Nov. 21, 2010
 
Improved shooting leads to seventh-place.
 
San Juan, P.R. — Jorge Brian Diaz totaled a team-high 11 points, while Nebraska broke out of its shooting slump from 3-point range in posting a 62-47 win over Hofstra Sunday afternoon.

Diaz led a balanced Husker attack by hitting 5-of-7 shots from the floor, as he paced the Huskers in San Juan with 10.7 points per game on 57 percent shooting.

While Diaz gave the Huskers an inside attack, it was the outside shooting and bench which carried the Huskers to a win. Reserve guards Ray Gallegos, Drake Beranek and Eshaunte Jones combined for 21 points, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, as the Husker bench out-scored Hofstra�s reserves 37-5.

Nebraska, which improved to 3-2 and snapped a two-game losing streak, hit 6-of-12 from 3-point range, while holding Hofstra to just 30.8 percent from the floor on the day.

Hofstra used the hot shooting of David Imes to get a quick lead, as he scored all eight of his first-half points in the first 3:53 of the half, as Hofstra took a 12-6 lead. The Huskers then went to the bench and got the spark they needed to get back to take control of the half. Beranek�s 3-pointer triggered the spurt before consecutive baskets by Christian Standhardinger and Gallegos� first 3-pointer of the season put the Huskers ahead 16-12.

Gallegos hit 3-of-5 shots, including a pair of 3-pointers in 22 minutes of action, while Beranek was 3-of-4 from the floor for a season-high seven points in 14 minutes. The Husker also got a solid effort from Brandon Richardson, who totaled six points, dished out a career-high seven assists and added three steals, as Lance Jeter battled through foul problems most of the second half.

Hofstra pulled to within 18-16, but 3-pointers from Gallegos and Jones helped NU to a 12-2 run to push the lead to 28-18 on a Beranek layup with 3:57 left in the half. NU held Hofstra to only three points � and no field goals - in the final 9:06 of the half build a 32-21 halftime lead.

Nebraska continued to build on the lead, out-scoring Hofstra 12-5 in the first four minutes of the second half to take a 42-26 lead after Caleb Walker�s 3-pointer, one of six straight shots NU hit to open the second half. Jenkins hit a 3-pointer to pull with 42-29, but NU ran off the next seven points over a 6:47 span to build its largest lead of the day at 49-29 after an Andre Almeida free throw with 9:14 left.

Nebraska led 55-33 after a Diaz basket, but Hofstra went on a 9-1 run, pulling to within 54-42 before Richardson found Diaz for a layup with 3:06 remaining, pushing the lead back to 14 points. Nebraska led 58-44 before Shemiye McLendon�s 3-pointer with 28.1 seconds left made it an 11-point game, but Hofstra could get no closer, as Caleb Walker went 4-for-4 from the foul line to give NU breathing room.

Charles Jenkins led Hofstra with 15 points, well below his season average of 25.7 points per game.

The Huskers return home this evening and begin preparations for next Saturday�s game against USC. Tipoff is at 5 p.m. at the Devaney Center and tickets are available for purchase at Huskers.com and by calling 800-8-BIGRED begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-8-BIGRED end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Nebraska Head Coach Doc Sadler On overall performance "I thought we got off to a very, very slow start. That�s the first time we�ve been in that situation, but you�ve got to credit Hofstra for coming out ready to play and they made shots. Actually when we started substituting our guards, that�s when we made the little run in the first half. We went to a zone in the first half and I think that�s what allowed Andre (Almeida) and them to be pretty good players. This is probably more like I thought we would shoot the basketball when we came down here, but we just didn�t shoot it well. But today you go for six-for-12, which is 50 percent, and I think that�s what we do. Have I been disappointed? Sure, I�ve been disappointed that we didn�t win games, but at the same point I wasn�t disappointed with our effort, I wasn�t other disappointed with our attitude, and I know the shots will start falling for us because we�re good shoot ers."

On Jorge Brian Diaz "I know he was really excited about coming back here and probably I was close in being excited for him. Brian has come a long, long way (with) his strength...I think he�s got enough weight, but now he�s got to get strong and Brian�s going to be a terrific player."

Nebraska Forward Jorge Brian Diaz On seeing his family in Puerto Rico "When I got here Wednesday I went (home) and spent some time with my mom and my aunt. And some friends too. I went to their house. We were watching the basketball game, and talking and having fun. I was pretty happy. I don�t get to see them that often like I used to."

On his mother watching him play "With the Nebraska team, that�s the first time she�s got to see me live. I was pretty happy about that, that she could see me...The first time she watched me, I was pretty happy about that."

On his performances over the last three game "They were decent. It would have been better if we could got those two wins � those first games. I guess we got this last one to get us going back to Nebraska with some positive energy. "

Hofstra Head Coach Mo Cassara On the game "It was certainly a disappointing outcome for us. The thing that I�m pretty happy about for the most part is we held them to 62 points. I felt if we held them in the sixties we�d have a chance to win tonight. Really, for the most part, we did that. They got going a little bit in the first half and made some shots. We just struggled to score. We got some good looks. They just didn�t go in...Bottom line is we didn�t make any shots to keep ourselves in the game. I�m proud of the way our guys kind of hung in there and didn�t let the game get out of control."

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.