3 takeaways from Nebraska’s costly home loss to Purdue

Winning the Big Ten championship will be much more difficult for Nebraska basketball now.

For the third time in the past four games, Nebraska basketball was defeated, including a second straight loss at home after being knocked off by the Purdue Boilermakers at the Vault (80-77 in OT).

Purdue scored 14 of the first 15 points. The Boilermakers were up by as many as 20 points, 49-29 in the second half, before a 27-8 run made it 57-53 with just about five minutes left.

It was there for the taking. Yet, Purdue buried a corner 3-pointer. Rienk Mast air balled an open look at the other end, and after a few more Boilermaker buckets, Purdue went on a 10-0 run.

It seemed over, but even down 14, Nebraska didn’t quit.

After an epic comeback, the game was tied, and Mast was at the foul line with a chance to win the game. He missed. Purdue hung on in overtime after Nebraska got the lead and squandered it. Then Jamarques Lawrence slipped with Nebraska down one, and four seconds left.

The fact that it basically ended on a slip is robbery. A great game shouldn’t end that way.

Nebraska basketball is 10-3 in the Big Ten. They have lost two in a row at home. Rienk Mast (18) and Pryce Sandfort (15) were each held in each. Lawrence managed 16, and here are three takeaways from a costly home loss.

Purdue set the tone early

The Boilermakers have been one of the worst defensive teams in the Big Ten, at least according to shooting percentage allowed to opponents, but that wasn’t Purdue on Tuesday.

Purdue was active. It contested everything, and Nebraska fell in love with the 3-point shot, sort of like the Illinois game.

The Huskers live and die by the three. Yet, when they have been at their best, offensively, they have found balance and been able to get to the line.

Nebraska struggled to get stops and offensive rebounds. The 3-point shot, some of them, felt forced, and it caused the Huskers to get behind the 8-ball.

This loss will sting for Nebraska

Despite being down 14 points with less than three minutes to go, this game will go down as one the Huskers should have won.

Mast grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on a put-back with less than 10 seconds left. He missed the free throw. The game went to overtime, but an epic comeback opportunity was wasted — two of them in fact.

Nebraska also grabbed a lead after falling by seven in overtime, only to see Purdue take it back with five seconds to go, although the refs certainly seemed to miss an offensive foul or two in the final minute on the Boilermakers.

Nebraska needed one more play to win this game. It shouldn’t have come to that, but still…

Purdue won the paint

Nebraska would have won had Mast made that free throw. Yet, Purdue won because of its ability to get offensive rebounds. One or two defensive rebounds were all that stood in the way of Nebraska and a win in overtime.

Purdue finished the game with 20 offensive rebounds, including some big ones in the final 30 seconds. That total was 41 percent of their misses on 76 attempts. The 3-point percentage turned around for Nebraska. They made 12 3s. Purdue made 13. Nebraska had a 2-point edge at the free-throw line; the difference was in offensive rebounding.

The Huskers shot 51 percent on 2-pointers. Purdue was right at 50. However, when you consider all the offensive rebounds, it really cancels that number out. Purdue won the paint.

That’s why Nebraska is now tied for third in the Big Ten with Michigan State and Purdue, with a double-bye looking far from guaranteed with seven games to go.

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