GameDay Preview: By the Numbers on Purdue vs. Indiana

There's the lot at stake in the first round of the in-state battle between Purdue and Indiana when the get together Saturday at Assembly Hall.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana vs. Purdue always matters, every time and every day. And Saturday's game between the bitter in-state rivals is no different because there is so much at stake.

But teams are having good-but-not-great seasons and neither has done enough yet to secure an NCAA Tournament berth. A win Saturday will do a lot for both of their causes. So, yes, it's huge.

Here are the particulars on today's game:

• Who: Purdue Boilermakers (13-10, 6-6 in the Big Ten) vs. Indiana Hoosiers (15-7, 5-6 in the Big Ten) 
• When: 2 p.m. ET, Saturday, Feb. 8
• Where: Simon Skojdt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Ind. 
• Latest Line: Indiana is a 3-point favorite as of Satusday morning, according to VegasInsiders.com. The line opened at Indiana minus-1. 
• Poll rankings: Neither team is ranked in the Associated Press or Coaches poll.
• Kenpom.com rankings: Indiana is No. 40, Purdue is No. 17.
• TV: ESPN
• Announcers: Bob Wischusen, Dick Vitale, Kris Budden
• Radio: Indiana Radio Network
• Announcers: Don Fischer, Eric Suhr, Joe Smith

Here are three things I want to see from the Hoosiers:

1. Show rest and not rust after a week off

Indiana needed a break in its brutal Big Ten schedule, and it finally got one. They've had a week off since the loss to Ohio State last Saturday and they've been able to heal up a little bit and get healthy. Joey Brunk and Jerome Hunter had been battling the flu. They feel good now and are ready to go.

They should have fresh legs and they need to use that to their advantage. Sometimes too much time off isn't a good things. It's important for the Hoosiers to come out swinging with lots of energy for a home crowd that will be waiting to explode.

2. Win the perimeter shooting game

Purdue made 19 3-pointers against Iowa on Wednesday, so we all know that they can light it up with the best of them. But away from home, they haven't been good. In fact, in their four losses after big home wins, they've shot just 20 percent from 3.

Indiana hasn't shot that well on the season, but in this 40-minute scrum, they have to win the battle of the deep ball. The Hoosiers have to make as many as Purdue, and they have to be efficient in doing it. One guy to watch is Jerome Hunter. He's been getting more minutes lately, and he's a scorer who's finally finding his legs after missing all of last season. He could be a difference-maker. 

3. Get Trayce Jackson-Davis good looks inside

Indiana's offense is so much better when Trayce Jackson-Davis is involved. Purdue has good bigs, and they know how to defend, but Indiana needs to be patient enough to find their talented freshman in good spots so he can get some good looks.

Getting out in transition would help, too. Any time you can get easy points off Purdue its a good thing, so transition baskets and offensive rebounds are big in this one.

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• What Archie Miller said about Purdue: IU's coach has a lot of respect for the Boilermakers' big men. CLICK HERE
• Indiana's 1980 team: People forget how great they really were. CLICK HERE
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