join us tonight for the Husker's final nationally-televisioned game of the regular season.  Accounts are free, so sign up and chime in.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (16-8, 6-5) at #15/#18 Kansas Jayhawks (21-5, 10-1)

3 PM, Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS

TV: Big 12 Network; Radio: Husker Sports Network (also on Sirius 123)

Opponents' Blog: Rock Chalk Talk

84-49.  92-39.  96-54.  59-57.  78-67.  92-59.  96-57.  84-62.  97-82.

Those are the scores of the Husker's last 9 trips to Lawrence since breaking the 16-year drought in Allen Fieldhouse in 1999.  Exactly once have the Huskers been within ten points,, and only three times within 20.  The last three were especially painful, as the Huskers seemed to play scared in front of the mighty incoming class of 2005-06 that went on to win a national title as juniors last year.

The Huskers don't need to win this game, but it sure could help.  The rest of the schedule is filled with fellow bubble teams and Iowa State, not exactly the best opportunity to build an at-large resume.  Worse, get blown out by a good team on the road for the second straight Saturday, and serious questions about the ability to win on the road come up.  Quite frankly, the NCAA Selection committee is looking for teams with more impressive road wins than TCU, Colorado, and Texas Tech.

There is hope.  The Huskers finally stopped being afraid of KU in last year's Big XII Tournament, and then kept the game within a point in the final minute a few weeks ago in Lincoln.  They know that this KU team is beatable.  It won't be easy -- the Huskers need to score, and get all the people who've been cold the last two games (Steve Harley, Ryan Anderson, Toney McCray, and Paul Velander, I'm talking to you) back in the offensive groove, and keep red-hot Cole Aldritch from giving KU too many 2nd- and 3rd-chance buckets.

Things could easily turn the Huskers way if the Jayhawks are looking past them to Monday's big showdown in Norman and next Sunday's rematch with Missouri.  Don't plan on it, though -- Bill Self's teams have never looked past Nebraska.

Colorado Buffaloes (9-15, 1-9) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-8, 5-5)

8:05 PM, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE

TV: ESPNU (Webcast on ESPN360); Radio: Husker Sports Network

Despite suffering their first blowout loss of the season, the Huskers still have the opportunity to win their way into the NCAA Tournament.  Sure, it's going to be hard -- they'll probably need to go 5-1 in their remaining 6 games to get an at-large berth.  The focus may be on stealing wins at Kansas, Kansas State, or Baylor, but a loss to Colorado, Iowa State, or Texas A&M at home would be devastating to the Huskers' at-large hopes.

The more realistic step forward, a non-losing Big XII record, still requires the Huskers to win their remaining home games.  Tonight's the first, against a Colorado team that pushed Oklahoma and Kansas to the brink and Texas into overtime, and took the Huskers to the wire in Boulder two weeks ago.

At this point, the Huskers are playing for either an NCAA at-large bid or a 1- or 2-seed in the NIT (and thus at least 2 home games should they keep winning).  Every game is big -- even Colorado.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-7, 5-4) at #17/#19 Missouri Tigers (21-4, 8-2)

12:30 PM, Mizzou Arena, Columbia, MO

TV: Big XII Network (affiliates) and ESPN Full Court/ESPN 360

Radio: Husker Sports Network

Opponents' Blog: Rock M Nation

All of a sudden, there's buzz around Husker Hoops, and for good reason.  The Huskers have a three-game winning streak, an above-.500 record in league, and a realistic shot of making the NCAA tournament.  Unfortunately, they are headed to Columbia to face a red-hot top-20 opponent in Mizzou.  Traditionally, Mizzou Arena has been a place where NU loses.

Well, until recently.  The Huskers have won their last two trips to Columbia, and have dominated the Tigers recently.  That means nothing, of course, when these Tigers are much better than last year's vintage.  But, the Huskers know they can win, and won't be intimidated.

The Huskers aren't expected to win this one, but if they do, it will be huge for their postseason chances.  Right now, they're being overshadowed by Kansas State in the tourney talk, and they need some way to distinguish themselves from the Wildcats, since it's unlikely both will get in.  Getting a big road win is a good way to start.

It's amazing what one little win over Texas can do for you.

On Friday, Nebraska was on NOBODY's NCAA radar.  By Saturday night, the wishful thinking had begun.  But is it that wishful?

The Huskers are 5-4 right now, and have 3 home games left.  All three home games are winnable -- Colorado and Iowa State are struggling mightily on the road, and Texas A&M is sitting at a woeful 3-6 in conference.  But that's just enough to get the Huskers to 8-8 (and a likely decent NIT seed).  The Huskers will have to get AT LEAST to 9-7 if they want to go dancing, and probably 10-6 to not sweat heavily on Selection Sunday.  Mark Shlabach on ESPN.com's Bubble Watch sums up Nebraska's resume nicely:

Nebraska [15-7 (5-4), RPI: 69, SOS: 61] The Cornhuskers' body of work looks similar to Kansas State's résumeacute;. Nebraska's best victories came against Missouri and Texas, and it has won three games in a row to get back into the bubble picture. But Nebraska still has much work to do. Like the Wildcats, the Cornhuskers have little to show from their nonconference schedule. They have a so-so victory over Creighton, but six of their 10 nonconference wins came against teams ranked No. 200 or lower in the RPI ratings. Worse, Nebraska lost to RPI No. 212 UMBC 66-64 on Dec. 23.

So, the Huskers are going to need to get some road wins or make a really deep run in the Big XII tournament to make the Dance.  I think one road game is certainly winnable -- Baylor.  The Bears are really struggling at 3-7 in league, and could be 6-9 or worse going into the final game against NU, which could give them very little to play for.

The trip to KU is hard to imagine the Huskers winning.  NU has won in Lawrence exactly once in my lifetime, in 1999.  If the Huskers can win this one, it would be huge for their tournament hopes.

The big question marks are this Saturday's game against Mizzou and two Saturdays from now at Kansas State.  Nebraska has already beat both these teams this season, and a sweep over either would be huge.  Can they do it?

• Nebraska has won 2 straight in Columbia, and Doc is 6-2 against Mike Anderson.  Missouri is coming off a huge, emotional, last-second win over their arch-rival, and may be a little hung-over.  For some reason, this matchup has favored NU lately.
  
• Kansas State will be coming off a mid-week trip to Mizzou, and remembering the 22-point shellacking in Lincoln earlier this year.  Nebraska has 2 wins in Manhattan this decade.

I think the Huskers could win either of these games, but I'm not sure they will.  That said, the fact that we can have this discussion with the smallest team in Division I two months after losing to Maryland-Baltimore County, is pretty impressive.  Of course, we could easily win BOTH those games, turn around and lose at home to Colorado and Iowa State.  Such is the plight of Husker hoops.

I'm going to stand by my 8-8 conference prediction for the time being, but I think that the first winning conference record in a decade is easily within reach.

Joe Ganz inspires, Fran Fraschilla praises Huskers

The Journal-Star has an interesting story today, about something Paul Velander heard Joe Ganz say, which he's brought to the Husker Basketball locker room: "Live within the team."

The same story also references Fran Fraschilla's Feb. 9 blog entry where he praises Doc Sadler's work at Nebraska.  Fran took a rare opportunity to watch a Husker practice, and he was full of kind words.  I won't say too much about it; take a chance to read it for yourself.

#16 Texas Longhorns (15-6, 4-3) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-7, 4-4)

1 PM, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE

TV: ESPN; Radio: Husker Sports Network (Also on Sirius 113)

Opponent's Blog: Burnt Orange Nation

One team is coming off a two-game home losing streak and another off a two-game road winning streak.  Based on recent history, you'd assume that it was Nebraska on the ropes and Texas on a roll, but that's not the case.

Today is Nebraska's latest shot to show that it can take the next step forward.  Texas is a team without a true point guard, and has a huge size advantage.  Nebraska will have to use its edge in speed and ball-handling (and avoid a bizarre showing like the 18 TOs against Colorado on Wednesday), but if it can do that, and get enough high-percentage shots, they just might pull this off.

Today is Jack Moore Day at the game.  Here's hoping his spirit's in the house to help his alma mater earn the victory.  If you can't make it to Lincoln for the game, join us here to chat as we watch on national TV.  Accounts, as always, are free.

Remembering Jack Moore

I wasn't old enough to remember Jack Moore.  He played starting at NU the year I was born, coming to NU from Muncie, IN.  He was a small (5-9) guard who was selected as an all-Big 8 first-team selection, and won the award for the best player in the nation under 6 feet.  He is still the 6th-best free-throw shooter in NCAA history.

Sadly, Jack Moore died in a small plane crash on his way to North Platte on March 3, 1984, at the age of 24.  Nebraska has honored his memory by naming our annual team-MVP award for Moore.

Today, Jack Moore is being honored again at halftime of the game with Texas as part of Jack Moore Day.  It's appropriate that the undersized star is being honored by his currently undersized alma mater on a day when they play one of the nation's tallest teams.  Hopefully, we can do him proud.

The North Messes With Texas?

What's up with Texas all of a sudden?  They come to Lincoln after losing back-to-back home games against North-division foes Kansas State and Missouri.  Now, the 'Horns are sitting at 4-3, and can potentially find themselves in 6th place should they lose to NU today.

Nebraska has lost 7 straight to Texas, though the last two games have been decided by a total of 5 points.  Computer simulations are generous to the Huskers: Accuscore projects a coin flip with a slight NU edge; KenPom.com projects a coin flip with a slight Texas edge.

Around the League

Baylor was a tournament lock just a couple weeks ago, but now they are in nothing short of a free-fall.  Sure, they've lost 4 straight to the cream of the Big XII: Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, and Kansas.  But there has to be some concern, sitting at 3-5.

Kansas State, on the other hand, has bounced back after looking to be completely in disarray out of the gate in conference play.  After an 0-4 start, the Wildcats are 4-4 and tied with Nebraska for fifth in the Big XII, and have wins over Missouri and Texas in that span.

Over at BasketballProspectus, there's an interesting look at each conference's tempo-free stats for conference play.  In the Big XII, there's only 5 teams who are averaging scoring more points per possession than they give up.  Four of them are expected: Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas.  The other? Nebraska!

When you think about it, NU hasn't been blown out in Big XII play, and that's reflected in these numbers.  It also means that NU should be able to win any game it plays.  As this team is learning how to win, the season may yet end with a surprise.

The struggling of the mid-level Big XII teams in conference play is having one more effect: the number of Big XII teams projected into the NCAA tournament is all over the place.  Joe Lunardi at ESPN.com only has 4, while Jerry Palm at CBSSports.com has 7!

Velander Academic All-District 7

Paul Velander was the only Big XII basketball player to earn CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District 7 honors.  Congratulations to Paul for all his hard work, both on and off the court.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-7, 3-4) at Colorado Buffaloes (9-11, 1-5)

Coors Event Center, Boulder, CO, 9:30 PM

TV: Fox Sports Midwest, ESPN FullCourt/ESPN360

Radio: Husker Sports Network

Opponent's Blog: The Ralphie Report (little Hoops coverage)

Tonight, the Huskers look to win back-to-back road games in conference for only the second time in ten years, playing at Big XII cellar-dweller Colorado.  The Buffs have played tough despite having only one conference win, and Nebraska has struggled in Boulder recently, dropping the last three trips.

The Huskers are currently tied with Kansas State and Texas A&M for fifth in the league, all at 3-4.  A win tonight gets NU to 4-4 in conference, with enough winnable games remaining to get to or even above .500 in conference.  Lose, and we're sitting at 3-5, with a struggle just to get to 7-9.

The game is late tonight, tipping off after 8:30 in Boulder (which makes it 9:30 for most Husker fans).  There's not a lot of other things to watch on TV, so join us here for the game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-7, 2-4) at Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-9, 1-4)

7 PM, United Spirit Arena, Lubbock, TX

TV: Big 12 Network; Radio: Husker Sports Network

Opponent's Blog: Double T Nation

A two-game road trip is never a good thing for a team coming off a 3-game losing skid including 2 losses at home.  WIth Texas awaiting NU on their return to Lincoln, picking up at least one win in Lubbock or Boulder is going to be huge to preserving NIT hopes.

Fortunately, these are two very winnable games.  Texas Tech is one of the worst teams in the conference for turning the ball over, and NU is one of the best in the country at creating turnovers.  The Red Raiders are very front-court heavy, which give NU's guards a distinct speed advantage.  Nebraska can win the game if they focus on high percentage shots to set up the pressure and the transition game.

Diagnosing NU's Late-Game struggles

It's a little hard to swallow that Nebraska is 2-4 in Big XII play when they could very easily be 6-0.  They've been ahead in every conference game, and been within 2 points within the final 2 minutes in all 4 losses, including against Top 5-Oklahoma.  So, why can't we put it away?

The answer lies at the heart of the biggest problem for the Huskers this year: Those once-per-game eight-minute FG droughts.

The problems were evident, but Arizona State demonstrated how to beat the Huskers: give them open threes and take away the inside lanes.  Since ASU held them to 44 points in December, more teams have worked to force Nebraska into being a perimeter shooting team and keeping them from driving the basket.

This is bad for Nebraska because outside of Paul Velander, the Huskers are a very inconsistent 3-point shooting team.  Nebraska is best playing its game when it makes baskets and can set up its full-court press to create transition baskets.  Unfortunately, with a team full of guards, the tendency is to take the open shot on the perimeter instead of driving to create high-percentage shots.

To win, the Huskers really need to focus on driving the basket, getting easier buckets, and setting up the pressure defense to create turnovers and transition bakets.  If they can really focus on that over the perimeter shooting, they may find those long scoring droughts becoming a lot shorter.

Ade Dagunduro on Fire

Since struggling to find his offense and stay out of foul trouble early on, Ade Dagunduro has caught fire since mid-December, with two 20-point games, including a 24-point performance Wednesday against KU.

Diaz's Redshirt a Good Thing Long-Term

I'm very supportive of Brian Diaz's decision to redshirt, despite the help he could bring to this year's squad.  The ability to run multiple big men, who will be in much better condition (and thus able to keep up with the speedy guards), can only be helpful down the line.

Around the Nation

Notre Dame was in the Top 10 a few weeks ago, and with their 5th straight loss, are in danger of falling right through the NCAA Tournament Bubble....The SEC lost two coaches last week, and is proving to be a giant cluster of mediocrity.  The league looks like it may struggle to get 4 teams in the NCAA Tournament, and none of those are likely to be much higher than a 4 or 5 seed unless they go on a major streak....Kansas may be the fourth-best team in the Big XII yet still win the regular season league crown...

Kansas Jayhawks (15-4, 4-0) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-6, 2-3)

6:30 PM, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE

TV: ESPN2; Radio: Husker Sports Network

Opponent's Blog: Rock Chalk Talk

It's been almost five years since Nebraska beat Kansas, and there's only been one win in the last ten years, since NU swept the Jayhawks in the regular season in 1999.  Quite a terrible streak, considering that up to 1999, we routinely beat KU in Lincoln, even if we did struggle in Lawrence.

Lately, though, Nebraska has struggled mightily against KU.  At the last NU-KU game I attended in person, I spent most of the first half hiding behind my free rally towel, having vowed not to take it off my face until we scored (which took a while on a 34-0 run).  Up until last year's Big XII quarterfinal, the games had bordered on the ridiculous.

But, this isn't the KU teams of the last 3 years.  7 players are gone from the defending champs.  They're 4-0 in league, but the 4 teams they beat have a combined total of 3 wins in conference.  They're playing well, but they're not an all-world squad.

This is probably the best chance in a while to break this 11-game skid in the series.  KU comes into Lincoln unranked for the first time in a long time; NU has been either ahead or within 2 points going into the last 2 minutes of every conference game this year.  The Jayhawks ALWAYS bring their A-game for Nebraska, though, so we can't sit back and expect to hang with them.

Break the Streak! Beat KU!

Oklahoma State Cowboys (12-5, 1-2) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-5, 2-2)

Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE, 3 PM

TV: Big 12 Network (Affiliates), ESPN Full Court/ESPN360; Radio: Husker Sports Network

After a disappointing but impressive performance Wednesday night against #5 Oklahoma, Nebraska begins its longest homestand of the Big XII season today, hosting Oklahoma State.  It's a matchup of the league's best defensive team in NU and the best offensive team in the Cowboys.  Both teams are small, without a major contributing big man.  While it means that there won't be a Blake Griffin-type to abuse us down low, it also means that NU's speed won't be as big an advantage.

The Cowboys will try their hardest to drive the tempo up, while Nebraska will try to force them to slow it down.  Oklahoma State plays very, very fast -- they've pushed the pace close to 90 possessions in a couple games this year, whereas Nebraska has slowed it below 60 multiple times.  The Cowboys also shoot the rock well -- 4 of the top 8 three point shooters in the Big XII play for Oklahoma State.

Like many conference series, the home team has dominated this series as of late.  The older players on OSU probably remember the last trip to Lincoln, where NU leapt out to a 30-point lead on Senior Night in a game that was rescheduled to the end of the season after a blizzard earlier in the year.  Don't expect the same sort of game this year, but I do expect Nebraska to force the game into its comfort zone at home, and grind out a win at home, 68-63.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-4, 2-1) at #5/6 Oklahoma Sooners (17-1, 3-0)

Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, OK, 8:05 PM

TV: ESPNU; Radio: Husker Sports Network

Opponent's Blog: Crimson and Cream Machine

Tonight, Nebraska travels to Norman, OK to play the toughest opponent they'll face all season in the 5th- and 6th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.  With no proven big man to defend All-World Center Blake Griffin, a win tonight would be a tall order indeed.  If they do find a way to win, this could be a chance to turn the tide towards an outside chance at a postseason berth.

The bigger question for NU tonight is going to be what of Brian Diaz (he's Jorge Brian, but apparently goes by Brian)?  The scuttlebut on the radio is that he's going to play.  If he's planning on playing this year, it makes sense that he's playing tonight, although it seems like an awfully short time to make a decision.

The game is televised nationally on ESPNU, and is the sort of game where NU has laid a big egg at this point in the season.  Maybe, just maybe, it's time for a breakthrough game.

I recently had the opportunity to swap questions with Matt over at Crimson and Cream Machine about tonight's showdown in Norman (8 PM on ESPN2).  Below are my questions for him, and his responses.  My answers to his questions will be on Crimson and Cream Machine later today.

1. Last year, OU seemed to be terribly inconsistent, especially through the Big XII slate.  This year, they've been remarkably consistent (a look down the schedule shows that most of their offensive and defensive efforts have been within very tight bands).  From what you've seen, what's the biggest difference between last year's team and this year's team?

Guard play! Blake Griffin has improved significantly from last year but the main difference from last year’s team is the play of the guards. Last season Blake Griffin was the most consistent factor in Oklahoma ’s game with the guards often failing to show up. This year that hasn’t been the case as Oklahoma has the inside/outside game working pretty well. There isn’t a team in the country that can play Blake Griffin man to man and Oklahoma ’s guards have been able to make their opponents pay for double teaming him this year.

2. Everyone knows all about Blake Griffin, but the rest of OU is a bit of a mystery.  Who besides Griffin should everyone really be keeping their eye on?

Guards Willie Warren and Tony Crocker are averaging double figures in scoring with 15.5 and 10.4 points respectively. Blake’s older brother Taylor is averaging 9 points per game and is usually good for a nasty block in each game. Austin Johnson was named the conference player of the week this week after putting up 15 and 19 points against Texas and Texas A&M last week.

3. Nebraska loves to press and force turnovers.  In fact, they thrive on it, forcing turnovers on 28.9% of opponents' possessions.  How will OU handle the pressure defense from the Huskers, and can we expect to see pressure in return?

Turnovers have been a frustrating aspect of Oklahoma ’s game this season, along with poor free throw shooting, so it is definitely a concern going into this game. The Sooners are averaging almost 15 turnovers per game so they’ll have their work cut out for them. The key is going to be trying to capitalize on quickness and using their size advantage to play keep away and then to make Nebraska pay every time Oklahoma breaks the press.

With the addition of 6-11 C Jorge Brian Diaz to the previously shortest team in Division I Hoops, the big question becomes whether or not Diaz should play this year, and if he does, when should he start getting minutes.

There are certainly good arguments both ways for whether or not Diaz should play.  Assuming that he's physically in condition to play (he has been sitting around all fall), he could immediately make an impact just because of his size.  He creates matchup issues and can aid in rebounding and shot blocking.  His new teammates are excited about the help he can provide.

On the other hand, this Husker team is at best an extreme longshot for the NCAA Tournament, with or without Diaz unless he's Blake Griffin-good.  By redshirting him, he'll have four full seasons, and NU won't be rotating out 2 6-11 centers in 2012 (Diaz and currently redshirting Christopher Niemann).  With extra practice, Diaz will certainly be ready for primetime next fall.

For Diaz, there's good reasons to play now.  First and foremost is the chance to get real game-level experience in a tough conference.  By the end of the year he'll be battle tested, and it's a good chance to prove himself and earn the starting spot for the fall (when he'll have to battle Niemann for starting center).

The wild card in the scenario is Chris Balham.  His knee pains have returned, worse than ever.  He's missing practices again, and probably won't see significant playing time the rest of the year (Doc said something this week about feeling bad about playing him when he's in so much pain).

If Diaz does play, the question becomes when he will start playing.  If he plays tomorrow night against Oklahoma, his baptism into Division I Basketball will be defending the likely #1 NBA Draft Pick Blake Griffin in front of a hostile crowd.  If he waits until Saturday, he'll play at home against another undersized team in Oklahoma State.

We'll get an answer to the Jorge Diaz question soon enough.  If he doesn't play soon, it becomes likely that he'll redshirt.  The best case scenario is that he can play and contribute significantly right away.  Worst case scenario is that he tries to play too soon, can't contribute significantly, and loses a year of eligibility.