Nebraska tops Hofstra 62-47 in Puerto Rico

By DAN GELSTON
AP Basketball Writer


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)

-- Jorge Brian Diaz scored 11 points to cap a successful return home in Nebraska's 62-47 win over Hofstra on Sunday in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament.

Diaz is the only player from Puerto Rico in the eight-team field. His mother was at the game as were other friends and family. He needed at least 40 tickets to meet the demand for his fans, who had never seen him play in person for Nebraska.

Diaz, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, snuffed a brief Hofstra rally with a twisting layup that made it 56-42 and brought applause from his cheering section.

The Huskers (3-2) held on to win their first game in the tournament.

Fans stood, cheered and snapped pictures when Diaz left the game with less than a minute to go. He was the only Husker who scored in double figures. Brandon Richardson had seven assists.

Charles Jenkins scored 15 points for the Pride (1-3) and Mike Moore had 12. Hofstra lost all three games in the tournament.

Jenkins scored all over the floor in the first two games of the tournament before disappearing against the Huskers. He scored 24 and 27 points on 67 percent shooting, but didn't crack double digits in this one until late in the second half.

Hofstra led 10-5 on a diet of jump shots, prompting Nebraska coach Doc Sadler to yell at his team during a timeout "make them a driver!"

Hofstra came out of the timeout -- and Jenkins hit a baseline jumper. But the Pride cooled after the early run and the Cornhuskers went a hot streak from there, hitting 11 of their first 20 shots. Ray Gallegos and Eshaunte Jones made consecutive 3-pointers for a 24-18 lead.

Hofstra went the final 9:06 without a field goal and Nebraska led 32-21 at the break.

The Huskers made 4 of 10 3s in the first half, not a great percentage, but an improvement over the 2 for 21 combined effort in their first two games in Puerto Rico.

Updated November 21, 2010