Hoops Game Day: Nebraska vs. Purdue

Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-14, 1-11) vs Purdue Boilermakers (14-8, 9-6)

Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021 – 4:30 p.m. CT

Pinnacle Bank Arena

TV: BTN

Radio: Husker Sports Network

Internet: FOX Sports App

1. Don’t let Williams take over

Nebraska has faced more than its share of elite big men so far this season, but few present the variety of challenges of Purdue’s Trevion Williams.

The 6-foot-10, 265-pound junior has been one of the most complete post players in the Big Ten this season. He comes into today’s game ranked seventh in the conference in scoring (16.4 ppg), third in rebounding (9.4 rpg), fifth in field goal percentage (52.7).

Williams is the heart and soul of everything the Boilermakers do offensively, as he ranks second nationally in percentage of possessions used (defined by KenPom as when a player’s actions “end a possession, either by making a shot, missing a shot that isn’t rebounded by the offense, or committing a turnover.”)

He’s also one of the best in the league when it comes to rebounding percentage, ranking ninth nationally in offensive (16.9) and 32nd in defensive (26.6) boards.

Williams has five games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season, and Nebraska has to do all it can to make sure he doesn’t add another one tonight.

2. Defend the perimeter

Before its back-to-back games at Maryland, Nebraska had actually been the best perimeter defensive team in the Big Ten this season, holding opponents to just over 30 percent from behind the arc.

But the fatigue playing their sixth and seventh games in 12 days clearly impact the Huskers’ effort in that area in College Park, Md.

The Terrapins shot 35.4 percent from 3-point range in their two wins on Tuesday and Wednesday, including hitting nearly 40 percent (13-of-33) in the second game.

A big reason why Maryland had that success was NU’s late closeouts and defensive rotations on perimeter shooters.

Purdue is shooting 34 percent from three as a team coming in, with Sasha Stefanovic and Brandon Newman both making over 40 percent on the year and combining for 75 of the team’s 155 3-pointers.

As much as Nebraska has to make Williams a priority, it also can’t afford to give Stefanovic and Newman wide-open looks.

3. Make the hustle plays

Nebraska was clearly running on fumes in its two games at Maryland, which wasn’t more apparent than in the second game on Wednesday night.

The Terrapins controlled the game from start to finish, and a big reason was that they had the energy to make all of the winning plays that the Huskers did not.

Maryland ended up with a 15-7 edge in second-chance points, only turned the ball over four times, and outscored NU 10-2 in fastbreak points.

Nebraska just got a two-day break for the first time since returning to action on Feb. 6, and it needed every bit of that time off to recharge both physically and mentally.

The Huskers need to play with maximum effort and intensity for as close to 40 minutes as possible to have a chance tonight.

Purdue (-7) 70, Nebraska 65

Robin’s season record: 16-3

vs. the spread: 10-9