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Published Feb 22, 2025
Game Preview: Indiana vs No. 13 Purdue — notes, storylines, TV
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Josh Pos  •  TheHoosier
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Indiana basketball plays the second of three consecutive contests at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, as the Hoosiers play host to rival Purdue.

The Hoosiers (15-11 overall, 6-9 in Big Ten play) have had a week off after a heartbreaking 72-68 home loss to UCLA last Friday. The Boilermakers (19-8 overall, 11-5 in Big Ten play) are fresh off its third straight defeat, a 75-66 at Michigan State.

Before the rivalry matchup on Sunday afternoon, preview the contest between Indiana and Purdue.

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HEAD COACH PROFILE

Head Coach: Matt Painter

Record: 491-216 in 21st year overall, 466-211 in 20th year at Purdue

Matt Painter has taken Purdue to new heights during his two decades with the program. Since the 2006-07 season, Painter's second year in charge, Purdue leads all Big Ten teams in conference wins (234) and ranks second in NCAA Tournament appearances (15).

Painter, a five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year honoree, is one of six coaches in the country to average at least 25 wins over the last nine seasons and he's one of just four to tally at least 250 wins over the last decade. During his time at the helm of the Boilermakers, Painter is 22-12 against the Hoosiers.

After graduating from Purdue in 1993, Painter got his coaching start at Washington and Jefferson at the Division III level as an assistant coach. From there, he spent time as an assistant at Barton College, Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois.

With the Salukis is also where he got his start as a head coach, leading the Southern Illinois program from 2003-04 before being name an associate head coach at Purdue.

Painter spent just one season in that role with the Boilermakers before he was hired as the head coach at Purdue in 2006—a position he has held ever since.

THIS SEASON

The Boilermakers began the season strong, winning their first four games of the season, including an impressive victory over No. 4 Alabama at home.

Purdue fell short in its first road test of the season, a trip to Milwaukee to to take on No. 9 Marquette. Purdue felly by 18 points in that contest before rattling off three straight wins, including a two-point win at home over No. 23 Ole Miss.

Following a rough December by program standards, Purdue rattled off an impressive stretch of play, winning eight of its nine games in January to put itself in position to compete for a third-straight Big Ten title.

February, however, hasn't been as kind to the Boilermakers. Purdue has lost its last three games, dropping all three to top-20 teams in the country (at no. 20 Michigan, vs. no. 16 Wisconsin, at no. 14 Michigan State).

As a team, Purdue is averaging 78.2 points per game this season. The Boilermakers are shooting 49.4% from the field and 37.7% from 3-point range—which ranks second in the Big Ten. Purdue averages 16.6 assists to just 10.6 turnovers per game on the year.

Defensively, Purdue is surrendering 70 points per game. The Boilermakers are holding their opponents to 4490% shooting from the field and 30.8% shooting from 3-point range this year.

Purdue is the No. 14 team in the country, according to KenPom. The Boilermakers possess the nation's 10th-ranked offense and 44th-ranked defense. Purdue ranks No. 16 in the NET with a 6-7 record in Quad 1 games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

- Guard Braden Smith: Smith has established himself not only as perhaps the best point guard in the Big Ten, but as one of the best players in the entire country. Smith is averaging 16.1 points, a Big Ten-leading 8.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game this season, boasting an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.1. The former Westfield High School standout has shot the ball at an impressive 44.9% clip from the field and a 38.3% clip from downtown this season. Smith currently ranks fourth in KenPom's National Player of the Year rankings.

- Forward Trey Kaufman-Renn: One of the nations most improved bigs, Kaufman-Renn is the Boilermakers' leading scorer on the season. The 6-foot-9 and 230-pound forward is averaging 19.6 points and a team-best 6.2 rebounds a game while shooting 61.2% from the floor. The Sellersburg, Indiana native remains the only player in the country averaging 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game while shooting at least 58.0% from the floor.

- Guard Fletcher Loyer: Loyer, a 6-foot-5 off-ball guard and high school teammates of Indiana's Luke Goode at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, is the third and final member of Purdue's three-headed attack. The sharp-shooting guard is averaging 13.7 points per game this season while shooting 45.8% from beyond the 3-point arc, making a pair of threes a night.

STORYLINES TO WATCH

Can Woodson finish .500 vs Purdue...

Unlike his predecessor, Mike Woodson has been relatively good against the Boilermakers, sitting at a 3-4 record entering his final regular season tilt with Purdue. With a win on Sunday, Woodson would become the first Indiana coach since Kelvin Sampson to not finish with a losing record against the Hoosiers' rivals to the north. Will the players be able to win one last rivalry game for their coach?

Just how important is this game for Indiana...

Sunday afternoon's tilt between Indiana and Purdue will have high stakes for both sides. Purdue will be trying to keep its Big Ten title hopes alive while Indiana is hoping for a resumé-boosting victory, sitting on the wrong side of the bubble. There aren't many opportunities left for Indiana to further its case for the NCAA tournament, so a home win against a top-20 team in the country could go a long way for its tournament aspirations.

Will Indiana be able to contain Kaufman-Renn and Smith...

When Indiana and Purdue met on the final day of January in West Lafayette, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith had marvelous stat lines, combining for 47 points, 8 assists, and 8 steals. Indiana had no answer for two of the Big Ten's best players as the tandem made a combined 21 shots on 34 attempts. Malik Reneau will be much healthier this time around, giving Indiana a better matchup with Kaufman-Renn. Indiana must be stout defensively, limiting Smith's ability to drive and kick.

QUICK HITTERS

Who: Indiana (15-11, 6-9) at no. 13 Purdue (19-8, 11-5)

Series History: Purdue leads all-time series 128-92 (Last Meeting: Purdue won 81-76 on Feb. 10, 2024 in West Lafayette, Indiana

When: Feb. 23, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. ET

Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana

TV: CBS: Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), Steve Lappas (analyst)

Radio: IU Radio Network: Don Fischer (Play-by-Play), Errek Suhr (Analyst), John Herrick

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