Purdue vs. Nebraska Breakdown: 3 Ways the Boilers Can Beat the Huskers
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CHICAGO — Seventh-seeded Purdue didn't have any trouble in its matchup against No. 15 seed Northwestern in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday night. The Boilermakers cruised to an 81-68 win to advance to the quarterfinals, where No. 2 seed Nebraska awaits.
The Boilermakers and Huskers had a thrilling overtime game in Lincoln back in February, a game Purdue won 80-77. Matt Painter's team led by as many as 22 points in that game, but Nebraska made a furious second-half comeback to force overtime.
What will happen on Friday night in Chicago? Here are a few keys for Purdue in its quarterfinal matchup against Nebraska.
Defend the perimeter
It's no secret that defending the perimeter has been an issue for Purdue this season. Opponents are hitting the three-ball at a 34.4% clip this year, putting the Boilermakers 234th nationally at defending the arc.
Nebraska is a team that averages 29.8 three-point attempts per game, a top-20 number in the country. If Purdue struggles with its rotations and leaves shooters open, the Huskers are going to be able to take advantage of the three-point line.
Pryce Sandfort is the most lethal three-point shooter the Huskers have on the roster, hitting at a 40.1% clip while attempting nearly nine per game. But he's not the only player who can burn the Boilers. Sam Hoiberg, Braden Frager, Jamarques Lawrence, and Cale Jacobsen are all hitting above 34% for the season. Plus, big man Rienk Mast can step out and stretch the defense with his ability to knock down shots.
In the first meeting, Nebraska struggled from three in the first half before getting into a rhythm. Purdue can't allow the Huskers to get comfortable from deep at any point in the game.
Take advantage of the open opportunities
Nebraska is one of the best defensive teams in the country. Opponents are hitting just 40.3% from the floor and 29.8% from three-point range. Both those numbers rank in the top 20 nationally. The Huskers are excellent communicators and understand their rotations on that end of the court.
Purdue isn't going to get a ton of open looks, especially from deep. So, when those do pop up on Friday night, the Boilers need to make them count.
Fletcher Loyer started the game hot back in February, helping the Boilers jump out to a 14-1 lead to set the tone. But the senior guard finished the contest making just 4-of-17 shots from deep. Purdue's 54-37 edge on the glass proved to be too much for Nebraska to overcome.
Loyer, along with C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris, Omer Mayer and Jack Benter can't be gunshy when they get open looks. Missing a shot and giving Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn the chance for offensive rebounds is better than turning the basketball over. But in this type of game, Purdue needs to shoot better than 28% from distance to get a win.
It would be an added bonus if Braden Smith can get into an offensive flow, too.
Get Oscar Cluff involved early
Cluff had a big day the last time Purdue played Nebraska, ending the game with 12 points and 14 rebounds. He's also coming off a monster game against Northwestern in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament, scoring 19 points and collecting 10 rebounds in a victory.
When Cluff gets involved in the game plan early, it generates confidence and becomes an extremely difficult player to defend. He also brings more energy to the glass, which can be a major strength for Purdue against an undersized Nebraska squad.
Much like Thursday's game against Northwestern, getting Cluff the ball early in the post can dictate the tone of the game. The big man can try to get Mast in foul trouble early, or if the Huskers double-team down low, he can kick it out to one of his shooters for an open look.
Purdue is a much more difficult team to beat when Cluff is going offensively. Getting him some early confidence will be a major key to the Boilers' success.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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