A top-15 Big Ten matchup is waiting Saturday evening, with No. 13 Purdue heading to Lincoln to take on No. 1 Nebraska in a meeting that carries the feel of a major test for the Boilermakers.
Nebraska has been perfect so far, rolling to an 18-0 start and a 7-0 mark in Big Ten play. Purdue comes in with momentum of its own, riding a three-match winning streak after beating USC, No. 24 Illinois and Iowa.
The challenge for Purdue is obvious. Nebraska brings production and balance all over the floor, starting with Bergen Reilly, the reigning National Player of the Year at setter.
She works with two athletic, high-usage attackers in Harper Murray and Andi Jackson, and the Huskers have five different players averaging at least 2.00 kills per set while hitting .250 or better. That kind of spread makes them difficult to slow down for any defense.
Purdue will need its own defensive edge to show up again. The Boilermakers have sharpened things at the net over the last two weeks, averaging 2.9 blocks per set during the wins over USC, Illinois and Iowa. Kate Hansen and Dior Charles have been especially active there, with help from Mimi Mambu, Grace Heaney, Taylor Anderson and Addy Tindall.
That work at the net fits the identity Dave Shondell has built in West Lafayette. Purdue is also leading the Big Ten in digs per set at 15.11, a sign that the floor defense has been steady even through the ups and downs of the early season.
The service line may be another area where Nebraska tries to separate itself. The Huskers have stacked up 114 aces through their first 18 matches, although that aggression has also brought 128 errors. Purdue has 58 aces and 103 errors, and while the Boilermakers have served with better placement lately and done a better job of taking teams out of system, that hasn’t translated into many aces.
Purdue and Nebraska have played plenty of tight, physical matches over the years, and Saturday adds another one to the list. The Boilermakers face a difficult road task, but they arrive with enough recent form to make things interesting.
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Purdue Has A Chance To Keep Its Surprise Run Rolling Friday
Purdues unexpected surge gets another spotlight Friday night when Washington comes to Ross-Ade Stadium for an 8 p.m. ET kickoff on FOX. The Boilermakers have already put together back-to-back wins, and this one offers another chance to keep momentum building in Big Ten play while the home crowd gets a prime-time stage.
Washington arrives still looking for its first conference win, adding a little more intrigue to a game that already has plenty of it. The Huskies are also dealing with a change under center, with Elijah Williams expected to handle quarterback duties to start the night, so Purdue will see a familiar sort of test: a conference opponent with something to prove and just enough uncertainty to make Friday feel bigger than the record might suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Just Caught Washington At A Very Interesting Time
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Washington has been searching for answers offensively, especially on the ground, and Browns ability to steady the attack will matter plenty for a team trying to keep its conference season on track. The Huskies do not need a perfect performance so much as a workable one, because if the running game stays stalled, the pressure on Brown to carry the offense rises fast. [Read more 🡒]
Purdues First Real Clues On Matt Painters New Rotation Arrive Friday
Fridays exhibition against Ball State will be Purdues first real chance to sort through a reshaped roster and start answering the questions that always come with October basketball. With several changes on the team and a new-look lineup to evaluate, Matt Painter and his staff should use the opener to test combinations, see how the returning pieces fit with the newcomers, and get a better read on the groups spacing and perimeter shooting.
One of the more interesting variables is Enzo Shahrvin, who is expected to make his first competitive appearance for Purdue after being unavailable on the Canada trip. His role should be one of the first things worth watching, because how Painter deploys him could say plenty about the kind of frontcourt balance Purdue wants this season, and whether the staff starts leaning into bigger lineups or keeps pushing toward the floor-spacing looks it has been exploring. [Read more 🡒]