Nebraska 79, Arkansas State 67: Shavon Shields paced a balanced scoring attack with 15 points and Walter Pitchford posted 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Cornhuskers defeated the visiting Red Wolves.

Nebraska (7-3) put up 50 points in the first half and finished 8-of-16 from behind the arc, with Ray Gallegos making three 3-pointers en route to 13 points. Terran Petteway added 11 points and Deverell Biggs had eight points and six assists in a reserve role.

Kirk Van Slyke scored a season-high 27 points to lead the Red Wolves (5-3). The senior transfer from Houston shot 11-of-15 and added a team-high seven rebounds, while Melvin Johnson III chipped in with 18 points.

Nebraska never trailed after Van Slyke's early jumper, jumping out to a 15-2 lead with three players - Gallegos (six), Pitchford (five) and Shields (four) - accounting for the offense. Pitchford finished with 10 points in the first half as the Cornhuskers led 50-27 at intermission.

Arkansas State's road to recovery began with eight of the first 10 points of the second half, and the Red Wolves crawled within 69-55 on Johnson's 3-pointer with 6:29 to play. Gallegos' 3-pointer and Petteway's dunk - both baskets off assists by Biggs - restored order as Nebraska improved to 6-0 at home.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Red Wolves' bench scored 14 points but shot a collective 5-of-17 and committed 12 of the team's 21 turnovers. ... Nebraska barely won the rebounding battle, 39-36. ... The Cornhuskers finished with 15 steals, with six players recording multiple swipes, led by Shields, Biggs and Petteway with three apiece.