Cowboys, NU share size woes

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By BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star

Finally, Nebraska can tussle with somebody its own size.

Labeled a bunch of Mighty Mites and owning the title as the nation’s smallest Division I men’s basketball team — before the addition of Brian Diaz — the Huskers Saturday host Oklahoma State.

Neither team has a player taller than 6 feet, 8 inches in its regular rotation.

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That, of course, would change should Diaz play. The 6-11, 235-pound freshman arrived in Lincoln a week ago today and has completed four practices.

The best one, coach Doc Sadler said, was Friday.

“I don’t know if he’s going to play (Saturday),” Sadler said, “but it was a good practice for him. Good practice. By far, his best practice. Intensity, feeling more comfortable.”

Sadler said he’s not had an at-length conversation with Diaz about the possibility of playing this season. Diaz suited for Nebraska’s game Wednesday at Oklahoma but didn’t play. A redshirt is a possibility.

But, Sadler said, Diaz has indicated he’d like to play this season.

Will he?

“If he can help us win,” Sadler said. “I’m not interested in playing. If he can help us win, then I’m going to play him.”

Diaz, though, may not be best suited to play against the smaller, quicker Cowboys, who run the floor and average 25.2 three-point attempts per game. They make an average of 10.6, or 42 percent.

Oklahoma State (12-5, 1-2 Big 12 Conference) leads the league in scoring at 86 points per game. It’s coming off a 97-95 home loss Wednesday to Missouri.

Sadler emphasized two key areas today for Nebraska — transition and defending OSU senior guard Byron Eaton.

“If you go back and look at when they were really good last year … he and Augustin were the best two guards in the league,” Sadler said, referring to departed Texas guard D.J. Augustin. “In my opinion, (Eaton) is even more dangerous the way they want to play this year than they were last year.”

OSU’s tallest starter is 6-8 sophomore forward Malcoln Kirkland, who averages 3.1 points and 2.7 rebounds. Senior forward Anthony Brown, also 6-8, comes off the bench and averages 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds.

Freshman Teeng Akol, the 6-11, 220-pound forward who chose OSU over Nebraska in August, has played in only four games, none in the Big 12.

The Cowboys boast three of the Big 12’s top five three-point shooters — Terrell Harris (44.8 percent), James Anderson (44.4) and Keiton Page (44.3).

The conference’s top three-point shooter will also play today. That’s Paul Velander, who’s shooting 50 percent (48-of-96) for Nebraska.

Briefly

* Sadler offered encouraging words for Nebraska’s second-newest player, walk-on Mike Fox. The Beatrice native transferred at the beginning of the second semester. “I really like Mike Fox,” Sadler said. “I think Mike Fox has a chance to be a good player. Really good player.” Fox, a 6-4 guard, won’t be eligible to play until after the 2009 fall semester.

* Senior guard Steve Harley is shooting 29.7 percent (14-of-47) through four Big 12 games. He’s 42.4 percent for the season. “I’m not concerned about his shooting,” Sadler said. “He just needs to score for us to be good.”

Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.