Huskers Ride Gallegos' 20 to Topple USC

It's like a card trick for reporters: "Pick a storyline, any story line..." When practice opened for the 2012-13 season, our average Nebraska basketball fan stood alongside the diehards and looked at the four game stretch the Huskers are smack dab in the middle of and legitimately questioned whether the Big Red would win any of them. Well, two games in, they've won both and now before them is the best team they've faced all season in the Creighton Bluejays.

The Huskers were led once again by Ray Gallegos who posted his second consecutive 20 point performance to lead the Huskers over the visiting USC Trojans, 63-51 for the fourth consecutive season. Gallegos was held scoreless for the first 15:56 of the game. USC put their best player, Jio Fontan on Gallegos who was on his hip nearly the entire first half, but Gallegos was able to get loose, however and scored the final 11 points of the half for the Huskers as they took a 33-25 lead into halftime.

The Huskers continued their rout of the Trojans in the second half, building their lead to as large as 20 at 53-32 on another Gallegos three and were able to keep the lead, never letting USC get closer than 12. Dylan Talley also found double figures, pouring in 14.

The storyline most fans are interested today, though, is the official visit of heralded recruit, Tai Webster. Webster is the New Zealand native who gave his verbal committment to Miles and the Huskers over the summer. Webster did not submit his letter of intent initially since he had not been able to visit the campus yet. Robin Washut reported on Lincoln radio Monday that Webster did, in fact, sign his LOI during the early signing period and had the requisite witnesses and is signed and sealed and a Husker, though this has not yet been officially confirmed by the athletic department.

The NU student section was out in full force for the game, decked out in New Zealand flags and broke out in chants of "We want Webster" on no fewer then three occasions. Webster spent the game two rows behind the Husker bench, draped by his parents alongside Husker legend, Erick Strickland.

Up next for the Huskers is the instate rival, Creighton. The Jays are ranked #16 and sport one of the best players in college basketball in Doug McDermott. Before the season, this game was considered a mismatch, and perhaps it is, but the Huskers, by playing well in their past couple of games, have raised the conversation and thought that this game will be competitive. There have been more than 11,000 tickets sold for the game and is expected to be a sell-out. For those without a ticket, the game will not be televised and will only be available via ESPN3.com.