3. Purdue (17-1)
When Matt Painter’s crew lost by 23 points to Iowa State at home there was a lot of frustration but none of that has boiled over. The Boilermakers have spent nearly every moment of this season not just making up for that mistake but looking like one of the nation’s best teams yet again. This is something of a different team from that squad that made the title game in 2024 but Braden Smith and company are hungry for more success.
The Boilermakers handled business on Wednesday with an impressive 79-72 win over Iowa, further sinking the Hawkeyes. Smith was impressive with 16 points and 8 assists in what’s become an average performance for him. Purdue then headed west and handled themselves again, surviving late for a 69-64 win at USC. Smith starred with 22 points while Oscar Cluff put up 19 points.
Very few will complain about a 7-0 start in a league like the Big Ten. The work has been really solid from the Boilermakers, who’ve gotten the job done away from home in impressive fashion time after time this season. There’s no shortage of challenges ahead but you could argue that Purdue boasts one of the most experienced and talented starting lineups in the nation. They’re off to UCLA for Tuesday action before an important home date with Illinois.