Player Spotlight: Nebraska F Terran Petteway

Story posted January 23, 2014 in CommRadio, Sports by Maddie Brightman

Following Nebraska’s 68-62 upset over  No. 17 Ohio State on Monday, Penn State is now the only team in the Big Ten without a conference victory. Penn State basketball fans will hope to see the first Big Ten win of the season when the Nittany Lions take on Nebraska this Thursday.

On Monday night, Nebraska snapped a five-game losing streak and gave head coach Tim Miles his first ever win against a ranked opponent.

The Cornhuskers will look to earn their second Big Ten win on the road this Thursday, with the help of junior forward Terran Petteway. The six-foot-six, 209 pound forward is the leading scorer for Nebraska. Petteway averages over 17 points per game and over five rebounds per game, while leading the team in free throw percentage (86%).

Petteway tallied 18 points Monday night, giving him double figures in the past 14 games, the longest stretch since Aleks Maric in 2007. Petteway made a big impact on the Cornhuskers upset of the Buckeyes, scoring 13 points in the second half and recording five defensive rebounds against a ranked Ohio State team.

Petteway began his college basketball career as a Texas Tech Red Raider. A Galveston, Texas native, Petteway played 12 games in a Red Raiders uniform, before transferring to Nebraska in 2012. Petteway is one of two Nebraska basketball transfers and is scheduled to play three years in the Cornhuskers program.

After sitting out the 2012-2013 season, Petteway began his sophomore year as a Cornhuskers co-captain. During his redshirt freshman season, Petteway earned the Lifter of the Year award, after gaining 15 pounds following his arrival on campus.

Petteway is consistently praised for his strong athleticism and toughness. He provides the team with many options, as he can defend both the perimeter and the post, and he is a focal point of Nebraska’s offensive attack.

Petteway has started every game of the 2013-2014 season and he is third on the team in shooting percentage (43%).

Some of Petteway’s top moments from his first season on the Nebraska court include, six 20-point games, scoring a career-high 30 points against Massachusetts and nearly beating a ranked Michigan team.

Cornhuskers coach, Tim Miles has high hopes for his co-captain and believes he has a bright future ahead of him in the Big Ten. Miles has admitted admiration for Petteway’s basketball knowledge and his determination to be a strong student of the game.

Many other Big Ten coaches have praised him for being a freakish athlete and one of the best players in the league. Petteway is No. 6 in the Big Ten in scoring further supporting the praise he has received as one of the conference’s most reliable and consistent players.

Petteway is on track to have the second highest scoring average for Nebraska basketball since 2000. As a sophomore, only three other Cornhuskers have posted higher scoring totals than Petteway’s current numbers. Petteway is in good company with former Nebraska superstars like, Aleks Maric, Dave Hoppen, Tyron Lue and Jerry Fort.  

Petteway and the Cornhuskers will look to continue the momentum against the Nittany Lions Thursday night, on ComRadio.

Maddie Brightman is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email mvb5601@psu.edu.

Photo Courtesy: (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)