The win improved the Huskers to 16-9 overall and 5-7
in league play while the Aggies dropped to 20-7 on the year and 6-6 in Big 12
action. The loss was A&M's third straight in league play and only their
third loss in 18 home games this season.
Nebraska won consecutive games over a ranked team for
the first time since 1999. It was also Nebraska's first road victory over a
top-25 squad since beating Kansas in Lawrence also nine years ago.
Four Huskers scored double figures, including two off
the bench as NU held a 22-19 advantage in bench scoring. Sek Henry and
Steve Harley each scored 11 points to lead the Huskers, including
scoring seven of the Huskers' last eight points.
Henry put in the biggest baskets of the game as he
burried a pair of 3-pointers in the final six minutes. Henry's first trey
stiffled a 7-0 A&M run and came just after NU freshman point guard Cookie
Miller left the game with a shoulder injury. Henry then added a 3-pointer with
1:23 remaining, giving NU the lead for good, 60-57.
Harley added four free throws in the final minute and
Nebraska recorded two offensive rebounds in the final 35 seconds to hold on. NU
finished with just three offensive boards on the day while A&M held a 28-23
lead on the glass.
Nebraska got the win behind an efficient offensive
effort. The Huskers hit 59 percent on the day (23-of-39), their best effort in
conference play this year and second straight game shooting better than 50
percent. A&M hit just 41.7 percent, including just 7-of-20 from 3-point
range, against the Husker defense with only two players -- Derrick Roland (13)
and Donald Sloan (10) -- reaching double figures.
Henry had 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting while
Harley connected on 3-of-6 for 11 points. Chris Balham came off the bench for
the best game of his career, scoring personal-high 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting
and added three rebounds in 11 minutes of action. Senior center Aleks Maric
added 10 points but saw his streak of double-doubles come to an end at seven
games as he hauled in only five rebounds.
Nebraska got off to a strong start, posting 32
first-half points while holding a seven-point margin at the intermission. The
Huskers, who had four players score at least five points in the period,
hit 60 percent from the floor in the opening frame, knocking down 12-of-20
attempts.
Ryan Anderson and Balham led the charge in the first
half, scoring six points apiece. Anderson drilled a pair of 3-pointers, giving
him 40 on the season, his second straight year with at least 40 treys, while
Balham tied his career single-game high with six points on a trio of baskets,
helping NU to a 10-6 lead in the paint before intermission.
While Nebraska's offense was strong, it was the
defensive play that put the Huskers ahead for the 17th time at halftime this
season and third time away from Lincoln. The Huskers chased the Aggies
continuously, holding A&M to 37.5 percent shooting while also outrebounding
the much taller Aggies 14-11.
The Huskers return to action at home on Wednesday,
Feb. 27, when Nebraska plays host to the Oklahoma Sooners at the Bob Devaney
Sports Center. The contest will tip off at 7 p.m. and can be heard on the Husker
Sports Network and around the world on the Inernet at
Huskers.com