No. 18 Purdue Hosts Rutgers With Big Ten Tournament Seeding at Stake

No. 18 Purdue aims to solidify its position in the Big Ten standings when it welcomes Rutgers to Mackey Arena on Tuesday night in West Lafayette.

The Boilermakers (20-9, 12-6 Big Ten) snapped a four-game losing streak with a much-needed 76-66 victory over UCLA last Friday. Now, they look to string together consecutive wins for the first time since early February as they battle Wisconsin and Maryland for third place in the conference.

Meanwhile, Rutgers (14-15, 7-11 Big Ten) is coming off a gut-wrenching 84-82 loss at No. 15 Michigan, where the Scarlet Knights blew a 12-point lead in the final 11 minutes before falling on a buzzer-beating three-pointer.

With seeding implications for the Big Ten Tournament on the line, both teams will be looking for a strong performance.

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Purdue Looking to Reestablish Its Identity

After a four-game skid that included losses to three ranked teams, Purdue finally got back on track against UCLA. Head coach Matt Painter admitted that self-doubt can creep in during tough stretches, but emphasized the importance of sticking to the team’s principles.

“If you stick to what you’re doing and you stay connected and you fight, you’re going to grow and you’re going to get out of some things,” Painter said. “So, hopefully, we can build and just get better.”

One major bright spot for Purdue has been junior point guard Braden Smith, who became the school’s all-time leader in career assists after dishing out eight against UCLA.

• Smith (16.0 PPG, 8.7 APG, 69 steals) leads Purdue in assists, three-pointers (66), and steals, and has been a steady force despite the team’s recent struggles.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn (19.6 PPG) remains the team’s top scorer, giving the Boilermakers a dominant inside presence.

In their January 9 matchup with Rutgers, Smith recorded a double-double (16 points, 14 assists, 3 steals) in Purdue’s 68-50 road win. The Boilermakers will look for a similar performance at home, where they have been dominant this season.

Rutgers Looking to Bounce Back After Brutal Loss

Rutgers was on the verge of its biggest road win of the season at Michigan before collapsing down the stretch. A long three-pointer at the buzzer denied the Scarlet Knights a third straight win, leaving head coach Steve Pikiell visibly frustrated.

“Just (expletive) devastated for our (expletive) guys,” Pikiell said on the postgame radio show. “Played so hard (expletive) the whole time. Excuse my language. … We couldn’t get a stop, but I couldn’t be more proud of these guys.”

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Despite the tough loss, Rutgers has some bright spots heading into Purdue:

• Dylan Harper (19.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG) is the team’s leading scorer and continues to develop into one of the Big Ten’s best all-around players.
• Ace Bailey (18.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG) adds another dynamic scoring option, providing Rutgers with a dangerous one-two punch.
• Lathan Sommerville (17 points vs. Michigan) had a career-best performance, showing Rutgers’ depth is improving.

The Scarlet Knights have lost four straight to Purdue, including a season-low 50-point performance in their previous meeting. If Rutgers wants to avoid a similar fate, it must take better care of the basketball and stay aggressive offensively for a full 40 minutes.

Key Matchups to Watch

• Braden Smith vs. Rutgers’ Perimeter Defense – Smith torched Rutgers in the first meeting, and if the Scarlet Knights fail to contain him again, Purdue will be in control.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn vs. Ace Bailey – Two of the top interior scorers in the Big Ten will go head-to-head in a physical battle inside.
• Rutgers’ Late-Game Execution – The Scarlet Knights melted down at Michigan. If the game is close, can they close it out this time?

Who Has the Edge?

Purdue has regained momentum at the right time, and home-court advantage gives them a clear edge. The Boilermakers have been dominant at Mackey Arena and will be looking to build on their win over UCLA.

Rutgers has the talent to compete, but its inconsistencies and inability to finish games could make it difficult to pull off an upset.

Will Purdue continue climbing up the Big Ten standings, or can Rutgers play spoiler and steal a crucial road win? Tuesday’s matchup will set the stage for both teams’ postseason outlooks.