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Season Outlook

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Nebraska should be stronger at the wing, as the four-man quartet is led by sophomore Shavon Shields, who may have been the Huskers’ best player during last year’s Big Ten Tournament. Junior walk-on Jordan Tyrance adds depth to the spot, while the Husker coaches have high hopes for sophomore Terran Petteway and true freshman Nick Fuller, as they could play major roles in the Huskers’ fate this year.

Shields recovered from a preseason elbow injury and became instrumental in the Huskers improvement in 2012-13. The 6-foot-7 sophomore was fourth on the team in scoring (8.6 ppg) and second in rebounding (5.1) while his numbers continued to improve during Big Ten play. He was among the Big Ten freshmen leaders in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, 3-point shooting and steals in conference action. A two-time Big Ten Freshmen of the Week, Shields erupted for a career-high 29 points in a win at Penn State and averaged a team-high 16.5 ppg on 61 percent shooting during the Big Ten Tournament. In all, he led NU in scoring three times and rebounding eight times, including a 19-point, 13-rebound effort against Michigan State. He spent part of his summer with the Denmark U-20 National Team, helping them to the 2013 Nordic Championship, including a 14-point effort in the final game against Finland. With a year under his belt, Shields will be counted on as one of the Huskers’ leaders in 2013-14. 

“Shavon is a go-to guy for us and will have an excellent career at Nebraska and in the Big Ten,” Miles said. “He is about the right things. He competes well and is a team guy. He is a really good player and a good leader. He has improved almost every facet of his game and his learning curve is really good.”

One benefit of the Huskers’ lack of depth last season was that opportunities were plentiful, and Tyrance, a junior walk-on, found his way into the rotation. Though undersized at 6-foot-3, 195-pounds, he was one of NU’s primary frontcourt backups and appeared in 23 games, including 14 Big Ten contests. He put in his best two-game stretch when Brandon Ubel was sidelined with an elbow injury, posting career highs in points (10), rebounds (seven) and minutes (21) in a loss to Purdue. Tyrance gives Miles valuable depth and experience at a crucial position.

“Jordan has a chance to play some minutes for us,” Miles said. “He is an athletic player and very active on the offensive glass. He worked hard at his game over the summer and was in the gym a lot. He’s going to have some opportunities to get on the floor and help us out.”

 Petteway took advantage of having to sit out last year after transferring from Texas Tech, impressing the coaching staff with his tenacity and work ethic. His hard work was rewarded, as he was chosen as the team’s Lifter of the Year at the end of the season, and Petteway hopes the 10 pounds of muscle he added since arriving on campus will pay dividends on the court. Two years ago, he played in 27 games as a true freshman at Texas Tech, making 11 starts and averaged 3.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Petteway had a season-high 13 points against DePaul and grabbed 10 rebounds in an overtime loss to Texas. He was a prolific scorer at Galveston Ball High School, averaging 27 points and nine rebounds per game en route to District MVP honors. Petteway has the ability to excel in the Huskers’ motion offense, where his quickness and ability to get to the basket should pay dividends.

“Terran is a relentless competitor, and I don’t think there is anyone that has worked harder in our program,” Miles said. “When he was on scout team last year, there were many days where he was the best player in our gym, and when your best player is also your hardest worker, usually good things follow. He is also in it for the right reasons, as he cares about his teammates and is a perfectionist.”

Fuller comes to Nebraska after a decorated high school career and gives the Huskers a scoring wing. The 6-foot-6, 198-pounder averaged 25.0 points and 11.2 rebounds per game and was a finalist for Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin. Fuller, who was ranked among the top 150 seniors in the nation last season, has a deft shooting touch and scored 1,940 points during his high school career. A two-time all-state pick, Fuller totaled 30 or more points 15 times during his high school career and was rated by ESPN.com as the No. 21 small forward nationally in the class of 2013.

“Nick is a tremendous shooter,” Miles said. ”For him the biggest thing is acclimating to the speed of the game. He is a guy who could play a couple of spots for us and one of the things we looked for with our newcomers is to get more size on the perimeter because you need that in the Big Ten.”