Game Day Essentials: Game #16 at Purdue

Purdue Info

Head Coach: Matt Painter

Location: West Lafayette, IN

Conference: B1G 10

Nickname: Boilermakers

Mascots: Boilermaker Special, Purdue Pete

Last time out: Lost to Minnesota

Typical Rotation Depth: 10 players +

Line: Purdue by 7

Offense: Everything in the paint

Tempo: Run and Gun

Fun Fact: Purdue gets 43% of their minutes off the bench, 8th highest % in Div I

Possible Starters

Huskers

0 Tai Webster 6-4 194 Fr

15 Ray Gallegos 6-2 182 Sr

5 Terran Petteway 6-6 209 Jr

31 Shavon Shields 6-7 219 So

35 Walter Pitchford 6-10 234 So

Boilermakers

3 Ronnie Johnson 6-0 178 So

0 Terone Johnson 6-4 198 Sr

35 Rapheal Davis 6-5 211 So

5 Basil Smotherman 6-5 222 Fr

20 A.J. Hammons 7-0 251 So

Keys to the Game for the Huskers

• Slowing down Purdue's Transition Game
  
• Containing A.J. Hammons
  
• Keeping Purdue off the offensive glass
  

The Skinny

Purdue is a young team that constantly rotates players. Thus they have depth and players with inconsistent game by game minutes. Center AJ Hammons along with the unrelated Johnsons play the most minutes.

Driving to the rim was a great game plan against Michigan due to their lack of shot blocking. Purdue is one of the best at blocking shots so the Huskers need to fire up their mid-range game or perhaps even pass to a teammate for what might be an easier shot (this is known as an assist)

This is a game projected into the high 70s for both teams but Miles has been pretty good at slowing down the other team's fast break. It's a tall order for the Huskers to go on the road Sunday morning and win but if their shooting resembles anything like against Michigan, they can win this game.

Prediction: Purdue 68 - Nebraska 64