Big Ten Daily (Jan. 10): Nebraska's Hot Shooting Sinks Top-Ranked Purdue
Nebraska was partying like it was 1982 on Tuesday night. The hot-shooting Huskers took down No. 1 Purdue 88-72, securing their first victory over a top-ranked team since a win over Missouri 41 years ago.
It was the 3-point line that made all the difference in Nebraska's win at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Huskers knocked down 14-of-23 shots from behind the arc, with the Boilermakers having no answer defensively.
Keisei Tominaga led the way with 19 points, making five of his nine shots from deep. Rienk Mast gave the Huskers 18 points while Brice Williams collected 11 rebounds and scored nine points.
C.J. Wilcher came off the bench and provided a huge spark for the Huskers. The veteran guard knocked down four-of-five shots from 3-point range, ending the night with 16 points.
Appropriately, a sea of red flooded the floor at Pinnacle Bank Arena after the monumental win.
Nebraska set the tone early on Tuesday night, jumping out to an 8-2 lead in the first five minutes. While the Boilermakers did regain the lead in the first half, that early success seemed to be a theme for the Huskers the rest of the night.
"I think the thing that gave us a chance was the start," Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said. "Purdue was so fast out of the gate — you look at the game against Illinois and it was 22-6. It's a hard team to fight back.
"We came out and threw the first punch. That was important to set the tone for this game."
The Huskers didn't just find success shooting the long ball. Although Zach Edey ended the night with 15 points and seven rebounds, he was essentially a non-factor for most of the game. Hoiberg's defensive strategy — as well as the effort from Mast and Juwan Gary — bothered the 7-foot-4 center all night.
Nebraska's defense also forced 14 Purdue turnovers, while the Huskers committed just nine on the other end of the floor.
Tuesday night's win over Purdue was undoubtedly the biggest of the Hoiberg era, and the most significant victory for the program in decades. It's another resumé booster for Nebraska's NCAA Tournament hopes, as well as Hoiberg's shot at Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Desmond Howard Raves About Michigan
Former Michigan star and current ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard is taking a victory lap over the Wolverines' national championship run. He couldn't contain his excitement in a recent radio interview.
Howard was asked about Michigan's success during the 2023 season, and he had no trouble gloating about the 34-13 victory.
“Man, it feels so good because they had to deal with so much BS during the season. But, you know, I told them when this whole Connor Stalions thing came out, I told them on GameDay. I said ‘Listen, you know what? The beautiful thing about this is that there’s no more excuses for nobody," Howard told SiriusXM.
"At that point you still had to play Purdue. They had to play Penn State, Maryland, and Ohio State. Then they took of Iowa and Alabama. And damn it, what did they do to Washington. No more excuses, right?”
Although Michigan faced criticism for the sign-stealing scandal throughout the season, Howard continued to support his alma mater. After Monday's result in Houston, he's taking advantage of the opportunity to celebrate.
T.J. Watt to Miss Playoff Game
The Pittsburgh Steelers have received some unfortunate news ahead of Sunday's wild card playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Star linebacker T.J. Watt will not be available.
Watt suffered a knee injury in Saturday's season finale against the Baltimore Ravens.
“Playing without T.J. is significant. But, we've played without a lot of people this year," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. "This is another opportunity to strike a blow for team."
Watt led the NFL with 19 sacks during the regular season. The former Wisconsin standout also finished the year with 68 tackles, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception.
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