Game Day Essentials: Game #18 at #3 Purdue

Purdue Info

Head Coach: Matt Painter

Location: West Lafayette, IN
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Boilermakers

Mascot: Boilermaker Special, Purdue Pete

Rotation Depth: 9

Last Game: Beat Penn State

KenPom: 6
Line: Purdue by 14.5

A couple of Famous Alumni: Glenn Robinson, Robbie Hummel

Other:  

• In their first matchup, Nebraska took Purdue to the brink before ultimately falling in OT 65-62
• Juwan Gary is out for this game; Look for Wilhelm Breidenbach or Denim Dawson to start
• Mason Gillis didn't play in the first matchup. The 6'6" 230# forward is an elite rebounder who while capable of shooting well from outside has struggled this season.

KenPom Analysis:  Purdue is a methodical offensive team which means that Nebraska can hunt for offensive rebounds without as much fear of being hurt in transition.  Purdue isn't a team likely to exploit Nebraska's turnover issues.

Player to watch: Fletcher Loyer

Foster Loyer's little brother has been a day 1 starter for the Boilermakers and is leading the team in 3pt attempts while hitting 37% of them.

Player to watch: F Caleb Furst

Typically Painter has two giant posts who split time. This season he has a guy like 6'10" Furst  who can play alongside Edey at the 4 or operating as a center given his ability to shoot from outside.

Player to watch: C Zach Edey

Edey is in the running for national player of the year as he has been racking up double-doubles in the first halves of games.  He's also constantly a threat to foul out your starting and backup centers.

KenPom most used lineup

Others to watch

• This is your standard Matt Painter team: It's 4 guys who can shoot 3s that work around a giant post player. 

Probable starters for Nebraska
5    Sam Griesel    G    6-7
25  Emmanuel Bandoumel    G    6-4

0   C.J. Wilcher    G    6-5

32  Wilhelm Breidenbach    F    6-10

13  Derrick Walker    F    6-9

Bench

15   Blaise Keita C   6-11

30  Keisei Tominaga    G    6-2

10  Jamarques Lawrence - G  6-3

12  Denim Dawson - F  6-6

33  Oleg Kojenets    F    7-0
12   Sam Hoiberg    G    6-0

31  Cale Jacobsen  G  6-4

35  Henry Burt  F  6-6

24  Jeffrey Grace III  G  6-3

Injured

3   Quaran McPherson   G   6-3 - Out for the Year

4   Juwan Gary  F  6-6

Hoiberg Preser

The Skinny: 

Expect Nebraska to try more of the same on defense, swarming  Eddy and then chasing 3pt shooters. It's likely that Purdue hits more 3s at home than they did in Lincoln.

Offensively, Nebraska desperately needs some outside shooting and generally speaking you can get 3pt looks against the Boilermakers. Simply try and feed whomever starts to get hot to supplement Derrick and Sam.  I think the Huskers will score some points tonight as either they'll finally make some shots or else Purdue will get up enough that their defensive intensity wanes. 

Nebraska likely bounces back from their home whooping vs Illinois but that still doesn't mean they keep this game within 10 points.

Prediction: Purdue 75 - Nebraska 60