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Game 24 Preview: #2 Purdue vs. Indiana

On3 imageby: Brian Neubert02/10/24brianneubert

Purdue looks to keep rolling in the Big Ten championship race and complete a regular season sweep of its rival Saturday night, as Indiana visits the second-ranked Boilermakers.

DETAILS: Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024 | 8 p.m. ET | TV: FOX (Gus Johnson, Jimmy Jackson) | Radio: Purdue Radio Network

PURDUE (21-2, 10-2 B1G): ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
INDIANA (14-9, 6-6 B1G): ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS

TeamAPCoachesNETKenPomKenPom Win%
Purdue222296%
Indiana——98964%

A FEW THINGS ABOUT PURDUE

• Purdue’s won seven in a row and just claimed sole possession of the Big Ten lead with last weekend’s win at Wisconsin, which led into this week’s bye.

• After a convincing 87-66 win in Assembly Hall earlier in the season, Purdue’s looking to sweep the regular season series from Indiana in what will be the last regularly scheduled meeting with IU for seniors Zach Edey, Mason Gillis, Ethan Morton and Lance Jones.

• Purdue’s averaging 88 points per game during its seven-game win streak and again ranks No. 1 nationally in offensive efficiency, per KenPom. The Boilermakers are shooting above 40 percent for the season from three-point range, ranking fifth nationally.

• Jones is averaging 15.6 points and shooting 38 percent on team-high volume from three-point range in Big Ten play, coming off 26- and 20-point games, respectively. He’s 16-of-28 overall from the floor in those games.

Jones has scored 20 or more in three of the past four games, his first three 20-plus-point games of the season.

A FEW THINGS ABOUT THIS GAME

• It’s been a rough season for IU, but its comeback from 18 down to win at Ohio State was a highlight. KenPom, however, does not project Indiana to win another regular season game and gives the Hoosiers just a 4 percent shot to win in Mackey Arena for the second time in as many years.

• IU’s three-point shooting problems have been well-documented, as it’s shooting just 33 percent and deriving less than 28 percent on its scoring from beyond the arc, but Anthony Leal‘s return to the floor the past three games has given them a little something extra. He’s 4-of-7 the past three games. He did not play in the first meeting with Purdue.

• Big man Kel’el Ware is battling a knee issue has been questionable often this season leading into games. Senior guard Xavier Johnson is out indefinitely, meaning freshman Gabe Cupps will run point and Trey Galloway will probably have the ball in his hands more, a distinct difference for Purdue from the first game.

TURNOVERSREBOUNDINGMALIK RENEAU
Just that simple, once again. When Purdue takes care of the ball, its outcomes this season speak for themselves. This should be a major advantage for Purdue again, as it’s the more physical team and IU isn’t great on the offensive glass. Second-chance opportunities will loom large.Indiana would be wise to play through him. Very different from the way Wisconsin played through Tyler Wahl, but Reneau can give Purdue problems, as he can a lot of teams.

GOLDANDBLACK.COM PREDICTION: PURDUE 82, INDIANA 69

Purdue’s had to strain to win its last three games — maybe not the worst thing in the world in the grand scheme of things — but this does not project favorably for Indiana, which has struggled this season, is banged up, and remains plagued by significant offensive and personnel-makeup limitations. The Boilermakers seem to have taken that first meeting with Indiana personally after IU won two of three prior. That likely won’t change on their home floor.

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