[Husker] Oklahoma 70, Nebraska 53

[NUStLNorris at aol.com]

Easily the Huskers most uninspired effort of the year tonight -- a 13-oh  run 
in the second half by Oklahoma did NU in.  Coach Doc Sadler just said  on his 
radio show that Nebraska "isn't the team we were" a few weeks ago.   Big XII 
competition might have something to do with that, but this undersized,  
thus-far-over-achieving team didn't do much right tonight.
 
OU jumped off to an 11-2 start, but NU went on a 15-4 run (aided by a  
quantity of 3s from Charles Richardson and Marcus Perry) to take the lead.   OU led 
by 4 at the half, then ran away from a Husker team that didn't put forth  the 
effort that their coach expects.
 
Aleks Maric has to be "the man" as Doc has said more than a few times this  
year, and tonight he just didn't look like he was ready to go, to be quite  
honest.  NU got outrebounded and out-efforted, which was really hard for  Sadler 
to take.  NU looked tired and uninspired.
 
Freshman Ryan Anderson (the only guard NU has who has any 'comfort' playing  
with his back to the basket, playing the high post or taking on an interior  
passing responsibility) started but isn't moving nearly as fluidly as  he was 
prior to his injury.  Really too bad that he got hurt, but that's a  part of 
the game.
 
It's not like OU is to be confused with their past Tubbs and Sampson-led  
squads.  They're under a first-year coach, too.  I don't think  Oklahoma is as 
good as Iowa State is, but NU didn't offer up much resistance  tonight.  Even 
when down four in the second half, I wondered how it was  that close.  
 
I hated watching this and thinking "sheesh, tonight we look like last  year's 
team," but that's what I thought.  I suppose this over-achieving  bunch was 
due for a let-down or a no-show.
 
This was definetly a step back, but Sadler won't take it lying down.
 
Dave Norris