For a split second, Nebraska’s chance at becoming the unbeaten-beater looked so promising when a buzzer-beating three-point attempt left the fingertips of senior Corey Simms uncontested.
Down 59-57 to No. 2 Kansas University, NU coach Barry Collier set up a play “for the win” that didn’t even have Simms taking the last shot. But the situation dictated who would attempt to be the hero Wednesday — a reserve with just two points, a pump-fake that J.R. Giddens bit on and nothing but clear air between ball and basket.
Even then, Simms couldn’t keep the rock from clanking the front of the rim, leaving KU undefeated at 14-0 with the two-point victory.
“It felt good,” Simms said of the shot, only his second of the night. “It wasn’t the play we drew up, but it came down to that. The head fake got me open, and I got a good look, but it was off a couple of inches. That’s part of the game.”
It would have been the first three-pointer of the season for Simms, not known for his offensive abilities.
Understandably, Collier wanted freshman Joe McCray getting the ball in crunch time.
McCray had 19 points Wednesday, many coming in the second half when the 16,300 fans at Allen Fieldhouse were targeting him with jeers after he had physical run-ins with Giddens and Michael Lee. A minor second-half scuffle with Lee resulted in offsetting technical fouls.
Regardless, McCray seemed rattled by nothing, hitting three three-pointers and eight of 10 free throws and keeping the Huskers focused when KU’s free-throw woes left the door cracked ever so slightly for a shocker.
“He’s done that a lot this year,” Collier said. “We were all excited to have a chance to play a top-10 team. Joe eats that stuff up.”
Nebraska (8-6 overall, 2-2 Big 12 Conference) had every excuse to fold up shop. Team captain Jake Muhleisen fouled out, as did forward John Turek.
Nebraska had seven shots blocked and just 12 points in the paint all night.
The Jayhawks’ grit came out again in a 10-0 spurt that started the second half. Usually, KU’s opponents this season haven’t recovered from such a run.
“We had a tough-minded group tonight,” Collier said. “I like how our guys are competing, and we’re playing physical and playing great defense. We just need to be able to play with a little more poise.”
Simms felt he had that poise in the final seconds. If he had just a bit more touch — maybe even a pinch of luck — to his wide-open look, the Huskers might have been college basketball’s biggest story today.
“I think there was probably four or five guys on the court that wanted the last shot,” Simms said. “You always want that big shot.”
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