The Nebraska men’s basketball team looks to bounce back on Sunday as they travel to West Lafayette, Indiana, to face the No. 20 Purdue Boilermakers. Tipoff at Mackey Arena is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT). Fans can catch the action live on BTN or listen to the call on the Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, or the Huskers app.
Nebraska at a Glance (12-3, 2-2 B1G)
The Huskers are coming off a hard-fought 97-87 overtime loss at Iowa on Tuesday. Nebraska built a commanding 52-37 lead early in the second half, but Iowa’s Payton Sandford sparked a comeback, with the Hawkeyes capitalizing on free throws in overtime to secure the win. The defeat snapped Nebraska’s six-game winning streak and marked just the second loss for the Huskers in their last 11 games.
Despite the loss, senior guard Brice Williams continued his stellar season, leading Nebraska with 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including four three-pointers. Williams also added four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Currently, he is tied for second in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 19.4 points per game, and is setting career highs in shooting percentage (.492) and free throw percentage (.909).
For Nebraska to improve to 3-0 against ranked opponents this season, the Huskers will need to rely on their defensive strength. Before the Iowa game, Nebraska had limited its previous five opponents to an average of 56.2 points per game on 35% shooting. Despite the loss, the Huskers still rank second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense (.388) and seventh in scoring defense (66.7 ppg). They’ll aim to rediscover that form against Purdue.
Purdue at a Glance (12-4, 4-1 B1G)
The Boilermakers enter Sunday’s matchup riding a four-game winning streak after a 68-50 victory at Rutgers on Friday. Purdue’s defense was on full display, holding Rutgers to just 33% shooting. Offensively, Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn led the way with 16 points each.
Purdue’s balanced attack and strong defensive play make them a formidable opponent at home, where they’ll look to maintain momentum against the visiting Huskers.
What’s at Stake
For Nebraska, a win would mark their third victory over a ranked opponent this season and provide a significant boost in the Big Ten standings. Meanwhile, Purdue aims to stay near the top of the conference with another strong performance at home. Both teams will look to showcase their strengths in what promises to be an exciting Big Ten battle.