Cochran, Huskers to provide test tonight

By Jim Baker     Jan 9, 2002

The leading scorer in Iowa prep basketball history will be in Allen Fieldhouse tonight.

And he won’t be wearing a Kansas basketball jersey.

Nebraska senior Cary Cochran, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound three-point bomber from Linden, Iowa, scored 2,650 points in his prep career, more than KU’s Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich and even 502 points more than ex-Jayhawk All-American Raef LaFrentz of Monona, Iowa.

“It’s pretty impressive. There are some good players from Iowa a lot of good players,” said Collison, KU’s junior forward from Iowa Falls.

“He can shoot the heck out of it. He’s hit tons of threes against us,” Collison added.

Cochran, the leading three-point shooter in Nebraska history (213), has made 23 of 44 three-pointers in seven games against Kansas. He takes a team-leading 14.5-points-per-game average on 40-percent three-point shooting (34 of 85) into tonight’s game at KU (7:05 p.m., channels 13 and 38).

“I told Cary last year his eyes light up when he sees us,” KU coach Roy Williams said.

He knows Cochran from way back. The son of a high school coach, Cochran attended the Roy Williams Kansas basketball camp as a youth, along with camps at Kentucky, Arkansas and Purdue.

“He makes a bunch of threes against us,” Williams added.

Last year, Cochran scored 17 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting in an 84-62 loss to KU in Lawrence. He scored 14 points on 4-of-9 three-point shooting in NU’s narrow 78-74 loss to KU in Lincoln, Neb.

“It’s time he slacked off on us a little bit,” Williams said with a laugh. “He really is a fantastic shooter. He’s a young man who may have some physical limitations. He’s not going to win a dunk contest. But he is so smart. And he’s better athletically than you think. It’s hard to stop him because he’s going to get his shot off and he has great range.”

Cochran enters tonight’s game 37 threes behind KU’s Jeff Boschee, who has banged in 250 in his career. Cochran has hit at least one three in a school-record 35 straight games. He realizes folks have joked about his athletic ability, or lack of it.

He even jokes about it himself.

“I’ve got everything I need to be in the NBA except one thing, talent,” Collier deadpanned in an interview with the Omaha World-Herald. “But I want to give pro ball a try somewhere, like in Europe. Then I’ll be a coach.”

On Saturday, Cochran hit four of 10 threes and scored 12 points in NU’s narrow 60-53 loss at Missouri. The Huskers, who enter 7-5 overall and 0-1 in the Big 12, held the Tigers to 38.3 percent shooting.

The Huskers, who start two true freshmen in 6-9 forward John Turek (3.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and 6-4 guard/forward Jake Muhleisen (11.9 ppg) and another newcomer in former junior college guard Brennon Clemmons (8.9 ppg.), have beaten North Carolina A&T, Winthrop, Texas-San Antonio, Wofford, Western Illinois, Oral Roberts and Savannah State. They have lost to Creighton (76-70), Minnesota (81-72), Sam Houston State (74-70), Pacific (75-52) and MU.

NU’s nonconference schedule wasn’t especially difficult. Opening at Missouri and Kansas is about as tough as it comes in conference play, however.

“It’s like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire,” NU coach Barry Collier said. “They (Huskers) competed hard at Missouri and I expect them to do the same at Kansas.”

At least the inexperienced Huskers NU also starts senior forward Ross Buckenhdahl who sat out all last year after knee surgery will have a lighter load after tonight’s game.

“Barring shell shock you are right,” Collier said. “We tried to ease them into this with two hands firmly on their back and shoving them out the door.”

KU (12-1, 1-0) enters tonight’s game as college basketball’s new No. 1 team.

“They are still the team they were before Monday,” Collier said. “They are just a very good team. The job they’ve done shooting ability and inside attack Roy does a tremendous job all-around from recruiting to out-of-bounds plays and everything in between. We do look forward to playing in places that reek the smell of college basketball.”

NU enters having committed just 12 turnovers per game.

“I do think we’ve handled the ball as well as we could,” Collier said, noting tonight would provide a stern test against KU’s pressure. “The biggest challenge is preparing for Gooden, Hinrich, Collison and Boschee and it goes on and on.”

KU will take a healthy dose of respect for the Huskers into tonight’s contest.

“It’s not No. 1 Kansas versus whatever Nebraska. It’s just Kansas versus Nebraska,” KU guard Hinrich said. “To play Missouri that tough in Columbia … they must have a pretty good team, one that plays hard.”

Williams remembers not too long ago Nebraska handled the Jayhawks twice during the regular season. Yes, NU which has dropped five straight to the Jayhawks, won 64-59 over KU during the 1998-99 season at Allen Fieldhouse.

“I know that it was only two, maybe three years ago that Nebraska beat us both times. I know Barry does a great job and we’re going to have to be ready to play. We can’t rest on what we’ve done so far,” Williams said.

Cochran, Huskers to provide test tonight

By Jim Baker     Jan 9, 2002

The leading scorer in Iowa prep basketball history will be in Allen Fieldhouse tonight.

And he won’t be wearing a Kansas basketball jersey.

Nebraska senior Cary Cochran, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound three-point bomber from Linden, Iowa, scored 2,650 points in his prep career, more than KU’s Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich and even 502 points more than ex-Jayhawk All-American Raef LaFrentz of Monona, Iowa.

“It’s pretty impressive. There are some good players from Iowa a lot of good players,” said Collison, KU’s junior forward from Iowa Falls.

“He can shoot the heck out of it. He’s hit tons of threes against us,” Collison added.

Cochran, the leading three-point shooter in Nebraska history (213), has made 23 of 44 three-pointers in seven games against Kansas. He takes a team-leading 14.5-points-per-game average on 40-percent three-point shooting (34 of 85) into tonight’s game at KU (7:05 p.m., channels 13 and 38).

“I told Cary last year his eyes light up when he sees us,” KU coach Roy Williams said.

He knows Cochran from way back. The son of a high school coach, Cochran attended the Roy Williams Kansas basketball camp as a youth, along with camps at Kentucky, Arkansas and Purdue.

“He makes a bunch of threes against us,” Williams added.

Last year, Cochran scored 17 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting in an 84-62 loss to KU in Lawrence. He scored 14 points on 4-of-9 three-point shooting in NU’s narrow 78-74 loss to KU in Lincoln, Neb.

“It’s time he slacked off on us a little bit,” Williams said with a laugh. “He really is a fantastic shooter. He’s a young man who may have some physical limitations. He’s not going to win a dunk contest. But he is so smart. And he’s better athletically than you think. It’s hard to stop him because he’s going to get his shot off and he has great range.”

Cochran enters tonight’s game 37 threes behind KU’s Jeff Boschee, who has banged in 250 in his career. Cochran has hit at least one three in a school-record 35 straight games. He realizes folks have joked about his athletic ability, or lack of it.

He even jokes about it himself.

“I’ve got everything I need to be in the NBA except one thing, talent,” Collier deadpanned in an interview with the Omaha World-Herald. “But I want to give pro ball a try somewhere, like in Europe. Then I’ll be a coach.”

On Saturday, Cochran hit four of 10 threes and scored 12 points in NU’s narrow 60-53 loss at Missouri. The Huskers, who enter 7-5 overall and 0-1 in the Big 12, held the Tigers to 38.3 percent shooting.

The Huskers, who start two true freshmen in 6-9 forward John Turek (3.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and 6-4 guard/forward Jake Muhleisen (11.9 ppg) and another newcomer in former junior college guard Brennon Clemmons (8.9 ppg.), have beaten North Carolina A&T, Winthrop, Texas-San Antonio, Wofford, Western Illinois, Oral Roberts and Savannah State. They have lost to Creighton (76-70), Minnesota (81-72), Sam Houston State (74-70), Pacific (75-52) and MU.

NU’s nonconference schedule wasn’t especially difficult. Opening at Missouri and Kansas is about as tough as it comes in conference play, however.

“It’s like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire,” NU coach Barry Collier said. “They (Huskers) competed hard at Missouri and I expect them to do the same at Kansas.”

At least the inexperienced Huskers NU also starts senior forward Ross Buckenhdahl who sat out all last year after knee surgery will have a lighter load after tonight’s game.

“Barring shell shock you are right,” Collier said. “We tried to ease them into this with two hands firmly on their back and shoving them out the door.”

KU (12-1, 1-0) enters tonight’s game as college basketball’s new No. 1 team.

“They are still the team they were before Monday,” Collier said. “They are just a very good team. The job they’ve done shooting ability and inside attack Roy does a tremendous job all-around from recruiting to out-of-bounds plays and everything in between. We do look forward to playing in places that reek the smell of college basketball.”

NU enters having committed just 12 turnovers per game.

“I do think we’ve handled the ball as well as we could,” Collier said, noting tonight would provide a stern test against KU’s pressure. “The biggest challenge is preparing for Gooden, Hinrich, Collison and Boschee and it goes on and on.”

KU will take a healthy dose of respect for the Huskers into tonight’s contest.

“It’s not No. 1 Kansas versus whatever Nebraska. It’s just Kansas versus Nebraska,” KU guard Hinrich said. “To play Missouri that tough in Columbia … they must have a pretty good team, one that plays hard.”

Williams remembers not too long ago Nebraska handled the Jayhawks twice during the regular season. Yes, NU which has dropped five straight to the Jayhawks, won 64-59 over KU during the 1998-99 season at Allen Fieldhouse.

“I know that it was only two, maybe three years ago that Nebraska beat us both times. I know Barry does a great job and we’re going to have to be ready to play. We can’t rest on what we’ve done so far,” Williams said.

Cochran, Huskers to provide test tonight

By Jim Baker     Jan 9, 2002

The leading scorer in Iowa prep basketball history will be in Allen Fieldhouse tonight.

And he won’t be wearing a Kansas basketball jersey.

Nebraska senior Cary Cochran, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound three-point bomber from Linden, Iowa, scored 2,650 points in his prep career, more than KU’s Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich and even 502 points more than ex-Jayhawk All-American Raef LaFrentz of Monona, Iowa.

“It’s pretty impressive. There are some good players from Iowa a lot of good players,” said Collison, KU’s junior forward from Iowa Falls.

“He can shoot the heck out of it. He’s hit tons of threes against us,” Collison added.

Cochran, the leading three-point shooter in Nebraska history (213), has made 23 of 44 three-pointers in seven games against Kansas. He takes a team-leading 14.5-points-per-game average on 40-percent three-point shooting (34 of 85) into tonight’s game at KU (7:05 p.m., channels 13 and 38).

“I told Cary last year his eyes light up when he sees us,” KU coach Roy Williams said.

He knows Cochran from way back. The son of a high school coach, Cochran attended the Roy Williams Kansas basketball camp as a youth, along with camps at Kentucky, Arkansas and Purdue.

“He makes a bunch of threes against us,” Williams added.

Last year, Cochran scored 17 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting in an 84-62 loss to KU in Lawrence. He scored 14 points on 4-of-9 three-point shooting in NU’s narrow 78-74 loss to KU in Lincoln, Neb.

“It’s time he slacked off on us a little bit,” Williams said with a laugh. “He really is a fantastic shooter. He’s a young man who may have some physical limitations. He’s not going to win a dunk contest. But he is so smart. And he’s better athletically than you think. It’s hard to stop him because he’s going to get his shot off and he has great range.”

Cochran enters tonight’s game 37 threes behind KU’s Jeff Boschee, who has banged in 250 in his career. Cochran has hit at least one three in a school-record 35 straight games. He realizes folks have joked about his athletic ability, or lack of it.

He even jokes about it himself.

“I’ve got everything I need to be in the NBA except one thing, talent,” Collier deadpanned in an interview with the Omaha World-Herald. “But I want to give pro ball a try somewhere, like in Europe. Then I’ll be a coach.”

On Saturday, Cochran hit four of 10 threes and scored 12 points in NU’s narrow 60-53 loss at Missouri. The Huskers, who enter 7-5 overall and 0-1 in the Big 12, held the Tigers to 38.3 percent shooting.

The Huskers, who start two true freshmen in 6-9 forward John Turek (3.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and 6-4 guard/forward Jake Muhleisen (11.9 ppg) and another newcomer in former junior college guard Brennon Clemmons (8.9 ppg.), have beaten North Carolina A&T, Winthrop, Texas-San Antonio, Wofford, Western Illinois, Oral Roberts and Savannah State. They have lost to Creighton (76-70), Minnesota (81-72), Sam Houston State (74-70), Pacific (75-52) and MU.

NU’s nonconference schedule wasn’t especially difficult. Opening at Missouri and Kansas is about as tough as it comes in conference play, however.

“It’s like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire,” NU coach Barry Collier said. “They (Huskers) competed hard at Missouri and I expect them to do the same at Kansas.”

At least the inexperienced Huskers NU also starts senior forward Ross Buckenhdahl who sat out all last year after knee surgery will have a lighter load after tonight’s game.

“Barring shell shock you are right,” Collier said. “We tried to ease them into this with two hands firmly on their back and shoving them out the door.”

KU (12-1, 1-0) enters tonight’s game as college basketball’s new No. 1 team.

“They are still the team they were before Monday,” Collier said. “They are just a very good team. The job they’ve done shooting ability and inside attack Roy does a tremendous job all-around from recruiting to out-of-bounds plays and everything in between. We do look forward to playing in places that reek the smell of college basketball.”

NU enters having committed just 12 turnovers per game.

“I do think we’ve handled the ball as well as we could,” Collier said, noting tonight would provide a stern test against KU’s pressure. “The biggest challenge is preparing for Gooden, Hinrich, Collison and Boschee and it goes on and on.”

KU will take a healthy dose of respect for the Huskers into tonight’s contest.

“It’s not No. 1 Kansas versus whatever Nebraska. It’s just Kansas versus Nebraska,” KU guard Hinrich said. “To play Missouri that tough in Columbia … they must have a pretty good team, one that plays hard.”

Williams remembers not too long ago Nebraska handled the Jayhawks twice during the regular season. Yes, NU which has dropped five straight to the Jayhawks, won 64-59 over KU during the 1998-99 season at Allen Fieldhouse.

“I know that it was only two, maybe three years ago that Nebraska beat us both times. I know Barry does a great job and we’re going to have to be ready to play. We can’t rest on what we’ve done so far,” Williams said.

Cochran, Huskers to provide test tonight

By Jim Baker     Jan 9, 2002

The leading scorer in Iowa prep basketball history will be in Allen Fieldhouse tonight.

And he won’t be wearing a Kansas basketball jersey.

Nebraska senior Cary Cochran, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound three-point bomber from Linden, Iowa, scored 2,650 points in his prep career, more than KU’s Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich and even 502 points more than ex-Jayhawk All-American Raef LaFrentz of Monona, Iowa.

“It’s pretty impressive. There are some good players from Iowa a lot of good players,” said Collison, KU’s junior forward from Iowa Falls.

“He can shoot the heck out of it. He’s hit tons of threes against us,” Collison added.

Cochran, the leading three-point shooter in Nebraska history (213), has made 23 of 44 three-pointers in seven games against Kansas. He takes a team-leading 14.5-points-per-game average on 40-percent three-point shooting (34 of 85) into tonight’s game at KU (7:05 p.m., channels 13 and 38).

“I told Cary last year his eyes light up when he sees us,” KU coach Roy Williams said.

He knows Cochran from way back. The son of a high school coach, Cochran attended the Roy Williams Kansas basketball camp as a youth, along with camps at Kentucky, Arkansas and Purdue.

“He makes a bunch of threes against us,” Williams added.

Last year, Cochran scored 17 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting in an 84-62 loss to KU in Lawrence. He scored 14 points on 4-of-9 three-point shooting in NU’s narrow 78-74 loss to KU in Lincoln, Neb.

“It’s time he slacked off on us a little bit,” Williams said with a laugh. “He really is a fantastic shooter. He’s a young man who may have some physical limitations. He’s not going to win a dunk contest. But he is so smart. And he’s better athletically than you think. It’s hard to stop him because he’s going to get his shot off and he has great range.”

Cochran enters tonight’s game 37 threes behind KU’s Jeff Boschee, who has banged in 250 in his career. Cochran has hit at least one three in a school-record 35 straight games. He realizes folks have joked about his athletic ability, or lack of it.

He even jokes about it himself.

“I’ve got everything I need to be in the NBA except one thing, talent,” Collier deadpanned in an interview with the Omaha World-Herald. “But I want to give pro ball a try somewhere, like in Europe. Then I’ll be a coach.”

On Saturday, Cochran hit four of 10 threes and scored 12 points in NU’s narrow 60-53 loss at Missouri. The Huskers, who enter 7-5 overall and 0-1 in the Big 12, held the Tigers to 38.3 percent shooting.

The Huskers, who start two true freshmen in 6-9 forward John Turek (3.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and 6-4 guard/forward Jake Muhleisen (11.9 ppg) and another newcomer in former junior college guard Brennon Clemmons (8.9 ppg.), have beaten North Carolina A&T, Winthrop, Texas-San Antonio, Wofford, Western Illinois, Oral Roberts and Savannah State. They have lost to Creighton (76-70), Minnesota (81-72), Sam Houston State (74-70), Pacific (75-52) and MU.

NU’s nonconference schedule wasn’t especially difficult. Opening at Missouri and Kansas is about as tough as it comes in conference play, however.

“It’s like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire,” NU coach Barry Collier said. “They (Huskers) competed hard at Missouri and I expect them to do the same at Kansas.”

At least the inexperienced Huskers NU also starts senior forward Ross Buckenhdahl who sat out all last year after knee surgery will have a lighter load after tonight’s game.

“Barring shell shock you are right,” Collier said. “We tried to ease them into this with two hands firmly on their back and shoving them out the door.”

KU (12-1, 1-0) enters tonight’s game as college basketball’s new No. 1 team.

“They are still the team they were before Monday,” Collier said. “They are just a very good team. The job they’ve done shooting ability and inside attack Roy does a tremendous job all-around from recruiting to out-of-bounds plays and everything in between. We do look forward to playing in places that reek the smell of college basketball.”

NU enters having committed just 12 turnovers per game.

“I do think we’ve handled the ball as well as we could,” Collier said, noting tonight would provide a stern test against KU’s pressure. “The biggest challenge is preparing for Gooden, Hinrich, Collison and Boschee and it goes on and on.”

KU will take a healthy dose of respect for the Huskers into tonight’s contest.

“It’s not No. 1 Kansas versus whatever Nebraska. It’s just Kansas versus Nebraska,” KU guard Hinrich said. “To play Missouri that tough in Columbia … they must have a pretty good team, one that plays hard.”

Williams remembers not too long ago Nebraska handled the Jayhawks twice during the regular season. Yes, NU which has dropped five straight to the Jayhawks, won 64-59 over KU during the 1998-99 season at Allen Fieldhouse.

“I know that it was only two, maybe three years ago that Nebraska beat us both times. I know Barry does a great job and we’re going to have to be ready to play. We can’t rest on what we’ve done so far,” Williams said.

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