Stats & coverage � Box score

Feb. 12, 2003

 Huskers Fall to Cowboys, 77-70
 
Lincoln — Playing possibly its best basketball in the past three weeks, Nebraska was led by Brennon Clemmons' season-high 21 points as four Huskers scored in double figures, but No. 13/14 Oklahoma State hit the big shots down the stretch to hold on for a 77-70 victory in front of 8,107 fans at the Devaney Center here Wednesday. With the loss, Nebraska falls to 9-13 overall and 1-8 in Big 12 play while OSU improves to 19-3 and 8-1 in the league.

The Huskers fell behind by 11 points, the largest lead for either team on the night, when OSU’s Victor Williams hit a jumper to put the Cowboys ahead 69-58 with 1:56 left in the contest. Williams, who finished with a game-high 25 points including 20 in the second half, hit several big shots in the final period but OSU couldn’t put the Huskers away until the final seconds.

Nebraska rallied as Clemmons – the Huskers’ lone senior — and junior guard Nate Johnson ignited a comeback in the final two minutes. Clemmons and Johnson combined for 10 of NU’s final 12 points to cut into the final margin.

Johnson hit a pair of free throws with 1:44 to play to start the rally before a John Turek tip-in pulled NU within six, 70-64. Clemmons then scored on back-to-back baskets just 13 seconds apart and Johnson hit the first of two free throws before Clemmons added a three-pointer with 22 seconds left to pull the Huskers back within six, 76-70. But NU missed four shots in the final 11 seconds as OSU held on to pick up its 17th win in the past 19 games.

Defense dominated the first 12 minutes of the contest, as neither team was able to get untracked offensively. The teams combined for just 14 points in the first eight minutes, as an Ivan McFarlin free throw at the 12:02 mark of the first period tied the game at 7-all, the fourth tie in the early going of the contest.

Nebraska forced OSU into nine turnovers in the first eight minutes. The Cowboys finished with 17 turnovers on the night while NU had just 12, tying its conference-low mark this season.

Junior Andrew Drevo hit a jumper and three-pointer to give Nebraska a 12-7 lead with 8:35 left before intermission. OSU pulled within one, 12-11, on a Tony Allen layup before Drevo and Johnson drained consecutive threes to push NU’s advantage to seven, 18-11, at the 6:17 mark. Nebraska answered each Cowboy rally to finish the half with a five-point, 30-25, lead.

Nebraska was limited to just 35.5 percent shooting in the first period while the Husker defense held OSU to just 33.3 percent. The Cowboys finished the game hitting 46.6 percent from the floor, as they connected on 17-of-28 attempts in the final period. NU also improved in the second half, as they hit 40.7 percent from the field, but OSU outscored the Huskers by 12, 52-40, in the decisive frame behind a 48-35 lead on the boards.

Clemmons led the Huskers with 21 points — just two off his career high – while adding six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Johnson finished with 17 points and Drevo had 10 while junior Brian Conklin tied his season high with 12 points. Conklin hit 3-of-9 from downtown to become just the ninth Husker in history to record 100 career three-pointers. Conklin had just one trey in the previous seven games.

Nebraska returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 15, when it welcomes its second ranked opponent, No. 6/6 Texas, to the Devaney Center. The Huskers and Longhorns will tip off at 12:45 p.m. in a game televised by ESPN Regional.

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Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.