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Purdue Basketball: Why the Boilermakers will win the Big Ten

By Jason Burgess

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - FEBRUARY 03: Trevion Williams #50 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts during the second half of the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Mackey Arena on February 3, 2019 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - FEBRUARY 03: Trevion Williams #50 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts during the second half of the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Mackey Arena on February 3, 2019 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – JANUARY 23: Head Coach Matt Painter of the Purdue Boilermakers talks with his players during a timeout in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 23, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – JANUARY 23: Head Coach Matt Painter of the Purdue Boilermakers talks with his players during a timeout in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 23, 2019 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

3. The Boilermakers have an easy schedule to end the season

Probably the biggest reason Purdue will win the Big Ten regular-season championship is their remaining schedule. As of this writing, both Michigan and Michigan State have four games remaining on their schedules, and two of those games are against each other. On Sunday, the Spartans travel to Ann Arbor and the Wolverines make the return trip to East Lansing for the season finale on March 9th. Before that last tilt, Michigan has a home game against Nebraska and then travel to Maryland on March 3rd.

The Spartans have the advantage over Michigan schedule-wise. Besides the home-and-home with the Wolverines, they go to Bloomington to face Indiana on March 2nd and host the same Nebraska team on March 5th. It’s that home-and-home series with the Michigan teams, though, that will give Purdue the chance it needs.

Next. Complete Bubble Watch. dark

The Boilermakers have the easiest schedule of the three contenders by a wide margin. They have five games remaining on their schedule and that begins with a game this Saturday at Nebraska followed by a two-game homestand against Illinois and Ohio State. They finish with two games on the road against Minnesota and Northwestern. It is that five-game stretch that will help propel the Boilermakers to the top of the Big Ten and the top seed in the conference tournament.

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