The clash on Saturday afternoon between Indiana and Purdue should have it all.
A rivalry game. NCAA Tournament bids on the line. Special guests?
With the buzz surrounding this game, it should be peak-Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall conditions in Bloomington.
The support in the building will be as good as it gets for IU, and the Hoosiers will gladly welcome it.
Indiana is looking to snap a five game losing streak to Purdue including three straight losses at home in the series. Head coach Archie Miller is looking for his first win against the Boilermakers, and IU is looking to avoid a four game losing streak on the season.
The lights will be bright and the stakes high as IU and Purdue get set to meet for the 210th time.
GAME DAY ESSENTIALS
Purdue (13-10, 6-6) at Indiana (15-7, 5-6)
- Tip time: Saturday / 2 p.m. ET
- Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Ind.
- Television: ESPN (Stream)
- Series: Purdue leads 120-89 (Last meeting: Purdue won 48-46 in 2019 at Indiana)
- Point Spread: Vegas has Indiana by 1 point. KenPom likes Indiana by 1 point.
- Tickets (Seat Geek affiliate link)
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Purdue Statistical Leaders
POINTS
- Trevion Williams (F) 11.2 ppg
- Eric Hunter, Jr. (G) 10.3 ppg
REBOUNDS
- Trevion Williams (F) 7.4 rpg
- Matt Haarms (C) 4.8 rpg
ASSISTS
- Eric Hunter, Jr. (G) 3.0 apg
- Nojel Eastern (G) 2.6 apg
STEALS
- Nojel Eastern (G) 1.2 spg
BLOCKS
- Matt Haarms (C) 2.0 bpg
A look at KenPom No. 17 Purdue’s noteworthy advanced metrics:
Turning teams over. Purdue is the best in the league in Big Ten games forcing turnovers on 20.1 percent of possessions. The Boilermakers have four players in the top-500 nationally in steal percentage, with Nojel Eastern leading the way. Indiana has averaged just 7 turnovers per game in its last two home contests.
Not drawing fouls. In all games, Purdue is No. 338 in the country when it comes to free throw attempts as a percentage of field goal attempts. In Big Ten games the Boilermakers are worse, coming in last in the league. Only 12.2 percent of Purdue’s points have come from the stripe in conference games, another league low.
Long possessions on both ends. In Big Ten games Purdue has had the third longest possessions on offense and is forcing the longest possessions on the defensive end. Collectively, it is the slowest tempo in the league. These teams played to a 48-46 final last year in Bloomington. First team to 50 wins?
Crashing the boards. Purdue has overtaken Indiana as the best offensive rebounding team in the league. The Boilers claim 34 percent of their own misses. A poor showing at Ohio State has dropped IU to No. 4 in Big Ten games with a 32.4 percent offensive rebounding rate. If one team is able to build up a sizable margin on the offensive glass it could end up being the story of the game.
See also:
Purdue game carries the dreaded must-win label
Miller | Green | Brunk preview Purdue
Indiana to honor 1979-80 team at halftime
Archie Miller chose No. 11 because of Isiah Thomas
Dick Vitale optimistic Knight will be at Saturday’s game
BRUNK EXCITED FOR FIRST INDIANA VS. PURDUE GAME
Indiana redshirt junior Joey Brunk grew up in Indianapolis, and he was an IU fan.
No one needs to tell Brunk that Saturday’s game has added significance.
“Growing up watching Big Ten games but especially the IU-Purdue game always carries a little more weight,” Brunk said on Friday.
As a kid in a basketball crazed state, Hoosiers vs. Boilermakers was must see television in the Brunk household.
“I remember watching it growing up, and you always made sure you got home in time from practice to be able to watch,” Brunk added.
Brunk will have his hands full all day dealing with Purdue big men Matt Haarms and Trevion Williams. But even with that daunting task in front of him, the 6-foot-11 Brunk knows that this is one of those moments that he will cherish forever.
“It’s really, really special to get the chance to play in it,” Brunk said. “I know it’s going to be one of those that you’re happy that you got to say you were a part of when you look back down the road.”
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