Boilermakers Treating Matchup With Wisconsin as 'Big Ten Championship'
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Purdue understands exactly what's at stake in Saturday's game against Wisconsin. No, a loss doesn't entirely eliminate the Boilermakers from a third straight Big Ten title, but it would make winning the league much more difficult. That's why junior guard Fletcher Loyer says he's entering the game with a "win or go home" mindset.
Tuesday night, the Boilers dropped a heartbreaker, falling 75-73 to Michigan in Ann Arbor. Purdue enters Saturday's game with an 11-3 record in Big Ten play, a half-game behind the Wolverines (11-2).
Wisconsin enters Mackey Arena this weekend also in the mix for a league title. The Badgers trail Michigan by two games, sitting at 9-4 in Big Ten action. It creates a high-stakes environment in West Lafayette on Saturday.
The Boilers aren't taking it lightly.
"You're goal is to win the Big Ten — you don't lose at home down the main stretch of the season if you want to win the Big Ten," Loyer said. "We're treating this game like it's the Big Ten championship. We've got to be ready to go from the tip and be locked in. It's win or go home, basically."
Purdue has dropped one home game this season, a 73-70 loss to Ohio State. In that game, the Boilermakers surrendered a 16-point advantage. They understand that winning at home is key to winning a conference championship, especially with road games against Michigan State, Indiana and Illinois still ahead.
But beating the Badgers won't be an easy task. Wisconsin returns a number of key contributors from last year's team, which finished fifth in the Big Ten and reached the Championship Game of the Big Ten Tournament.
Wisconsin brings back John Blackwell, Nolan Winter, Max Clesmit and Steven Crowl from last year's squad. Plus, coach Greg Gard brought in Missour transfer John Tonje, who leads the team with 18.6 points per game.
"One of the best offenses in the country to go along with a really good defense," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "That's when you have a good team when you have efficient offense, good defense, good coach (and) experience."
There are plenty of implications in Saturday's showdown between Purdue and Wisconsin. It should create an exciting environment inside Mackey Arena.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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