Broadcast Information

Television: Big 12 Network

Play-by-play: Dave Armstrong

Color: Jon Sundvold

Internet Video: ESPN3.com

Radio: IMG Husker Sports Radio Network

Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka

Color: Andy Markowski

Internet Radio/Stats: Free on Huskers.com

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Game: 21

2010-11 Record: 15-5, 3-3 Big 12

Head coach: Doc Sadler

Record at Nebraska: 85-63 (5th year)

Record at Division I: 133-81 (7th year)

Career Record: 253-120 (13th year)

Kansas State Wildcats

Game: 23

2010-11 Record: 14-8, 2-5 Big 12

Head coach: Frank Martin

Record at Kansas State: 86-40 (5th year)

Career Record: same

Huskers Look for Win at Kansas State

The Husker men's basketball team begins February with an important road trip, as Nebraska travels to Manhattan, Kan., for a Wednesday showdown with the Kansas State Wildcats. Tipoff from Bramlage Coliseum is set for 7:04 p.m. while the game will be televised on the Big 12 Network, including KLKN (Ch. 8) in Lincoln and KPTM's Digital channel (My 42.2) in Omaha with Dave Armstrong and Jon Sundvold on the call.

Wednesday's game will be available on the 32-station IMG Husker Sports Radio Network with Kent Pavelka and Andy Markowski on the call, including KFAB 1110 AM in Omaha, KLIN 1400 AM in Lincoln and KRVN 880 in Lexington.

The Huskers (15-5, 3-3 Big 12) come off one of their best performances in recent years, a 57-48 win over No. 13 Texas A&M on Saturday. Nebraska held Texas A&M to just 39 percent shooting, including 24 percent in the second half, en route to erasing an eight-point second-half deficit. It was the highest ranked opponent Nebraska has beaten in Doc Sadler 's five seasons at NU and the first since knocking off No. 16 Texas nearly two years ago.

Sophomore center Jorge Brian Diaz led Nebraska with a game-high 16 points in the win, as he played following the death of his aunt on Friday and left for Puerto Rico immediately following the contest to attend the funeral. His status for Wednesday's game is probable, as he is expected to be in Manhattan on Tuesday evening.

Lance Jeter and Brandon Richardson had 10 points apiece as the pair combined for 18 of their 20 points in the second half. Jeter also led NU with six rebounds and added four assists, as Nebraska committed a season-low seven turnovers in the victory.

Jeter's play at the point guard spot has provided a steady hand for the Husker attack. The senior leads the Big 12 and ranks 19th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.64) while averaging a team-high 10.6 points per game. He has done a nice job of getting Nebraska good shots, as the Huskers are tied for third in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.477) after connecting on just 44 percent last season.

The Huskers now look to earn a big road win against a dangerous Kansas State team (14-8, 2-5 Big 12) which has been tough at home. The Wildcats, who were picked to win the Big 12 in the preseason, return home after playing three of their last four games on the road against top-15 teams.

On Saturday, KSU ran into a fired-up Kansas team and lost, 90-66, as the Jayhawks shot 61 percent on the night and forced the Wildcats into just 19 percent shooting in posting a 37-20 halftime lead.

Despite Saturday's loss, Kansas State features one of the Big 12's best in Jacob Pullen, who is fourth in the league in scoring (18.1 ppg) and 11th in assists (3.4 per game). The Wildcats are also 11-2 at Bramlege Coliseum, a place where the Huskers will be looking for their first win since 2006.

Quick Look at Kansas State

The Wildcats come into Wednesday's game looking to bounce back from a slow start in conference play. Kansas State, which opened the year ranked third in the country, is 14-8 on the year and 2-5 in the league following a loss at Kansas on Saturday.

KSU, which returned a pair of starters and nine letterwinners from a team that went 29-8 and reached the Elite Eight last season, won nine of its first 10 games, but is just 5-8 since a loss at Florida on Dec. 18.

The Wildcats struggled at times offensively, shooting just 43 percent from the floor, but make up for it on the glass, as KSU's +8.2 rebound margin is second in the league to Texas A&M. In Big 12 action, Kansas State is averaging 68.8 points per game, but allowing 70.0. Prior to the Kansas game, KSU had allowed only one Big 12 opponent to score more than 70 points (Missouri, 75).

The Wildcats feature one of the Big 12's premier players in point guard Jacob Pullen, who leads the Wildcats and ranks fourth in the Big 12 at 18.1 points per game. The senior guard, who was a first-team preseason All-American and Big 12 preseason Player of the Year, is 11th in assists (3.4 per game) and ninth in steals (1.6 spg). Pullen is second in Big 12 play in scoring at 19.7 points per game and had a game-high 21 points in the Wildcats' loss at Kansas on Saturday. He has taken 80 shots in KSU's first five Big 12 games, which is more than twice any other player's total.

Rodney McGruder and Curtis Kelly also provide offensive firepower for the Wildcats, as McGruder averages 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and shots 41 percent from 3-point range, while Kelly chips in 9.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest.

Nebraska-Kansas State Series

Wednesday's meeting will be the 219th matchup between the two programs. KSU holds a 125-93 lead, including a17-12 mark during the Big 12 era.

KSU has won the last three matchups in the series, including an 91-87 game in Manhattan last year. It was KSU's first sweep of the Huskers since the 2003-04 campaign. The Wildcats have not won four in a row against Nebraska since a six-game win streak from 1987 to 1989.

The Wildcats have won 12 of 14 matchups at home in Bramlage Coliseum since the start of the Big 12 era. The Huskers' only wins in the arena came in 2001 (63-61) and 2006 (57-42).

Nebraska's last win in the series was a 73-51 win over the Wildcats on January 17, 2009 at the Devaney Center in Lincoln.

Last Time Out

Lance Jeter and Brandon Richardson combined for 18 of Nebraska's 33 second-half points as the Huskers overcame a seven-point halftime to upset No. 13 Texas A&M, 57-48, on Jan. 29. The Huskers trailed by as many as eight points in the second half and were down 42-39 before Jeter and Richardson combined for eight points on a 10-1 Husker run which gave Nebraska the lead for good. Jeter and Richardson finished with 10 points apiece, while Jorge Brian Diaz totaled a game-high 16 points and five rebounds to place three players in double figures. Texas A&M eventually closed to within 51-48, but Eshaunte Jones gave Nebraska breathing room with his 3-pointer with 70 seconds remaining before Nebraska salted away the game at the free throw line. Nebraska won the game at the defensive end, holding the Aggies to just 39 percent shooting on the day and three field goals over the final 9:55, as Texas A&M's 48 points were a season low. The win over the 13th ranked Aggies marked the Huskers' highest-ranked win under Doc Sadler and the highest-ranked opponent Nebraska knocked off since 2006.

Noting the Texas A&M Game

Nebraska's win over No. 13 Texas A&M is the highest ranked opponent Nebraska has defeated in Doc Sadler 's five seasons at Nebraska (previous high was No. 16 Texas on Feb., 7, 2009). It is the second time in four seasons that Nebraska has knocked off a ranked Texas A&M squad (also a win at No. 25 Texas A&M on Feb. 23, 2008)

It is the highest ranked opponent Nebraska has defeated since No. 12 Oklahoma on Jan. 7, 2006.

Saturday's win snapped an 11-game losing streak against ranked teams, dating back to the 2008-09 season.

Nebraska held Texas A&M to just 39.1 percent shooting, including 23.8 percent in the second half, as the Huskers out-scored Texas A&M, 33-17 after the break.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak to the Aggies dating back over the last two seasons.

Nebraska extends its home win streak to 14 and have held 11 of the 14 opponents to under 60 points.

Nebraska held Texas A&M to a season low 48 points. The Aggies become the seventh team held to a season low by the Husker defense this season. TAMU's previous season low was 54 points against Temple on Nov. 28.

Texas A&M is the seventh team Nebraska has held to less than 50 points this season.

Jorge Brian Diaz has a season-high 16 points, topping his previous 2010-11 best of 15 against Alcorn State on Dec. 8. Diaz played on Saturday and left for Puerto Rico following the game to be with his family after his aunt passed away on Friday. He had 10 of his points in the first half to keep Nebraska in the game.

Lance Jeter finished with 10 points and four assists, as he moved into sole possession of 20th place on NU's career assist list.

Its been a While

With a 15-5 mark heading into Wednesday's game at Kansas State, the Huskers are enjoying one of their best seasons in recent years.

Nebraska 15-5 mark is the program's best 20-game start in the Big 12 era and best 20-game record since also going 15-5 in its first 20 games of 1995-96.

The last time a Nebraska basketball team had a better mark after its first 20 games was in 1990-91, when the Huskers were 18-2 en route to a school-record 26 wins.

Nebraska's quick start was recognized on Jan. 10, when the Huskers received four points in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll, the first time since Jan. 16, 2006, that Nebraska had received any points in the coaches poll. NU received votes in both the AP and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll on Jan. 30, the first time that has happened in Doc Sadler 's five seasons.

Down to the Wire

Nebraska comes into the Kansas State game with a 15-5 mark, and the Huskers have been in a number of close contests this season.

Eight times this season, it has been five points or closer at the 2:30 mark, including four of Nebraska's six Big 12 games.

In four of NU's five losses (Vanderbilt, Davidson, Kansas and Texas Tech), Nebraska was within five points with 2:30 left. In the loss at Missouri, Nebraska used a late run and cut a nine-point deficit to four points with 31 seconds left.

The 2010-11 season marks the first time in six years that Nebraska has been involved in multiple one-point games (63-62 win over Iowa State on Jan. 8; 72-71 loss at Texas Tech on Jan. 22).

A Defense that Would Make the Blackshirts Proud

As is typical with Doc Sadler -coached teams, the Huskers' forte is on the defensive end. Nebraska is in the top five nationally in both opponent field goal percentage (.365) and points per game (56.5) entering this week's action.

The Huskers have held 13 opponents under 60 points and only two opponents have scored more than 70 points through the first 20 games.

That is made more impressive when you consider that Nebraska has played five teams among the nation's top 25 in scoring.

The Huskers have held all 20 opponents below their current 2010-11 season averages, while six teams (Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Vanderbilt, Hofstra, Eastern Washington, Grambling State, Kansas and Texas A&M) scored their season low against Nebraska.

Nebraska held 10 straight opponents to under 60 points, the longest stretch by a Nebraska team since a 21-game stretch covering the 1948-49 and 1949-50 seasons.

Nebraska's defense has been stingy at home, allowing just 53.0 points per game in 14 home contests.

The Huskers held four straight foes to under 50 points - the first time since February of 1949 that has happened at Nebraska.

The biggest beneficiary to the Huskers defense has been the fans at the Devaney Center. In 11 of 14 home games, fans have earned products from Runza Restaurants, whether its a Runza or burger (50 or less), chili or soup (51-55) or an order of fries or onion rings (56-60).

Nebraska opponents have been held to 25 percent shooting three times this season, including 21.1 percent by Eastern Washington on Dec. 18.

Nebraska's defensive excellence has been established under Sadler, as the Huskers led the conference in defense twice in his first four years at NU (2007-08, 2008-09).

Nebraska's defense was put to the test during a two-week stretch to open Big 12 play. The Huskers' first four opponents were among the top five scoring offenses in the Big 12. The list features three teams (Missouri, Kansas and Colorado) all ranked in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense entering this week's action. In those games, NU allowed an average of 67.2 points per game.

More than Just Defense

Nebraska's .477 field goal percentage is on pace to be the Huskers' best shooting since the 2000-01 team that shot .487 and ranked 11th nationally in field goal percentage. That is Nebraska's best field goal percentage in the Big 12 era.

The Huskers' current scoring average of 68.8 points per game is on pace to be the highest in Doc Sadler 's five seasons (current high is 67.1 in 2007-08) and the most since averaging 70.7 points per game in 2003-04.

The Sum is Greater than the Parts

When talking about the 2010-11 Huskers, Nebraska Coach Doc Sadler mentioned that this is the deepest team he has had in his five seasons. The Huskers have relied on the depth, as 10 players have averaged at least 12 minutes per game and no player is averaging at least 30 minutes per game. While the Huskers do not have a player in the top 20 in the league in either scoring or rebounding, they rely on a balanced attack with nine players averaging between 4.6 and 10.6 points per game.