For Purdue coach Matt Painter, the team’s 21-point victory over Indiana on January 16 at Assembly Hall means little. He still thinks the Hoosiers can pose a serious threat to the Boilermakers going into Saturday’s rivalry game at Mackey Arena
The previous six games Indiana has played, including the 87-66 setback to Purdue in Bloomington last month, have seen them go only 2-4. With a record of 14-9 and a 6-6 record in the Big Ten, the Hoosiers will require a spectacular comeback to be considered for the NCAA Tournament. It is concerning for Purdue. Painter stated in a video uploaded by GoldandBlack.com, “Anytime your back is against the wall and you gotta get a win — you know, this win would be the best win on their resumé.” “So, yeah, you have to be cognizant of that, understand that.”
Purdue enjoys home-court advantage since, going into their match versus Indiana on Saturday, they had an 11-0 record at Mackey Arena. Along with their winning run of seven games, the Boilermakers defeated Wisconsin on the road on Sunday, who was ranked sixth at the time. There are other teams with stakes in this game besides Indiana, which is going to West Lafayette in dire need of a victory. According to Painter, the Boilermakers have a lot on the line as well.
“We’re playing for something, too,” he replied. “If our men need more motivation than just aiming to defeat your opponent handily and sweep them all season when you’re facing them. Then, as you come closer to positioning yourself to win the Big Ten title, I believe we have some problems.” LINKED STORIES ABOUT PURDUE, INDIA
MEET THE OPPONENT: With a 10-2 conference record and seven straight victories, Purdue is dominating Big Ten play once more. With several 3-point shooters and Zach Edey, the current National Player of the Year, leading the team, this may be Purdue’s big NCAA Tournament year. Here is a detailed analysis of Purdue University, Indiana’s opponent on Saturday. CLICK THIS LINK
BRADEN SMITH best-6 PG: ESPN’s Dick Vitale reported that Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith was ranked among the best six point guards in college basketball. In the 2023–24 campaign, the sophomore is averaging 12.5 points, 7.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. CLICK THIS LINK Suppose Painter attended IU: Indiana is currently under Matt Painter’s control; the Purdue coach has defeated the Hoosiers nine times in a row, further hurting a team that is losing all of its blue DNA. However, what if Matt Painter’s life had taken a different turn? CLICK THIS LINK
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