Leslee Smith recorded his second double-double of the season to help the Huskers defeat the Citadel 77-62, last Saturday. Photo: supplied

Smith played 29 minutes of the game, coming off the bench with his second double-double of the year, as he grabbed a team high 10 rebounds for Nebraska. Photo: supplied

Smith played 29 minutes of the game, coming off the bench with his second double-double of the year, as he grabbed a team high 10 rebounds for Nebraska. Photo: supplied

Smith, a Virgin Islander, played 29 minutes of the game, coming off the bench with his second double-double of the year, as he grabbed a team high 10 rebounds for Nebraska.

Smith hit 3 of 4 from the field and 4 of 6 from the free throw line on his way to a 10 point return. Petteway, a sophomore from Galveston, Texas, scored 16 of his 27 points in the first half to keep Nebraska in the game before the Huskers took the ball inside the second half to break open a game that was deadlocked at halftime. Petteway scored five of his points during a 7-0 run in the final 1:08 of the half, including a 25-footer that beat the halftime buzzer.

Shavon Shields joined Petteway in double figures, scoring 17 and 10 points, respectively. Shields, a sophomore forward, had 15 of his 17 points in the second half, while Smith came off the bench with his second double-double of the year, as he grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for Nebraska.

Nebraska shot 62 percent in the second half, while holding the Bulldogs to just 36 percent shooting after halftime.

Nebraska (8-3) fell behind early, as the Citadel used an 8-0 run to take a 13-8 lead on Matt Van Scyoc’s jumper before the Huskers regrouped behind the play of Petteway. The sophomore wing ended the drought with a 3-pointer from the corner off a Deverell Biggs steal before Petteway’s driving layup tied the score at 13.

Huskers led 20-18, but the Citadel went on an 8-1 run and took a 26-21 lead after a Brian White 3-point play with 3:57 in the half and pushed the lead to 29-21 after a Van Scyoc’s 3-pointer. The Bulldogs led 32-25 after a Raemond Robinson 3-pointer, but the Huskers closed the half by scoring the final seven points to pull even heading into the locker room.

Nebraska turned up the defensive intensity as a Gallegos steal led to a Petteway basket before Benny Parker’s blocked shot ignited another fast break capped by Gallegos’ layup.  Nebraska then forced an airball to get one final possession in the half, and Petteway hit a long 3-pointer to knot the contest.

Nebraska continued the run in the early moments of the second half, as two quick baskets by Shields completed an 11-0 Huskers run and gave NU a 36-32 lead. The Huskers continued to extend the lead as two Walter Pitchford baskets extended Nebraska’s lead to 40-35, as NU hit six of its first seven shots after the break after shooting 42 percent in the first half.

The Citadel would not go away, scoring seven of the next nine points to pull even at 42 after a Tom Koopman layup and eventually took a 51-49 lead on a Quinton Marshall’s basket with 11:13 remaining.

Leading 57-56, the Huskers took control down the stretch, as Petteway’s basket and a 3-ponter by Shields triggered a 9-0 Husker run that gave Nebraska a 66-56 lead with 4:00 left. Over the final eight minutes, Nebraska held The Citadel to 1-of-10 shooting, as Nebraska outscored the Bulldogs, 20-6 in that stretch.

Ashton Moore led the Citadel (4-9) with 21 points and six rebounds to pace the Bulldogs in double figures.