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Takeaways: Purdue’s Escape from Lincoln

On3 imageby: Brian Neubert02/09/26brianneubert

LINCOLN, Neb. — It was the most eventful game of the season, maybe the most important, this nerve-bursting 80-77 overtime win for No. 13 Purdue at No. 7 Nebraska.

Our GoldandBlack.com post-game analysis from the win …

PDF: Purdue-Nebraska stats

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THE BOTTOM LINE

Yes, Purdue steadied itself and won a game that had gotten away. But yes, the win had gotten away.

But are true and on the surface speak to the inconsistency that has been present in a team that should be consistent.

Bur when Purdue is good, Purdue is really good, and Nebraska’s comeback reflected more favorably on the Cornhuskers than it indicted the Boilermakers. To look at this in a glass-half-empty view regarding Purdue would be to turn a blind eye to the fact Nebraska is a team that won 20 straight to open the season and is really hard to beat in this building.

This wasn’t Purdue going schizo as much as it was one excellent team winning one half and another excellent team winning the other.

That’s not to say there’s not blame to lay at Purdue’s feet. Its three live-ball turnovers in the span of five possessions started Nebraska’s run — it’s always turnovers — and it was simply an abomination that it couldn’t seal the game at the foul line at the end of regulation, but this is one where Purdue deserves more credit than indictment.

WINNING IN AN OCTAGON

Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff just beat the hell out of Nebraska’s front line, and did so cleanly, or so the foul count suggests.

Kaufman-Renn had that look in his eye all night, that Caleb Swanigan sort of look. His offensive usage has changed, but his impact quotient hasn’t fallen off a ton in spite of it. Nineteen rebounds is a lot of rebounds.

Cluff just overwhelmed Nebraska, reminiscent of how he started the season. Ten offensive rebounds is a lot of offensive rebounds. So are the seven fouls he drew.

Purdue didn’t win this game because of poise; it won this game because of tenacity, which started with Kaufman-Renn and Cluff, who just kept coming and coming and never stopped. This was their night.

This was a big loose-balls game for Purdue. There were tons of deflections and tap outs and scrums tat ended in the visiting team’s favor. It was a supreme effort by Purdue, and perhaps it rolled downhill from the two front-liners on the glass.

SENIOR GUARD PLAY

Purdue had to take care of the ball.

Braden Smith responded to the moment, committing just one turnover in 40-plus minutes, against 10 assists. This was enormous, that Smith played this much and this hard against a great defensive team, against a great on-ball defender, and took care of the ball at the level he did.

Fletcher Loyer made the play of the game on his table-setting to Cluff on the game-winner. That’s offensive savvy. Prior, he hit Cox for a three and did a nice job getting the ball inside when Purdue could.

This was a very good passing game for Purdue and it started with its two senior guards.

TOP TO BOTTOM QUALITY AND READINESS

Cox was a difference-maker, obviously, but so was Gicarri Harris. His defensive impact was very real, and perhaps Nebraska doesn’t slip on its last gasp if Harris isn’t right there to meet the ball.

And Jack Benter‘s nose for the ball was on par with Kaufman-Renn’s and Cluff’s, on top of the big three he made too.

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