The Hoosiers take on Purdue in Assembly Hall today in their fifteenth Big Ten game of the season.
Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET and will be aired on ESPN2.
TheHoosier.com has gathered previews and predictions for the game below.
1. Guarding the 3-point line -- Purdue ranks fourth in the Big Ten with a 3-point shooting percentage of 37.8. This game will get ugly quickly if the Hoosiers don't challenge shots and make quick close-outs on the perimeter.
2. Ballscreen defense -- The Boilermakers use a lot of ballscreen action to get looks for Edwards and the shooters they have on the floor. For an Indiana team that has played with such poor effort during its current skid, failing to fight through screens - especially early - would be a surefire way to cause another trademark slow start.
3. De'Ron Davis -- He played just four minutes and was still very much bothered by ankle soreness stemming from the Illinois game on Jan. 3. Now healthy, it will be interesting to see how much of a difference having Davis at full strength makes, especially when Purdue has a notable size advantage at the five.
Purdue easily won the first matchup between the two teams back on Jan. 19 in West Lafayette.
Despite shooting just 7-for-22 from behind the 3-point line, the Boilermakers rode a balanced scoring attack to a comfortable 70-55 victory.
Edwards was just 6-for-18 from the field, but dished out a game-high seven assists in 38 minutes. Sophomore Nojel Eastern was a difference maker as he posted a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds). And the inside duo of Matt Haarms and Trevion Williams combined for 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots while shooting 9-for-11 from the field.
Indiana, meanwhile, was a mess offensively. The Hoosiers couldn’t establish Romeo Langford, who finished with a season-low four points. The leading scorer in West Lafayette for IU was Justin Smith, who was 7-for-8 from the field for 15 points, but committed four turnovers.
Purdue split two games last week, but both came with major offensive concerns. Sometimes shots don't fall, but the second-half performance also testified to the Boilermakers' response after Maryland turned up the intensity. The 24 turnovers after Penn State utilized a conventional three quarters-court trap also seemed to indicate a lack of awareness. One of Purdue's greatest assets as the postseason nears is its offensive efficiency. It can't afford regression.
Predictions and Probabilities
TheHoosier.com Staff Predictions
Jon Sauber: Purdue 72, Indiana 57
Stu Jackson: Purdue 80, Indiana 70
KenPom
Purdue 73, Indiana 69 (65 percent chance of a Purdue win)
Thrill Score: 71.7 (No. 3 among Tuesday's games)
ESPN
Purdue 68.8 percent
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