Nebraska Men’s Basketball’s Week Ahead: The Huskers to Play Powerful Purdue, and Northwestern

Nebraska played one of its best all-around games of the season at Rutgers on Saturday, snapping a two-game losing streak. Good timing, too, for the Huskers, with 12th-ranked Purdue coming to Lincoln on Tuesday.

The ninth-ranked Huskers’ week ahead also includes Northwestern on Saturday. Both games are at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Huskers forward Rienk Mast scored 26 points in the 80-68 win over Rutgers, his first game with at least 20 points since Dec. 7 vs. Creighton. Mast, who recently had been slowed by illness, had scored in double digits only once in the last five games before his outburst against Rutgers.

Nebraska (21-2, 10-2) broke out its greatest hits against Rutgers, which was 8-5 at home before Saturday. Three other Nebraska players scored in double figures — Pryce Sandfort (15 points), Sam Hoiberg (13) and Jamarques Lawrence (12). The Huskers had excellent ball movement. They had only six turnovers to Rutgers’ 15 turnovers, which the Huskers converted into 15 points,

Nebraska’s defense contested shots and, all in all, it was a good tuneup for the Boilermakers on Tuesday.

Purdue’s up-and-down season

The Boilers (19-4, 9-3 Big Ten) started the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the AP Top 25 Poll. Purdue won its first eight games before getting blasted at home by Iowa State, 81-58. Then, Purdue ran off nine consecutive victories.

Purdue struggled to defeat Big Ten doormat Oregon on Saturday, 68-64, at home. The Boilers have lost conference games to UCLA, Illinois and Indiana.

It will be interesting to see which Purdue shows up on Tuesday night. The Boilers are a dangerous team, probably capable of winning any game, home or away.

Purdue at Nebraska

When: Tuesday, 6 p.m. CT
Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena
Records: Purdue, 19-4, 9-3 Big Ten; Nebraska, 21-2, 10-2 in Big Ten
TV: FS1

Rankings updated based on games through Saturday.

Purdue rankings

* Associated Press Top 25: 12
* NCAA Net Ratings: 10
* USA Today Coaches Poll: 12
* Kenpom.com: 10
* ESPN Power Index: 10
* Top 25 and 1: 12
* Team Rankings.com: 13

In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Purdue is a 3-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament. The next Bracketology will be released Tuesday.

Nebraska rankings

* Associated Press Top 25: 9
* NCAA Net Ratings: 11
* USA Today Coaches Poll: 9
* Kenpom.com: 11
* ESPN Power Index: 17
* Top 25 and 1: 8
* Team Rankings.com: 6

In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Nebraska is a 2-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament.

Purdue-Nebraska analysis

Both teams are Big Ten surprises. Nebraska for its 21 wins — matching last season’s total — and Purdue for its four losses, so far, and uninspiring play.

Purdue is talented and trying to get its game together before March. And what better place to start than in Lincoln against a highly regarded opponent?

Fletcher Loyer, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, has scored 47 points in the last two games and has shot 10-of-14 from distance. And, of course, senior Braden Smith, crafty and consistent, is one of the best guards in the nation. He leads the Boilers in scoring (15.3 points per game), assists (8.9), and steals (1.8).

Smith and Loyer can win games almost by themselves. The Huskers can’t allow the Boilers’ guards to run wild and control the tempo. Defense is the key to beating Purdue, which we suspect Huskers coach Fred Hoiberg was talking about on the flight home from Rutgers.

If Nebraska plays against Purdue as it did against Rutgers, expect a Huskers win. But there is a huge gap in quality between Purdue and Rutgers, but the Huskers’ goal should be that kind of sterling performance.

If Purdue’s guards control play and shoot the ball with efficiency, this could be a long night for the Huskers.

With such great guard play, Purdue is built for March. We’ll see if the Boilers are built for a February night in Lincoln.

Northwestern at Nebraska

When: Saturday, noon CT
Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena
Records: Nebraska, 21-2, 10-2 in Big Ten; Northwestern, 10-13, 2-10 Big Ten
TV: Big Ten Network

Rankings updated based on games through Saturday.

Northwestern rankings

* Associated Press Top 25: Not ranked
* NCAA Net Ratings: 82
* USA Today Coaches Poll: Not ranked
* Kenpom.com: 71
* ESPN Power Index: 64
* Top 25 and 1: Not ranked
* Team Rankings.com: 88

In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Northwestern is not mentioned.

Nebraska forward Rienk Mast goes to the basket against Rutgers guard Tariq Francis and forward Bryce Dortch (4). — Nebraska forward Rienk Mast goes to the basket against Rutgers guard Tariq Francis and forward Bryce Dortch (4) during the first half at Jersey Mike's Arena. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Nebraska rankings

* Associated Press Top 25: 9
* NCAA Net Ratings: 11
* USA Today Coaches Poll: 9
* Kenpom.com: 11
* ESPN Power Index: 17
* Top 25 and 1: 8
* Team Rankings.com: 6

In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Nebraska is a 2-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament.

Northwestern-Nebraska analysis

Northwestern has struggled but the Wildcats own a win at USC, a talking point for Fred Hoiberg. Nebraska handled Northwestern in the first meeting, 77-58, in Evanston on Jan. 17.

There’s no reason to suspect, at home, the Huskers won’t have the same outcome. Nebraska is a different team with Mast cooking, a team with more ways to win. He provides a defensive and rebounding presence, and he can open up defenses with his outside shooting.

In the first meeting, Mast only had nine points, but Pryce Sandfort scored 22, Braden Frager had 20 and Sam Hoiberg had 12. The Huskers shot 51 percent from the floor and 42 percent from distance.

In the friendly confines of Pinnacle Bank Arena, Nebraska should be able to put the Purdue game aside and take care of business against what’s usually a scrappy Northwestern unit.

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