As the final buzzer sounded throughout Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, fans bombarded the hardwood in a massive scurry to be the first ones storming the court. Students from the Crimson Guard climbed over seats, crawling over one another. Cheers and screams filled the atmosphere. The Indiana logo at midcourt was swallowed by a sea of cream and crimson. It couldn’t have been a better day to be an Indiana Hoosier.
That was the scene the past two seasons in Bloomington. For the first time since 2012-2013 Indiana has knocked off its rival Purdue at home two consecutive times.
First, it was Rob Phinisee knocking down the game-winning bucket in 2021-22 to derail the fourth-ranked Boilermakers 68-65. Last season, Indiana defeated No. 1 Purdue to give the Hoosiers their first victory over a top-ranked program since beating Michigan in 2013.
“They want to beat us as badly as we want to beat them. It's been that way,” Woodson said in Monday’s press conference. “I think it's great for college basketball. They have their fan base, and we have our fan base. When you go there, it's the same way. When they come here, our fans are unbelievable. It doesn't matter who we put in, our fans have been great all these years, and that's not going to change.”
Now that brings us to this season. The Hoosiers are still looking for that signature victory while sitting at 12-5 and 4-2 in Big Ten play. Four quad-one teams with four quad-one losses signify a stain on Indiana’s tournament resume. If Mike Woodson and his Hoosiers want to make the tournament in March, this is the type of game his team needs to win.
How are our friends in West Lafayette faring this season anyway? Let’s take a look.
The Boilermakers are off to another tremendous start, sitting pretty at 15-2 while going undefeated in non conference play. Purdue has victories over 11th-ranked Gonzaga, ninth-ranked Illinois, seventh-ranked Tennessee, fourth-ranked Marquette, and No. 1 Arizona.
When it comes to quad-one wins, no other team in college basketball has more than Purdue.
Since their defeat at the hands of 16th seeded Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the Boilermakers have improved their game vastly. Still, Zach Edey is the cornerstone of their offense as the seven-footer continues his reign of dominance averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds a game. Edey holds an incredible 64% field goal shooting which puts him ninth in the country. It’s safe to say that Edey is defending his National Player of the Year award awfully well.
Compared to last season’s 31% clip, Purdue is shooting remarkably well from beyond the arc. With the guard tandem of Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith now coupled with Southern Illinois transfer Lance Jones, the Boilers are up to 39% shooting from deep, ninth nationally.
“They've got some guys on the perimeter that make some shots for them,” Woodson said in Monday’s press conference. “That's the key to any team. You make shots in life, you look good. Life is great if you can make them.”
After suffering their second loss of the season at the hands of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Purdue bounced back with a victory over Penn State back in Mackey Arena 95-78. The Boilermakers have scored 90-plus six times this season pulling their average up to 85 points per game. This high-powered Boilermaker offense now looks ahead in hopes of beating Indiana on the road for the first time in the Mike Woodson era.
A white-out in Assembly Hall Tuesday night waits in anticipation for perhaps the biggest game of the season. After a chaotic week in college hoops with eight of the 10 top AP teams losing, the Boilermakers fell just one spot to No. 2.
The Hoosiers are entering one of their toughest stretches of games. After playing host to Purdue on Tuesday, Indiana travels to both Wisconsin and Illinois on Friday and next Saturday, respectively. The Badgers and Illini are ranked inside the top 15 in KenPom and hold some of the best offenses in the country, both ranked in the top 10.
With how vastly different this Hoosier team is at home versus on the road, it’s hard to tell what kind of stretch this will be for Indiana. One thing is for certain, the Hoosiers will need everything they can muster if they want to defeat the black and gold.
Fans, make sure to bundle up one your way to Assembly Hall on Tuesday night as the temperature drops in the single digits by tip-off. Grab your white jacket, scarf, gloves, hat, anything you have to keep warm and be involved in one of the greatest atmospheres in college athletics.
“You can't ask for bigger games than this,” Woodson said in Monday’s press conference. “Like I said, this is what fans like to see. It's good for college basketball. We'll just see what happens tomorrow night.”
Black and Gold, Cream and Crimson. Mackey Arena and Assembly Hall. Crimson Guard and Paint Crew. Matt Painter and Mike Woodson. It’s time for Indiana and Purdue.
Get your popcorn ladies and gentleman, this is one of the greatest rivalries in college basketball.
