Nebraska WBB vs Purdue Preview

Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-7, 3-4 Big Ten) at Purdue Boilermakers (12-5, 3-4 Big Ten)

Wednesday, January 18, 2023, 6 p.m. (CT)

Mackey Arena - West Lafayette, Indiana

Live Video: B1G+

Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (5:45 p.m.) Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst) Lincoln (107.3 FM), Omaha (105.9 FM), Huskers.com, Huskers App

Wednesday’s game could be a pivotal contest in the Big Ten for both teams. They enter the game tied for seventh in the conference standings at 3-4, and on paper, it would be tough to find more evenly matched teams across all statistical categories. The numbers prove themselves in the NCAA’s NET rankings, where Nebraska entered the week at No. 42 and Purdue at No. 47.

The Ohio State game last weekend was Nebraska’s seventh this season against an AP Top 25 team at game time, and the Huskers are scheduled to face six more current top-25 foes. If those numbers hold, it would give NU a school-record 13 games against AP Top 25 teams. No other Nebraska team has ever faced more than 11 AP Top 25 opponents (2000-01). Since entering the Big Ten (2011-12), the Huskers have never played more than eight games in a season against AP Top 25 foes.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-7, 3-4 Big Ten)
34 - Isabelle Bourne - 6-2 - Jr. - F - 11.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg
40 - Alexis Markowski - 6-3 - So. - C/F - 12.4 ppg, 9.3 rpg
1 - Jaz Shelley - 5-9 - Jr. - G - 13.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg
4 - Sam Haiby - 5-9 - Gr. - G - 8.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg
42 - Maddie Krull - 5-9 - So. - G - 4.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Off the Bench
21 - Annika Stewart - 6-3 - So. - F - 6.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg
14 - Callin Hake - 5-9 - Fr. - G - 5.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg
44 - Maggie Mendelson - 6-5 - Fr. - F/C - 4.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg
15 - Kendall Moriarty - 6-1 - So. - G - 3.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg
32 - Kendall Coley - 6-2 - So. - F/G - 2.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg
2 - Trinity Brady - 5-11 - Jr. - G - 2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg
3 - Allison Weidner (Out) - 5-10 - So. - G - 10.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg

Head Coach: Amy Williams (Nebraska, 1998) Seventh Season at Nebraska (107-91); 16th Season Overall (300-200)

Purdue Boilermakers (12-5, 3-4 Big Ten)
14 - Ava Learn - 6-1 - So. - G/F - 4.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg
34 - Caitlyn Harper - 6-2 - Gr. - F - 11.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg
10 - Jeanae Terry - 5-11 - Sr. - G - 6.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg
23 - Abbey Ellis - 5-6 - Sr. - G - 10.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg
33 - Madison Layden - 6-1 - Jr. - G - 7.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg

Off the Bench
11 - Lasha Petree - 6-0 - Gr. - G - 16.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg
3 - Jayla Smith - 6-0 - So. - G - 8.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg
5 - Cassidy Hardin - 5-10 - Gr. - G - 7.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg
35 - Rickie Woltman - 6-4 - Sr. - F - 3.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg
30 - Addison Potts - 6-0 - Fr. - G - 0.4 ppg, 0.0 rpg
31 - Lilly Stoddard - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 0.3 ppg, 0.2 rpg

Head Coach: Katie Gearlds (Purdue, 2007) Second Season at Purdue (29-20); 10th Season Overall (257-70)

Scouting The Purdue Boilermakers

Second-year Purdue head coach Katie Gearlds leads the Boilermakers into Wednesday’s game with a 12-5 overall record that includes a 3-4 Big Ten Conference mark. Gearlds graduated from Purdue in 2007 after earning All-America honors as a player, when she helped the Boilermakers to four NCAA Tournament bids, including the NCAA Elite Eight as a senior.

The Boilermakers are coming off a 65-54 win at Northwestern on Saturday, after suffering back-to-back losses to No. 17 Michigan (80-59, Jan. 10) and at Penn State (70-60, Jan. 7). Purdue also owns a 73-61 Big Ten win over Wisconsin (Jan. 1) and a 76-71 OT win at Michigan State (Dec. 5).

As a team, Purdue is averaging 73.9 points while allowing 65.6. The Boilermakers have hit 46.7 percent of their shots from the field, including 34.1 percent of their threes. They are also a solid 73.8 percent at the free throw line. Purdue carries a plus-1.6 rebound margin and has been nearly even in the turnover department.

Husker Numbers to Watch

Sam Haiby is 15 points away (1,446) from matching Emily Cady for No. 13 on Nebraska’s all-time scoring list (1,461 points, 2012-15).

Sam Haiby needs seven rebounds to climb to No. 21 on Nebraska’s career rebound list. Haiby heads to Purdue with 567 rebounds to rank 22nd at Nebraska. Nafeesah Brown is No. 21 in NU history with 574 boards (1992-93, 1993-94).

Isabelle Bourne is immediately behind Sam Haiby on the NU career rebound list. Bourne enters the Purdue game at No. 23 on Nebraska’s all-time list with 553.

Jaz Shelley is 42 points away from 1,000 in her college career (662-Nebraska; 296-Oregon).

Nebraska vs. Purdue Series History

Purdue leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 10-7, but the Huskers snapped a three-game series losing streak with an 81-66 win over Purdue last season in Lincoln (Jan. 30, 2022).