After back-to-back losses to ranked conference opponents, the Husker women look to right the ship when hosting the Purdue Boilermakers. Nebraska had an excellent 12-0 start to the season, but did not face a murderer’s row in non-conference play – the USC and Iowa games were going to be the litmus test.
The Huskers hung with both of those teams, largely losing due to five poor minutes in each game. Versus USC, it was the first five minutes coming out of the half and at Iowa, it was the last five minutes of the game. Hopefully,
the Huskers can avoid one of those stretches against the Boilermakers.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (20/25) vs. Purdue Boilermakers
Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, 2 p.m. (CT)
Lincoln, Nebraska (Pinnacle Bank Arena)
Tickets: Huskers.com/Tickets
TV/Live Stream: Nebraska Public Media/B1G+ (Larry Punteney, Kara Graham)
Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (1:30 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (1490 AM/97.3 FM/97.7 HD3), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Live Stats: Huskers.com (statbroadcast – public)
Scouting the Purdue Boilermakers
Head coach Katie Gearlds leads a hungry bunch of Boilermakers in search of their first Big Ten win. Purdue went 8-3 in non-conference play but has struggled to an 0-3 conference mark . Sunday’s game at Nebraska will be Purdue’s fourth straight conference game against a top-35 NET team.
Gearlds brings a new-look Purdue roster to Lincoln. Only three Boilermakers (McKenna Layden, Lana McCarthy, Kendall Puryear) on the 13-player roster this season played in last year’s 74-68 loss to the Huskers at Mackey Arena.
Redshirt junior Tara Daye leads Purdue in scoring (12.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.9 ppg). Fellow newcomer Kiki Smith has added 11.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. A third newcomer, freshman Hila Karsh is averaging just shy of double figures at 9.9 points per game. She has a team-best 2.7 assists while hitting 38.2 percent (21-55) of her threes and 91.7 percent (11-12) of her free throws.
Madison Layden-Zay is the most experienced Boiler. The 6-2 graduate student has started all 14 games for Purdue this season and is averaging 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and team-bests of 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals.
NET 16 Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-2, 1-2 Big Ten)
21 – Eliza Maupin – 6-3 – Sr. – F – 8.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg
12 – Jessica Petrie – 6-2 – Jr. – F – 12.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg
2 – Logan Nissley – 6-0 – Jr. – G – 6.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg
14 – Callin Hake – 5-8 – Sr. – G – 8.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg
23 – Britt Prince – 5-11 – So. – G – 19.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg
Off the Bench
33 – Amiah Hargrove – 6-2 – So. – F – 12.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg
4 – Petra Bozan – 6-3 – So. – F – 8.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg
5 – Claire Johnson – 5-9 – So. – G – 5.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg
1 – Hailey Weaver – 6-0 – Gr. – G – 4.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg
15 – Kennadi Williams – 5-4 – RFr. – G – 3.1 ppg, 0.9 rpg
34 – Emily Fisher – 6-0 – Jr. – G/F – 2.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg
00 – Alanna Neale – 5-10 – Fr. – G – 1.3 ppg, 0.3 rpg
22 – Natalie Potts – 6-2 – RSo. – F – 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
3 – Allison Weidner [Out] – 5-10 – Gr. – G – Redshirt
Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998) 10th Season at Nebraska (170-125); 19th Season Overall (363-234)
NET 68 Purdue Boilermakers (8-6, 0-3 Big Ten)
35 – Lana McCarthy – 6-4 – So. – F – 7.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg
8 – Hila Karsh – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 9.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg
23 – Kiki Smith – 5-7 – Jr. – G – 11.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg
33 – Madison Layden-Zay – 6-1 – Gr. – G – 10.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg
44 – Tara Daye – 5-10 – RJr. – G – 12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg
Off the Bench
22 – Kendall Puryear – 6-3 – So. – F – 7.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg
5 – Taylor Feldman – 5-8 – Sr. – G – 6.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg
3 – Nya Smith – 5-9 – So. – G – 4.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg
55 – Avery Gordon – 6-7 – Fr. – F – 3.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg
13 – Saige Stahl – 6-1 – Jr. – F – 1.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg
11 – McKenna Layden – 6-2 – Jr. – G – 1.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg
24 – Carley Barrett – 5-7 – Fr. – G – 1.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
Head Coach: Katie Gearlds (Purdue, 2007) Fifth Season at Purdue (69-70); 13th Season Overall (297-120)
Nebraska vs. Purdue Series History
Nebraska leads the all-time series with Purdue, 12-10, including six consecutive victories. The Huskers worked their way to a 74-68 win at Mackey Arena (Jan. 31, 2025) in the only meeting between the schools last year, after sweeping three games from the Boilermakers in 2023-24.
Nebraska By The Numbers
• Petra Bozan (294) needs 6 points to reach 300 in her career.
• Eliza Maupin (488) needs 12 points to reach 500 in her career.
• Britt Prince (671) needs 29 points to reach 700 in her career
• Britt Prince (.609) ranks 14th nationally and 3rd in the Big Ten in field goal percentage.
• Britt Prince (19.1 ppg) ranks 32nd nationally and 5th in the Big Ten in scoring.
• Callin Hake (2.50) ranks 36th nationally and 8th in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Nebraska (.514 FG%) ranks 6th nationally and leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage.
• Nebraska (86.9 ppg) ranks 13th nationally and 5th in the Big Ten in scoring offense.
• Nebraska (33.8 ppg) ranks 5th nationally and 2nd in the Big Ten in bench scoring.
• Nebraska (19.9 apg) ranks 10th nationally and 4th in the Big Ten in assists per game.
• Nebraska (1.54) ranks 13th nationally and 4th in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Nebraska (+26.9 ppg) ranks 17th nationally and 6th in the Big Ten in scoring margin.
