2025-2026 Season
Overall Record: 13-7
Big 10 Record: 4-5
Previous 3 Games
1/23: W – 82 – 59 vs Rutgers @ Away
1/20: L – 72 – 86 vs Minnesota @ Away
1/17: L – 57 – 74 vs Iowa @ Home
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Personnel
Starters
|
Position |
# |
Player |
Class |
Height |
Weight |
Min |
Pts |
Reb |
Ast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Point Guard |
5 |
Conor Enright |
Sr. |
6’1″ |
180 |
28 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
|
Wing |
3 |
Lamar Wilkerson |
Sr. |
6’6″ |
205 |
32 |
19 |
3 |
3 |
|
Wing |
7 |
Nick Dorn |
Jr. |
6’7″ |
225 |
19 |
8 |
2 |
0 |
|
Wing |
12 |
Tucker DeVries |
Sr. |
6’7″ |
225 |
32 |
15 |
5 |
3 |
|
Center |
4 |
Sam Alexis |
Sr. |
6’9″ |
240 |
20 |
7 |
5 |
1 |
Bench
|
Position |
# |
Player |
Class |
Height |
Weight |
Min |
Pts |
Reb |
Ast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Guard |
6 |
Tayton Conerway |
Sr. |
6’3″ |
190 |
26 |
11 |
3 |
4 |
|
Wing |
0 |
Jasai Miles |
Jr. |
6’6″ |
210 |
7 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Center |
1 |
Reed Bailey |
Sr. |
6’10” |
230 |
20 |
9 |
4 |
1 |
|
Forward/Wing |
11 |
Trent Sisley |
Fr. |
6’8″ |
225 |
17 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
Key Analytics
(Per KenPom.com – National Rank in ())
KenPom Ranking – 37
Offense
Adjusted Efficiency: 122 (28)
Adjusted Tempo: 66.7 (208)
Average Possession Length: 17.8 (226)
Effective Field Goal%: 56.5 (27)
Offensive Rebound%: 30 (207)
Three Point%: 35.8 (75)
Two Point %: 59.4 (17)
Defense
Adjusted Efficiency: 102.4 (57)
Adjusted Tempo: 66.7 (208)
Average Possession Length: 17.8 (226)
Effective Field Goal%: 46.5 (25)
Offensive Rebound%: 28.5 (80)
Three Point%: 30.6 (47)
Two Point %: 46.8 (35)
Key Stat for Purdue – Offense
Offensive Rebounding Percentage
Purdue Offense: 36.2 (40)
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Indiana Defense: 28.5 (80)
Notes:
Forget everything else; if Illinois doesn’t crush Purdue on the offense and defensive boards, Purdue wins. Illinois held the Boilermakers to three offensive rebounds, and that’s death for a jump shot-reliant team like Purdue. Trey can’t keep giving away cheap fouls; his first against Illinois was a frustration two-handed shove of a guy that blocked him out. He’s too good, too experienced, and too important to play 26 minutes in a crucial game because he gives away fouls early in the game. There’s a difference between being aggressive and being stupid. Trey has been committing stupid fouls, limiting his aggression on the boards. Cluff is a solid offensive rebounder, but he can’t fight the battle alone, and the only other Boilermaker equipped to bang down low is Trey.
Key Stat for Purdue – Defense
Effective Field Goal Percentage
Purdue Defense: 50.2 (137)
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Indiana Offense: 56.5 (27)
Notes:
Illinois hit 27/56 of their shots (9/18 from 2, 18/38 from 3). That’s awful. Yes, some of this has to do with Keaton Wagler leaving his corporeal body and, as I suspect, fusing his soul with the basketball, and putting himself through the hoop (this is the only explanation that makes any sense), but some of it is Purdue daring good shooters to hit decent shots, instead of, you know, playing defense and what not.
It’s no surprise that Purdue’s gimmick defense is getting ripped apart now that opposing coaches have film. I hope the Boilermakers get back to playing basketball instead of playing analytics on defense. Counting on the other team missing shots will eventually catch up with you, both in conference play and in March.
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Indiana is highly reliant on hitting 3’s. If Purdue dares them to shoot from the, they will oblige. I’m not sure I want to play that game again after watching it fail miserably in the last two games.
Key Stat for Indiana – Offense
Two Point Percentage
Indiana Offense: 59.4 (17)
Purdue Defense: 51.6 (188)
Notes:
Wait, I thought Indiana wanted to shoot 3’s?
They do, and Purdue should do their best to prevent them from doing so, but the Boilermakers would rather give up a wide-open 3 to a knockdown shooter than a contested two to a guy who would rather shoot 3’s. If Indiana can hurt Purdue’s defense early by driving the ball and scoring inside, their outside shots will open up once the Boilermakers start overreacting to drives and leaving shooters.
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Key Stat for Indiana – Defense
Two Point Percentage
Indiana Defense: 46.8 (35)
Purdue Offense: 59.4 (16)
Notes:
Purdue should have a massive advantage around the rim in this game. Indiana deploys a squad of wings and guards around a single post player. Trey Kaufmann-Renn should eviscerate Tucker DeVries in the low post. Oscar Cluff should dominate Reed Bailey and Sam Alexis both on the offensive boards and the post. To try and avoid that fate, Indiana will offer Purdue mid-range jumpers in exchange for Purdue not ripping their guts out around the basket and fouling out post players.
Purdue hasn’t shown much appetite for playing the long game and softening teams up inside before transitioning to their more open style of “whoever is open, take the shot” offense that, on occasion, plays into the opponent’s game plan. I’d like to see if the Boilermakers can crack the Hoosiers’ interior defense in this one, even if that means taking a few contested shots in the post and maybe drawing a few fouls, even if it doesn’t end in an assist.
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Brief Thoughts
UCLA and Illinois challenged Purdue’s toughness and resolve on both sides of the court and beat them.
I’m going to keep this extremely brief. Purdue needs to prove it’s not a soft touch, or teams will keep challenging its toughness. They’re bigger and stronger than the Hoosiers on the interior. Indiana wants to make this game a referendum on outside shooting. If Purdue falls into that trap, Indiana has a shot to pull the upset. If Purdue bites down on the bit and attacks the basket, even if it means drawing an occasional foul, they win the game.
Predictions
KenPom
Purdue: 78
Illinois: 74
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Drew
Purdue: 87
Illinois: 80
Looking Into the Crystal Ball
I don’t trust Purdue’s defense.
I trust Braden to find a way to beat Indiana.
Purdue remembers that rebounding is part of the game and punishes the Hoosiers on the offensive glass, and Indiana misses enough open shots for Purdue to pull ahead late.
