Why Nebraska's Rienk Mast Can Cause Problems For Purdue
In this story:
Purdue doesn't need to be reminded of Rienk Mast's skill. Just two years ago, the Nebraska big man scored 18 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists, leading the Huskers to an 88-72 upset win over the top-ranked Boilermakers in the middle of the 2023-24 season.
Matt Painter and Trey Kaufman-Renn saw the damage Mast can do on the basketball floor, and they're hoping to slow down Nebraska's 6-foot-10 senior on Tuesday night in Lincoln. It's not going to be an easy task.
Mast is averaging 14.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game this season. He's a 46% shooter form the floor and hits from behind the arc at a 32.4% clip. With his size and skill, he's not a traditional big man who just lives in the post.
"His ability to move and shoot, but also the ability to drive the basketball and then make plays," Painter said. "He's not always scoring the basketball, but setting other people up, passing. He's got a really good combination. He's got a high IQ, he's tough, he's skilled, he knows what's going on, he can pass. You just don't see that from 6-foot-9 guys, face-up five type guys. ... He gives Nebraska everything on both ends of the court. His value is directly linked to their success."
Nebraska has experienced a lot of success this year. The Huskers are 21-2 on the season and 10-2 in Big Ten play. Those two losses have come with Mast either sidelined or recovering from illness.
Mast missed Nebraska's showdown with Michigan on Jan. 27, suffering from the floor. The Wolverines squeaked out a 75-72 victory in Ann Arbor. The senior forward returned for the following game against Illinois, but shot just 2-of-10 from the floor and ended the contest with only five points in a 78-69 loss.
But Mast should be at full strength on Tuesday against Purdue, after scoring 26 points, grabbing eight rebounds and hitting 11-of-20 shots in an 80-68 win over Rutgers over the weekend.
How can Purdue's experience help defensively?
Purdue has struggled with mobile, pick-and-pop bigs this season. Although it has some skilled big guys in Kaufman-Renn, Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen, they have deficiencies defending the perimeter at times.
If there's one positive, though, Purdue did just see one of the most versatile fives in the Big Ten on Saturday. Oregon's Nate Bittle went off for 23 points against the Boilers, nearly leading the Ducks to an upset win in Mackey Arena.
Kaufman-Renn thinks that playing someone with a skill set similar to Mast's so recently could be a benefit.
"He's a five who can dribble into threes and shoot threes," Kaufman-Renn said. "Obviously, we played [Nate] Bittle in the last game, so hopefully that helps us a little bit with stuff. But I think he's a little bit more mobile, as far as being able to come off screens, shoot and do a lot of things. He's a really good player."
Purdue has faced some talented bigs this season, including UCLA's Tyler Bilodeau, Illinois' Tomislav Ivisic and Oregon's Bittle. Mast is in the conversation among the best in the Big Ten and could create some problems for the Boilermakers.
Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!
Related stories on Purdue basketball
HOW TO WATCH PURDUE-NEBRASKA: No. 13 Purdue travels to Lincoln to play No. 7 Nebraska. Here's everything you need to know about this important Big Ten matchup scheduled for Tuesday night. CLICK HERE
PAINTER TALKS UPCOMING STRETCH: Beginning Tuesday night, Purdue begins a challenging five-game stretch of Big Ten games. But the Boilermakers are embracing it as a major opportunity. CLICK HERE
HOIBERG TALKS PURDUE CHALLENGE: How will Purdue and star guard Braden Smith challenge Nebraska on Tuesday night? Fred Hoiberg talked about the strengths the Boilermakers have this season. CLICK HERE
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.
Follow SchutteDustin