Doc Sadler ambled into the locker room at halftime Wednesday night, his team leading by 17 points.

Yes, 17 points.

Oh, sure, we all saw THAT coming.

I would say the Nebraska men’s basketball coach waddled into the locker room. But on this particular night he deserves much better than “waddled.” NU outsmarted and out-slugged Oklahoma, 63-45, at the Devaney Sports Center. Indeed, Doc deserves “ambled.” Heck, he deserved to be carried out on a velvet chair, the way these Huskers have caught fire.

Oh, sure, we all saw three straight Big 12 triumphs coming.

Here’s the kicker: Nebraska is supposed to lose games like Wednesday’s. The Huskers always lose games like Wednesday’s. That’s why we should make Doc king for a day and also hand his players the key to our shiny city, because they avoided a notorious Husker hoops trend of sorts.

We’ve seen it so many times I’ve lost count: The Huskers get some nice wins around this point of a season — pick a season — and everybody thinks Coach Iba or Coach Nee or Coach Collier or Coach Sadler has something going, has the program positioned to take off. Then there comes a big home game, a winnable home game, and then the big thud — a big loss. A spirit-sapper.

Not on this night.

Not after Nebraska hit at least half of its field-goal attempts for the third straight game. Not after the Huskers held Oklahoma — sporting a No. 27 RPI — to 12 first-half points and out-rebounded the taller Sooners 33-25.

Nobody’s saying Nebraska’s ready for the Sweet 16. But this was a nice change of pace for Husker fans.

Even the hard-bitten newspaper guys were at Doc’s heels as he waddled, er, ambled out of the postgame press conference, eager to soak up every last ounce of the coach’s wisdom. Weren’t some people wondering about the good Doc just a couple weeks ago?

Enjoy this win, Huskerville. You’ve endured your share of gut-wrenching basketball losses after being teased throughout various parts of February.

Take the 1998-99 season, (please). Nebraska was 9-3 and in the hunt for the Big 12 crown. Imagine that. But the Huskers shot 1-for-16 from three-point territory and lost in Lincoln to an ordinary Oklahoma State crew.

Or maybe you recall 2004 when the surging Huskers somehow lost to Kansas State in Lincoln. Barry Collier tossed a water bottle in disgust in the final seconds. You know life’s rough when Barry’s tossing water bottles.

And there was 2006 when Nebraska positioned itself for an ever-elusive NCAA Tournament bid, then watched — and I mean watched — Jarrius Jackson pour in 41 points.

Yes, too many spirit-sappers to count.

Not Wednesday night. This was interesting. This was something different. The Devaney Center, so often lifeless, was alive. Doc absolutely craves such an atmosphere. His program — not yet blessed with the level of talent he desires — needs the crowd’s energy for an extra edge. The Huskers fed off of it. Paul Velander dived headlong for a loose ball right in front of Nebraska’s bench, and Sadler clap, clap, clapped.

A crowd of 10,031 watched Nebraska improve to 17-9 overall and 6-7 in the Big 12. Suddenly, the Huskers are among a gaggle of teams in position for a fourth-place league finish, which would mean a coveted bye in the league tournament. Imagine that.

Imagine fans gushing over Nebraska’s defense. That was the case Wednesday night.

But the Huskers have been a good defensive team pretty much all season. Now, they’ve picked up confidence on offense. The junior college transfers have adjusted to Big 12 talent, Sadler said. Big Red absorbed some punishing body blows (losses Feb. 13 to Missouri and Feb. 16 at Iowa State, for instance), and is now firing back hard right hands.

Sadler noted his guards and small forwards are making better use of 6-foot-11 Aleks Maric on offense.

For instance, “One of the oldest plays in basketball is the give and go,” Sadler said. “We’re using it, and it’s hard to defend.”

Nebraska gave Oklahoma a lesson and now goes to Oklahoma State on Saturday with a swagger last seen in late December after a win against then-No. 16 Oregon.

Maybe Doc has this program in the early stages of something special. Maybe not. It’s still too early to make such judgments. But Nebraska fans will have an easier time being patient when an important home game doesn’t result in a spirit-sapping thud.

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.