Post-game analysis: Takeaways and Wrap Video

LINCOLN, Neb. — Our post-game analysis from No. 20 Purdue's 83-80 loss Sunday afternoon at Nebraska.

• Atypical offensive night for Caleb Swanigan, who was just 5-of-15 from the floor.

Mammoth Husker freshman Jordy Tshmimanga's size and considerable length and girth did seem to affect Swanigan's shots before he fouled out after just 19 minutes, but Swanigan also seemed demetermind to win that physical matchup even though it wasn't clicking.

"He didn't trust his skill level," Matt Painter said. "He just kept wanting the ball deeper."

Instead of facing Tshimanga up and driving or shooting over him, he worked to get deep, which brought mixed results.

"I wanted to get my best shot," Swanigan said. "I took too many dribbles. I should have shot it sooner."

Still, it wasn't the wrong move to go to Swanigan time after time after time in the final two minutes. He's earned that opportunity and his matchup was a favorable one with Tshmimanga out of the game.

It just didn't work, same deal as the Iowa game - Purdue generated quality scoring opportunities in crunch time but didn't finish them. Its bigger issue was margin for error. In both cases it didn't have any because it couldn't stop its opponent.

• There's really no reason Purdue, with its ability and experience, should be getting beat on garbage points. Boilermaker turnovers and Nebraska offensive rebounds accounted for 33 Cornhusker points. That's obscene. Obviously, some garbage-points are inevitable, but it shouldn't be happening in game-tilting volume.

• This game is another four-alarm fire from a defensive perspective for Purdue, which seemed to have turned a corner of sorts the three games prior.

Question: Is Purdue a poor defensive team that's playing over its head when it's good or vice versa? It's hard to know, because it's been one step forward, another back for some time now.

• Basil Smotherman's departure doesn't impact Purdue much from a basketball standpoint as long as everyone's healthy. The Boilermakers are rolling with three guards often, and Swanigan and Vincent Edwards are eating up all the minutes at the 4 lately.

It's unfortunate for things to end this for Smotherman, saw as it was for classmates Bryson Scott and Kendall Stephens, but the light just never came on and stayed on him from focus and basketball-identity perspectives.

Hopefully he can get his degree and have a productive year elsewhere next season.