How to Watch Purdue's Game With Ohio State on Friday; Gametime, TV, Point Spread
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Purdue and Ohio State have had two memorable meetings already this season, and the Boilermakers have come out on top both times. And don't think for a minute the Buckeyes don't know that.
After beating Minnesota on Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, Ohio State's players were much more interested in talking about the Purdue game than they the win over Minnesota. They want revenge.
Purdue is the No. 4 seed and earned a double-bye. Ohio State is the No. 5 seed, but the Buckeyes are much higher ranked in the AP and Coaches polls. They feel like they are the better team.
Oddsmakers seem to agree to, which should make all of those "we get no respect'' Purdue fans pretty angry.
Here's everything you need to know about Purdue's game with Ohio State on Friday:
- Who: No. 5-seed Ohio State Buckeyes (19-8, 12-8 in the Big Ten) at No. 4-seed Purdue Boilermakers (18-8, 12-6 in the Big Ten).
- When: 2 p.m. ET, Friday, March 12.
- Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Latest Line: Ohio State is a 1.5-point favorite according to the DraftKings.com website as of 10 a.m. on Friday. The over/under was 140.
- Poll rankings: Purdue moved up in the Associated Press and Coaches top-25 polls this week, checking in at No. 20 in the AP poll and No. 19 in the Coaches poll. It's their highest ranking all year. Ohio State is No. 9 in AP, and No. 10 in the Coaches poll. They were as high as No. 4 prior to their four-game losing streak.
- Kenpom.com rankings: Purdue moved up two spots to No. 12 in the Kenpom.com rankings. Ohio State is No. 7.
- Last time out:. Purdue beat Indiana 67-58 last Saturday to close out the regular season, its ninth straight win over its archrival. Ohio State beat Minnesota 79-75 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday in a game that wasn't that close.
- Last meeting: The two teams last played in Columbus on Jan. 19, 2021 with the Boilermakers winning 67-65 thanks to a late basket from freshman Jaden Ivey. The Boilers also won in December, winning 67-60. Purdue is the only team to sweep Ohio State all season.
- TV: Big Ten Network
- Announcers: Brandon Gaudin (play-by-play), Shon Morris (color commentary) and Rick Pizzo (sideline)
- Radio: Purdue Radio Network
- Announcers: Rob Blackmon and Bobby Riddell (and Clis in spirit)
Here are three things to look out for on Friday against Ohio State:
1. Rest vs. rust debate
This discussion comes up in conference tournaments all the time when the No. 4 seed a double-bye and hasn't played a game yet, but the No. 5 seed has a game under their belt already.
Is rest better? Or is there rust? It's especially true in a tournament like this that's being playing in cavernous Lucas Oil Stadium, with the basketball court in the middle of a football field and no sight lines for shooters. It will be interesting to see how Purdue handles that look, especially early. Quite frankly, it's often a non-issue. Ohio State flew out of the gate with a 13-0 lead on Thursday. Because of COVID protocols, teams don't get to practice on the floor either, so Purdue's first look at the set-up will come during warmups.
2. Dominate inside once again
Ohio State is very talented, and the Buckeyes are a physical team, but they aren't tall. Purdue center Trevion Williams has had good games against them, scoring 16 points in each win over the Buckeyes, and grabbing an average of eight rebounds per game.
It always starts on the inside with Purdue, so expect Williams to see the ball a lot early. What makes him so good outside of his post moves is that he's a good passer too. Expect Ohio State to mix things up defensively, and it's going to be up to Williams to make good decisions. Purdue can usually count on that.
The wild card here is 7-foot-4 freshman Zach Edey. He's been the go-to guy down the stretch lately, scoring 21 points against Wisconsin and 20 against Purdue last week. Will Ohio State have an answer for him?
Ohio State's Duane Washington Jr. is a dangerous three-point shooter, and Purdue knows that well. He hit six threes in the game at Columbus in January. (USA TODAY Sports)
3. Win the 3-point contest
Both of these teams have multiple guys who can knock down shots, and some can get streaky hot. For Purdue, that's junior guard Sasha Stefanovic, who leads the Big Ten in three-point shooting percentage.
That guy who can go off for Ohio State is Duane Washington, Jr. He made six threes in the game in Columbus. And if you're looking for a head-to-head number on the stat sheet that might determine the winner of this game, it might be that Stefanovic vs. Washington three-point. Of those two, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if the guy who makes more threes is on the winning team.
