Purdue Basketball Preview: Game 20 — Ohio State

Posted by author January 21, 2025 Basketball

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After a trip West, surging Purdue returns to West Lafayette, looking to extend its winning streak to eight games as it hosts Ohio State

A FEW THINGS ABOUT PURDUE

• Purdue’s won seven games in row, its last seven Big Ten games (taking into account Maryland in December) and is 6-0 since conference play resumed, with four road wins. At 7-1, Purdue’s in second place in the Big Ten behind unbeaten Michigan State, whose conference schedule is distinctly backloaded.

• The Boilermakers have surged to No. 21 nationally and second in the Big Ten on KenPom in defensive efficiency. Purdue hasn’t allowed more than 68 points since Auburn Dec. 21, and that 68 came vs. Nebraska in a game where the second half was a mere formality.

In a particularly dramatic turnaround, Purdue is No. 1 in the Big Ten in defensive turnover percentage, 21.2 percent.

• Trey Kaufman-Renn is Big Ten Player of the Week after averaging 21 points and 8.5 rebounds in wins at Washington and Oregon.

• Purdue’s won 26 consecutive games in Mackey Arena, 14 straight Big Ten games.

• In Big Ten play, Braden Smith leads the league in assists (nine per game) and steals (2.5).

ABOUT THIS GAME

• Ohio State’s lost three in a row, but those losses have come by a combined five points, most recently an overtime loss to Indiana in Columbus.

On the road, Ohio State got obliterated at Maryland back in early December, then needed two overtimes to win at Minnesota.

• Ohio State has endured real offensive issues in Big Ten play …

Its conference-only Big Ten KenPom rankings …
Efficiency: 17th
Turnover percentage: 17th
Three-point percentage: 17th

In Big Ten play, the Buckeyes are shooting only 30 percent from three-point range. They’re averaging 75.1 points, but that includes three overtime sessions.

• Guard Bruce Thornton is one of the top players in the Big Ten, as the big-bodied veteran guard averages 17.4 points on the season, shooting 53 percent and 41 percent from three. The Buckeyes will try to iso him.

This is a very one-on-one-driven offensive team.

THREE KEYS FOR PURDUE

KEEP IT UP	KEEP REBOUNDING AS IS	FIRST HALF SHOOTING
It’s that simple. Purdue has been incredible on defense lately. The Buckeyes’ penchant for iso ball would seem to play right into the home team’s hands.	Purdue’s effort and concentration on the glass has been impeccable, covering up any trade-offs that come with playing small, if you still want to call it that. Caleb Furst is not ‘small.’	It’s been odd that Purdue has executed very well on offense in first halves, but just hasn’t finished inside or made threes enough to open games up. Does the home floor change things?

Purdue is rolling right now and returning to Mackey Arena shouldn’t slow its momentum. Could this be a game where its arduous travel schedule catches up with it? Yeah, maybe. But this is not a great offensive team coming in. Bruce Thornton is scary, but Purdue has thrived defensively keying on an individual scorer and Ohio State’s not a big ball movement team, and that’s how you beat a defense as connected as Purdue is right now.