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Its the most damning record in rugby league finals history and now Cronulla must smash a 43-year hoodoo to qualify for their first premiership decider since 1978.No club since preliminary finals were introduced in 1954 have lost six in a row in unified competitions, except the ill-starred Sharks.Falling a game short of a season decider for a seventh consecutive time since they lost the 1978 grand final replay against Manly doesnt bear thinking about for long-suffering Sharks fans.Super League aside, the Sharks last preliminary final win in a united competition was a 20-11 victory over Newtown in 1973 before they lost 10-7 - also to Manly - in the clubs first-ever grand final.Just as disconcertingly going into Friday nights showdown with defending premiers North Queensland, the Sharks managed to score just 30 points in that unprecedented run of six straight grand final qualifier losses - and never more than 10 points in one match.In another unwanted record, Cronulla are contesting their 16th finals series since last making the title match.South Sydneys 10 unsuccessful finals campaigns between their 1971 premiership triumph and return to the 2014 grand final is not a patch on Cronullas run of outs in playoffs.But perhaps the Rabbitohs 43-year wait between drinks is an omen for the Sharks to break their own 43-year grand final drought.Legendary coach Jack Gibson famously said that waiting for Cronulla to win a premiership was akin to leaving the porch light on for missing Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt.In a spooky omen for the Sharks faithful grasping for hope, Holt was born in 1908 - the birth year of premiership rugby league in Australia - and is recorded as dying in 1967, the year Cronulla entered the competition.Cronullas preliminary finals curse has haunted some of the Sharks greatest players, with club Immortals Andrew Ettingshausen and Gavin Miller, Test stars Mark McGaw, Mat Rogers and current skipper Paul Gallen never having experienced the thrill of grand final week.Officially acknowledged as one of Cronullas 10 club legends, David Peachey suffered the torment of four preliminary finals defeats, including three in four seasons.Gallen is the lone survivor of the Sharks most recent preliminary final loss to Melbourne in 2008.But there is hope.Shane Flanagans class of 2016 at least features five players - Ben Barba, James Maloney, Luke Lewis, Chris Heighington and Michael Ennis - who have won preliminary finals and, whisper it softly, even grand finals with other clubs.Dont turn that porch light off just yet.CRONULLA CURSE: SHARKS PRELIMINARY FINAL WOES2008: lost 28-0 to Melbourne2002: lost 16-10 to Warriors2001: lost 18-10 to Newcastle1999: lost 24-8 to St George Illawarra1996: lost 24-0 to Manly1988: lost 9-2 to Balmain1973: BEAT Newtown 20-11*In 1978, the Sharks qualified straight for the grand final and didnt contest a preliminary final. 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LINCOLN, Neb. -- Creightons 90-points-a-game offense didnt show up until late against Nebraska.No problem. The 10th-ranked Bluejays were still more than good enough to beat their in-state rival again.Maurice Watson Jr. scored a season-high 25 points, Cole Huff added 13 and Creighton dominated the second half in a 77-62 victory Wednesday night.We had to win kind of an ugly game, and they were trying to make us play that way, Bluejays coach Greg McDermott said. Thats probably the fewest fast-break points weve had all season. I like to think our pace wears you out over time, and we had a hard time with it.The Bluejays (9-0) have won 15 of 18 meetings with the Cornhuskers (5-4), including the last six by double digits.Tai Webster had 16 points and Ed Morrow had 13 rebounds for the Huskers, who trailed 31-30 at halftime but went scoreless for 6 1/2 minutes in the second half. Creighton bolted to a 51-37 lead, and in the last 3 minutes it was a 21-point game.It makes me disappointed and sick to my stomach we couldnt foster a better fight, Huskers coach Tim Miles said. I thought we were in good shape until Tai picked up his fourth foul, and then we went on a long, long drought.Watson carried the scoring load in the Bluejays first true road game as Nebraska clamped down on Marcus Foster and Justin Patton. Foster had seven points and Patton had nine, both season lows.The Cornhuskers defense left driving lanes open for Watson, and the senior point guard took advantage. He made 10 of 20 shots. Hes never taken more than 21 shots in his career.My teammates kept saying for me to go, go go, and I kind of got comfortable, Watson said.The Huskers shot 32.4 percent overall and were just 3 of 22 on 3-point attempts.We took too many of them, Webster said. Like Coach Milees says: `Love the 2, like the 3.ddddddddddddThats when were at our best.Creightons Toby Hegner dunked with 3 1/2 minutes left, prompting the small contingent of Bluejays fans to chant C-U, C-U as the Nebraska faithful began heading to the exits. Big Red fans who remained booed Davion Mintzs fast-break dunk in the final seconds.The victory allowed Creighton to tie the all-time series 25-25.THE BIG PICTURECreighton: The Bluejays first road trip was a bumpy ride. The flow was choppy, and they couldnt get moving at the speed they like until after the game was decided.Nebraska: The Huskers are not a good offensive team to begin with, and they were worse than that against the Bluejays. You cant be that inept on offense and expect to win, Miles said.PATTON KEPT IN CHECKPatton, the Bluejays 7-foot redshirt freshman, was held under 10 points for the first time in nine games. He did have eight rebounds, three blocked shots and a steal.Its his first time playing in front of a crowd totally against us, and hell learn from it, McDermott said.HE SAID ITIf this doesnt hurt you, nothing does. If youre (home) tonight in another 20 minutes and playing video games until 1 a.m., you dont really care. Youve got to hate losing. Weve got teach them how to win, too. -- Miles.POLL IMPLICATIONSCreighton is No. 10 for the second straight week and is in no danger of dropping in the Top 25 after a convincing win over Nebraska and a near gimme at home on Friday against Longwood.UP NEXTCreighton hosts Longwood on Friday.Nebraska visits No. 3 Kansas on Saturday.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 . ' ' '