Coach Tom Crean could be fired at Indiana this offseason if his Hoosiers, once a highly-ranked team, don’t make the NCAA Tournament. At 15-9 overall and 5-6 in the Big Ten, Indiana is squarely on the bubble as it faces rival and No. 16 Purdue on Thursday night. The Boilers are likely to be slight NCAAB odds favorites.
When: Thursday, Feb. 9, 7 PM ET
Where: Assembly Hall, Bloomington
TV: ESPN2
Stream: WatchESPN Radio: Purdue / Indiana
Opening NCAAB Lines: TBA
Only one team in America beat two AP top 25 teams last week: Purdue, which is why it jumped from No. 23 to No. 16 in the AP Top 25. On Saturday, the Boilers visited No. 17 Maryland and won 73-72. Caleb Swanigan scored 26 points for the Boilermakers (19-5, 8-3), who are off to their best start in the conference since 2010-11. They have won five of six, none bigger than that one, especially since Purdue trailed by 12 points in the second half.
The 12-point rally was the third rally of more than 12 points in the second half this year (Georgia State, Notre Dame, Maryland). It was Purdue’s largest second-half rally on the road since an 80-77 overtime win over Iowa on Feb. 1, 2003 (trailed 60-48; 11:22 2nd).
Swanigan recorded his 20th double-double of the season with 26 points and 10 rebounds with a career- high three steals. His 20 double-doubles are the third most for a Big Ten player in the last 20 years. Swanigan moved into sixth on the Purdue single-season rebounds list (306). For the season, Swanigan is averaging 19.1 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 54.7 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from 3-point range and 79.6 percent from the free throw line. He leads the nation in double-doubles and is second in rebounding. His 19.1 points per game (in all games) rank second in the league and 63rd nationally.
Purdue got its first road win over a ranked opponent since 2013. Purdue snapped an eight-game road losing streak against nationally-ranked teams. Purdue has now won four straight games against nationally-ranked teams for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
The Boilermakers came in with the second-best shooting percentage in Big Ten play, but they shot 38 percent and went 9 for 22 on 3-point attempts. But Maryland didn’t make a bucket over the final 7½ minutes.
The Indiana defense allowed Wisconsin to make just 19 field goals in the game, tied for the fewest allowed this season by the Hoosiers (Liberty on Nov. 19). It'[s also the fewest field goals made by Wisconsin this season. The Hoosiers outshot Wisconsin from the floor, connecting at a 42.9 clip compared to Wisconsin’s 39.6 percent. It’s the second time in Big Ten play this season that IU has held an opponent under 40 percent shooting (at Penn State).
The Hoosiers and Boilermakers are the two best offensive teams in the Big Ten, both teams averaging 82.2 and 82.0 points per game respectively. Purdue leads the Big Ten Conference in three-point field goal percentage (42.3-percent), Indiana third (38.8-percent).
With seven games to play, the Hoosiers need to go 4-3 the rest of the way to finish at least .500 in conference play. Indiana has two games remaining against Purdue and one against Northwestern, two teams that will both be in the tournament. OG Anunoby is out for the season with a knee injury. And fellow star James Blackmon Jr. has been out with a lower leg injury but may be back for this tilt. That would be huge for Indiana.
For once, the Boilermakers will come into Bloomington wanting to speed the Hoosiers up, and Indiana is much more suited to get up and down the court with Blackmon in the fold.
Purdue at Indiana Odds, Betting Pick & TV Info
When: Thursday, Feb. 9, 7 PM ET
Where: Assembly Hall, Bloomington
TV: ESPN2
Stream: WatchESPN Radio: Purdue / Indiana
Opening NCAAB Lines: TBA
Why Bet On Purdue?
In the latest Bracketology with Joe Lunardi from ESPN, Purdue is listed as a No. 5 seed in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament. Indiana, meanwhile, is listed as a No. 11 play-in seed in the South.Only one team in America beat two AP top 25 teams last week: Purdue, which is why it jumped from No. 23 to No. 16 in the AP Top 25. On Saturday, the Boilers visited No. 17 Maryland and won 73-72. Caleb Swanigan scored 26 points for the Boilermakers (19-5, 8-3), who are off to their best start in the conference since 2010-11. They have won five of six, none bigger than that one, especially since Purdue trailed by 12 points in the second half.
The 12-point rally was the third rally of more than 12 points in the second half this year (Georgia State, Notre Dame, Maryland). It was Purdue’s largest second-half rally on the road since an 80-77 overtime win over Iowa on Feb. 1, 2003 (trailed 60-48; 11:22 2nd).
Swanigan recorded his 20th double-double of the season with 26 points and 10 rebounds with a career- high three steals. His 20 double-doubles are the third most for a Big Ten player in the last 20 years. Swanigan moved into sixth on the Purdue single-season rebounds list (306). For the season, Swanigan is averaging 19.1 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 54.7 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from 3-point range and 79.6 percent from the free throw line. He leads the nation in double-doubles and is second in rebounding. His 19.1 points per game (in all games) rank second in the league and 63rd nationally.
Purdue got its first road win over a ranked opponent since 2013. Purdue snapped an eight-game road losing streak against nationally-ranked teams. Purdue has now won four straight games against nationally-ranked teams for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
The Boilermakers came in with the second-best shooting percentage in Big Ten play, but they shot 38 percent and went 9 for 22 on 3-point attempts. But Maryland didn’t make a bucket over the final 7½ minutes.
Why Bet On Indiana?
The Hoosiers lost 65-60 at No. 10 Wisconsin on Sunday. Josh Newkirk led the Hoosiers with a game-high 22 points, including 17 in the second half, while Thomas Bryant had 11 points and six rebounds for the Hoosiers. Robert Johnson totaled 11 points, six assists and two rebounds. In a tightly-contested second half, the Hoosiers never trailed by more than nine points, but the Badgers were able to stay at arms- length from IU.The Indiana defense allowed Wisconsin to make just 19 field goals in the game, tied for the fewest allowed this season by the Hoosiers (Liberty on Nov. 19). It'[s also the fewest field goals made by Wisconsin this season. The Hoosiers outshot Wisconsin from the floor, connecting at a 42.9 clip compared to Wisconsin’s 39.6 percent. It’s the second time in Big Ten play this season that IU has held an opponent under 40 percent shooting (at Penn State).
The Hoosiers and Boilermakers are the two best offensive teams in the Big Ten, both teams averaging 82.2 and 82.0 points per game respectively. Purdue leads the Big Ten Conference in three-point field goal percentage (42.3-percent), Indiana third (38.8-percent).
With seven games to play, the Hoosiers need to go 4-3 the rest of the way to finish at least .500 in conference play. Indiana has two games remaining against Purdue and one against Northwestern, two teams that will both be in the tournament. OG Anunoby is out for the season with a knee injury. And fellow star James Blackmon Jr. has been out with a lower leg injury but may be back for this tilt. That would be huge for Indiana.
For once, the Boilermakers will come into Bloomington wanting to speed the Hoosiers up, and Indiana is much more suited to get up and down the court with Blackmon in the fold.
