Nebraska Nearly Pulls Off the Unthinkable in Wild Finish Against Purdue
With 2:48 left on the clock and Purdue holding a 14-point lead, Nebraska’s chances of winning sat at a microscopic 0.8 percent, according to ESPN’s win probability model. In most games, that’s the point where fans start heading for the exits and the bench players start thinking about postgame dinner plans.
But this wasn’t most games.
Even after Purdue missed a corner three that could’ve iced it with just over two minutes left, Nebraska’s odds barely nudged-to 2.7 percent-after Jamarques Lawrence drilled a three on the other end to cut it to 67-58. Still, it felt like too little, too late.
Then things got weird.
Purdue, normally a model of poise and execution, started unraveling. Fletcher Loyer launched a deep three early in the shot clock.
A careless turnover followed. Nebraska, meanwhile, threw a 1-3-1 zone at the Boilermakers that clearly disrupted their rhythm.
And when Purdue did get to the free-throw line, they couldn’t convert.
The door cracked open.
When Braden Smith missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with the score at 67-62 and under a minute to play, Nebraska’s win probability jumped to 13.6 percent. Then Rienk Mast buried a clutch three with 27.8 seconds left to cut it to 68-66. Suddenly, the number was up to 25.1 percent.
“This is incredible,” said Bill Raftery, capturing what everyone in the building was thinking. “They have extended this game, changing the defense, Purdue really rattled on that offensive end.”
And he wasn’t wrong. Nebraska’s ball movement and relentless pace-powered by a well-conditioned seven-man rotation-started to wear on Purdue.
We’ve seen it before: teams fade late against this group. Purdue, for all its size and skill, shot just 9-of-29 in the second half.
That’s a mirror image of Nebraska’s own cold first half, where they went 8-of-25.
Loyer struggled mightily, finishing 4-of-17 from the field. And down the stretch, Purdue’s trio of normally reliable free-throw shooters-Smith, Loyer, and Camden Heide-combined to go 1-of-5 in the final minutes of regulation.
Nebraska wasn’t perfect either. A controversial foul call with 32 seconds left wiped away what they thought was a jump ball. But Mast’s putback with 12.8 seconds left tied it at 68 and sent the game to overtime.
From that point on, it felt like Nebraska might steal it. They had momentum, energy, and the crowd behind them. And when Mast stepped to the line in the final seconds of OT with a chance to take the lead, it felt like the script was writing itself.
But the story didn’t end the way Nebraska hoped. The Huskers had the game in their hands in the final minute but couldn’t close it out.
That’s going to sting. Still, two things can be true at once: this is a team that refuses to fold, even when it’s not playing its best basketball.
And it’s also a team that knows it can’t afford to dig a 14-1 hole to start the game, get hammered 21-6 on the offensive glass, and cough up 14 turnovers-and expect to beat a Top 15 opponent.
Fred Hoiberg said as much after the game, pointing to those early breakdowns as the real difference-makers. But here’s the bigger takeaway: Nebraska doesn’t need to be perfect to hang with elite teams anymore.
That’s a major shift. The ‘overachieving’ label doesn’t really apply to this group.
Even on an off night-Pryce Sandfort didn’t score in the first half-they’re still in the fight.
This is a good basketball team. A tournament-caliber team.
And they’ve now gone toe-to-toe with three squads likely to be top-three seeds. If they build on this, they’re not just going to make The Dance-they’re going to be a problem when they get there.
3 Big Plays That Changed Everything
1. Sam Hoiberg sparks a rally
Down 52-33, it felt like Purdue was about to run Nebraska right out of the building. Then came a moment of clarity.
Sam Hoiberg drove into the paint and kicked it out to Cale Jacobsen, who buried a corner three-his second of the game. The crowd responded with a noticeable shift in energy.
It was the first sign Nebraska wasn’t done.
Then Hoiberg made it loud. On the next defensive possession, he anticipated a pass, jumped the lane, and took it hard to the rim, drawing a foul. Two free throws later, it was 52-38, and the under-12 timeout gave everyone a chance to catch their breath.
That five-point burst was part of an 18-2 Nebraska run over six and a half minutes. By the under-8 timeout, the Huskers had cut the deficit to 54-49. And fittingly, it was Hoiberg again who capped that run with a three that brought the house down and brought on the ‘Sandstorm.’
2. Rienk Mast’s clutch triple
With under 30 seconds to go and Purdue clinging to a 68-63 lead, Nebraska needed a big shot-and Mast delivered. His three-pointer from the wing cut it to 68-66 and sent the win probability soaring.
It wasn’t just the shot-it was the confidence in the moment, the calm execution under pressure. That’s the kind of play you need from your veterans in March.
3. The putback that forced OT
After a wild sequence and a missed Purdue free throw, Nebraska had one last chance in regulation. Mast was there again, crashing the glass and putting back a miss to tie it at 68 with 12.8 seconds left. It was the exclamation point on a furious comeback, and it gave the Huskers a shot in overtime.
Nebraska didn’t win the game, but they made a statement. This team can take a punch-and punch back.
And when they’re locked in, they can hang with anyone. The next step?
Start faster, clean up the glass, and take care of the ball. Because if they do that, they’re not just dangerous-they’re downright scary.