PURDUE vs. MINNESOTA Men’s Basketball Preview

GAMEDAY INFO

• [24] Purdue at Minnesota
• Thursday, February 11, 2021
• 5:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. CT
• ESPN2 (Jason Benetti, Robbie Hummel)
• Minneapolis, Minnesota / Williams Arena

 

GAMEDAY LINKS

• Link to complete release: http://boile.rs/021121_Preview
• Media Center (links available for download): https://boile.rs/Purdue_MBBMedia
  • Will include pregame media interview from head coach Matt Painter.
• Live Stats: statbroadcast.com (Password: gophermedia)
• Watch ESPN2: https://www.espn.com/watch/schedule
• Listen via TuneIn: https://listen.tunein.com/purduebasketballschedule
• POSTGAME ZOOM LINK (NEW LINK): https://boile.rs/BoilerBall_Zoom
• The Gold Standard (Video Series): https://purduesports.com/sports/2020/11/16/the-gold-standard.aspx
• Game Notes attached in PDF format.

 

No. 24 Purdue Faces Challenge at Minnesota on Thursday

 

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue heads down the homestretch looking to solidify its NCAA Tournament resume and surge to a Big Ten Tournament double-bye as the Boilermakers head to the frigid tundra to face Minnesota on Thursday. Jason Benetti and Robbie Hummel will call the game, beginning at 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

The Boilermakers are coming off a 75-70 decision over Northwestern on Saturday and are looking for their fourth Big Ten road win of the season. Through Tuesday’s games, only Ohio State has won at least four Big Ten road games so far this season.

THE KEY TALKING POINTS
1) Purdue leads the series with Minnesota by a 106-85 advantage, having won consecutive meetings with the Gophers. The Boilermakers are 5-6 at “The Barn” under Coach Painter, having won two of their last three trips to Minneapolis.
2) According to KenPom.com, Purdue ranks 331st (out of 347 teams) in experience (1.05 years). The total is 14th in the Big Ten. Indiana is the next least-experienced team in the league at 1.35 years (288th nationally).
3) Purdue has had its full arsenal of rotation players for just 11 of its 20 games this year, missing key personnel for nine games this year. Purdue has gone 8-3 in those 11 games with a full roster, all coming against power-conference teams (losses to Iowa, Rutgers & Illinois).
4) Matt Painter won his 350th overall game and 175th in Big Ten play on Saturday night against Northwestern.
5) Four freshmen have earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, the most in league history. Michigan (2012-13) and Ohio St. (2010-11) had 3.
6) A Purdue freshman has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week in four straight weeks and in six of a possible 11 weeks this season.
7) With Purdue entering the AP Top 25 last week, the Boilermakers have been nationally-ranked in six straight seasons, the longest streak in school history. Since the start of the 2015-16 season, Purdue has been ranked in 72-of-110 Associated Press top-25 polls.
8) Over the last five years since the start of the 2016-17 season, Purdue has the most wins in the Big Ten (62). Michigan State is next at 60.
9) Purdue owns a 53-9 home record in Big Ten play since the 2014-15 season. Since that year, just one team, Michigan has beaten the Boilermakers twice at Mackey Arena. Michigan State, Indiana, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Northwestern are the five teams to not win in Mackey.
10) Purdue is on a quest for its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance as a top-five seed. Just six teams (Purdue, North Carolina, Kansas, Virginia, Duke, Kentucky) have had four straight years of top-five seeds, and several of those streaks are in jeopardy this season.