Nebraska is looking to get back on track with a win over Purdue after two devastating losses. A horrible third quarter against Purdue and a terrible fourth quarter against Iowa is what stood in the way
of Nebraska still being undefeated in my opinion. You learn from it and keep pushing, still a long season ahead for this team to make some noise.
Starting lineup looks like Nissley, Hake, Prince, Maupin, and Petrie.
First Quarter
An early Nebraska turnover turns into a Purdue three, thankfully Callin Hake snipes it right back and we’re tied at three. Jessica Petrie drives to the hoop from the top of the key and she gives Nebraska the lead, the Boilermakers hit a three to regain it, but Britt Prince matches that three with one of her own. Petrie has a good move down low to get herself four quick points (10-6 Neb). Logan Nissley uses a ball screen to get herself in position to pull the trigger on a three and drains it, Britt Prince hits another three; the Huskers have been perfect from long range so far. Nebraska has a 16-13 lead at the first media timeout with 3:35 left in the first quarter.
A good sight to see is Amiah Hargrove back on the court after missing last game due to concussion protocol. Britt Prince draws the foul on her way to the basket and will have a chance at the three point play (19-15 Neb). I literally laugh every time someone thinks it’s a good idea to run straight into Callin Hake. They know it’s probably going to be an offensive foul, right? Hargrove makes good on the turnover by Purdue via a corner three as the shot clock expires. Nebraska has to call a timeout as Britt Prince gets trapped just across the timeline, 51 seconds left in the first quarter.
Nebraska 22 Purdue 17
Second Quarter
Kennadi Williams is sent to the line with a chance to get two more, she makes one of two and I’m blaming the miss on the commentator. Every time there’s a turnover that is so pointless, it makes me want to bang my head against a wall. Amiah Hargrove gives me something to smile about as she hits the three to put Nebraska up 11. I’m convinced refs sign a contract saying they aren’t allowed to call fouls on Nebraska’s opponents because Britt Prince was just grabbed the entire time she tried to dribble down the lane. Purdue has made it a four point game, but Callin Hake extends that lead back to seven on a corner three. Eliza Maupin gets her first two points of the game on a reverse layup assisted by Claire Johnson. Media timeout comes at 4:21 with Nebraska up six (31-25).
Eliza Maupin gets two points right out of the timeout, secures a rebound on the other end, and is now headed to the line to try and get two more (2 of 2). Maupin then draws Purdue into committing the offensive foul and Hargrove makes good on it with the long range three (38-27 Neb). Big block by Maupin. Incredible ball movement by the Huskers leads Britt Prince into a three and Amiah Hargrove sends the lead back over 1o points.
Nebraska 43 Purdue 32
Halftime Stats
Britt Prince: 12 points
Amiah Hargrove: 11 points, 3 rebounds
Callin Hake: 6 points
Eliza Maupin: 6 points
Logan Nissley: 3 points, 3 assists
Nebraska is shooting 63.6 percent from the field, including a scoring 75 percent from beyond the arc. The Huskers are winning the rebounding battle 15-10 and have a 8-10 assist to turnover ratio.
Third Quarter
Logan Nissley takes a possession that looks like it is going to turn ugly and manages to get points out of it. Purdue needs to take a timeout as the Nebraska defense swarms towards the ball. Britt Prince gets the block on the defensive end and it bounces off a Purdue player, Nebraska ball. Eliza Maupin will head to the charity stripe for free throws and she splits the pair; Maupin then gets the block on the other end (46-32 Neb). It’s a block party here by Nebraska, they have three early in this quarter. Purdue cuts it to single digits, but Hailey Weaver hits a three to make it a 10 point lead. Prince will connect on another three on the next possession (52-39 Neb). Media timeout with 4:57 left in the third quarter.
I don’t really have anything to say the last few minutes. Nebraska is playing sloppy as they seem to do one quarter every game and it’s what frustrates me the most about these Nebraska teams. If they’d play consistently for all four quarters, they’d be incredibly good. Turnovers, fouls, stagnant offensive movement plagues them almost every time. Purdue has decreased the lead to just six, Maupin makes the scoop shot off glass to extend it to eight. Eliza Maupin will head to the line with two seconds left in the third, she makes both free throws and the lead is back to 10.
Nebraska 58 Purdue 48
Fourth Quarter
Nebraska is up to 15 turnovers and it makes me sick inside because so many of them are just unnecessary. The Huskers are just lucky that Purdue has not been able to capitalize on any of them. Jessica Petrie gets the defensive rebound and the Huskers are out running, Prince to Maupin for two. Jessica Petrie gets the one dribble reverse layup to fall and she has six; Petrie gets sent to the line but misses both free throws and the lead stays at 10. Jessica Petrie could be so good, she does all the right things, the footwork, the moves, she just has so much trouble finishing sometimes. Claire Johnson cleans up Prince’s three point miss with a loop around layup; Callin Hake comes back down the next possession and snipes the three. Nebraska is up 11 as we head to the media timeout with 3:55 left in the game.
Nebraska HAS to get better on the boards going forward this season, they allow way too many offensive rebounds in critical moments. Amiah Hargrove is at the line shooting two and she will make both. Claire Johnson is up to six points after she splits the lane and gets the left handed layup to fall. Johnson heads to the line to shoot free throws and misses the first, again blaming the commentator for saying something, she makes the second. Nebraska will take a timeout to help Prince who was getting suffocated by the Purdue defense. Callin Hake gets fouled and will head to the line, she’s good on both (76-62 Neb). Purdue takes a 30 second timeout. Purdue just has to play the fouling game, but at this point it’s kind of a lost cause, Prince hits both free throws. How fitting that we end the game with Callin Hake drawing Purdue into an offensive foul.
Nebraska 78 Purdue 62
Postgame Stats
Britt Prince: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Amiah Hargrove: 13 points, 4 rebounds
Eliza Maupin: 13 points, 2 rebounds
Callin Hake: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Jessica Petrie: 8 points, 5 rebounds
Nebraskas shot 51.1 percent from the field, including 63.2 percent from long range. Nebraska won the rebounding battle by one (29-28). The Huskers only assisted on 11 shots and committed 15 turnovers, both numbers need to improve.
