Purdue @ Nebraska preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 9, 2019 ) Nebraska 62, Purdue 81

Purdue lurks a half-game behind Big Ten co-leaders Michigan and Michigan State and could join them at the top of the standings with a win Saturday afternoon at Nebraska. The No. 13 Boilermakers have won four of their last five road games after losing four in a row away from home.

In the first meeting Feb. 9, Purdue broke away a tie early in the second half and ended up with an 81-62 victory. Senior Grady Eifert, who averages 5.1 points and shoots 51.7 percent from the field, had one of the best performances of his career in that game with 16 points, seven rebounds, four steals and two assists. Going into Saturday's game, Purdue has some concerns with its offensive production after managing 48 points in a win at Indiana on Tuesday night and making 7-of-33 from 3-point range in a loss to No. 25 Maryland on Feb. 12. Nebraska had won two straight after ending a seven-game losing streak before suffering a 24-point loss at Penn State on Tuesday night.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT PURDUE (19-7, 12-3 Big Ten): Big Ten scoring leader Carsen Edwards is without a doubt the catalyst for the Boilermakers, averaging 23.8 points and 3.2 assists, but was held to nine points and went 0-for-10 from 3-point range against Indiana. After Ryan Cline (12.2 points), no other Purdue player averages more than eight. Cline (42.6 percent) and Eifert (40.7) are effective 3-point shooters who could attack Nebraska's defense from beyond the arc.

ABOUT NEBRASKA (15-12, 5-11): The Cornhuskers' disappointing season added another lackluster performance in the 95-71 loss at Penn State. Nebraska needs to play better defensively against Purdue and that's a possibility considering the Cornhuskers have limited their last four opponents at home to 62 or fewer points. The bulk of their offense most likely will come from James Palmer, their leading scorer at 19 points per game, and from Glynn Watson (11.9) and Isaiah Roby (11.5).

TIP-INS

1. Edwards scored 27 points against Nebraska earlier this month, but Tuesday was the first time he failed to reach double figures this season.

2. Purdue has played much better at home (13-0) than on the road (4-5), but the Boilermakers have lost only one game since they were 9-6 in late December.

3. Nebraska's next four games are against ranked opponents.

PREDICTION: Purdue 61, Nebraska 57