Nebraska Basketball Loses Another Road Game At Purdue 66-54

Nebraska started well enough, holding a 8-2 lead over the Boilers for several minutes, but ultimately stayed winless in Big Ten road games as Purdue out-rebounded the Huskers 44-29 and won 66-54. The Husker had only eight offensive rebounds compared to Purdue's 18. The second chances lead to 23 Purdue points.

Nebraska was 9-29 in the first half in field goal percentage (31%) and did better in the second half, going 13-for-26 (50%), but the constant lack of rebounding and scoring droughts stymied any chances at a Husker comeback.

Purdue lead 26-20 at the half, and things were looking up when Walter Pitchford scoring coming out at the break. Then Nebraska went on a scoring drought, couldn't rebound, sent Purdue to the line, and the same old story happened all over again.

Purdue lead by as many as 16 at 48-32. The Huskers would go on a late run, cutting the Purdue lead to 56-49 at the 5:35 mark. Then Purdue would get seven offensive rebounds in a row to kill the run and jack the lead back up to where it was clear the Huskers wouldn't get a victory.

Shavon Shields lead all scorers with 19, while Terran Petteway added 13. Walter Pitchford had 12.

Did I mention we got out-rebounded badly?

It's been a disappointing season for Nebrasketball after starting the season ranked. It's clear they won't make the NCAA tourney, and now Nebraska fans might wonder if they'll be able to make the NIT.

There's a lot of talk about what's wrong with this team. There's probably a lot of ideas about what to do about this team. I'm guessing that Terran Petteway dealing with his mom's cancer has a lot to do with what's wrong with this team, but I also know this:

Basketball, especially Big Ten basketball, is full of up and down seasons, even by good teams not named Wisconsin. This is going to happen until we build a consistent program and even then it might happen every other year.

I realize this team is hard to watch. It's hard for me watch, and I'm a pretty big Husker fan boy. All I can say, really, is "UGH".