• Box score • LJS • OWH • Loyola Mary Mount • Corn Nation • Hail Varsity • Husker Online • BBS Video • Highlights | |
 Petteway |  Shields |  Parker |
-----------------------------
1 2 OT total
LMU 16 19 7 42
NEBRASKA 21 14 15 50
----------------------------- | ||
Petteway hit consecutive 3-pointers as part of a 10-0 Husker spurt to help Nebraska overcame offensive struggles during the first 40 minutes to advance to the fifth-place game against Ohio University Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. on ESPNU.
Trailing 37-35, Pettway and Shields took over for Nebraska (7-4) in the extra period, scoring all 10 points in the run, giving the Huskers a 45-37 lead with 50 seconds remaining in OT.
Petteway hit 6-of-10 shots on the night, while Shields finished with 13 points and six rebounds for the winners.
That offensive spark was more than enough for a stout Husker defense which Nebraska held LMU to 28 percent shooting - the lowest by a Husker opponent since the 2010-11 season - including 2-of-10 in the OT period.
The Husker defense was its best down the stretch, holding LMU without a field goal for 8:18, spanning final 3:51 of regulation and most of overtime.
Loyola Marymount (3-8) controlled the glass, out-rebounding the Huskers, 40-22, and had several chances in the final two minutes to break a 35-all deadlock. In all, LMU, which had possession for nearly the entire final two minutes of regulation, missed four shots in the final 1:51, including Evan Payne's 3-pointer at the end of regulation.
With 11 seconds left, LMU ran a play for Payne, who came into the contest averaging 21 points per game, on their final possession of regulation, but Pitchford, who finished with 10 points and eight rebounds, kept the guard in front of him and forced Payne to take an off-balanced 3-pointer in the waning seconds. Payne went just 2-for-13 against the Huskers, including 0-of-7 from 3-point range.
In the first half, the Huskers overcame a slow start with a pair of spurts to build a 21-16 halftime lead.
Petteway keyed an early 8-0 Husker run with all six of his first-half points, as Nebraska overcame an early deficit and built an 11-7 lead after a jumper by the junior guard with 9:21 left in the half. Loyola Marymount battled back with a 9-3 spurt of their own, taking a 16-14 lead after five straight points from Ayodeji Egbeyemi, who paced LMUJ with 16 points.
Nebraska finally took control in the final minutes of the half, closing the opening 20 minutes on a 7-0 run, including a 3-pointer by Benny Parker to stake NU a five-point lead at the break and capped the 11-0 run with two quick baskets to open the second half, taking a 25-16 lead on a Pitchford dunk.
Loyola Marymount came right back with a 10-3 run of their own, pulling to within 28-26 after Marin Mornar's four-point play with 12:46 left. Nebraska pushed the lead back to five, at 31-26 after Tarin Smith's 3-pointer, but Egbeyemi answered with a 3-pointer of his own and the final 11 minutes would be a one-possession game.
Nebraska took a 33-30 lead with 5:00 left after a Petteway dunk, but Payne's 3-point play on the ensuing possession was the final field goal either team had for the rest of regulation.
Nebraska return to action on Christmas Day when the Huskers take on Ohio at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be on ESPNU and the Husker Sports Radio Network.
Notes