Benny Parker's go-ahead 3-point with 1:14 left gave Nebraska its first lead since the opening minutes of the game, as the Huskers overcame an 11-point deficit to down Rhode Island, 70-60, Sunday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Trailing 65-64 after a timeout, freshman Glynn Watson Jr. found Parker on the wing, as the senior knocked down the 3-pointer for his only basket of the game for the Huskers, who improved to 7-4 on the season.

Watson was a sparkplug in the Husker comeback, as the freshman scored 13 of his career-high 17 points after halftime. His final bucket, a jumper with 22 seconds left, gave NU a four-point lead at 69-65.

After a Jarvis Garrett jumper pulled URI (6-3) within 69-67, Shavon Shields split a pair of foul shots with seven seconds left to give NU a three-point lead. The Rams had a shot to tie, but Jared Terrell's 3-pointer just before the buzzer fell short, giving the Huskers the come-from-behind win.

Watson was one of two Husker freshmen who came through on Sunday, as Michael Jacobson finished with 11 points and four rebounds in 26 minutes of work, as four Huskers finished in double figures.

Photo Courtesy Scott Bruhn/Nebraska Communications

Glynn Watson Jr. scored a career 17 points in the victory over Rhode Island.

Shields led all scorers with 19 points and added seven rebounds, while Andrew White III finished with 11 points in the win.

Nebraska, which trailed 37-32 at the break and by as many as nine points in the second half, shot 61.1 percent in the second half and hit 6-of-8 from 3-point range on the afternoon in the victory.

Kuran Iverson and Garrett tied for game-high honors with 15 points apiece for URI, as All-Atlantic-10 performer Hassan Martin was limited to six points and two rebounds because of foul trouble.

In the first half, the Huskers trailed by 11 and fought back before Garrett beat the first horn with a 3-pointer off the glass to give the Rams a 37-32 halftime lead.

The Rams shot a blistering 56 percent in the first half, including 4-of-9 from long range, while Nebraska shot 44 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Iverson keyed the Rams' effort with 12 first-half points, while Garrett added 10, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Shields got going early with the first six points, as Nebraska took an 8-7 lead, as the senior had 12 first-half points. URI, which trailed 12-9, then responded behind the shooting of Christion Thompson, as he came off the bench to hit a pair of 3-pointers to take a 15-12 lead.

Nebraska took an 18-17 lead after Tai Webster's 3-point play with 10:52 left in the half, but URI ran off 12 straight points, extending its lead to 29-18 after a layup from Earl Watson.

Trailing 31-21, the Huskers used a 9-1 run to get back into the game, pulling to within 32-30 after a Shields basket with 2:25 left in the half before the Rams got a little breathing room before halftime

The Huskers trailed by nine twice, the last at 59-50 after a 3-pointer from Four McGlynn, before Watson led the comeback. The freshman's 3-pointer started a 9-2 spurt as the Huskers got to within 61-59 after a Shields steal and dunk with 6:11 remaining.

The Huskers, who went 20-25 from the line, kept chipping away, finally pulling even at 63 after two Andrew White III free throws with 3:52 left. URI quickly regained the lead on a Martin basket before Watson split a pair of free throws with 2:00 left to set up the finish.

The Huskers are off for final exams and return to action on Sunday, Dec. 20, as they host Samford. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and a limited number of tickets are available by visiting Huskers.com or calling 800-8-BIGRED. The game will be carried on the Husker Sports Network and televised by BTN.