Virgin Islander Leslee Smith (left), confined to just 11 minutes court time, was powerless to stop Nebraska go down 87-74 to the hot shooting UAB Blazers at the 2013 Charleston Classic presented by Gildan on Friday November 22, 2013. Photo: VINO/File

Freshman Tai Webster had 13 of his 14 points in the second half, as Nebraska learned the lessons from its two losses when it allowed 110 second-half points in its two losses in Charleston, held Georgia to 43.3 shooting in the second half and took control down the stretch on the defensive end.

Nebraska trailed 52-50 before going on a 9-2 spurt to take a 59-54 lead on a Shavon Shields reverse layup. Walter Pitchford tied the game at 52 with a long jumper before Webster connected on a 3-pointer from the wing to give NU a three-point lead. Georgia cut the lead to 55-54 on a basket from Marcus Thornton, but Webster hit a pair of free throws before Shields, who missed his first five shots of the day, went baseline and flipped one off the glass to give the Huskers a five-point lead and force a Georgia timeout.

Georgia got to within 63-59 after 3-pointer from Nemanja Djurisic, but a Webster basket and a Leslee Smith tip-in started a 10-2 run that put the game put away, as the Huskers built their biggest lead of the day at 73-61 with 32 seconds left.

Webster set season bests in both points (14) and assists (three) while going 7-of-9 from the foul line on the afternoon to lead four Huskers in double figures. Terran Petteway continued his strong tournament effort with 15 points and seven rebounds while Walter Pitchford and Ray Gallegos added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Nebraska also got another big effort off the bench from Smith, who had eight points and a season-high 11 rebounds, as Nebraska out-rebounded the Bulldogs, 36-35.

Early on, Georgia ran off six straight points, taking a 14-8 lead after a pair of Juwan Parker free throws before Nebraska regrouped behind the play of Smith. The junior keyed a 9-3 run as Nebraska tied the score at 17 after a Deverell Biggs steal and hoop.

Nebraska then went on a 13-2 run keyed by the shooting of Gallegos, who hit a pair of 3-pointers in the run. The Huskers took their first lead at 22-21 after a Biggs free throw with 7:08 left and eventually built a 34-25 lead after a Gallegos jumper with 2:47 left in the half.

Georgia fought back, as the Bulldogs closed the half on a 6-0 spurt, pulling to within 34-31 after a Nemanja Djurisic basket with 41 seconds left in the half. Georgia continued to chip away, as the Bulldogs continued the 10-1 run in the opening minutes of the second half, pulling even at 35-all on a Charles Mann free throw before Gallegos ended the Huskers’ dryspell with a 3-pointer.

The lead went back and forth, as Georgia took a 51-48 after a jumper by Donte’ Williams before Nebraska seized momentum.

Mann led Georgia with 16 points to pace three Bulldogs in double figures.

See previous article posted November 24, 2013

Quiet night for Smith as Huskers downed by UAB

Virgin Islander Leslee Smith, confined to just 11 minutes court time, was powerless to stop Nebraska go down 87-74 to the hot shooting UAB Blazers at the 2013 Charleston Classic presented by Gildan on Friday November 22, 2013.

Nebraska (3-2) led 34-31 at the break and built a six-point lead in the opening moments in the second half before succumbing to the Blazers’ offensive outburst in the final 20 minutes.

Smith finished with 5 points, 1 offensive rebound and went 3 for 4 from the free throw line.

UAB (4-1) shot 83 percent in the second half, hitting 19-of-23 points from the floor, as Chad Frazier scored 21 of his game-high 32 points in the second half. Frazier hit 8-of-13 shots from the field and was 12-of-15 from the foul line, as he finished with 32 points, seven assists and five rebounds to pace five UAB players in double figures.

Despite UAB’s offensive outburst, Nebraska was still in a position to win, trailing 66-64 with 7:41 left after a pair of Walter Pitchford free throws, but baskets by UAB’s Robert Williams and Rod Rucker extended the margin to 70-64.

Nebraska pulled to within 72-67 after a pair of Shavon Shields free throws with 4:37 left, but could not get closer, as the Blazers went on a 9-2 run to pull away down the stretch.

Fahro Alihodzic joined Frazier in double figures with 16 points, while Rod Rucker added 13 points and 10 rebounds. In all, UAB shot 53.7 percent from the floor and out-rebounded Nebraska, 41-28, while holding the Huskers to just 43 percent shooting.

Nebraska took a 37-31 lead after 3-point play from Terran Petteway before Frazier, who was held in check during the first half, took over the game for UAB. The junior point guard scored seven points in a 9-2 spurt, as his basket gave the Blazers a 40-39 lead.

The teams traded points, and Nebraska led 48-46 after a Shields hoop before a Jordan Swing layup and a steal and layup by Frazier off the inbounds pass keyed another 9-2 spurt to push the UAB lead to 55-50.

Petteway led Nebraska, as he scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half and added five Huskers to pace four Huskers in double figures. Biggs and Shields added 11 points each while Pitchford finished with 10 points and six rebounds.  

In the first half, it was Nebraska’s defense which put the Huskers in solid position as the Huskers held UAB to 32 percent shooting and forced 10 Blazer turnovers. Nebraska missed its first five shots from the field before hitting four in a row from the floor to take a 10-7 lead, as Deverell Biggs came off the bench with five straight points to spark the rally.

The Huskers trailed 24-19 before 3-pointers from Pitchford and Ray Gallegos keyed a 15-3 Husker spurt. Gallegos, who was not expected to play on Friday after suffering an injury on Thursday, hit a pair of 3-pointers in the run, as Nebraska built a 34-27 lead with 4:05 left in the half after a Biggs’ basket.

Nebraska will wrap up tournament play this afternoon, November 24, 2013 as the Huskers will face either Georgia or Temple at 1:30 P.M. (CT) on ESPN3 and on the Husker Sports Network.