After experiencing a series of losses against ranked conference opponents, the Nebraska women’s basketball team is eager to turn their season around when they host the Purdue Boilermakers. The Huskers began the season with an impressive 12-0 record, but their true test came in non-conference games against strong teams like USC and Iowa. These matchups served as a litmus test for the team’s capabilities.

The Huskers managed to keep up with both USC and Iowa, but ultimately fell short due to critical five-minute stretches in each game. Against USC, it was a poor start in the second half, while against Iowa, it was a late-game collapse. Hopefully, the Huskers can avoid such moments when facing Purdue on Sunday.

Game Details

Nebraska Cornhuskers (20/25) vs. Purdue Boilermakers

Date: Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026

Time: 2 p.m. (CT)

Location: Lincoln, Nebraska (Pinnacle Bank Arena)

For those interested in attending, tickets are available at Huskers.com/Tickets. The game will be broadcast on Nebraska Public Media/B1G+, with commentary by Larry Punteney and Kara Graham. Fans can also tune in via the Huskers Radio Network starting at 1:30 p.m., featuring Matt Coatney as play-by-play announcer and Jeff Griesch as analyst. The game will also be accessible through Huskers.com and the Huskers App. Live stats can be found on Huskers.com (statbroadcast – public).

Scouting the Purdue Boilermakers

Under the guidance of head coach Katie Gearlds, the Purdue Boilermakers are looking to secure their first Big Ten win this season. Purdue had a solid 8-3 record in non-conference play but has struggled in conference games, sitting at 0-3 so far. This game marks their fourth straight conference matchup against a top-35 NET team.

Gearlds has brought a new-look roster to Lincoln, with only three players from last year’s team still on the roster. These include McKenna Layden, Lana McCarthy, and Kendall Puryear. The team is led by redshirt junior Tara Daye, who averages 12.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Freshman Hila Karsh has also made an impact, averaging 9.9 points and hitting 38.2% of her three-pointers.

Madison Layden-Zay, a graduate student, is the most experienced player on the Purdue roster. She starts all 14 games and averages 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.

Key Players for Nebraska

The Huskers have a strong lineup that includes:

• Eliza Maupin (6-3, Sr.) – 8.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg
• Jessica Petrie (6-2, Jr.) – 12.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg
• Logan Nissley (6-0, Jr.) – 6.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg
• Callin Hake (5-8, Sr.) – 8.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg
• Britt Prince (5-11, So.) – 19.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg

On the bench, Amiah Hargrove (6-2, So.) averages 12.0 ppg and 6.6 rpg, while Petra Bozan (6-3, So.) adds 8.5 ppg and 4.1 rpg.

Nebraska’s Performance Stats

Nebraska has been performing well this season, with several key rankings:

• Petra Bozan (294) needs 6 points to reach 300 in her career.
• Eliza Maupin (488) needs 12 points to reach 500 in her career.
• Britt Prince (671) needs 29 points to reach 700 in her career.
• Britt Prince (.609) ranks 14th nationally and 3rd in the Big Ten in field goal percentage.
• Britt Prince (19.1 ppg) ranks 32nd nationally and 5th in the Big Ten in scoring.
• Callin Hake (2.50) ranks 36th nationally and 8th in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Nebraska (.514 FG%) ranks 6th nationally and leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage.
• Nebraska (86.9 ppg) ranks 13th nationally and 5th in the Big Ten in scoring offense.
• Nebraska (33.8 ppg) ranks 5th nationally and 2nd in the Big Ten in bench scoring.
• Nebraska (19.9 apg) ranks 10th nationally and 4th in the Big Ten in assists per game.
• Nebraska (1.54) ranks 13th nationally and 4th in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Nebraska (+26.9 ppg) ranks 17th nationally and 6th in the Big Ten in scoring margin.

Series History

Nebraska holds a slight edge over Purdue in the all-time series, with a 12-10 record. The Huskers have won six consecutive games against the Boilermakers, including a 74-68 victory at Mackey Arena on January 31, 2025. The two teams split three games during the 2023-24 season.