Maric the Difference in NU Big 12 Tourney Win www.huskers.com 14 Mar 2008 KANSAS CITY, Missouri (AP) - Kansas City -- Nebraska continued to showcase one of the best defenses in the league by holding Missouri to 31.6 percent shooting and a season-low point total as the Huskers earned a 61-56 victory over the Tigers in the first round of the Big 12 Championship on Thursday. Nebraska, the No. 7 seed in the tournament, limited No. 10 Missouri to 31.6 percent shooting and overcame nine Tiger 3-pointers to earn its fifth victory at the league tournament since the formation of the Big 12 in 1996-97. The victory marked the second time in three years the Huskers won their first-round game, with both victories coming against Missouri. Senior center Aleks Maric posted 17 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks and junior guard Steve Harley added 14 points to help Nebraska improve to 19-11 on the season while Missouri fell to 16-16. It also helped the Huskers' chances of reaching postseason play for the third time in five seasons next week while pulling NU within a game of its 12th 20-win season in program history. Nebraska's last 20-win campaign came in 1998-99, when the Huskers went 20-13 on the year and reached the postseason National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Huskers return to action on Friday, March 14, when NU takes on second-seeded Kansas at 6 p.m. (Sat 10am SYD). If the Huskers should upset Kansas, their semifinal game will air on ESPN in Australia on tape delay. Full Story

Big 12 Final Standings Texas Kansas Kansas State Oklahoma Baylor Texas A&M Nebraska Texas Tech Oklahoma State Missouri Iowa State Colorado 13-3 13-3 10-6 9-7 9-7 8-8 7-9 7-9 7-9 6-10 4-12 3-13   Next for Nebraska Big 12 Tourney Quarterfinals vs. Kansas Sat 10am SYD

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