Purdue @ Nebraska preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 23, 2019 ) Purdue 75, Nebraska 72

Good defense has long been a priority for Purdue in 14-plus seasons under coach Matt Painter, but this year's team is playing it at a level that hasn't been in West Lafayette since well before he was born. The Boilermakers attempt to hold a third consecutive opponent to 45 points or fewer for the first time since 1946 on Sunday when they visit Nebraska.

Purdue ranks sixth in the country in scoring defense (54.8 points) and fifth in adjusted defense (85.9 points/100 possessions), improving both rankings this month after ending No. 8 Virginia's 13-game winning streak with a 69-40 rout of the Cavaliers on Dec. 4 before following it up with a 58-44 win over Northwestern last Sunday. "I'm happy to see were continuing things from the Virginia game. … It's meaningless if you don't continue the things that you were doing. … No team in the Big Ten is an easy opponent, so to grind a Big Ten team out feels pretty good," junior center Matt Haarms said. The Cornhuskers announced Friday afternoon that starting guard Jervay Green - one of the top junior college guards last season - has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules, just hours before playing the last of six consecutive games at home. Nebraska reached the 90-point mark for the third time in 10 games on Friday, but they lost for the first time when doing so in a 96-90 overtime defeat at Indiana in their Big Ten opener.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT PURDUE (6-3, 1-0 Big Ten): Sophomore guard Sasha Stefanovic (9.3 points) has emerged as a key offensive contributor this month, averaging 17 points and 33.5 minutes of action in his first two career starts after totaling 40 points in 113 minutes off the bench in November. High Point graduate transfer Jahaad Proctor (14.2) has scored at least 10 points in every game with the Boilermakers and 25 straight overall, including 16 straight last season to complete his two-year stay with the Panthers. Haarms (11.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks) and Trevion Williams (7.3 points, 5.3 boards) are shooting 67 percent from the field, while the rest of their teammates are converting only 38 percent of their field-goal attempts.

ABOUT NEBRASKA (4-6, 0-1): Robert Morris transfer Dachon Burke Jr. (13.3 points) took advantage of the extra opportunities he was afforded in Green's absence Friday, finishing 9-of-16 from the field and 4-of-8 beyond the arc for a season-high 25 points. Sophomore point guard Cam Mack (12.6 points, 6.1 assists) posted his second career double-double with 15 points and 10 assists against the Hoosiers and is one of only three players in the conference averaging at least 12 points and six assists. Junior Thorir Thorbjarnarson got the starting nod in favor of Green on Friday and responded with a career-high 17 points - his third consecutive game in double figures after not recording one in his first 41 outings.

TIP-INS

1. Purdue has already had five players lead the team in scoring after only four players did so in 2018-19.

2. Mack is only the second Cornhusker in the last 30 years to have multiple points-assists double-doubles in the same season.

3. The Boilermakers have held seven straight opponents to fewer than 65 points, matching their longest such run since Dec. 1-28, 2010.

PREDICTION: Purdue 73, Nebraska 60