Coach Barry Collier.....................................................46-49

A Conversation with Coach Collier...................................50

Associate Head Coach Scott Spinelli ...............................51

Assistant Coach Doug Novsek ........................................52

Assistant Coach Jerome Francis Jr..................................53

Director of Operations Tim Waller ....................................54

Video Coordinator Steve Hinerman..................................54

Basketball Strength Coach Travis Reust ..........................54

Basketball Support Staff .............................................55-56

CoachesDid you know?Nebraska coaches have combined for 76 years of experience from high school to the college and the professional ranks. Four members of the basketball staff have been head coaches during their career. Coach Barry Collier's teams have won more than 260 games over the past 16 seasons and made seven postseason appearances, and is looking for its second postseason bid in the past three years in 2005-06.

Basketball

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Commitment. Teamwork. Unity. Loyalty. All are trademarks of a Barry Collier-led team, and all are necessary ingredients for the one thing every Husker is focused on: success.

Collier and the Huskers started to see their efforts transform into tangible results over the past two seasons.

During 2004-05, Nebraska finished with a 14-14 mark, its second straight season posting at least a .500 record. Five of the losses came by five or fewer points and four were to teams that qualified for postseason play, including a two-point setback at No. 2 Kansas. All but one of the Huskers’ losses on the year were to teams that qualified for postseason play.

Nebraska also posted a 7-9 conference mark, equalling its best league record in six years. The Huskers have improved their record in league play each of the past two seasons while ranking among the top defensive and rebounding teams in the Big 12 Conference each of Collier's five seasons.

Nebraska’s season was not all close misses, as the Huskers pulled off an upset against fourth-ranked Oklahoma State in Lincoln. The Huskers earned their first win over a top-five program in more than a decade, starting a three-game winning streak at the end of the season that made Nebraska the hottest team in the league. NU added its finest road victory of the season over NCAA Tournament-bound Iowa State just four days later.

Freshman Joe McCray played a large role in Nebraska’s success, as Collier guided him to the Nebraska and Big 12 freshman record with 80 3-pointers on the year. The total was second in NU history, while his team-leading 15.5 points per game were a Nebraska freshman record. McCray was not the only freshman making a name for himself, as Aleks Maric set the NU freshman rebounding record and nearly cracked the rookie top-10 list for scoring average. He finished the year averaging 8.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, which ranked 11th overall in the Big 12 Conference.

McCray was the first Husker freshman to earn a Big 12 accolade, as he was named to the honorable-mention All-Big 12 squad by the coaches and AP, and was a Big 12 All-Freshman team member. McCray also earned honorable-mention Freshman All-America honors from Rivals.com.

As a team, the Huskers were No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference in rebounding margin (+5.2) and second in rebounding offense (38.3) in 2004-05. It was the second straight season and just the sixth time in school history the Huskers had better than a +4.0 rebounding margin. Nebraska also finished the year ranked fourth in the league in scoring defense, allowing just 63.9 points per game. It was the second straight season Nebraska held opponents to fewer than 64 points per game, matching the back-to-back marks

BarryCOLLIERHead Coach70-77 record in five years at Nebraska266-209 record in 16 years overall

last set in 1983 and 1984.In the classroom, the Huskers were also successful

by picking up five first-team academic All-Big 12 honors. It was the second straight season that Nebraska had at least five selections on the squad, as the Huskers set a Big 12 record with six picks the previous year. Under Collier, the Huskers have had 14 first-team academic all-league honors the past five years, after NU gained just five selections over the previous decade.

A year earlier, Nebraska earned its first postseason berth in five years – and first under Collier – while posting an 18-13 record in 2003-04. It was a seven-game improvement in the win column over the previous season and marked the seventh time Collier had led his team to either an NIT (four times) or NCAA Tournament (three) berth. In 16 seasons as a head coach, Collier has led his team to at least a .500 record 11 times, including 10 winning campaigns and eight seasons with at least 18 victories.

Nebraska’s 2004 NIT run lasted three games, with the Huskers reaching the second round of the tournament for the 12th time in school history. NU avenged its only non-conference loss of the season with a one-point road victory at in-state rival Creighton in the opening round of the NIT, and followed with an eight-point home win over Niagara. After a quick turnaround, the Huskers made a valiant second-half comeback before falling one point short at Hawaii to end the season.

Collier helped Nebraska post 15 home wins on the season, the second-highest total in Devaney Center history. During his five years in Lincoln, Nebraska has averaged nearly 11 home wins per season, including at least one home victory over a ranked team each year.

In 2004, the Huskers picked up a pair of victories over ranked teams, marking the first time since 1998-99 that Nebraska earned multiple wins over ranked squads. After losing a pair of two-point games against ranked foes earlier in the season, Nebraska got one in the win column when it dismantled No. 12 Kansas, 74-55.

The Huskers then made it two straight wins over ranked teams at home when it ran past No. 25 Texas Tech, 72-44. The 28-point win marked NU’s largest margin of victory over a ranked squad ever, while the 19-point win over KU ranked fourth all-time. Three of Nebraska’s four largest margins of victory all time over ranked teams have come in the past three seasons under Collier.

The Huskers were a more aggressive scoring team throughout the season after making major strides in a new attacking offensive scheme. Nebraska's improvement on offense was significant, as it made the largest single-season gain in offensive output (+7.6 ppg) by a Husker squad in 39 years.

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Senior forward Brian Conklin set the school and Big 12 single-season record for three-point shooting by hitting 55.9 percent from outside the arc. He helped Nebraska make at least 200 three-pointers for just the second time in school history and the second time under Collier.

Under Collier’s guidance, three Huskers earned postseason honors in 2004. Nate Johnson, the team MVP, earned third-team All-Big 12 accolades from the coaches and was a USBWA All-District selection before being selected in the second round of the USBL Draft. After a strong season with the Kansas Cagerz, Johnson played in the summer league for the NBA’s L.A. Lakers and earned a spot in their training camp where he attempted to make the Lakers’ opening-day roster. Johnson then played the season in Finland where he averaged 17.4 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Along with Johnson, Corey Simms was selected to the Big 12 All-Bench team in 2004, while Marcus Neal Jr. was chosen to the All-Newcomer squad by the league’s sportswriters.

Forward Andrew Drevo also signed a contract with one of the top teams in Sweden, where he was a league all-star while averaging 20 points and nine rebounds per game as a rookie. Drevo led his team in scoring and rebounding while guiding the Sodertalje Kings to the Swedish League title.

Since Collier was hired as the 25th head men’s basketball coach at Nebraska on April 5, 2000, he and his staff have assembled a squad that represents the program and university in a first-class manner, both on the court and off. Collier emphasizes toughness, discipline and unselfish play-making every day, while allowing his players to utilize their talents and exhibit creative play-making skills.

Those talents have led to eight players earning an honor from the coaches or Associated Press. Johnson was the first repeat winner under Collier, as he and Drevo were named honorable-mention all-conference as juniors. The pair finished their careers as the highest-scoring transfer tandem in school history.

With a strength of schedule that ranked in the

top 60 in the country for the third straight season in 2002-03, Nebraska allowed opponents to hit just 40.8 percent from the field, while its three-point field-goal percentage defense was even more impressive. The Huskers led the Big 12 Conference by allowing a school-record low 30.2 percent from outside the arc.

In 2001-02, the Huskers set a school record with 18 three-pointers against No. 1 Kansas at the Devaney Center. Nebraska pushed the top-ranked team in the country before falling by a single point. It would have been the second win over a ranked team that season, as NU had already defeated No. 23 Texas Tech at the Devaney Center before a sellout home crowd.

Nebraska finished the 2002 season by setting team records for three-pointers made (267) and attempted (729) while ranking third in the nation in three-pointers made per game (9.5). The Huskers also had the third-fewest turnovers in school history with just 317 in 28 games to rank sixth nationally (11.3), and set a single-game team record with just three turnovers at Iowa State, including only one in the first half.

Cary Cochran and John Robinson II claimed honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors, with Robinson also being named to the Big 12’s All-Improved team. Cochran set NU single-season (89) and career (268) records for three-pointers and led the nation in free-throw percentage (92.2) in his final year as a Husker.

In Collier’s first season guiding the program in 2000-01, the Huskers picked up the defensive pace considerably as they allowed 16 fewer points per game on the road. NU also improved its field-goal shooting percentage and finished among the top 15 teams in the nation by hitting 48.7 percent from the floor.

Collier’s desire to stress defense as the key to winning games was music to Cookie Belcher’s ears. Belcher finished his career ranked third in NCAA history with a school- and league-record 353 steals. Both Belcher and center Kimani Ffriend were named to the Big 12 All-Defense team, while Belcher was a second-team all-conference selection by both the coaches and Associated Press. Ffriend was a third-team pick by the AP, while he and forward Steffon

Collier’s Year-by-Year Coaching RecordAt ButlerSeason Overall Pct. Conf. Pct. Conf. Finish Postseason1989-90 6-22 .214 2-12 .143 8th 1990-91 18-11 .621 10-4 .714 2nd NIT – First round, lost to Wyoming, 63-611991-92 21-10 .677 7-3 .700 tie, 2nd NIT – First round, lost to Purdue, 82-561992-93 11-17 .393 5-9 .357 tie, 5th1993-94 16-13 .552 6-4 .600 tie, 2nd1994-95 15-12 .556 8-7 .533 5th1995-96 19-8 .704 12-4 .750 2nd 1996-97 23-10 .697 12-4 .750 1st NCAA – First round, lost to Cincinnati, 86-691997-98 22-11 .667 8-6 .571 3rd NCAA – First round, lost to New Mexico, 79-621998-99 22-10 .688 11-3 .786 2nd NIT – Third round, defeated Bradley, 51-50; defeated Old Dominion, 75-62; lost to Clemson, 89-691999-2000 23-8 .742 12-2 .857 1st NCAA – First round, lost to Florida, 69-68 (OT)Totals 196-132 .598 93-58 .616

At NebraskaSeason Overall Pct. Conf. Pct. Conf. Finish Postseason2000-01 14-16 .467 7-9 .438 7th2001-02 13-15 .464 6-10 .375 tie, 7th2002-03 11-19 .367 3-13 .188 12th2003-04 18-13 .581 6-10 .375 tie, 9th NIT -- Second round, defeated Creighton, 71-70; defeated Niagara, 78-70; lost to Hawaii, 84-83 2004-05 14-14 .500 7-9 .438 tie, 8thTotals 70-77 .476 29-51 .363

Career 266-209 .560 122-109 .528 2 MCC Titles 3 NCAA, 4 NIT appearances

The Collier FileFull Name Barry Scott CollierDate of Birth July 16, 1954Education Bachelor of Science, Butler, 1976 Master of Science, Indiana State, 1977Family Wife, Annette; and sons, Casey (22), Brady (20) and Clay (18)Head Coaching Experience ØNebraska, 2000-present ØButler, 1989-2000Assistant Coaching Experience ØStanford University, 1986-89 ØUniversity of Oregon, 1983-86 ØUniversity of Idaho, 1978-83 ØSeattle Central CC, 1977-78 ØRose-Hulman Institute, 1976-77Awards and Honors ØMidwestern Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year (1991, 1997, 1999, 2000) ØNational Association of Basketball Coaches Board of Directors (2002-present)

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The Collier family (l to r): Brady, Annette, Casey, Barry and Clay.

just two 20-win campaigns in their first 91 seasons of intercollegiate basketball before his arrival. In his last four years at Butler, Collier’s teams compiled a 90-39 (.698) overall record and made a school-record four consecutive postseason appearances.

The Bulldogs reached the NCAA Tournament in 1997, 1998 and 2000, after not reaching the national tournament in the previous 35 seasons. In the first round of the 2000 East Regional, Butler took eventual national runner-up Florida to overtime before losing, 69-68, on a buzzer-beater. The loss to Florida ended Butler’s school-record 15-game winning streak.

In addition to three NCAA appearances, Butler also reached the National Invitation Tournament three times under Collier, most recently in 1999, when the Bulldogs advanced to the third round before falling to Clemson. Collier also led Butler to NIT appearances in 1991 and 1992.

Collier made Butler competitive on the national level, while making the Bulldogs a dominant force in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. The Bulldogs won two MCC regular-season titles under Collier (1997 and 2000). Over his final five seasons, the Bulldogs posted a 55-19 (.743) league record. Collier’s teams finished either first or second in the MCC seven times, while his teams also won the school’s first three MCC Tournament titles in 1997, 1998 and 2000.

Collier's outstanding conference record did not go unnoticed by his peers. Collier was named conference coach of the year four times, including 1991, 1997, 1999 and 2000 as his teams were noted for their proficiency on both ends of the floor.

Seven student-athletes under Collier earned all-conference awards at Butler, including two

conference player-of-the-year honors. Three of his players were two-time

selections. In the classroom, one

player under Collier was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American and one athlete

earned a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. All

36 players who completed their senior seasons under Collier at Butler

earned college diplomas, while 14 more have earned degrees under Collier at Nebraska.

Butler utilized an opportunistic and efficient offense while ranking as one of

the league’s toughest defensive squads.

The Bulldogs held opponents to less than 73 points per game in nine of his 11 seasons while his final seven teams held opponents to less than 43 percent shooting for the season.

Collier prepared for his head coaching career by serving as an assistant coach at five schools in 13 years. He began his coaching career at Rose Hulman Institute, then served as an assistant at Seattle Central Community College, the University of Idaho, the University of Oregon and Stanford University.

While Collier was an assistant at Stanford under Mike Montgomery, he helped begin the turnaround of the Cardinal program. He assisted in trips to the 1988 NIT and the 1989 NCAA Tournament, when Stanford won 26 games and finished second in the Pac-10 Conference.

The announcement of Collier as Butler’s head coach in the spring of 1989 marked his return to the Indianapolis campus. Collier first went to Butler as a student-athlete in 1974, following two seasons at Miami Dade South Junior College. The 6-7 Collier played basketball for the Bulldogs for two seasons, leading the team in rebounding twice and finishing second on the team in scoring once. He was named a Butler co-captain as a senior and was awarded the team’s co-MVP trophy for the 1975-76 campaign.

Collier earned an Associate of Arts degree from Miami Dade South Community College before earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Butler in 1976 and a Master of Science degree from Indiana State in 1977.

Collier was recognized by his coaching peers in 2002, as he was named to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Collier has been an NABC member for the past 28 years, and served as an NABC congressman as well as on several committees.

Collier and his wife, Annette, have been married since 1975. The couple have been involved in several charity events around the state since moving to Nebraska, including serving as honorary chairpersons for the annual fund raising event for the Child Advocacy Center in Lincoln. Coach Collier has also assisted with the efforts of the Red Cross and was the honorary chairperson for the Capital Humane Society fund-raising event in 2004.

The Colliers have three sons, Casey, Brady, and Clay. Casey graduated from Nebraska in 2005 and is currently in his first year attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Brady is a junior at Nebraska and Clay is a senior at Lincoln East High School.

Bradford were honorable-mention all-league selections by the coaches.

Getting to the postseason is the direct goal every year for a Collier-led team. Collier, who came to Nebraska after spending 11 years as head coach at Butler, knows how to get there after finishing his tenure at his alma mater as the winningest coach in Bulldogs’ history.

Collier helped his Bulldog teams to a 196-132 record, including nine winning seasons. Before Collier’s arrival at the Indianapolis school, Butler had posted just three winning seasons in the previous 15 years.

The 51-year-old Collier coached his alma mater to five 20-win seasons, including 22 or more wins in each of his last four years at Butler. The Bulldogs had

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School RecordAlaska-Fairbanks ..................................................1-1UAB .....................................................................0-1American-Puerto Rico ..........................................1-0Anderson..............................................................2-0Arizona State........................................................1-1Arkansas-Pine Bluff ..............................................1-0Ball State..............................................................5-7Baylor...................................................................3-2Belmont................................................................2-1Bethune-Cookman ...............................................2-0Bowling Green......................................................0-2Bradley.................................................................2-1Cal State Fullerton ................................................1-1Cal State Northridge.............................................1-0Cal State Sacramento ..........................................2-0Centenary.............................................................1-0Cincinnati .............................................................0-2Clemson...............................................................0-1Cleveland State ....................................................8-3Creighton .............................................................1-5Colgate.................................................................1-0Colorado ..............................................................5-6Dayton..................................................................5-3Delaware State .....................................................1-0Denver..................................................................1-0DePauw ...............................................................2-0Detroit Mercy....................................................13-12Duquesne.............................................................1-1Eastern Illinois.......................................................1-1Eastern Michigan..................................................1-0Eastern Washington .............................................1-0

The Collier family (l to r): Brady, Annette, Casey, Barry and Clay.

Evansville............................................................6-11Fairleigh Dickinson................................................1-0Florida ..................................................................0-1Florida International ..............................................2-0Florida State .........................................................1-1Georgia State .......................................................2-0Hanover................................................................1-0Hawaii ..................................................................0-1Holy Cross............................................................0-1Idaho State...........................................................1-0Illinois-Chicago ...................................................12-5Illinois State ..........................................................2-2Indiana .................................................................1-4Indiana State ........................................................8-4Indiana Wesleyan..................................................1-0Iona......................................................................1-0Iowa .....................................................................0-1Iowa State ............................................................4-6IPFW ....................................................................1-0IUPUI....................................................................3-0Jacksonville ..........................................................2-0James Madison ....................................................2-1Kansas .................................................................1-9Kansas State ........................................................5-6Kent State ............................................................1-0LaSalle .................................................................5-2Lipscomb .............................................................2-0Loyola ................................................................21-5Marquette.............................................................2-3Marshall................................................................2-0Maryland-Eastern Shore .......................................1-0Mercer..................................................................2-2

Collier-led Teams vs. All Opponents

Collier Era SuperlativesPoints NU high -- 99 vs. Kansas State (2/9/02) NU low -- 48 vs. Minnesota (12/8/04); vs. Creighton (12/11/04) Opponent high -- 96 by Kansas (1/9/02) Opponent low -- 26 by Bethune-Cookman (12/20/03) NU high half -- 60 vs. Texas A&M (2/28/01) NU low half -- 18 vs. Oklahoma (3/4/03) Opponent high half -- 57 by Kansas (1/9/02) Opponent low half -- 12 by Bethune-Cookman (12/20/03); by Morgan St. (12/6/04)

Field Goals NU high -- 38 vs. Texas A&M (2/28/01) NU low -- 14 vs. Creighton (1/2/01) Opponent high -- 36 by Kansas (1/9/02) Opponent low -- 10 by Centenary (11/21/02) NU high attempts -- 74 vs. Texas Tech (1/30/02); vs. Colorado (2/5/02) NU low attempts -- 42 vs. Kent State (12/21/00); at Oklahoma (2/16/05) Opponent high attempts -- 73 three times (last by Colorado, 1/18/03) Opponent low attempts -- 39 vs. Lipscomb (12/22/04) NU high percentage -- .661 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) (1/6/04) NU low percentage -- .246 vs. Oklahoma (1/16/02) Opponent high percentage -- .628 by Kansas State (2/4/04) Opponent low percentage -- .200 by Centenary (11/21/02)

3-point Field Goals NU high -- 18 vs. Kansas (2/24/02) NU low -- 1 vs. Oklahoma (3/4/03) Opponent high -- 14 by Kansas State (2/9/02) Opponent low -- 1 five times (last by Iowa State, 2/27/05) NU high attempts -- 37 vs. Kansas (2/24/02) NU low attempts -- 6 vs. Kent State (12/21/00); vs. Eastern Michigan (11/29/03) Opponent high attempts -- 36 by Missouri (2/18/03) Opponent low attempts -- 5 by Texas Tech (2/24/04) NU high percentage -- .643 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) (1/6/04) NU low percentage -- .083 vs. Oklahoma (3/4/03) Opponent high percentage -- .583 by Kansas State (2/9/02) Opponent low percentage -- .091 by Kansas St. (2/25/03); by Iowa St. (2/27/05)

Free Throws NU high -- 35 vs. Kansas State (2/9/02) NU low -- 1 vs. Missouri (1/5/02) Opponent high -- 35 by Iowa State (3/3/01) Opponent low -- 0 by Pittsburgh (12/2/00); by Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11/23/04) NU high attempts -- 47 vs. Texas (1/13/01) NU low attempts -- 5 vs. Missouri (1/5/02) Opponent high attempts -- 43 by Iowa State (3/3/01) Opponent low attempts -- 1 by Pittsburgh (12/2/00) NU high percentage -- 1.000 vs. Kansas (2/15/04) NU low percentage -- .200 vs. Missouri (1/5/02) Opponent high percentage -- .929 by Texas A&M (1/15/03) Opponent low percentage -- .000 by Pittsburgh (12/2/00); by Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11/23/04)

Collier Teams When . . . Overall (at NU)holding opponents to 70 points or less .................................................................209-80 (58-31)holding opponents to 60 points or less .................................................................123-27 (33-11)holding opponents to 50 points or less .......................................................................43-1 (13-1)

scoring 100 or more points.............................................................................................5-1 (0-0)scoring 90 or more points.............................................................................................23-7 (6-0)scoring 80 or more points.........................................................................................88-23 (21-4)

allowing 100 or more points ...........................................................................................0-9 (0-0)allowing 90 or more points ..........................................................................................3-26 (0-2)

In overtime games ......................................................................................................18-15 (6-2) in single overtime.....................................................................................................14-13 (5-2) in double overtime .......................................................................................................3-2 (1-0) in triple overtime ..........................................................................................................1-0 (0-0)

Miami ...................................................................1-0Miami (Ohio) .........................................................1-0Minnesota ............................................................2-3Missouri..............................................................2-10Missouri-Kansas City ............................................0-1Montana State......................................................1-1Morgan State .......................................................1-0Mount St. Mary’s..................................................1-0Murray State.........................................................0-1Nevada.................................................................2-0New Mexico .........................................................0-1Niagara.................................................................1-0North Carolina ......................................................0-2North Carolina A&T...............................................2-0Northeastern Illinois ..............................................4-2Notre Dame..........................................................5-1Oklahoma.............................................................1-6Oklahoma State....................................................2-3Old Dominion .......................................................1-0Oral Roberts .........................................................1-1Pacific ..................................................................1-1Penn State ...........................................................1-1Pittsburgh.............................................................0-1Portland................................................................4-0Purdue .................................................................0-5Sam Houston State ..............................................0-1Santa Clara ..........................................................0-1Savannah State ....................................................1-0South Florida ........................................................1-1Southern Methodist ..............................................1-0Saint Louis ...........................................................2-2St. Francis (N.Y.)...................................................1-0

St. Francis (Pa.) ....................................................1-0St. Peter’s ............................................................0-1Stanford ...............................................................0-1Southern Utah ......................................................0-2Southwest Missouri State .....................................1-1Tennessee............................................................2-0Tennessee-Martin.................................................0-1Texas ...................................................................1-4Texas A&M...........................................................4-1Texas Christian.....................................................1-0Texas-San Antonio ...............................................2-0Texas Southern ....................................................1-0Texas Tech...........................................................2-3Tulane ..................................................................1-0UC Santa Barbara ................................................1-0UNC Charlotte......................................................1-2UNC Wilmington...................................................0-1Utah Valley State ..................................................1-0Valparaiso.............................................................4-1Villanova ...............................................................0-1Western Illinois......................................................2-2Western Kentucky ................................................2-2Winthrop ..............................................................2-0Wisconsin.............................................................1-1Wisconsin-Green Bay .........................................11-6Wisconsin-Milwaukee .........................................14-0Wofford ................................................................1-0Wright State .........................................................9-4Wyoming ..............................................................0-1Xavier .................................................................2-13Total 266-209

Rebounds NU high -- 55 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11/23/04) NU low -- 22 vs. Oklahoma State (1/23/02) Opponent high -- 58 by Kansas (1/9/02) Opponent low -- 16 by Lipscomb (12/22/04)

Assists NU high -- 27 vs. Texas A&M (2/28/01) NU low -- 6 vs. Kansas (1/9/02); vs. Texas A&M (1/15/03) Opponent high -- 26 by Kansas (1/9/02) Opponent low -- 3 by Centenary (11/21/02)

Blocked Shots NU high -- 12 vs. Colorado (3/2/05) NU low -- 0 six times (last vs. Denver, 1/4/03) Opponent high -- 17 by Iowa State (1/25/03) Opponent low -- 0 by Kansas St. (1/30/01); Denver (1/4/03); Lipscomb (12/22/04)

Turnovers NU high -- 26 vs. Oklahoma (2/16/05) NU low -- 3 vs. Iowa State (2/16/02) Opponent high -- 20 five times (last by Montana State, 1/2/05) Opponent low -- 5 by Texas (1/17/04)

Steals NU high -- 15 vs. Murray State (12/30/00); Oklahoma State (2/7/01) NU low -- 2 five times (last by Missouri, 3/5/05) Opponent high -- 17 by Oklahoma (2/16/05) Opponent low -- 1 three times (last by Iowa State, 2/16/02)

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A Conversation with Coach CollierWhy should a prospective student-athlete choose to attend Nebraska?

The No. 1 reason to come to Nebraska is the people. That includes the students, professors, fans, alumni and support staff. This is really a terrific place. As a coaching staff, we always talk about three things an athlete should look for – academics, athletics and the social settings. Academically, this is an outstanding university. Athletically, it’s one of the top athletic programs in the nation with tremendous support and facilities. The people are warm, hospitable and genuine.

What are some of the qualities you look for in a prospective student-athlete?We are really looking for someone who appreciates all of those things I just

mentioned – the superb academics, outstanding athletic accomplishments and the amazing people. We are looking for a driven competitive student-athlete, a person who those things appeal to, because he wants a good education and is committed to succeeding. He is also driven to be the best he can be across the board, academically, athletically and as a person.

What are your thoughts on playing a true freshman?Our philosophy is 'the best players play.' We have had numerous freshman

starters through the years and they have been integral to our success. We are always looking for the strongest team and everyone has the opportunity to be a starter.

What do you think of Nebraska’s fans?In 25 years of college coaching, I’ve never seen such broad support for an

athletic program. Husker fans are proud, devoted, supportive...nuts! I love it, and I’ve become one of them.

What challenges does this year’s schedule pose?We have a schedule that we like. In the early season, we will play teams from the the Big East, ACC, Conference

USA, among others, which will help prepare us for the conference slate. Four of those non-conference

teams were in the postseason last year.The Big 12 Conference is one of the nation’s

toughest basketball conferences, and because of that, every team on our conference schedule

will be a postseason-caliber team. It's the same situation every team in the league

faces. That’s why attitude is so critical in the ability to prepare for an opponent.

The highlight of the season is the Big 12 schedule, so we will build toward that, just as we do every year. That is definitely the focus of the season. It will be a tremendous challenge and will be

a matter of preparation.

When opposing coaches and fans are watching your teams, what qualities do you want them to see?

When one thinks of a great college basketball

game, the first thing that comes to mind is intensity. Starting with the action on the floor and extending into the stands, everyone wants to see great passion. Secondly, an aggressive, attacking mentality is absolutely paramount. Our team should exude discipline, fire, togetherness and toughness. Finally, unselfish play speaks volumes for a “team first” attitude.

You’ve earned a reputation as an outstanding defensive coach. Will that be a major key to your team’s success every season?

We know we have to play good half-court defense, but that’s true of any team. Our system lends itself to success. The key is consistent effort.

What do you see as your role as the head coach? My first responsibility is to the players and their total development. We are

seeking to provide an environment which encourages growth in four major areas: mentally, physically, socially and spiritually. Developing a winning attitude will lead to success in every phase. Out on the floor, we know each player brings a different set of skills and strengths to the team, and we must put him in a position to take advantage of those skills and strengths.

What are your thoughts about the Big 12 Conference? The depth of nationally competitive teams in the Big 12 makes the conference

a great challenge and opportunity for players and coaches. With an incredible tradition of athletic excellence and “second-to-none” facilities, the Big 12 is destined for continued dominance.

What is your vision for the future of Nebraska basketball?We want to see Nebraska basketball consistently compete among the elite

programs of college basketball, and when you do that you’re competing for conference and national championships. We already have some great examples of that in our athletic department.

After spending 11 years at Butler, what made you decide to come to Nebraska?The opportunity to be at a place with great academics, and to compete at the

highest level of collegiate athletics was a professional challenge that was too great to turn down. I was drawn by the opportunities for Nebraska’s athletes as students and by the opportunity to compete for a national championship. Nebraska’s fan support, facilities and performance support make all of that possible.

Do your team's goals change from season to season?Our season goal is to win the Big 12 championship and that won’t ever change.

We know that given the strength of the Big 12, our champion will have a great shot at the national championship.

Maybe more importantly is our daily goal of working hard, working smart and working together. Our players and staff work incredibly hard and are tremendously motivated toward the goal of being the best of which we are capable. We place winning as our goal but focus even greater emphasis on the everyday work involved in developing a winning attitude. We will win, and win big, only when we consistently play our best. We will consistently play our best because we have endured the struggle with character, strength and honor.

How important are your assistant coaches to the overall success of a team? Are they underappreciated for their contributions?

Assistant coaches contribute invaluably to our program here at Nebraska. From serving as role models, to teaching and coaching the game, Husker assistant coaches are involved in every facet of our program. Much of what they do receives little notice and even less credit. We are really fortunate to have such an intelligent, experienced and hard-working staff of assistants.

Is the emphasis placed on academics by your staff or is it a dedication on the part of your student-athletes?

Our basketball staff supports our players in their academic pursuits, and we insist that they apply themselves, but it is largely through the players' efforts and with the support of Associate Athletic Director for Academic Support Dennis Leblanc and his staff that they are successful.

How important is it to you to be a teacher and mentor as well as a coach?Coaches are given a great opportunity through their position in the sports world.

We want to be – and should be – teachers of life through basketball, and not just teachers of basketball. Teaching athletes to have a good attitude with solid discipline, good work ethic, while serving others through constant learning in a team atmosphere is our goal. These lessons will serve them in every walk of life.