Purdue Basketball: Why Boilermakers have been better than Indiana since 2000

Numbers prove that these last two decades belong to Purdue

I know this is not going to sit well with my Hoosier brethren. That’s okay. Truth is truth, whether we like it or not. Purdue has been the superior team for two decades now, and I don’t think there is any subjective proof to argue otherwise. I think it is time we Indiana accept it. (I think I just threw up in my mouth.)

Does that mean that it will stay that way from now on? I hope not. Big Ten fans should hope not. Heck, even Purdue fans should hope not. Because the Big Ten is better off when Indiana and Purdue are both good, and their rivalry is going full force. There is nothing in the Big Ten that is quite like a matchup at Mackey between a ranked Indiana team and a ranked Purdue team. Except for the same kind of matchup in Bloomington. It is the Big Ten’s premier rivalry, or at least it used to be, and it needs to be again.

Will Indiana, under new coach, Mike Woodson, be good enough to make the rivalry interesting again next season? I think so. I anticipate that the Hoosiers will be much improved next season. I really do. However, Coach Painter and his Boilermakers might be scary good in 2021-2022, with the talent they have incoming and returning. It will be interesting to see if the Hoosiers can make things interesting again.

I know one thing for sure though, these first two decades of the 21st century have belonged to the Boilermakers, regardless of how much I dislike saying it. Kudos, Purdue, I tip my hat to you. You have turned the table on us. I must admit, I admire what you’ve done. But I haven’t given up hope.