No. 10 Purdue Braces for Indiana’s Best Effort in Big Ten Rivalry

Purdue will host Indiana on Friday night in West Lafayette, aiming to solidify its position in the Big Ten standings. The Boilermakers have won 15 of the last 19 meetings between the teams and look to continue their dominance after a commanding victory over Michigan.

Purdue holds a strong 16-5 overall record with an 8-2 mark in conference play, placing them second in the Big Ten, just behind Michigan State. Indiana, at 14-7 and 5-5 in conference play, sits in ninth place and faces a challenging road ahead.

Indiana Faces a Tough Stretch

The Hoosiers have lost four of their last five games, including a heartbreaking 79-78 loss to Maryland in which they led by four points with 38 seconds remaining. A late-game collapse allowed the Terrapins to secure a victory, leaving Indiana frustrated.

Their upcoming schedule features three road games against ranked opponents. After facing Purdue, they will host Michigan before traveling to Wisconsin and Michigan State. Guard Anthony Leal noted that this stretch could be an opportunity to turn things around, saying that a few wins could change the course of their season.

Purdue’s Home Advantage and Bounce-Back Mentality

Purdue’s 26-game home winning streak ended with a loss to Ohio State, but the Boilermakers responded emphatically with a 91-64 win over Michigan. Their defense played a major role, forcing a season-high 22 turnovers while holding Michigan to just six made three-pointers on 29 attempts.

Braden Smith led the way with 24 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. He has now recorded nine games with ten or more assists this season and ranks third nationally in assists per game. Smith acknowledged that the loss to Ohio State was tough to handle and felt personally responsible, but he channeled that frustration into a strong performance against Michigan.

Trey Kaufman-Renn leads Purdue in scoring this season, with Smith and Fletcher Loyer also providing key contributions. Indiana’s top scorer, Oumar Ballo, is averaging a double-double while also leading the team in blocked shots. Malik Reneau, Mackenzie Mgbako, and Myles Rice round out Indiana’s top scoring threats.

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Game Outlook

Purdue has been dominant at home, and with Indiana’s recent struggles, the Boilermakers will enter the matchup as the clear favorite. However, rivalry games often bring out the best in teams, and Indiana will be looking for a statement win.

Tip-off is set for Friday, February 2, in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue’s defense and home-court advantage should give them the edge, but Indiana’s urgency could make this a competitive game.