Game Preview and How to Watch | #21 Michigan at #11 Purdue

It was a rough start to the week for #11 Purdue 15-5 (7-2) who started a three game home stand after securing two wins on its west coast trip to push its win streak to 7 games.

For the second time in two seasons, Ohio State knocked off Purdue, this time doing it inside of Mackey Arena when the Buckeyes came back from a double-digit first half deficit to defeat the Boilers 73-70.

It was Purdue’s first loss of the 2025 year and just its second loss in conference play. That separated Purdue another game from the undefeated in conference play Michigan State Spartans.

It also moved Purdue out of second place in the Big Ten, a spot that now #21 Michigan resides in on its own.

Just so happens, now Michigan will come to Mackey on Friday where more will be on the line than just conference standings.

Purdue, with its loss in Mackey on Tuesday, puts the first losing streak at Mackey Arena in five years on the table as it hosts a dangerous and unique Wolverines team.

The last time Purdue lost back to back games in Mackey Arena was 2020. The team to give it its second loss then – Michigan.

Purdue went undefeated at home last season on its way to winning its second straight conference title, and now will face a top-25 Michigan team in a must-win game if its going to win its third straight Big Ten Title.

Both Purdue and Michigan have run into the heart of its schedule. Michigan has played 5 games in the last 15 days and it could help explain its recent struggles.

Purdue has played 7 games in the last 19 days.

That might help explain both Purdue’s last loss against Ohio State and Michigan’s first loss in Big Ten play, a bizarre, overtime loss to a previously winless in the Big Ten Minnesota team on a last second half court shot from Dawson Garcia on the road.

In its last game, Michigan had to go into overtime to take down Northwestern, 80-76.

As good as Michigan’s record has been and Dusty May’s first season in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines are still looking for its first signature win. (Michigan did take down Wisconsin on the road early in the conference schedule.)

But Purdue would be Michigan’s first top-20 win according to Kenpom.

That said, Michigan has had one of the most impressive collections of wins on the road in the conference with wins over Wisconsin, USC, and UCLA on the road.

If Michigan loses, both Purdue and Michigan will be just two games behind Michigan State at the top of the Big Ten. If Michigan wins, Purdue will join Illinois and Wisconsin with three losses in the conference and keep the Michigan teams separated from the rest of the Big Ten.

Michigan is a unique team in college basketball, relying on two seven-footers, including a seven-foot ball handling Danny Wolf that is averaging 12.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists a game.

Michigan’s other seven footer, Vladislav Goldin, has led Michigan in scoring at 16.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and nearly two blocks a game.

The unique blend of skills – both are capable shooters from the perimeter – allow Michigan to invert their offense and take advantage of loading up the perimeter with shooters while letting its big men put teams in uncomfortable situations where its bigs have to defend pick and roll action while guards are relied upon to help drives and rolls.

It has meant that Michigan has one of the most well balanced offesnes in the country. Five players for Michigan average in double-digits including familiar face and Ohio State transfer, Roddy Gayle Jr., who hasn’t shot the ball well from distance but has a track record of playing well against Purdue.

Michigan’s offense is no joke. Purdue’s defense has been playing the best it has all season, but it struggled to contain Ohio State’s shooters in the second half on Tuesday night. Now it will have to take on Kenpom’s 11th best rated offense, one that has the 21st best effective field goal percentage in the country.

Michigan is shooting the three at a 38% clip from three, good for top twenty in the country. That’s a concern for a Purdue team that just gave up 11 of 23 shooting to the Buckeyes.

Maybe more concerning is that Michigan’s offense is shooting over 60% from inside the arc. When Purdue has struggled this season against offenses, its when they get inside on them and break down the defense from the paint. Michigan, with Wolf orchestrating, and shooters everywhere, can wreak havoc on team’s interior defense. Purdue doesn’t have a natural shot blocker or a traditional big that can bang with Goldin down load.

But Purdue has been able to turn people over. It’s forced at least 13 turnovers in every game in 2025. Wolf has been a high turnover player, and if Purdue is going to have success stopping the Wolverines high-powered offense, it will likely be by forcing turnovers and turning it into points.

If Purdue doesn’t, the Big Ten might become a two-team race.

When: Friday, January 2024, 8:00 p.m. ET

Where: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Indiana

How to watch: FOX