Basketball: Huskers Start Slow, Outrace Nebraska-Omaha 80-67

Terran Petteway may be the most dynamic scorer on the team, but Shavon Shields is what keeps this team going. Shields scored 35 points while going 12-16 from the field, and added 8 rebounds and two steals.  Shields helped the Nebraska Cornhuskers to an 80-67 victory over the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks Tuesday night, but there were some areas of concern.

Omaha started the game red hot from the field, jumping out to a 23-7 lead. Nebraska dominated the final 15 minutes of the half, going on a 35-11 run to take a 42-34 lead into intermission. The second half started sloppily. It took Nebraska 7 minutes to get its first field goal, but the Huskers still held a lead. Tai Webster helped Nebraska keep the lead in the second half with 10 points and 2 assists in the half. Terran Petteway recorded a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

There was plenty of good and bad for Nebraska. On one hand, they had 15 assists and 11 steals, on the other Nebraska turned the ball over 20 times. Nebraska also shot over 50 percent from the field, but struggled mightily from the free throw line, going 18-31 including Walter Pitchford going 0-5 from the line.

Nebraska played pretty well, especially considering the offensive firepower and pace at which the Mavericks play. With the tough part of the non-conference schedule coming up, Nebrasketball is going to have to clean things up on both sides of the ball. They have to rebound better on the defensive glass, and they HAVE to cut down on the turnovers.

The Huskers take on the University of Tennessee-Martin this Friday at the Vault, before their toughest non-conference road test in Florida State on December 1st.