Core players important,
but bench can contribute
BySamMcKewon
Staff Reporter
For the Nebraska men’s basketball
team, the most important players may
not be out on the floor, but on the
bench.
Despite returning a core of six
players (junior guards Tyronn Lue and
Troy Piatkowski, sophomore guard
Cookie Belcher, junior forwards Larry
Florence and Andy Markowski and
junior center Venson Hamilton) from
last season, NU still has questions - of
depth at several positions - that will
not be answered until the Nov. 16 sea
son-opener against UNC-Greensboro.
The Huskers will have to rely on
freshmen Todd Smith, Brant
Harriman, Rodney Wiliams and Chad
Johnson to Fill the Huskers’ rotation.
Smith is injured and not expected for
the opener.
Nebraska Coach Danny Nee said
depth is one of the major focuses of
early practice this season.
“Depth is certainly a problem for
us, but these things take care of them
selves as die season goes on,” he said.
“We have decent depth at the guards
but we’re a little thin up front”
NU does return a solid nucleus,
which accounted for 69.2 percent of
the scoring and 62.9 percent of
rebounding last season.'
The Huskers* success this season
starts with All-American candidate
Lue, who earned second All-Big 12
honors last season after averaging 18.8
points per game with 4.3 assists per
contest. He was then selected to play
on the USA 22 & Under World
Championship Team this summer.
Nee said Lue is NU’s leader on and
W^B^fe%e«fpoint guard in the
Big 12 and one of the best in the coun
period,” Nee said. “He doesn’t
need to statistically improve his num
bers, so he’s more focused on making
every member of this team better. He’s
going to be a dominant force.”
i Belcher also resumes his starting
role at the two-guard position from last
year. A member of Big 12^ all-rookie
; team last season, Belcher averaged 9.2
{points per game and 3.8 rebounds per
"game. Belcher struggled from the
free-throw line, however, making only
49.4 percent of his attempts last sea
son.
Nee said Belcher, who has been
hampered by a hamstring injury,
should be ready for the opener and a
breakout season shooting die ball.
“Cookie has worked a lot on his
free-throw work and his three-point
; work,” he said. “He knows he needs to
^improve his outside shooting.”
fV At small forward, Florence is
again NUls designated defensive stop
per this season and looks to be com
pletely healthy after two seasons of
chronic knee problems. Last year,
Florence tallied 7.3 points per game
and 3.8 rebounds pec game.
M . -TT------—
1997-98 Nebraska Men’s
Basketball Schedule
Date Opponent Time
Nov.5 • 7S5$ift • • .
Nov. 10 Marathon Oil 7:05 p.m.
:v=:;. . . ' ' .
Nov. 19 Western Illinois 7:05 p.m.
NawOrieans 7:05 p.m.
Nov. 25 Colorado St 7:05 p.m.
• Nqv.29; Te»s-San Antonio* - .; ^■ J>'
Dec. 1 Tulsa 6:00 p.m.
wmm, i• v= N.c.-WBmlngtoo • • •••&/• -B3&p;m< •. m
Dec. 10 Creighton 735 p.m.
. JOWL it .:••• • • Mwsotav.' 4* ■, ■ s$ % -. mmm& M=••••..:>••>••
Dec. 27 Virginia 930 p.m.
«»;» andRoiifla *mnm*£* >
Dec. 30 Final Round TBA
Kerw8»i:.P^v::-4: ;>••:: i. ?<mmm * Mm - •:• r e -■■■■
Jan. 7 Oklahoma St 735 p.m.
.<&& it-;..- Colorado 4 -4:.- $i*ii;.. ,<.. -taao&om:;. :$.
Jan. 18 Oklahoma 1235 p.m.
- MtyMN&v'' ;
Jan. 24 Iowa SL 12:45 p.m.
mem > -JCaasasSk- .v-^ ..-> Mm ^* », • ,
Feb. 1 Kansas 235 p.m.
f#m ■ i&aouri v; mmmt'i: y
Feb. 7 Kansas SL 12:45 p.m.
i yummmu •
Feb. 14 Baylor 130 p.m.
Feb. 21 Colorado 730 p.m.
> <m& -
Feb. 28 Iowa St 630 p.m.
• il
fcfc
(Lue)doesn ft need to statistically improve
his numbers, so he s more focused on
making every member of this team better.
He s going to be a dominant force.”
Danny Nee
: I-., * $ . - Nebraska basketball coach ,s ’ ,
Healthy again, Florence is ready to
become a more complete player this
season, Nee said.
“Larry worked as hard as anybody
in the off-season,” he said. “We know
he’s a good defensive player, and he’s
really focused on cutting down on his
errors.”
Markowski and Hamilton man the
power forward and center positions for
NU.
Nee likens Markowski, who aver
aged 4.2 points per game and 3.9
rebounds per game last year, to former
Husker Bruce Chubick with savvy
court knowledge and strong offensive
rebounding.
With the graduation of Mikki
Moore, Hamilton becomes the
Huskers’ go-to player inside.
Nee said Hamilton plays a big role
in how much Nebraska achieves in the
season.
“He’s got to show up every night
and play consistent,” Nee said. “I
know he wants this.”
Harriman and Johnson will serve
as reserves in the post.
Piatkowski serves as the team’s
sixth man and could play at either for
ward or guard. After playing in only
eight of the Big 12 games last year,
Nee said he will look to the junior for
an outside shooting threat.
“He’s got a great touch and he’s got
a good a stroke as his brother did,” Nee
said. Piatkowski’s brother Eric is a for
mer Husker, who now plays with the
Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA.
NU is picked to finish fourth in the
Big 12 Conference.
Kansas is the conference’s prohib
ited favorite, while Oklahoma and
Texas Tech will receive Top 25 consid
eration. J
Nebraska has to take care of its
home-court advantage to succeed in
the Big 12 and put itself in position for
the NCAA Tournament, which is the
team’s top goal, Nee said
“We’ve got some tough games in
nonconference and the Big 12 isn’t
easy,” Nee said. “We have to win our
games at home and try and steal some
on the road. You win all your games at
home in conference and go .500 on the
road, and you’re in the NCAA
Tournament, usually.”
*/N THE COVER
NEBRASKA FRESHMAN SWIMMER JOE BURGARD competed in the Big 12 Invitational Swim Meet earHmthto Mason!
Many of the Husker winter sports have already begun competition or will start their seasons within the next two
-MRS. -—* -
Ryan Soderlin/DN
JUNIOR FORWARD VENSON HAMILTON scores a layup against Pella Windows
Howard Eatman. HamHtoir will have to pick up the rebounding for the
Hmk«safterttelaKofMtfii|too«. | ...
Nov yon can afford to have a computer for schod.
Cmputer
^ Brenaissance
4S6 & Pentiam tmadles • Notebooks fn» $399
330 North 46th Street • 465-4040
*
