Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/241150
volume 24, EX 16 • jan. 13, 2014 Inside | Men beat Nebraska 6-7 | Notes 9–10 Women upset No. 14 PSU 11 | Football news 19-20 Grasping Effort Level is Key BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com M att Painter used last week with only one game to ramp up Purdue's practices, focusing on defense and effort, pushing the intensity to preseason-type workouts. Rapheal Davis simply said Painter "wasn't playing around," and classmate A.J. Hammons said, "Coach just kind of snapped off." The approach seemed to work, as the Boilermakers got a desperately needed first Big Ten victory Sunday against Nebraska showing some hustle Painter has been clamoring for. Sterling Carter, the captain of effort in the last two games, said he was happy Painter clamped down during a full week of practice, knowing the season quickly is running out. "It was a good week," Carter said. "I just feel like guys are starting to understand that time is ticking, and if we want to be in the NCAA Tournament in March then we have to pick it up now and not later." But Purdue won't have the luxury over the next two weeks of using practice as a launching point to instill toughness, to stress preparation or to penalize missed free throws with sprints. THE Numbers 736 199 299 4-3 Days since Penn State's women's basketball team last lost a Big Ten game at home before Purdue's upset win in Happy Valley on Sunday. Courtney Moses' career three-pointers, after the senior captain had six in Sunday's win at Penn State. Victories in Big Ten play in 47 seasons in Mackey Arena by Purdue's men's team. It has a .761 win percentage at home. Purdue's record in the Matt Painter Era at Illinois, the identical record during the same time period the Boilermakers have at Michigan, Iowa, Northwestern and Penn State. On Wednesday, the Boilermakers play at Illinois, starting a stretch that'll include four games in 11 days with two of those on the road. Painter said the scheduling "doesn't make any sense" — Purdue played only four games in a three-week stretch over break — but he also knows his team can only play the games ahead of it. So that'll mean a crunch of little prep but Christopher Mitchell Ronnie Johnson and the Boilermakers got a much-needed victory against Nebraska Sunday, avoiding an 0-3 start in the Big Ten. But a pivotal stretch with four games in 11 days awaits. GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 16 • 1