GAMEDAY INFORMATION -- GAME 15
[20] Purdue (10-4, 2-1) vs. Northwestern (10-4, 1-2)
Sunday, January 5, 2025
2 p.m. ET | West Lafayette, Indiana
Mackey Arena (14,876 - SOLD OUT)
TELEVISION: BTN (Dave Revsine, Stephen Bardo)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• Purdue resumes its home portion of Big Ten play on Sunday when a strong Northwestern squad visits Mackey Arena for a 2 p.m. ET, tipoff. The Boilermakers are looking to start Big Ten play with a 3-1 record for the third straight year, while shooting for their 25th straight win in Mackey Arena, currently the third-longest streak in school history.
• Since the 2012-13 season (12 seasons), Purdue has started 3-1 or better in Big Ten play just four times (2017, 2018, 2023, 2024). The Boilermakers have started 2-2 in 11 of Matt Painter's 19 previous years at Purdue.
• Purdue has won 12 straight games against Big Ten opponents in Mackey Arena. None of the games were decided by a single possession.
• Since the start of the 2022-23 season, Purdue owns a 17-2 record in the month of January.
• Purdue ended the 2024 calendar year with a 31-8 overall record, and an 18-4 record against Big Ten opposition.
• In 10 wins, Purdue averages 9.2 turnovers per game, while forcing 10.9. In the four losses, it averages 16.8 turnovers, while forcing 12.2.
• Purdue has just 11 turnovers over the last two games. Purdue averaged 12.3 turnovers per game in the first 12 games of the season. In the last two games, Purdue has 43 assists against just 11 turnovers. It has also forced 22 turnovers in that span.
• Matt Painter won his 228th Big Ten game on Thursday against Minnesota, moving into a fourth-place tie with Ward "Piggy" Lambert on the league's wins list in conference games. Bob Knight (355), Tom Izzo (345) and Gene Keady (265) are the only coaches ahead of Painter.
• In the last four years, Purdue has defeated teams ranked No. 1 (Arizona), No. 2 (Alabama), No. 4 (Marquette), No. 5 (Villanova), No. 6 (Wisconsin, Tennessee, Gonzaga), No. 7 (Tennessee), No. 8 (Duke) and No. 9 (Illinois). All but Alabama and Illinois came away from Mackey Arena.
• Purdue is now 102-23 since the start of the 2021-22 season, recording the second-most wins in the country (Houston – 106; Connecticut - 102) during that span. The senior class of Caleb Furst (only senior) became the seventh class in school history with 100 career victories.
• Purdue's trio of Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith have combined for 135 of Purdue's 164 points in the last two games. The trio has gone 51-of-98 (.520) from the field and 19-38 (.500) from 3-point range.
• The starting backcourt of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are 73-15 since their arrival at Purdue, starting every game of their tenure. The duo has combined for 2,004 points, 609 rebounds and 756 assists during their careers, shooting 284-of-703 from deep (.404).
• Braden Smith is averaging 27.0 points and 11.0 assists per game over the last two games, accounting for 22 assists against just two turnovers. He has also made at least five 3-pointers in four of the last five games, going 23-of-49 (.469) from deep in the last five games.
• Braden Smith is the only player in America to have at least 200 points, 100 assists and 50 rebounds. He is on pace to become the first player nationally since 2015-16 (and second Big Ten player ever -- Magic Johnson) to average 13 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in a season.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn is one of two players nationally (Auburn's Johni Broome) to average 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and shoot at least 55 percent from the field. He has scored in double-figures in all 14 games this season and ranks seventh in the Big Ten in scoring.
• Fletcher Loyer leads the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (min. 2 3PM / game) at 49.2 percent (29-of-59). Over his last 25 games dating to last season, Loyer is 48-of-92 (.522) from 3-point range, including 8-of-13 (.615) over the last two games.
• Purdue now has the nation's second-best home winning percentage since the start of the 2021-22 season (53-3; .946). Houston is 56-3.
• Purdue, Duke, Gonzaga and Houston are the only programs in America to have made at least a Sweet 16, Elite 8 and Final Four during their last five NCAA Tournament appearances. Purdue reached the Sweet 16 in 2022, the Elite 8 in 2019 and the Final Four in 2024.
[20] Purdue (10-4, 2-1) vs. Northwestern (10-4, 1-2)
Sunday, January 5, 2025
2 p.m. ET | West Lafayette, Indiana
Mackey Arena (14,876 - SOLD OUT)
TELEVISION: BTN (Dave Revsine, Stephen Bardo)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• Purdue resumes its home portion of Big Ten play on Sunday when a strong Northwestern squad visits Mackey Arena for a 2 p.m. ET, tipoff. The Boilermakers are looking to start Big Ten play with a 3-1 record for the third straight year, while shooting for their 25th straight win in Mackey Arena, currently the third-longest streak in school history.
• Since the 2012-13 season (12 seasons), Purdue has started 3-1 or better in Big Ten play just four times (2017, 2018, 2023, 2024). The Boilermakers have started 2-2 in 11 of Matt Painter's 19 previous years at Purdue.
• Purdue has won 12 straight games against Big Ten opponents in Mackey Arena. None of the games were decided by a single possession.
• Since the start of the 2022-23 season, Purdue owns a 17-2 record in the month of January.
• Purdue ended the 2024 calendar year with a 31-8 overall record, and an 18-4 record against Big Ten opposition.
• In 10 wins, Purdue averages 9.2 turnovers per game, while forcing 10.9. In the four losses, it averages 16.8 turnovers, while forcing 12.2.
• Purdue has just 11 turnovers over the last two games. Purdue averaged 12.3 turnovers per game in the first 12 games of the season. In the last two games, Purdue has 43 assists against just 11 turnovers. It has also forced 22 turnovers in that span.
• Matt Painter won his 228th Big Ten game on Thursday against Minnesota, moving into a fourth-place tie with Ward "Piggy" Lambert on the league's wins list in conference games. Bob Knight (355), Tom Izzo (345) and Gene Keady (265) are the only coaches ahead of Painter.
• In the last four years, Purdue has defeated teams ranked No. 1 (Arizona), No. 2 (Alabama), No. 4 (Marquette), No. 5 (Villanova), No. 6 (Wisconsin, Tennessee, Gonzaga), No. 7 (Tennessee), No. 8 (Duke) and No. 9 (Illinois). All but Alabama and Illinois came away from Mackey Arena.
• Purdue is now 102-23 since the start of the 2021-22 season, recording the second-most wins in the country (Houston – 106; Connecticut - 102) during that span. The senior class of Caleb Furst (only senior) became the seventh class in school history with 100 career victories.
• Purdue's trio of Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith have combined for 135 of Purdue's 164 points in the last two games. The trio has gone 51-of-98 (.520) from the field and 19-38 (.500) from 3-point range.
• The starting backcourt of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are 73-15 since their arrival at Purdue, starting every game of their tenure. The duo has combined for 2,004 points, 609 rebounds and 756 assists during their careers, shooting 284-of-703 from deep (.404).
• Braden Smith is averaging 27.0 points and 11.0 assists per game over the last two games, accounting for 22 assists against just two turnovers. He has also made at least five 3-pointers in four of the last five games, going 23-of-49 (.469) from deep in the last five games.
• Braden Smith is the only player in America to have at least 200 points, 100 assists and 50 rebounds. He is on pace to become the first player nationally since 2015-16 (and second Big Ten player ever -- Magic Johnson) to average 13 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in a season.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn is one of two players nationally (Auburn's Johni Broome) to average 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and shoot at least 55 percent from the field. He has scored in double-figures in all 14 games this season and ranks seventh in the Big Ten in scoring.
• Fletcher Loyer leads the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (min. 2 3PM / game) at 49.2 percent (29-of-59). Over his last 25 games dating to last season, Loyer is 48-of-92 (.522) from 3-point range, including 8-of-13 (.615) over the last two games.
• Purdue now has the nation's second-best home winning percentage since the start of the 2021-22 season (53-3; .946). Houston is 56-3.
• Purdue, Duke, Gonzaga and Houston are the only programs in America to have made at least a Sweet 16, Elite 8 and Final Four during their last five NCAA Tournament appearances. Purdue reached the Sweet 16 in 2022, the Elite 8 in 2019 and the Final Four in 2024.