GAMEDAY INFORMATION -- GAME 23
[2] Purdue (20-2, 9-2) at [6] Wisconsin (16-5, 8-2)
Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024
1 p.m. ET | Madison, Wisconsin
Kohl Center (17,222)
TELEVISION: CBS (Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• The No. 2-ranked Purdue Boilermakers face one of their toughest road challenges of the season when it heads to Madison, Wisconsin, for a Sunday afternoon matinee with the No. 6-ranked Wisconsin Badgers. The contest marks Purdue's fifth game already this season against an AP top-10 ranked team, owning a 4-0 record so far this year.
• Purdue became the first team nationally to reach 20 victories with its 105-96 win over Northwestern on Wednesday night. The Boilermakers enter the weekend tied with Grand Canyon for the nation's lead with 20 wins. A year ago, Purdue was the first major-conference team to reach 20 wins (third overall behind Florida Atlantic and College of Charleston).
• Following its loss to Nebraska on Jan. 9, Purdue has averaged 89.7 points per game in its six straight wins, while shooting 51.1 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from 3-point range. Purdue's offensive efficiency in that span is 131.9 (131.9 points / 100 possessions). During that span, Zach Edey is averaging 27.5 points and 14.8 rebounds, while Lance Jones (17.0), Fletcher Loyer (11.8) and Braden Smith (10.2 PPG, 9.5 APG) are all averaging in double-figures. Jones and Loyer are a combined 32-of-69 (.464) from long range in that span.
• Purdue has won 20 games under Matt Painter in 14 of his 19 seasons with at least 25 wins in 10 of them. Purdue is looking for its third straight season of at least 29 victories.
• Purdue has won all six of its games during its current streak by at least eight points, the longest stretch of 8-point wins in Big Ten play since the 2010-11 season (7 straight). Purdue's six straight wins is tied for the 10th-longest steak in the nation and second among major-conference programs (UConn - 9). Purdue's three straight road wins are tied for the longest streak nationally among major-college teams (UConn).
• Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Purdue is 16-10 (.615) in Big Ten road games, the best record in the league in that span.
• In two of the last three games, Purdue averaged 1.46 points / possession (Michigan, Northwestern). The total ranks as the fourth-highest total in a game in school history.
• In 20 Purdue wins, opponents are averaging just 68.1 points per game and shooting 29.7 percent from long distance. In Purdue's two losses, opponents average 90.0 points and shoot 55.8 percent from 3-point range. Purdue is -9.50 in turnover margin per game in its two setbacks.
• Purdue ranks in the NCAA's top 20 in wins (1st), off. efficiency (1st), 3-point percentage (2nd), rebound margin (4th), assists per game (5th), scoring offense (10th), scoring margin (10th), assist / turnover ratio (14th), fewest fouls per game (15th), and defensive efficiency (17th).
• Purdue leads the country in quad-1 wins (7) and quad-1 and 2 wins combined (13). No one in the country has more than 11 Q-1 and Q-2 wins.
• Since the start of last season, Purdue is 49-8, the fifth-most wins nationally, while the eight losses are the second fewest behind Houston (6). The eight losses during that span have come by 1, 5, 6, 14, 8, 5, 4 (OT) and 16 points. Thirty-six of the 49 wins have come against teams ranked in the KenPom top-100, including 26 against teams ranked in the top-50.
• Purdue's schedule is currently the toughest in the country, ranking No. 1 in SOS by the NCAA NET team sheets, KenPom.com and ESPN. The Boilermakers have faced teams ranked No. 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, 26, 55 and 57 (2x) in NET, with additional games coming against 11 (2x), 12, 22 and 70.
• Purdue was voted No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll on Monday, for the third straight week. With its No. 2 ranking this week, Purdue has now been ranked in the top 5 of the AP poll for 29 straight weeks, the longest-active streak in America by 17 weeks (UConn - 12). It has been ranked in the top 3 in 23 of those 29 weeks. The 29 weeks of being ranked in the top 5 ties the longest streak by a Big Ten team in the last 45 years.
• Edey needs two blocked shots to become the third player in NCAA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 200 blocks and to shoot at least 60.0 percent from the field (Patrick Ewing, David Robinson).
• A win over Wisconsin would give Purdue a 10-2 Big Ten start for the fifth time under Matt Painter, including four times in the last seven seasons (2022-23, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2007-08).
• With nine games left in the regular-season, Purdue has five home games and four road games left on the schedule. After the game vs. Wisconsin, five of Purdue's last eight games will be in Mackey.
• Purdue is now 20-2 (or better) through 22 games for the second straight season and for the third time in the last seven seasons (also 2017-18 season). It marks the first time in school history that Purdue has been 20-2 or better in consecutive seasons.
• Purdue owns a nation's-best 13 wins over the NCAA NET top-100 teams. Purdue has five wins over teams ranked in the NET top 14.
• Over the last three seasons, Purdue owned a 59-6 (.908) record during the months of November, December and January, including a 41-3 (.932) mark over the last two seasons.
• Purdue is 17-0 this season when holding foes to 79 or fewer points. When opponents reach 80-plus points, Purdue is 3-2.
• Four teams have yet to lose a Big Ten home game -- Wisconsin (5-0), Nebraska (6-0), Northwestern (4-0) and Purdue (5-0). Purdue's two league road losses are to teams (Northwestern, Nebraska) that have yet to lose a Big Ten home game.
• A win over Wisconsin would give Purdue its third winning streak this season of at least seven games. Purdue has only done that once before in a season (1986-87).
• Matt Painter owns a 7-7 record against ranked Wisconsin teams, his best record against a ranked squad.
• Sunday's game marks the first top-6 matchup on the road for the Boilermakers since Feb. 10, 2018, against Michigan State. The No. 4-ranked Spartans knocked off No. 3 Purdue 68-65 on a last-second Myles Bridges 3-pointer.
• Purdue's last road win against a team ranked in the AP top 10 came Feb. 17, 2010 (60-57 vs. No. 9 Ohio State).
• The Boilermakers own four wins this season against teams ranked in the AP top 10, three of which have come away from Mackey Arena (Tennessee, Marquette, Arizona; Illinois - home).
• Purdue's schedule is ranked as the toughest nationally (via KenPom) and the Boilermakers have faced the nation's hardest collection of defenses, facing defenses ranked Nos. 2 (Tennessee), 6 (Maryland), 7 (Rutgers), 10 (Arizona) and 14 (Marquette).
• Zach Edey set the following school records against Northwestern: consecutive games scoring in double-figures (73) and double-doubles (54). If he reaches 10 points against Wisconsin, it will be his 100th career double-figure scoring game. E'Twaun Moore holds the record with 116.
• Zach Edey has drawn 721 fouls in career, including 195 this sesaon. He ranks first nationally in fouls drawn / 40 minutes this season (9.3). Kylen Milton of Arkansas Pine Bluff is second at 8.4 per game.
• Braden Smith surpassed 300 career assists in the win over Rutgers, now with 317 assists. He leads all sophomores (or younger) in career assists with 317. Coincidentally, second on the list in Colgate sophomore Braeden Smith (279).
• Based on a 38-game season, Braden Smith is on pace for 459 points, 206 rebounds and 283 assists. Since the 1947-48 season, only BYU's Kyle Collinsworth, UCLA's Lonzo Ball, Cal's Jason Kidd and Michigan State's Magic Johnson have had 450 points, 250 assists and 200 rebounds in a season.
THE SERIES WITH WISCONSIN
• Sunday's meeting in Madison marks the 187th meeting between the two schools with Purdue holding a 112-74 advantage. It is the first of two meetings this year as the Badgers visit Mackey Arena in the final game of the regular season on March 10.
• Purdue has won eight of the last 12 meetings with the Badgers, but Wisconsin has won three of the last five contests.
• The last five games have all been decided by five or fewer points and by a total of 18 points (3.6 points per game).
• The last two games in Madison have resulted in Big Ten regular-season championships for the victor. In 2022, Wisconsin clinched a share of the title on March 1, 2022, with a 70-67 win. A year ago, Purdue won the outright title with a 63-61 decison on March 2, 2023.
• This marks the second game in school history with both teams ranked in the top 10 (March 1, 2022).
[2] Purdue (20-2, 9-2) at [6] Wisconsin (16-5, 8-2)
Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024
1 p.m. ET | Madison, Wisconsin
Kohl Center (17,222)
TELEVISION: CBS (Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• The No. 2-ranked Purdue Boilermakers face one of their toughest road challenges of the season when it heads to Madison, Wisconsin, for a Sunday afternoon matinee with the No. 6-ranked Wisconsin Badgers. The contest marks Purdue's fifth game already this season against an AP top-10 ranked team, owning a 4-0 record so far this year.
• Purdue became the first team nationally to reach 20 victories with its 105-96 win over Northwestern on Wednesday night. The Boilermakers enter the weekend tied with Grand Canyon for the nation's lead with 20 wins. A year ago, Purdue was the first major-conference team to reach 20 wins (third overall behind Florida Atlantic and College of Charleston).
• Following its loss to Nebraska on Jan. 9, Purdue has averaged 89.7 points per game in its six straight wins, while shooting 51.1 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from 3-point range. Purdue's offensive efficiency in that span is 131.9 (131.9 points / 100 possessions). During that span, Zach Edey is averaging 27.5 points and 14.8 rebounds, while Lance Jones (17.0), Fletcher Loyer (11.8) and Braden Smith (10.2 PPG, 9.5 APG) are all averaging in double-figures. Jones and Loyer are a combined 32-of-69 (.464) from long range in that span.
• Purdue has won 20 games under Matt Painter in 14 of his 19 seasons with at least 25 wins in 10 of them. Purdue is looking for its third straight season of at least 29 victories.
• Purdue has won all six of its games during its current streak by at least eight points, the longest stretch of 8-point wins in Big Ten play since the 2010-11 season (7 straight). Purdue's six straight wins is tied for the 10th-longest steak in the nation and second among major-conference programs (UConn - 9). Purdue's three straight road wins are tied for the longest streak nationally among major-college teams (UConn).
• Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Purdue is 16-10 (.615) in Big Ten road games, the best record in the league in that span.
• In two of the last three games, Purdue averaged 1.46 points / possession (Michigan, Northwestern). The total ranks as the fourth-highest total in a game in school history.
• In 20 Purdue wins, opponents are averaging just 68.1 points per game and shooting 29.7 percent from long distance. In Purdue's two losses, opponents average 90.0 points and shoot 55.8 percent from 3-point range. Purdue is -9.50 in turnover margin per game in its two setbacks.
• Purdue ranks in the NCAA's top 20 in wins (1st), off. efficiency (1st), 3-point percentage (2nd), rebound margin (4th), assists per game (5th), scoring offense (10th), scoring margin (10th), assist / turnover ratio (14th), fewest fouls per game (15th), and defensive efficiency (17th).
• Purdue leads the country in quad-1 wins (7) and quad-1 and 2 wins combined (13). No one in the country has more than 11 Q-1 and Q-2 wins.
• Since the start of last season, Purdue is 49-8, the fifth-most wins nationally, while the eight losses are the second fewest behind Houston (6). The eight losses during that span have come by 1, 5, 6, 14, 8, 5, 4 (OT) and 16 points. Thirty-six of the 49 wins have come against teams ranked in the KenPom top-100, including 26 against teams ranked in the top-50.
• Purdue's schedule is currently the toughest in the country, ranking No. 1 in SOS by the NCAA NET team sheets, KenPom.com and ESPN. The Boilermakers have faced teams ranked No. 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, 26, 55 and 57 (2x) in NET, with additional games coming against 11 (2x), 12, 22 and 70.
• Purdue was voted No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll on Monday, for the third straight week. With its No. 2 ranking this week, Purdue has now been ranked in the top 5 of the AP poll for 29 straight weeks, the longest-active streak in America by 17 weeks (UConn - 12). It has been ranked in the top 3 in 23 of those 29 weeks. The 29 weeks of being ranked in the top 5 ties the longest streak by a Big Ten team in the last 45 years.
• Edey needs two blocked shots to become the third player in NCAA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 200 blocks and to shoot at least 60.0 percent from the field (Patrick Ewing, David Robinson).
• A win over Wisconsin would give Purdue a 10-2 Big Ten start for the fifth time under Matt Painter, including four times in the last seven seasons (2022-23, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2007-08).
• With nine games left in the regular-season, Purdue has five home games and four road games left on the schedule. After the game vs. Wisconsin, five of Purdue's last eight games will be in Mackey.
• Purdue is now 20-2 (or better) through 22 games for the second straight season and for the third time in the last seven seasons (also 2017-18 season). It marks the first time in school history that Purdue has been 20-2 or better in consecutive seasons.
• Purdue owns a nation's-best 13 wins over the NCAA NET top-100 teams. Purdue has five wins over teams ranked in the NET top 14.
• Over the last three seasons, Purdue owned a 59-6 (.908) record during the months of November, December and January, including a 41-3 (.932) mark over the last two seasons.
• Purdue is 17-0 this season when holding foes to 79 or fewer points. When opponents reach 80-plus points, Purdue is 3-2.
• Four teams have yet to lose a Big Ten home game -- Wisconsin (5-0), Nebraska (6-0), Northwestern (4-0) and Purdue (5-0). Purdue's two league road losses are to teams (Northwestern, Nebraska) that have yet to lose a Big Ten home game.
• A win over Wisconsin would give Purdue its third winning streak this season of at least seven games. Purdue has only done that once before in a season (1986-87).
• Matt Painter owns a 7-7 record against ranked Wisconsin teams, his best record against a ranked squad.
• Sunday's game marks the first top-6 matchup on the road for the Boilermakers since Feb. 10, 2018, against Michigan State. The No. 4-ranked Spartans knocked off No. 3 Purdue 68-65 on a last-second Myles Bridges 3-pointer.
• Purdue's last road win against a team ranked in the AP top 10 came Feb. 17, 2010 (60-57 vs. No. 9 Ohio State).
• The Boilermakers own four wins this season against teams ranked in the AP top 10, three of which have come away from Mackey Arena (Tennessee, Marquette, Arizona; Illinois - home).
• Purdue's schedule is ranked as the toughest nationally (via KenPom) and the Boilermakers have faced the nation's hardest collection of defenses, facing defenses ranked Nos. 2 (Tennessee), 6 (Maryland), 7 (Rutgers), 10 (Arizona) and 14 (Marquette).
• Zach Edey set the following school records against Northwestern: consecutive games scoring in double-figures (73) and double-doubles (54). If he reaches 10 points against Wisconsin, it will be his 100th career double-figure scoring game. E'Twaun Moore holds the record with 116.
• Zach Edey has drawn 721 fouls in career, including 195 this sesaon. He ranks first nationally in fouls drawn / 40 minutes this season (9.3). Kylen Milton of Arkansas Pine Bluff is second at 8.4 per game.
• Braden Smith surpassed 300 career assists in the win over Rutgers, now with 317 assists. He leads all sophomores (or younger) in career assists with 317. Coincidentally, second on the list in Colgate sophomore Braeden Smith (279).
• Based on a 38-game season, Braden Smith is on pace for 459 points, 206 rebounds and 283 assists. Since the 1947-48 season, only BYU's Kyle Collinsworth, UCLA's Lonzo Ball, Cal's Jason Kidd and Michigan State's Magic Johnson have had 450 points, 250 assists and 200 rebounds in a season.
THE SERIES WITH WISCONSIN
• Sunday's meeting in Madison marks the 187th meeting between the two schools with Purdue holding a 112-74 advantage. It is the first of two meetings this year as the Badgers visit Mackey Arena in the final game of the regular season on March 10.
• Purdue has won eight of the last 12 meetings with the Badgers, but Wisconsin has won three of the last five contests.
• The last five games have all been decided by five or fewer points and by a total of 18 points (3.6 points per game).
• The last two games in Madison have resulted in Big Ten regular-season championships for the victor. In 2022, Wisconsin clinched a share of the title on March 1, 2022, with a 70-67 win. A year ago, Purdue won the outright title with a 63-61 decison on March 2, 2023.
• This marks the second game in school history with both teams ranked in the top 10 (March 1, 2022).