Sports

Petteway scores 17, Nebraska overcomes slow start to beat Northwestern 53-49

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Nebraska forward Walter Pitchford (35) drives to the basket as Northwestern guard Drew Crawford guards during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Evanston, Ill., on Saturday, Feb.8, 2014. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (The Associated Press)

Nebraska guard Terran Petteway (5) shoots against Northwestern guard Sanjay Lumpkin (34) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Evanston, Ill., Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (The Associated Press)

Terran Petteway scored 17 points, and Nebraska overcame a slow start to beat Northwestern 53-49 on Saturday.

Walter Pitchford added 15 points, nailing three 3-pointers, and the Cornhuskers (12-10, 4-6 Big Ten) picked themselves up after getting blown out by Michigan earlier in the week.

They trailed by six after an ugly first half and blew an eight-point lead late in the second but managed to pull this one out.

Northwestern (12-12, 5-6) had just scored eight straight to tie it at 44 when Pitchford hit two free throws and a 3 to make it a five-point game with 2:25 left.

Then, after two free throws by the Wildcats' JerShon Cobb, Petteway nailed a 3 with 22 seconds left to make it a six-point game. Northwestern's Sanjay Lumpkin answered with one of his own, but the Cornhuskers hung on.