Purdue Boilermakers vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Picks and Predictions January 12th 2025

Nebraska Seeks Elusive Win at No. 20 Purdue

Cornhuskers look to make history, while Boilermakers defend their home dominance in a crucial Big Ten showdown.

Nebraska’s Pursuit of History

Nebraska’s quest to win at Purdue stretches back to the 1956-57 season, a drought spanning decades. On Sunday, the Cornhuskers (12-3, 2-2) will look to rewrite history as they visit the No. 20 Boilermakers (12-4, 4-1) at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Coming off a six-game winning streak, Nebraska faced a setback with an overtime loss to Iowa earlier this week. Despite the defeat, the Cornhuskers have been one of the Big Ten’s toughest defensive squads, allowing just 66.7 points per game. They’ve held three of their last six opponents to their lowest scoring outputs of the season, underscoring their defensive grit.

Leading Nebraska offensively is Brice Williams, one of the Big Ten’s top scorers, averaging 19.4 points per game. Complementing Williams are Juwan Gary (11.7 points per game) and Connor Essegian (11.3 points per game), both of whom provide crucial offensive support.

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg emphasized the mental toughness required to compete at Mackey Arena. “This is the loudest arena we are going to play in all year,” Hoiberg said. “If you allow them to jump out and get confident, they are really hard to shut off.”

Purdue’s Home-Court Fortress

Purdue has built an imposing record at home, with a 25-game winning streak at Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers, aiming for their third straight Big Ten regular-season title, are in excellent form, riding a four-game winning streak capped by a dominant 68-50 victory at Rutgers.

Defensively, Purdue has been formidable, allowing just 68.6 points per game and making strides in limiting offensive rebounds and transition scoring. Coach Matt Painter noted the importance of staying disciplined, saying, “We’re still trying to do the same thing and get them to score over us. When we have struggled… it’s when people get offensive rebounds against us and people score in transition.”

Offensively, Purdue is powered by standout performances from Braden Smith, who averages 15.4 points and an impressive 8.9 assists per game, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, the team’s leading scorer at 17.7 points per game. Fletcher Loyer adds depth, shooting 45.5 percent from beyond the arc and contributing 13.9 points per game.

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The Matchup at Mackey

Sunday’s game marks the only regular-season meeting between these two teams, adding weight to an already critical matchup. Purdue sits just a half-game behind Michigan and Michigan State for the Big Ten lead, making this contest pivotal in the race for the title.

For Nebraska, the challenge lies in maintaining composure in one of the most intimidating environments in college basketball. The Cornhuskers must find a way to disrupt Purdue’s rhythm early while capitalizing on Brice Williams’ scoring prowess.

Purdue, on the other hand, will rely on its defensive discipline and offensive efficiency to maintain its dominance at home. With Smith orchestrating plays and Kaufman-Renn delivering in the paint, the Boilermakers have a balanced attack that will test Nebraska on both ends of the court.

Sunday’s game offers a compelling narrative: Nebraska chasing a historic breakthrough and Purdue looking to continue its Big Ten dominance. The stakes are high, and the stage is set for an intense battle. Will history be made, or will Mackey Arena remain an impenetrable fortress?