Dec. 21, 2010
 
Huskers keep on rolling along, down Grambling.
 
Lincoln. — Behind a career-high 15 points from sophomore guard Ray Gallegos, Nebraska (10-2) matched its longest winning streak since the 1994-95 season with a 79-39 victory over Grambling State Tuesday night at the Devaney Center.

Gallegos was an effective 7-of-10 from the floor and added a pair of assists and rebounds while leading the Huskers to a 53 percent (33-of-62) shooting for the game. He topped his previous career high of 13 against UT-Pan American last year en route to becoming the 10th different Husker to top Nebraska in scoring this season.

Nebraska, which has won eight straight games, also shined on the defense end, holding the Tigers to just 25 percent shooting, as NU held its eighth straight opponent under 60 points, marking the first time that has happened in over 60 years.

The Huskers quickly separated themselves from Grambling with a hot start in the first half. Nebraska created five turnovers in the opening five minutes to get a jump start on another outstanding defensive performance. Meanwhile, senior guard Lance Jeter had the NU offense clicking by scoring four points, grabbing two rebounds and adding an assist and steal as part of Nebraska's 16-0 run to build an early 18-3 lead. The outburst included a crowd-pleasing alley-oop from Jeter to Gallegos at the 12:58 mark.

NU used efficient shot selection early on, as the Huskers hit 9-of-14 shots while holding the Tigers scoreless for nearly eight minutes. The Grambling State scoring drought began just two minutes into the game after Justin Patton hit a 3-pointer to put GSU ahead, 3-2, its only lead of the game. From then on, the Tigers hit only one more trey on the night, finishing 2-of-24 from long distance.

Grambling State's drought ended with 10:39 remaining in the first half to make it an 18-5 game, while Gallegos and Diaz combined for 11 points the rest of the half to guide NU to a 37-18 halftime lead.

Diaz finished with 14 points and matched Gallegos with 7-of-10 shooting from the floor, as the Husker big men outscored Grambling State in the paint, 42-12.

Ten different Huskers scored in the second half alone, as NU extended its 19-point halftime lead to 40 by the final buzzer. Nebraska shot 14-of-22 on two-point field goals in the second half, while Grambling State was an opposite 0-of-12 from 3-point range in the final 20 minutes.

Nebraska had 12 players break into the scoring column and all 12 players that scored also pulled down at least one rebound, as NU held a commanding 48-33 advantage on the glass against the Tigers (2-9).

Peter Robison led Grambling State with 12 points and six rebounds, while no other player had more than seven points.

Nebraska looks to continue its winning streak in 2011, as the Huskers will be off until taking on North Dakota on Sunday, Jan. 2, at 1 p.m. Fans who buy tickets to the NU-UND game can use those tickets for free admission to the Husker women's game against Florida A&M that evening.

Game Notes vs. Grambling

*-The Huskers improve to 10-2 for the first time since 2003-04, as NU was also 10-2 after 12 games that season. The last time NU had a better record after its first 12 games was an 11-1 mark in the 1994-95 season.

*-Nebraska's eight-game win streak is the Huskers' longest since a 10-game win streak during November and December of 1994.

*-The Huskers finish the month of December with a perfect 6-0 record, marking the first time since 1994 and only the third time since 1930 NU accomplished the feat (also 1991).

*-The 39 points Grambling scored is the 10th-lowest single-game total since 1947, and the fewest allowed by a Husker team since also allowing 39 points against Chicago State on Dec. 10, 2009.

*-Grambling's 25 percent shooting marked the third time Nebraska has held an opponent to 25 percent or less this season (also UAPB and Eastern Washington). NU, which is third in the country in field-goal defense, has held its last five opponents under 40 percent shooting.

*-Nebraska has now won 22 straight home non-conference games and is 46-1 in non-conference home games under Doc Sadler

*-Nebraska has held its last eight foes to 60 points or less, the first time that has happened at NU since a 21-game stretch covering the 1948-49 and 1949-50 seasons.

*-Ray Gallegos set a career high with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, topping his previous career high of 13 against UT-Pan American in 2009-10. His previous 2010-11 best was nine in NU's last game against Eastern Washington. He is the 10th different player to lead NU in scoring this season. It also marked the sixth time this season at NU's leading scorer came off the bench.

*-Over the last four games, NU has outscored its opponents off the bench, 142-46.

*-Nebraska's 16-0 first-half spurt equaled the Huskers' largest of the season (also 16-0 vs. UAPB and Jackson State).

*-NU topped the 70 point mark for the seventh time this season and Nebraska has shot 50 percent or better in three straight games. The Huskers have shot 50 percent or better from the floor in seven of 12 games.

*-Jorge Brian Diaz reached double figures for the fourth straight game and the seventh time in nine games with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting.

*-Nebraska had 12 players score at least one point and 12 players pull down at least one rebound in the win.

Nebraska Head Coach Doc Sadler Opening Statement "I think more than anything you could tell that Grambling State has been off for 10 days. The team that we saw on tape against Vanderbilt and North Texas was not the same team that came in here. I think we had a little to do with that. Defensively, I thought we were good except for the first four minutes of the second half when we gave up three or four offensive rebounds."

On the status of the team going into break "Going into Christmas, you've got to be very proud of this team. To be 10-2 right now, I would've taken that before the season started. This basketball team, from December 27 to January 7, has to become a really good team, and I think we can."

On Ray Gallegos' production tonight "I think everyone on the team knows that Ray (Gallegos) can score and he can score in bunches. We've got to get him to where he is hitting open 3-pointers. He has tremendous confidence off the dribble. I think in the last three games, he and Eshaunte Jones have gotten better defensively (too)."

On where the team can improve the most before Big 12 play "Our turnovers. We ended up with 14 and we are not good enough. We can't allow that to happen. We have to limit our turnovers to eight to 10 to compete against the good teams in the league. We've been doing a good job on the offensive boards. I think Christopher Niemann is going to help us, I really do. He is going to be a good addition."

Sophomore Guard Ray Gallegos On his confidence level offensively "At first, it was a little shaky because I've been off for a little bit. I think it's coming back now, I'm hitting a couple shots and it is starting to come back."

On if he's been shooting well in practice "I was shooting well in practice. Game time, I don't know where it went, but they just told me to keep shooting."

On the alley oop dunk "Yeah, a little momentum, a little comfort."

On making consecutive shots "Once you hit a couple shots, for anybody who can shoot, they'll be able to knock consecutive shots down. For me, I just haven't been able to get going. Hopefully, it's coming back. Today I shot the ball pretty well."

Grambling State Head Coach Bobby Washington On what Nebraska did to give his team trouble "They're big. We've played a lot of teams this year, but they're bigger. That really hurt us. They just wore us down in the paint. They do a wonderful job here at Nebraska with body composition and body size. At the end of the day, the big boys inside just wore us down. It's a process that we're undertaking. All in all, with their size and what Coach (Sadler) is trying to do, they will definitely be a formidable opponent in the Big 12."

On stronger start in second half "We were telling our guys to do the same thing. They (Nebraska) probably had a little let down because they were up 20 points. I think once they realize we were getting to the basket they did a good job of flooding the middle again with their big guys. We just bounced off them like pin balls. They got back to their scheme."

On the positives for his team "I think we were able to run our offense decently. I think we did have open shots, we just didn't hit them. There are always positive things. For us, we can't break down and criticize our team. We have to make sure to keep them together so that when we get to SWAC play we are clicking on all cylinders like we need to be."

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.