Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball power rankings: Trying to make sense of 12 good teams

By Austin Walther

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - JANUARY 23: Tom Izzo the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans gives instructions to Rocket Watts #2 against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 23, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - JANUARY 23: Tom Izzo the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans gives instructions to Rocket Watts #2 against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 23, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – JANUARY 18: Nojel Eastern #20 of the Purdue Boilermakers (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – JANUARY 18: Nojel Eastern #20 of the Purdue Boilermakers (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

10. Purdue Boilermakers 11-10 (4-6)

If we just took into consideration games played at Mackey, Purdue would be Number two behind Illinois. That’s because the Illini is the only team to beat the Boilermakers in West Lafayette. Purdue has wins over Northwestern, Minnesota, Michigan State and Wisconsin at their home gym. Purdue is a completely different team on the road. They have just one true road game overall and that was to Ohio.

It’s been rough on the road for Purdue. They put up 37 at Illinois. The Boilermakers lost a double-overtime game to Michigan and failed to score 60 at Nebraska and Maryland. Purdue forced 18 turnovers when Michigan State visited Mackey. Nine came from Winston. Trevion Williams is All-Big Ten worthy at home where he put in 16 and grabbed seven boards vs. the Spartans. Williams shot four-for-ten at Maryland in the next game. The entire team shot under 40 percent.

Purdue might as well just say Illinois has their number. The Illini put up 79 at Mackey. Then they hosted Wisconsin and totally blew them out of the water. It was an 18-point game at halftime. Their defense was one of the best I’ve seen all season in a single game. Everyone got into the mix vs. Wisconsin. Evan Boudreaux recorded a double-double. Isaiah Thompson led the game with 14 points. Purdue couldn’t get it done at Rutgers. Williams had his usual 17 points and 13 boards while Jahaad Procter was the one to go off for 19 points. No one else was able to help Purdue get a road win.

It seems like a different guy in each win for Purdue. Williams and Matt Haarms will do their thing in the middle, but their guard play is pretty underrated. Three guys have hit more than 20 three-pointers this season with Sasha Stefanovic leading the way with 43. The lack of a true point guard is really what’s hurting the Boilermakers the most, but each guy has had his night for a good game this season.

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