With opposing teams making a habit of double-teaming Nebraska center Aleks Maric, the Cornhuskers' fate is often dependent upon whether or not at least one of his teammates is going to be able to knock down shots from the perimeter.
While Nebraska's outside shooters haven't always answered the bell, guard Paul Velander has responded of late. Last Sunday, the 6-foot-2 junior from Blacksburg, Va., scored a season-high 16 points in 68-49 home win over Colorado, hitting 5-of-9 shots from 3-point range.
"I think it's just confidence, really," Velander said. "Sometimes, you shoot the ball just hoping to make it instead of having the confidence, knowing that it's going to go in.
"I'm sure a lot of shooters say that, so a lot of it is confidence."
After watching his minutes dwindle since the start of Big 12 Conference season, Velander got back into the regular rotation when starting point guard Cookie Miller went down with a shoulder injury Feb. 23 at Texas A&M. Averaging nearly 22 minutes over the past four games, Velander has scored nine or more points three times, while hitting 11-of-23 (47.8 percent) attempts from behind the arc.
Velander said spending some extra time in the gym shooting has helped him regain his confidence and turn things around.
"I try to when I can, when you have to balance everything that we do," Velander said. "Sometimes, it's good to put a couple of extra shots in and try to get your confidence up."
Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said Velander is one of several Huskers to benefit from Maric's inside presence.
"I think a lot of it is because of all the attention that Aleks is getting," Sadler said. "If you can get 5-for-9 (3-pointers) out of Paul Velander, then you know you've got a chance to be in a lot of games."
Maric, who had a career-high six assists Sunday, said perimeter shooting has been key to Nebraska's success throughout the season.
"I knew this year teams were going to lock down on me a lot more and collapse on me," said Maric, who averages 16 points per game and is shooting 57.2 percent from the floor. "As a big man, you've got to kick it out. There are going to be people open and every night there have been different people who have been shooting the ball well.
"(Sunday), it was Pauley."
Velander said the entire team's confidence is high heading into the Big 12 Conference Tournament opener. The seventh-seeded Huskers (18-11, 7-9 Big 12) have won four of their last six games entering a 6 p.m. Thursday contest against No. 10 seed Missouri (16-15, 6-10) at The Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.
"Defensively, if we can just maintain what we've been doing, rebounding after we play defense and hopefully make some shots," Velander said. "If we can get hot, I think we can hang with just about anyone."
Nebraska closed the Big 12 season 7-5 after starting 0-4, including a pair of losses to No. 5-ranked Kansas.
"We're definitely playing with more poise," Velander said. "We're playing confident and having fun. When you do that, you play loose.
"That's how the game is meant to be played."
Men's Big 12 Tournament
At The Sprint Center
Kansas City, Mo.
First Round
Thursday, March 13
Texas Tech (16-14, 7-9) vs. Oklahoma State (16-14, 7-9), 11:30 a.m.
Baylor (21-9, 9-7) vs. Colorado (11-19, 3-13), 2 p.m.
Nebraska (18-11, 7-9) vs. Missouri (16-15, 6-10), 6 p.m.
Texas A&M (22-9, 8-8) vs. Iowa State (14-17, 4-12), 8:30 p.m.
Quarterfinals
Friday, March 14
Texas (26-5, 13-3) vs. Texas Tech-Oklahoma State winner, 11:30 a.m.
Oklahoma (21-10, 9-7) vs. Baylor-Colorado winner, 2 p.m.
Kansas (28-3, 13-3) vs. Nebraska-Missouri winner, 6 p.m.
Kansas State (20-10, 10-6) vs. Texas A&M-Iowa State winner, 8:20 p.m.
Semifinals
Saturday, March 15
Texas/Texas Tech-Oklahoma State winner vs. Oklahoma/Baylor-Colorado winner, 1 p.m.
Kansas/Nebraska-Missouri winner vs. Kansas State/Texas A&M-Iowa State winner, 3:20 p.m.
Championship
Sunday, March 16
Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.
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