Indiana basketball will host in-state rival Purdue in their most crucial game. Read more for a full Indiana vs Purdue prediction and preview.
The 221st face-off between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Purdue Boilermakers is set to take place in Bloomington at Simon Skodjt Assembly Hall. Purdue is currently winning the series 128-92. The two teams faced off earlier this season on Jan. 31. The game ended with a final score of 81-76. The game was certainly a nail-biter, especially considering that Purdue was favored by 12.5 points.
Game Information:
Teams: Indiana (15-11, 6-9) and Purdue (19-8, 11-5)
Tip-Off: 1:30 p.m. EST
Watch: FOX
Listen: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
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To put it plainly, the Hoosiers have continued to disappoint fans in multiple close-game situations. If they capitalized on their final minutes on the court, the Hoosiers could easily have solid conference and overall records. The win against Michigan State on Feb. 11 was just what the Hoosiers needed to save their season. However, they couldn’t carry this momentum over to their next game against UCLA. They fell short yet again with a final score of 72-68.
This season, the Hoosiers have had five games with a single-digit margin of victory—many of which could have been determined by only a basket. They have also found themselves in situations where their poor first-half starts ultimately led to their demise at the end of the game. This is what happened in the last game against the Bruins. Indiana only shot 32.1% from the field in the first half, going 9-28. They only found success outside the arc with 2 of their 13 three-point attempts before the half.
On a positive note, three players hit double digits: Luke Goode (16 points), Malik Reneau (14 points), and Mackenzie Mgbako (14 points). The starters against the Bruins included Mgbako, Goode, Oumar Ballo, Anthony Leal, and Trey Galloway.
This season, Ballo is leading the team in points with an average of 13.5 per game and rebounds, averaging 9.4. Mgbako is following close behind in average points with 13.0.
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The Boilermakers are coming from a crushing 75-66 loss to No. 14 Michigan State. As Purdue was No. 13, this loss is undoubtedly excruciating. Without 7’4” Zach Edey playing for the Boilermakers, they have a more challenging time protecting the rim. Michigan State used this to their advantage and drove straight to the basket. This was also good for the Spartans, as they are known as a team without three-point shooters. Purdue also gave up 12 turnovers, giving Michigan State 19 points.
After teetering towards the top of the Big Ten for weeks, the Boilermakers have not found themselves in a three-game losing streak. Even so, they don’t have much to worry about in terms of the NCAA Tournament. According to ESPN, they are projected to be a 3 seed in the tourney.
When looking at individual players, Braden Smith is very close to making history at Purdue. He is eight assists from topping the all-time record in program history. From 1972-1977, Bruce Parkinson set the current record of 690 total assists. Surely, Smith will have some extra momentum to break this record on Friday, considering that it is in their rivals’ area. With an average of 8.8 assists per game, Smith has a pretty solid shot of doing so.
Assembly Hall will be packed and loud on Friday afternoon. The Boilermakers had better prepare, as the Hoosiers are hungry for revenge after their narrow loss a few weeks ago in West Lafayette.