Top-ranked Purdue looks to shake trend in Big Ten December road games

No one would blame Matt Painter if he petitioned the Big Ten to push the start of the conference schedule until January.

Purdue’s history in Big Ten road games in December isn’t impressive. Losses at Penn State and Northwestern the last two years. The four consecutive setbacks at Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, and Rutgers. The loss to the Scarlet Knights coincided with the program’s first game as the nation’s top-ranked team.

The Boilermakers did win at Nebraska three years ago, the last time they avoided a 1-1 start to conference play. Can this trend be explained?

“It’s a little ironic for us because you have a lot of big games around (Big Ten schedule), and we’ve played well in those games, but then we haven’t played well,” Painter said.

After Tuesday’s league opener at Rutgers and next week’s matchup against Minnesota, Painter’s team will face Iowa State, Marquette, and Auburn.

For the team’s veterans, Tuesday is a chance to break the cycle and take control of the league race from the start. However, splitting the December games doesn’t seem to cost the Boilermakers an opportunity to win the regular-season championship.

They won back-to-back crowns in 2023 and 2024 and claimed the 2019 title.

“Just focus on ourselves, making sure we’re ready to go and rebound,” senior Fletcher Loyer said.

And it’s not been a single area that has prevented Purdue from finding more success in December away from Mackey Arena in conference action.

Last year at Penn State, it was 24 turnovers. During an overtime loss at Northwestern two years ago, the Boilermakers couldn’t overcome Boo Buie’s 31 points and the Wildcats’ committing just three turnovers.

In 2021, Ron Harper Jr. burned Purdue with a buzzer-beater inside of halfcourt as the Scarlet Knights pulled out the victory. And the one game the Boilermakers won in their last seven December road Big Ten attempts went to overtime at Nebraska.

“It’s something we discussed, but you can’t put your finger on it and say, ‘Hey, in all these games, we’ve shot poor free throws and in all these games our transition D stunk.’

“I think the road brings a different element. Conference play can sometimes bring a different element. I don’t know if it fits here but do your job and play well.”

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The first seven games have demonstrated what the Boilermakers do well. When they rebound and take care of the ball, the offense is nearly unstoppable with all the options on the roster.

“We have to consistently rebound,” Painter said. “I think you see the difference from team to team, when we rebound the basketball, and we execute offensively, we’re going to put ourselves in a good spot.”

Although Loyer, Braden Smith, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, along with C.J. Cox and Gicarri Harris, have plenty of Big Ten experience, the 20-game schedule is new to other players.

That includes sophomore Daniel Jacobsen, whose season was cut short last year after one game due to a lower leg injury. He watched the Boilermakers plow through the conference schedule a year ago from the bench and is eager to jump into the deep end.

“Watching last year, I was able to learn a lot about how the physicality is, speed of the game, and all that stuff,” he said. “It gets me ready for (Tuesday) night for sure.”

The early schedule has certainly prepared Purdue for what’s ahead in the conference season. Even the exhibition game at Kentucky helped the Boilermakers in the win at Alabama, and the victory over Texas Tech in the Bahamas will benefit this team, either Tuesday or during another Big Ten game.

“I think playing Kentucky helped us in the Alabama game. I know it did,” Painter said. “Now that’s got to help us here. Take care of the basketball and make good decisions, but it’s also going to be a really good environment. It’s a tough, loud, boxed-in environment. I love it. It’s a really good home court advantage for them.”