Following disappointing losses to Big 12 Conference cellar-dweller Colorado on the road and against Baylor at home, a then-No. 3 Kansas team had just handed the Cornhuskers a major whooping 84-49 at Allen Fieldhouse. Nebraska was 0-4 and any type of postseason bid looked to be a lost cause.

But somehow, the Huskers and second-year coach Doc Sadler found a way to turn the tide. While finishing the regular season 18-11 overall and 7-9 in the conference might not seem like a dramatic feat, Nebraska managed to go 7-5 in its final dozen Big 12 games, including the program's first back-to-back victories over ranked teams (Kansas State and Texas A&M) since 1999.

"I think that speaks highly of the character of this basketball team," Sadler said. "(Zero) and four can put a lot of doubt in my mind, could've put a lot of doubt in the players' minds, but we continued to work hard.

"I don't know that many teams out there could do what we did and that's a credit to the kids and what they did in my opinion."

As bad as things looked, Nebraska guard Paul Velander said the Huskers took solace in the notion that some of their heaviest lifting playing Kansas twice was behind them.

"We knew we played Kansas two out of the first four games and those games are, as coach said, kind of a free game because Kansas is so dominant," Velander said. "At the same time, you're still 0-4, but this team never gave up."

Without a doubt, the key when Nebraska has been successful this season has been defense. The Huskers lead the Big 12 in scoring defense (60.3 points per game) and rank fourth in field-goal percentage defense (40.1 percent).

"Our guys have really bought in to what we have to do to the best of our abilities to have a chance and that is defense," Sadler said. "If we can score in the high 60s, low 70s we're going to have a chance against a lot of teams because our defense is pretty good, at times."

While defense has been Nebraska's strength, a lack of offensive production has been the team's downfall. Midway through the conference slate, Sadler admitted that he might have second-guessed his own decision to redshirt the talented freshman trio of Brandon Richardson, Toney McCray and Alonzo Edwards.

But as the season progressed, the Huskers made offensive improvement. They learned how to more effectively play off of 6-foot-11 senior center Aleks Maric and junior college transfer Steve Harley emerged as a scoring weapon. Even without starting point guard Cookie Miller in the starting lineup for the past four games, Nebraska scored 63 or more points in each of its final six games, winning four of them.

"I've said all along that I think that's what separates the good teams from the really good teams is how you play offensively," Sadler said. "We are probably playing about as well as we have with our offensive execution. Then, the bottom line is that we're making some shots.

"I think that's what has improved us more than anything."