Huskers dominate ASU in 62-47 victory
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By BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Nebraska men’s basketball coach Doc Sadler was in good humor after his team’s impressive 62-47 victory Sunday over Arizona State.
He joked with reporters on his way out of the postgame interview room, around 3 p.m., telling them to enjoy the rest of the day off.
Yeah, right.
Asked if he, too, was going to the 4 p.m. press conference to announce Nebraska’s new football coach, Sadler said yes.
“It might be me,” he said, drawing laughter.
Of course, there were other reasons for Sadler to smile.
Nebraska (5-1) used a 42-10 run over two halves to beat a young but very talented Arizona State team in the Big 12-Pac 10 Hardwood Series before 7,845 fans at the Devaney Sports Center.
The Huskers held the Sun Devils (4-2) to one field goal during a 19-minute, 36-second stretch. ASU, ahead 21-14, went scoreless over the final 8:31 of the first half, when Nebraska scored 16 straight points to take command.
“Defensively,” Sadler said, “I don’t know if we could play much better against anyone.”
Nebraska led by 24 points with 3:51 remaining when the public address announcer informed the crowd of the football news conference. The Red Zone student section began chanting “BO Pe-LIN-i … BO Pe-LIN-i!”
Even the clock operator allowed seconds to tick away during a couple of Nebraska free throws late in the game. Nobody noticed. Nobody cared.
Nebraska, led by Ade Dagunduro’s 15 points, heated up after a horrid start shooting, when the Huskers were 4-of-14 from the field. Dagunduro got his team jump-started with a couple of mid-range jumpers, then hit a three-pointer to start the 16-0 run.
“It definitely feels good,” Dagunduro said. “My first three shots of the game were way off. I was kind of hoping that did not go on all game, and then I just caught fire.”
Dagunduro was also key defensively. He guarded freshman guard James Harden, a McDonald’s All-American, pestering him throughout the game. Harden had seven turnovers and eight points.
Nebraska forced 19 turnovers, and nobody scored in double figures for the Sun Devils.
“Nebraska does a really good job of attacking the ball,” ASU coach Herb Sendek said. “We put together an edit (of film) of them attacking the ball to show their tenacity on defense. We emphasized taking care of the ball this week in practice, but when the lights came on, that really brought us down.”
Aleks Maric and Ryan Anderson had 14 points apiece, as the Huskers were efficient in picking apart ASU’s zone defense. The Huskers scored virtually every time Maric got a touch, and the perimeter shooting picked up after an air-ball filled start.
Nebraska’s biggest lead was 26 points.
“Most zones tend to play more under the three-point line,” Dagunduro said. “They were really extended, putting pressure on, so it was kind of like man-to-man, but at the same time, it was zone. They were just a little bit more intense than the previous zones we have faced all year.”
Sunday’s game was the first in what Sadler said last week was a key stretch of non-conference games. The Huskers play Wednesday at Western Kentucky (5-2) then return home Sunday to play Rutgers (5-2) and follow with games against Savannah State and No. 17 Oregon.
It’s a stretch Sadler’s happy to begin with a victory.
“I don’t know how good Arizona State is, but they are a Pac-10 team,” he said. “When you beat a Pac-10 team, it’s going to help your confidence.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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