Huskers
look to end
road woes
vs. ISU
ISU from page 9
become a touchy subject. Even
more so since the promising
Huskers were thumped 70-53 by
the Buffaloes last weekend.
Nebraska, 14-5 overall, 3-3
in the Big 12 Conference, enters
tonight’s game in Ames, Iowa,
after losing its last three confer
ence games on the road.
In fact, NU hasn’t won away
from their home gym since a
Dec. 6 victory in Omaha against
Creighton.
In contrast, Nebraska has
been undefeated and dominating
at the Bob Devaney Sports
Center this season.
Husker guard Brooke
Schwartz said her team “has to
play a lot tougher on the road” if
they are going to complete one of
its team goals - winning the Big
12 Championship.
Schwartz said a road win
against the Cyclones, leaders of
the Big 12’s North Division,
would benefit NU in other ways
besides standings.
The Huskers could use a
boost of road-warrior confi
dence right now.
“A win at Iowa State would
help us get back on our feet,”
Schwartz said. “We need to learn
that we can win without our
home crowd.
“We need to learn how to
feed off their crowd.”
Sanderford said his team
needs to play with more mental
toughness to beat the Cyclones.
“You have to be resilient in
this game,” he said. “We have to
be more conservative on the road
and give ourselves a chance to
win the game with two minutes
left”
A bit earlier, Sanderford sar
castically vented a slew of frus
trations about his squad’s effort
at Coiorado.
The coach answered a few
more good questions that were
never asked.
Howr big of a disappointment
was the game?
“1 didn 't think they ever gave
me a chance to coach.” he said. “I
might as well have stayed home
and watched the game on TV.”
The Buskers’ half-court
offense against the Buffaloes?
“It's stuff I haven’t seen
before,'’ Sanderford said. “I
guess they must have dreamed it
up.”
How about Nebraska’s team
play Saturday?
“It looked like I picked up
five girls before the game and
said, ‘Let’s play some basket
ball,”’ Sanderford said. “We
were scattered and I wash I could
put my finger on it.”
NU forward Naciska
Gilmore might have the answer.
“We need to go out and play
Nebrasketball,” she said. “We
have to be more physical and
out-hustle the other team. We
haven’t been doing that on the
road.”
Near the end of the press con
ference, Sanderford said he had
heard enough about his team’s
away-from-home performances.
“I hope I never have to talk
about this again,” he said. “But
hey, we’re 14-5, it’s not like it’s a
funeral.”
The Huskers, however, need
to figure out a way to play better
on the road soon - preferably
tonight.
Otherwise, many of their
team goals might already be
dead in the tracks.
NU beats KU, wins 5th straight
WIN from page 9
All-Star travel squad, mirrored his
colleague's numbers with 20 points
and 12 boards of his own. He did most
of that damage in the first half, scor
ing 14 points.
“Chenowith, in the first half, was
domineering,” Nee said. “I thought he
got his way in the first half.”
Silently, KU guard Kenny
Gregory, who came off the bench, led
ali scorers with 21 points. The
Huskers also had three other players
in double digits - including guard
Cookie Belcher, who also poured it on
in the second period with 10 of his 16
points.
Belcher also dished out six assists.
Off the bench, guard Cary
Cochran posted 13 points as the
Huskers were again buffeted by strong
play from the bench. Cochran w'as 3 of
4 behind the 3-point line. Chad
Johnson and Troy Piatkowski cashed
in 8 and 7 points, respectively.
“Kansas is a great team,” Cochran
said. “But if you go in thinking they’re
Goliath, you don't have a chance.”
With a victory over KU as a fresh
feather in their hat, the Huskers seem
to have turned a corner in terms of
what now becomes the beginning of
the rest of the season.
For one thing, NU has a shot at its
first conference title in 50 years.
Granted, the Huskers are 1.5 games
behind Texas, but the streak could
continue.
For another, it’s Nebraska's second
win over a ranked team this season
The first came against Oklahoma on
Jan. 20. Even though the Huskers
made it to the NCAA Tournament last
year, they beat no ranked teams.
Beginning with that win on the
road over Oklahoma on Jan. 20,
Husker senior forward Andy
Markowski said he’s felt rejuvenation
and a sense of renewing confidence in
the team’s chances this year.
“I feel great,” Markowski said.
“It’s like something’s lifted off my
back. I was 0-9 against them playing
here. I'll take 1-10.”
The Huskers now travel to Ames,
Iowa, for a game against the Iowa
State Cyclones.
Although the game is on the road,
the Huskers have won at Hilton
Coliseum the last two seasons, includ
ing a 70-62 victory last season that
capped a six-game conference win
streak for Nebraska.
Can NU get a win at Ames for
another six-game win streak? Maybe.
And maybe, Nee said afterward, the
Huskers got something e'se with their
win over KU on Wednesday.
“Maybe some of the magic’s
back,” Nee said.
“This is probably our best win so
far and that’s because we had a full
house. People came and saw us take
out a quality basketball team.”
. j
No. 20 Kansas goes arid,
drops second in a row
WILLIAMS from page 9
“That was huge,” Chenowith
said. “Those quick baskets
almost kill you. It was such a
momentum shift, too.”
The momentum appeared to
be with KU at the end of the first
half, after Chenowith hit a 3
pointer with 15 seconds remain
ing to give the Jayhawks a 38-37
halftime lead.
It was their first lead of the
game after trailing by as manv as
9.
“Coach (Matt) Doherty actu
ally was talking before the game
about (me shooting 3-pointers),”
Chenowith said. “Against
Missouri, we were trying to get
up 3s up at end of game, and he
said you got to shoot it because
you will get the most open look at
it.”
Chenowith, however, did
most of his damage inside in the
first half, scoring 14 points on 5
5 field goals and 3-6 free throws.
But the sophomore struggled
in the second half, making just 3
13 shots to finish with 20 points.
“He tried to rush everything j
so much,” Williams said. “You j
can’t shoot the ball until you get a
grip on it.
“He took a couple of bad |
shots. 1 like his aggressiveness !
and try ing to do it. ”
One bright spot for KU was i
the play of sophomore guard
Kenny Oregon/.
Gregory, who didn't start for J
the first time this season, came
off the bench to score a game
high 21 points.
“I w'as really determined,”
Gregory said
With the loss, KU dropped out
of first place in the conference,
and into a three-way tie for sec
ond. Texas at 7-1 leads the league.
“I think Texas is head and
shoulders above everybody in the
league,” Williams said.
“They will probably be
favored in every game they have
left with maybe the exception of
at Oklahoma State. But every
body that has two losses right
now is still in the pack ”