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Posted: Saturday October 26, 2002 10:04 PM Updated: Wednesday October 30, 2002 5:54 PM Nebraska Cornhuskers
The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518. Team Preview | Blue Ribbon Analysis
Barry Collier enters his third year with the Huskers as optimistic as he has been since coming to Lincoln. With four starters returning and three newcomers whose competitiveness will spark the level of play, Collier is convinced that his team can send some shock waves through the Big 12. Nebraska's roster includes seven players who are 6-foot-8 or taller, giving Collier some interior defense on which to build. The Huskers also improved offensively, most specifically around the perimeter, as 6-foot-8 forward Andrew Drevo and 6-foot-1 guard Nate Johnson both have the ability to make up in shooting what Nebraska lost with the graduation of starting guard Cary Cochran, who averaged 14 points per game last year. Collier's focus this year is starting strong a year after Nebraska began 6-0, only to lose nine of its next 11 games. Three of those losses came against Top 20 competition. While Nebraska returns plenty of experience, the Huskers have only one returning starter who averaged in double figures last year -- 6-foot-4 sophomore guard Jake Muhleisen, who tallied 11.7 points per game as a freshman, ranking him fourth in school history in scoring for first-year players.
Muhleisen's assist total last season (105) was the second highest ever by an NU rookie, behind only Tyronn Lue's 144 in 1996, and marked just the second time a Nebraska freshman had recorded 100 assists in a season. Muhleisen's total ranks among the top 10 on the Big 12's freshman charts as well. Muhleisen made good use of his time in the summer, traveling with a team of Big 12 All-Stars on a tour of Scandinavia. Muhleisen averaged almost 11 points on the trip. In all, Nebraska returns 55 percent of its scoring from a year ago, including four of its six top scorers. The Huskers also return 47 percent of their 3-point shooting, an offensive area that Collier believes can make his team tough to defend on an inside-out basis. To go along with the strong play from the outside, rebounding also will be a strong key for Nebraska as four of its top rebounders return, making up 64.5 percent of the team's boards last year. Collier doesn't shy away from being optimistic. "We think we're really on the rise. I'm really bullish on this team," Collier said. "We're going to make the most of a situation where there is a lack of national respect and just go with what we know we have. I think sometimes that can be mishandled with some teams, and so I would rather just leave it to us earning whatever we get instead of everything being handed to us." Collier will look for big offensive productivity from Drevo, a red-shirt junior who practiced with the Huskers last season but sat out because of NCAA transfer regulations. In two years at Morningside College, Drevo averaged 14 points and eight rebounds. He has the ability to be a viable weapon for the Huskers both in the low post and on the perimeter. Johnson, one of the top junior college recruits in the nation, also will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact. At Penn Valley (Kansas) Community College, Johnson, a 6-foot-2 junior, ranked fifth in the nation in scoring with a 26.5 points per game average. Johnson also averaged 4.4 steals, 1.6 rebounds and 4.75 assists per game while ranking in the top five nationally in 3-point shooting with 128. "He is an athletic scorer who will be able to help us at either guard position," Collier said of Johnson. To complement the shooting abilities of Drevo and Johnson, Nebraska will look to its four returning starters. Brennon Clemmons, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, averaged 8.8 points, five rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals last year. Clemmons led the team in steals last year and proved once again to be one of the nation's top rebounding guards. Clemmons tied for 12th nationally among guards 6-foot-2 or shorter and ranked second on the team in rebounding. In the post, the Huskers return starting forwards Brian Conklin (9.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg), a 6-foot-11, 230-pound junior, and 6-foot-9, 230-pound sophomore John Turek (5.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg). Despite his size and ability to be a force in the low post, Conklin also will be one of Nebraska's better perimeter shooters, giving Collier many weapons from which to choose. Last season, Conklin shot 43 percent from 3-point range (65-for-150). Turek broke the Nebraska freshman record last year with 162 rebounds and tied the school mark for blocked shots with 39. He also became the first freshman to lead the team in rebounding. Along with the four starters, the Huskers also return five lettermen from a year ago. Cory Simms (3.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg), a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, also will give Collier added depth in the backcourt. Simms saw action in all 28 games last year. Simms showed tenaciousness defensively throughout his freshman campaign and should contend for more playing time this year. Wilson Thomas (4.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg), a 6-foot-6 senior forward, also will contribute this year. Sophomore Dan Heimos (1.2 ppg, 0.8 rpg) will give the Huskers some size down low. At 6-foot-11 and 230 pounds, Heimos should see more floor time this year after averaging seven minutes per outing last year. Along with Drevo and Johnson, freshman Jason Dourisseau gives Nebraska another solid newcomer. The 6-foot-5 guard not only brings great speed to the Huskers, but also has impressive size on the perimeter. Collier will use him most on the wing, where he can shoot from outside the arc or drive to the basket. Dourisseau averaged a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds as a senior at Burke High School in Omaha. "With his size and wingspan on the perimeter, we feel Jason will be another excellent addition to our team," Collier said. "He has the ability to handle the ball and shoot the ball, which gives him the flexibility to play all three positions on the perimeter." Other freshmen on the roster include 6-foot-9 Wes Wilkinson from Grand Island (Neb.) High School and 6-foot-9, 260-pound Roy Enright from Burke High School in Omaha. The pair will add size and depth to the front line. Enright was a highly regarded post prospect who was ranked among the top centers in the country. "Roy has size, strength and power, a combination that will really help him be an effective college player," Collier said. "He has excellent offensive footwork and is a physical player." Wilkinson has a versatile game that Collier will allow him to showcase. "Wes has the ability to play inside and outside. He can defend the smaller players with his long reach and athletic ability," Collier said. "He jumps well and, while pushing 6-foot-10, shoots well on the perimeter, as well as providing an excellent touch inside." Collier is high on his team's chances this season, and he isn't afraid to say it. He's looking to build his program so it can regularly do battle with the upper-echelon teams in the Big 12. Collier thinks the Huskers are ready to surprise some people in the conference. "I think with the team we have, we have the ability to win some games that a year ago, would have been considered major upsets," Collier said. "This year, some of those wins may still be considered upsets, but we think we have a team that unless you're a real basketball fan or someone really in the know, that really has the ability to shock some people this year." Collier thinks he's finally developed a nucleus of players that can raise Nebraska to the next level. "I think we have seven guys that make us very competitive from the beginning," Collier said. "We had an excellent offseason and summer work when the guys really gelled personality-wise and built some good chemistry. "We'll be a little bit of a no-name offense for a while, but I think we can be a team that will be able to compete with anyone come December."
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