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How Nebraska Men's Basketball's Stock Rose Despite OT Loss to No. 13 Purdue

Despite a 44-point second half, the Huskers lost their third game of the year. However, it shows a team capable of beating anyone, even on their worst nights.
Trevor Tarr|
Sam Hoiberg and the Huskers fell just short of completing a 16-point second-half comeback that carried into overtime.
Sam Hoiberg and the Huskers fell just short of completing a 16-point second-half comeback that carried into overtime. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

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Nebraska CornhuskersPurdue Boilermakers

The Huskers didn't deserve to win that game until they did, but in the end, it proved to be too much.

Still, Tuesday night's performance against No. 13 Purdue arguably proved to be their third confidence-building loss of the year. Of course, moral victories only get you so far, but after playing what potentially will be their worst half of basketball on the year, what happened next deserves attention.

Down 16-points at the end of the first half, the rest of the game looked bleak. Was Nebraska a sheep in wolves' clothing? Were they frauds? Or could a Herculean effort save the day? Well, ultimately it could not, yet the Big Red left the court inside Pinnacle Bank Arena, more resembling the mythological demigod than a team unrightfully ranked within the top 10.

First Half Recap

Out of the gates, the Boilermakers seemed to have everything going in their favor despite being on the road. Their size, cohesion, and readiness were on full display. By the time the U16 timeout took place, Nebraska had found itself on the losing end of a 14-1 run, and the sold-out arena had little to cheer for early on.

Four minutes of gameplay later, the Huskers had somewhat weathered the storm. Down 23-14 at the U12 timeout, NU had some serious problems to address to find a way back into the game. Eight minutes in, the home team was losing the rebounding battle 12-3, and even the best shooting performance of the year would make it difficult to stay within striking distance of an eventual lead.

Through the remainder of the first half, the Big Red battled but were still giving up ground. By the time the buzzer sounded, Nebraska was losing convincingly, not only on the scoreboard, but in rebounding (25-14), points in the paint (20-8), second-chance points (10-2), turnovers (7-4), and steals (4-0).

Still, it felt as if the Huskers found a way to sharpen up its edges; they could make the game interesting at the very least. Playing what arguably became their worst half of ball the entire year, if Hoiberg and company could find a spark, specifically in the effort category, they could creep back into the game.

Second Half Recap

Having only scored 24 points at the break, Nebraska was going to need to start seeing the ball go through the net in order to keep the crowd in their seats. Starting with the ball gave the Huskers a chance to come out and put points on the board; however, a turnover on the first possession allowed Purdue to knock down a three-pointer to begin the second half. After a missed shot by NU on their second possession, the Boilermakers would begin a 6-0 run. Down 46-24, the already seemingly insurmountable lead grew even bigger after the halftime intervention.

But the pesky Huskers squad wouldn't go away. In fact, they would eventually find themselves on the better half of an 18-2 run of their own. Shots were falling, defense was being displayed, and the entire arena was offered a real sense of hope. Once down 52-31 around the 14-minute mark, the Big Red found themselves in a 54-49 ballgame with just over seven minutes of action remaining. With the crowd now very much on their side, the question became, could NU keep pace and complete the once unthinkable?

Despite the Boilermakers' best effort, even seeing their lead swell back to double digits, up 67-53 with under three minutes to go, Nebraska once again proved everyone wrong. Purdue would go on to miss four free throws, three field goals, and turn the ball over down the stretch, while the Huskers stormed back on a 13-1 run. A one-possession game with 24 seconds left to play, NU, and more importantly, Rienk Mast, made a play. The putback shot while drawing a foul officially tied the game at 68 with 13 seconds to spare; all that was left was to make a free throw.

Ultimately, it would be missed. However, another missed shot on the other end of the floor, taken by star point guard Braden Smith, would see the game head to overtime to decide a victor. A 22-point lead vanished just like that, and the home team had all the momentum, a home crowd, and seemingly will on their side.

Overtime Recap

Once again, Purdue got off to a hot start. With five extra minutes added to the clock, the first two belonged all to the Boilermakers. Up 75-70, it seemed as if the home team had finally run out of gas. But before anyone knew it, the game was tied.

Nebraska would even manage to grab hold of the lead with under 60 seconds remaining in the game, but three unanswered points on back-to-back possessions would once again see them trail. With under five seconds left, the Huskers had possession, with a puncher's chance to take the lead, before a Jamarques Lawrence turnover all but sealed the game. Purdue would go on to make both free throws, resulting in an 80-77 win on the road.

In the end, it was a loss. But one that previous Nebraska teams would've lost in ugly fashion. The grit, urgency, and mental fortitude the Big Red put on display were something that shouldn't soon be forgotten. Of course, NU was favored to win the game before tipoff, and failed to emerge victorious, but losing to the current No. 13 and the preseason No. 1 team in the country is about as good a loss as one can have.

Now, the Huskers have lost three of their last four. Regardless, in combination, Nebraska was defeated by just 15 points in those contests. With no currently ranked team remaining on their schedule, expect the Big Red to come out with a level of urgency like no other to end the year, along with a confidence that even in defeat, they've proved their worth time and time again.

Even in losses to then-ranked No. 3 Michigan and to No. 9 Illinois, the Big Red showed flashes of being the best team in the conference. Having already defeated the Fighting Illini on the road earlier in the year, it was always going to be hard to put a team of that caliber to bed twice. And the Huskers entered Ann Arbor without arguably two of the best three players.

So, what exactly can fans take away from these losses? For starters, all three teams Nebraska was defeated by are ranked in the top 15 nationally and are squarely in contention for the top seed in the Big Ten conference tournament in March. The three squads feature a combined 63-10 (34-7 Big Ten) record and have a higher combined conference winning percentage (.829) than that of the Big Red (.769).

All three also have a loss to date against at least one team outside the top 6 in the Big Ten conference standings as it's currently constructed, which Nebraska does not. In short, despite NU being unable to win those games, its resume is arguably as good as any team in the Big Ten, barring Michigan. And even a three-point loss to the Wolverines on the road, down two of their top six players rotationally, is about as big a morale victory as any team in the country can boast to this point.

At 21-3 (10-3 Big Ten), Nebraska has continued to beat the odds the entire season, and now they'll likely head into every remaining matchup as the more talent-heavy team. For Hoiberg and the rest of the coaching staff, they're likely encouraged with what they saw. Now, expect an emphasis on matching that second-half energy displayed on Tuesday night for all 40 minutes of every remaining ball game.

If able to do that, it's hard to imagine suffering another loss in the regular season. But doing so is easier said than done. As it currently stands, the Huskers have shown a different level of togetherness than years of old, and a continued and reemphasized version of that is one that opponents should fear. However the season shakes out, the team to date deserves its flowers. And if the energy proves to be better than ever from start to finish, look for Nebraska to respond in a very positive way.

With time to regroup before taking on Northwestern (2-12 Big Ten) at home, prior to a road trip to battle Iowa (8-5 Big Ten), the Huskers boast a noticeably better record than both of their upcoming opponents. But this team will need to respond and show the rest of the conference, and the country, that it's capable of getting its bearings.

No team remaining on the schedule has won more than 17 games to this point in the year, and the Huskers will largely be finding themselves in contests with squads in the bottom half of the conference to finish the regular season. Still, they'll need to do just that. Finish. Preferably with their foot on the gas. The opportunity and momentum are still there; all that's left is to prove it to those outside of the locker room. Doing so would verify their stock is still rising, even after suffering several losses. For now, it remains to be seen, but if Hoiberg and company have their way, expect that to be true heading into the month of March.

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Trevor Tarr
TREVOR TARR

Trevor Tarr is the founder of Skers Scoop, a Nebraska football media outlet delivering original coverage through writing, graphics, and video content. He began his career in collegiate athletics at the University of South Dakota, producing media for the football team and assisting with athletic fundraising. A USD graduate with a background in journalism and sports marketing, Trevor focuses on creative, fan-driven storytelling in college football.

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