Nebraska Basketball Game Day: Purdue
Here is what you need to know going into Nebraska’s Big Ten home opener against No. 4 Purdue this afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena…
Who, What, Where, When
Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-4, 0-1) vs Purdue Boilermakers (9-0, 1-0)
Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022 – 1:15 p.m. CT
Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,000)
TV: BTN
Radio: Huskers Radio Network
Internet: FOX Sports App
Nebraska projected starters
| Sam Griesel | G | Sr. | 6-7/216 | DNP at Indiana (illness). Is a game-time decision vs. Purdue. |
| Emmanuel Bandoumel | G | Sr. | 6-4/187 | Had 13 points, 2 assists, and 3 TOs as the starting PG at Indiana. |
| C.J. Wilcher | G | So. | 6-5/208 | Scored a career-high 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting vs. Indiana. |
| Juwan Gary | F | Jr. | 6-6/215 | Had 4 points on 1-6 shooting with 7 rebounds against Indiana. |
| Derrick Walker | F | Sr. | 6-9/245 | Averaging 15.6 ppg. Scored in double figures in all 5 games played. |
Purdue projected starters
| Braden Smith | G | Fr. | 6-0/180 | Freshman averaging 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists per game. |
| Fletcher Loyer | G | Fr. | 6-4/185 | Freshman who ranks second on team in scoring at 12.1 points per game. |
| Ethan Morton | G | Jr. | 6-7/215 | Scoring 4.6 points and leads the team with 3.8 assists per game. |
| Caleb Furst | F | So. | 6-10/230 | Averages 7.6 ppg on 56.5% shooting with 4.9 rpg. |
| Zach Edey | C | Jr. | 7-4/290 | National Player of the Year candidate. Leads B1G with 23.2 ppg & 13.3 rpg. |
Don’t let Zach Edey take over
There isn’t a player in college basketball – and maybe at any level – like Purdue’s Zach Edey. At 7-4, 290, Edey is the most daunting center in the country. What separates him is how he combines his unrivaled size with elite skill and conditioning. Edey leads the Big Ten with 23.2 points and 13.3 rebounds per game, shooting 61% from the field. He has eight straight 20-plus point outings, vaulting him toward the top of early National Player of the Year discussions. Even worse, Edey is averaging 30.3 minutes a night – 11 minutes more than last season. In last year’s 92-65 blowout of Nebraska, Edey dropped a game-high 22 points and nine rebounds. The Boilermakers had 14 offensive boards and scored 46 of their 92 points in the paint. The Huskers must make someone else beat them because the game will be over quickly if Edey has his way.
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Griesel must push through
Nebraska’s effort to hang with No. 14 Indiana on the road was impressive. But not having Sam Griesel made an already difficult matchup borderline impossible The senior point guard was scratched from the lineup just 90 minutes before tip-off due to an illness and stayed at the team hotel during the game. Head coach Fred Hoiberg said Griesel had been feeling progressively better over the past few days, but he will likely be a game-time decision today. For the Huskers to have any shot at upsetting one of the most complete teams in the country, they need their heart and soul leader on the floor. It’s crazy to think that Griesel and Derrick Walker – NU’s two best players – have only played four games together this season. It’s also no coincidence that Nebraska is 3-1 in those four games.
Get the shooters going early
Griesel and Walker make everything go for Nebraska, but the Huskers need all hands on deck in a matchup like this. This season, we’ve seen plenty of flashes from NU’s top shooters, C.J. Wilcher and Keisei Tominaga. But both players have been wildly inconsistent with their production. Wilcher just dropped a career-high 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting at Indiana. In the last time out at Creighton, Wilcher was 1-for-7 from the field with two points. Tominaga had a career-best 23 points while hitting 7-of-8 shots and 4-of-5 3-pointers. He’s 6-of-16 (37.5%) overall and 1-for-3 from behind the arc in the two games since. Those guys are critical to Nebraska’s offensive success. They both need to come out firing to keep Purdue’s defense honest and allow more room for Griesel and Walker to operate.
Quotable
“Gonna buy some pizza for the students before the game. Get here early. Be loud. We’re certainly going to need (the fans) against the team we’re playing.”
Head coach Fred Hoiberg on buying pizza for the Nebraska students who attend today’s game.
Prediction
Purdue (-9.5) 76, Nebraska 68
Robin’s overall season record: 7-3
Robin’s record vs. the spread: 5-5
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