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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- For Oklahoma guard J.R. Raymond, it was
just another shot.
For Nebraska, it was a backbreaker.
Raymond's 3-pointer in the final minute finally all but put
Nebraska away as the No. 19 Sooners held off the Cornhuskers 62-54.
|  | | Nebraska's Larry Florence gets caught in an Oklahoma sandwich by Eduardo Najera and Nolan Johnson. |
"That shot was just a part of my game," said Raymond, who
finished with 14 points. "I take shots like that a lot. That one
showed a lot of courage and confidence."
It also came off an offensive rebound, which was a common theme
for the night. The Sooners had 17 offensive boards and held a 42-36
overall rebounding advantage. Eduardo Najera, who is second in the
Big 12 with an average of 9.5 rebounds per game, finished with 13
to lead the Sooners, who had lost two straight to Nebraska.
"It was ugly, but we got it done," said Najera, whose 10
points were more than nine below his season average. "Both teams
shot the ball really bad. We won the game with our defense with our
offensive rebounding. We got a lot of second shots."
The Sooners hit just 34 percent from the field and had their
lowest point total since a 72-57 loss to Cincinnati on Dec. 22.
Oklahoma has won for the sixth time in seven games.
Nolan Johnson also scored 14 and Tim Heskett finished with 10
points for Oklahoma.
Larry Florence scored 17 points to lead Nebraska (10-14, 3-8),
which fell to 0-5 against Top 25 teams this season. The Cornhuskers
have two more ranked opponents in a row coming up in Oklahoma
State (No. 9 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 8 AP) and Kansas (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 24 AP).
Nebraska, which trailed by six at halftime, didn't let Oklahoma
pull away in the second half. The Sooners' largest lead of the half
was nine, and every time they got up by that much Nebraska would
hack away at it.
"I thought we battled them as well as we could battle them.
That's why they're a Top 20 team," said Nebraska coach Danny Nee,
who remains one win away from breaking the school record. "I see
the joy in how they play together, the extra pass -- they're
warriors on the boards."
Nebraska is 0-4 since Nee tied former Huskers coach Joe
Cipriano's mark of 253 wins on Jan. 29 against Kansas State.
Cary Cochran's 3-pointer pulled Nebraska within 53-49 with 3:55
left to play. After Johnson hit a free throw, he was called for an
offensive foul, his fifth, putting Steffon Bradford on the
free-throw line. Bradford hit the first and missed the second, but
Najera couldn't control the rebound and the Huskers got the ball
back.
Florence hit a short jumper to bring it to 54-53, but Raymond
answered with a 3 from the left wing with 48 seconds left.
"That wasn't the smartest shot in the world, but what a
sweet-looking shot. The boy is cold-blooded," Oklahoma coach
Kelvin Sampson said. "He misses that, they come down and score, he
might be hitchhiking back to Norman."
But Raymond secured a spot on the team bus as the Sooners
clinched the win by going 5-for-6 from the line in the final 30
seconds.
Oklahoma went scoreless had a 6:39 scoring drought over the end
of the first half and beginning of the second as Nebraska rallied
to get back in the game after trailing by as much as 15.
The Huskers closed the first half with a 9-0 run to cut the
Oklahoma lead to 32-26 at halftime, then opened the second half
with four straight points.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Oklahoma Clubhouse
Nebraska Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 J.R. Raymond drives the lane for the hoop and the foul.
avi: 519 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Eduardo Najera makes the nice pass off the dribble penetration.
avi: 464 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Larry Florence goes baseline for the jam.
avi: 457 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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