How to Watch No. 5 Purdue vs. Iowa with TV Info, Key Stats and Preview
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Who's ready for an elite point guard matchup on Wednesday night? Braden Smith will face Bennett Stirtz as fifth-ranked Purdue hosts Iowa at Mackey Arena in a Big Ten showdown. That battle will be the matchup most fans will keep an eye on throughout the night.
Purdue enters the game riding a seven-game winning streak while Iowa has lost back-to-back games. There's a lot on the line in West Lafayette on Wednesday. Here's everything you need to know about the matchup.
#5 Purdue (15-1, 5-0) vs. Iowa (12-4, 2-3)
- What: Big Ten Conference game
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 14
- Tipoff time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. (14,876 capacity)
- TV: Big Ten Network
- App: FOX Sports
- Announcers: Kevin Kugler (play-by-play), Jordan Taylor (analyst), Andy Katz (reporter)
- Radio: Purdue Global Radio Network — WAZY 96.5 FM (Lafayette); WKJG 100.9 FM (Fort Wayne); WNDE 1260 AM (Indianapolis); WGBF 1280 (Evansville); Sirius XM 211 or 196; View all listings: CLICK HERE
- Radio announcers: Rob Blackman (play-by-play), Bobby Riddell (analyst), Wes Scott (producer).
- Live stats: Purdue.StatBroadcast.com
- All-time series: Purdue leads the all-time series vs Iowa 98-78
- ESPN Matchup Predictor: Purdue has an 82.9% chance to defeat Iowa
Rankings
Purdue Boilermakers
- Associated Press — Purdue is ranked No. 5
- Coaches — Purdue is ranked No. 5
- KenPom — Purdue is ranked No. 4
- NCAA NET — Purdue is ranked No. 6
Iowa Hawkeyes
- Associated Press — Iowa is not ranked, but received 58 votes
- Coaches — Iowa is ranked No. 23
- KenPom — Iowa is ranked No. 21
- NCAA NET — Iowa is ranked No. 20
Team Stats
Stats (per game) | #5 Purdue | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
Scoring | 86.4 ppg | 79.1 ppg |
Points allowed | 68.1 ppg | 61.7 ppg |
FG% | 51.8% | 51.0% |
3FG% | 39.3% | 37.0% |
Rebounds | 38.8 rpg | 31.6 rpg |
Assists | 21.0 apg | 16.9 apg |
Steals | 6.0 spg | 8.0 spg |
Blocks | 3.5 bpg | 2.6 bpg |
Turnovers | 9.8 topg | 10.3 topg |
Key Players
Purdue Boilermakers
- Braden Smith, G — Smith was named the Big Ten Player of the Week for the third time this year after his performances in wins over Washington and Penn State. The senior guard averaged 24.5 points, 10.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game in a pair of wins for the Boilermakers. He also recently became the Big Ten's all-time assist leader. Whether it's facilitating or scoring, Smith is a player who can beat teams in a variety of ways.
- Fletcher Loyer, G — Loyer has gone through some ups and downs over the last two weeks, but shot the ball well in Purdue's win over Penn State over the weekend, scoring 17 points and going 6-of-10 from the floor. He's still one of the Big Ten's top shooters and remains lethal from three-point range, hitting at a 39.8% clip for the year.
- Trey Kaufman-Renn, F — The greatest evolution of Kaufman-Renn's game has come on the glass, as he's averaging 10.0 rebounds per game to go along with 13.3 points. His effort in the rebounding department has been a huge advantage for the Boilermakers, making him a major factor in games even if his point total is low. The senior forward provides Purdue with a big, physical presence who can hit shots from the low post or around the free-throw line.
- Oscar Cluff, C — Cluff has become a big, bruising center for the Boilermakers this year. He's averaging 11.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He's been incredibly efficient with the basketball in his hands, shooting at a 74.5% clip this year. Cluff is a player who gets better as games progress, as opposing big men wear down from having to battle with his size and energy down low.
Iowa Hawkeyes
- Bennett Stirtz, G — Stirtz was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year last season, averaging 19.2 points and 5.7 assists per game. The switch over to the Big Ten really hasn't hindered his game at all. He's Iowa's top scorer and passer, averaging 17.6 points and 5.1 assists per game. Stirtz is the engine behind Iowa's offense, but is also an excellent defender, as well. He can score from all levels of the floor, but can also find teammates for open looks.
- Tavion Banks, G — Banks played through illness in Iowa's loss to Illinois, but still managed to score 16 points, grab seven rebounds, and dish out five assists. He's an efficient shooter, hitting at a 55.1% clip and can also knock down the three-ball, though he hasn't attempted more than two in a game this season. At 6-foot-7, Banks is a bigger guard who can cause problems for opponents with his size and length.
- Alvaro Folgueiras, F — Folgueiras has had stretches of brilliance, averaging 14.3 points per game in a four-game window from Dec. 14 through Jan. 3. But he's also had games in which he's been held to under five points (five times). The junior has struggled with consistency, but is still an effective three-point shooter, hitting at a 42.3% clip. He's also been a solid rebounder, bringing down 4.1 boards per game.
- Cam Manyawu, F — Manyawu has been Iowa's top rebounder and interior scorer this season. The junior is averaging 7.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game and is shooting 63% from the floor. He provides the Hawkeyes with a physical presence in the post and a player who can consistently put the ball in the hoop down low.
The Coaches
Matt Painter, Purdue
Painter is in his 21st season at Purdue and his 22nd year overall with the Boilermakers. In that time, he's led the program to five Big Ten regular season championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles, 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, and a trip to the National Championship Game in 2024.
A lot of Purdue's success has come in the last decade, with the Boilers adding four Big Ten championships to their collection since the start of the 2016-17 season. Painter has had four different players win the Big Ten Player of the Year Award five times: JaJuan Johnson (2010), Caleb Swanigan (2017), Zach Edey (2023, 2024), and Braden Smith (2025).
Painter is a Purdue alum, playing under legendary coach Gene Keady from 1989-93. After his playing career ended, he jumped right into coaching, working as an assistant at Washington & Jefferson (Division III) and Barton (Division II) before getting a job at Eastern Illinois (1995 to 1998). Painter then joined former Purdue assistant coach Bruce Weber at Southern Illinois as an assistant from 1998 through 2003. Painter then became head coach of the Salukis for the 2003-04 season.
In 2004, Painter returned to Purdue as the associate head coach alongside Keady before taking over the program for the 2005-06 season. In a win over Akron on Nov. 16, 2025, Painter won his 500th career game as a head coach.
- Overall record: 510-221
- Record at Purdue: 485-216
Ben McCollum, Iowa
McCollum is in his first season at Iowa and his 17th season coaching college basketball. He spent just one season at Drake before taking the job in Iowa City, but had a 15-year run at Northwest Missouri State, which competes at the NCAA Division II level.
A former player at Northwest Missouri State, it didn't take long for McCollum to land a head coaching job. He started out as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, where he stayed from 2003 through 2005. McCollum then left to become an assistant coach at Emporia State from 2005 until 2009, then returned to Northwest Missouri State as head coach ahead of the 2009-10 campaign.
In 15 seasons with the Bearcats, McCollum led the program to an impressive 395-91 record, winning 12 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) titles and four NCAA Division II national championships.
McCollum was then named coach at Drake for the 2024-25 season, and his success carried over. He led the Bulldogs to a 31-4 record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in his lone season with the program. He was then named the head coach at Iowa, where he's gotten off to a strong 12-4 start.
- Overall record: 437-98
- Record at Iowa: 12-4
Preview
Wednesday's matchup between Iowa and No. 5 Purdue should be an interesting one because of the style of play. While both teams like to play at a slower tempo, the Hawkeyes really like to limit possessions and get after opponents on the defensive end. The Boilermakers also work through their offense, but are much more efficient in finding ways to score.
It's probably one of the premier point guard matchups in the Big Ten this season, with Smith taking on Stirtz. Smith is averaging 14.1 points and 9.8 assists per game, while Stirtz is logging 17.6 points and 5.1 assists per game. Both offenses run through the point guards, which should make Wednesday's battle even more interesting.
The Hawkeyes don't really have a second scoring option, but they have multiple guys capable of putting the ball in the basket. They're also shooting at a high level, hitting 51% of their shots from the floor and 37% of their three-point attempts. It's similar to Purdue's numbers.
Where the Boilermakers are different, though, is that they have clear options, obviously. The offense runs through Smith, but Loyer and CJ Cox can hit shots from the perimeter, while Cluff and Kaufman-Renn can bully teams in the post. Does Iowa have anyone who can handle that level of physicality down low?
Purdue may run into some issues with Iowa's defense, which means limiting turnovers will be critical. The Boilermakers also need to win the battle on the glass, because if not, the Hawkeyes can turn this one into an interesting game late.
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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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