How to Watch No. 5 Purdue vs. Washington with TV Info, Key Stats and Preview
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For the first time, Washington is headed to Mackey Arena. The fifth-ranked Boilermakers will host the Huskies in a Big Ten clash in West Lafayette on Wednesday.
Washington is hoping to bounce back from a 90-80 loss to Indiana, while Purdue is looking to extend its winning streak to six games. It's an important game for both teams, as conference play is back in full swing.
Here is everything you need to know about Wednesday night's matchup between the Huskies and the Boilers.
#5 Purdue (13-1, 3-0) vs. Washington (9-5, 1-2)
- What: Big Ten Conference game
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026
- Tipoff time: 8:30 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 132 or 195; 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. Washington 6-1
- ESPN Matchup Predictor: Purdue has a 91.9% chance to defeat Washington
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
Washington Huskies
- Associated Press — Washington is not ranked
- Coaches — Washington is not ranked
- KenPom — Washington is ranked No. 51
- NCAA NET — Washington is ranked No. 61
Team Stats
Stats (per game) | #5 Purdue | Washington |
|---|---|---|
Scoring | 86.4 ppg | 82.4 ppg |
Points allowed | 66.5 ppg | 72.5 ppg |
FG% | 51.0% | 45.3% |
3FG% | 39.7% | 31.9% |
Rebounds | 39.8 rpg | 40.4 rpg |
Assists | 20.9 apg | 13.7 apg |
Steals | 5.9 spg | 6.3 spg |
Blocks | 3.6 bpg | 4.4 bpg |
Turnovers | 10.0 topg | 10.6 topg |
Key Players
Purdue Boilermakers
- Braden Smith, G — Smith became the Big Ten's all-time assist leader over the weekend, scoring 14 points and dishing out 12 assists against Wisconsin. It's just the latest accomplishment in his impressive Purdue career. For the season, the senior guard is averaging 12.6 points and 9.6 assists per contest. He's capable of beating teams by facilitating or by scoring the basketball, as he demonstrated with a 29-point effort vs. Alabama in November.
- Fletcher Loyer, G — Loyer has put together strong performances in back-to-back games, scoring 19 against Kent State and dropping in 20 against Wisconsin. He's Purdue's top scorer right now, averaging 14.4 points per game and shooting the three-point shot at a 40.6% clip for the season. Loyer is dangerous as both a catch-and-shoot guard, but he can also get to the rim.
- Trey Kaufman-Renn, F — Kaufman-Renn has really made a major leap in the rebounding department this season. He's averaging a team-high 9.8 rebounds to go along with 13.8 points per game this season. His physicality in the post is tough for opponents to deal with, as he can create for himself or find open shooters around the perimeter. Kaufman-Renn has recorded six double-doubles this season.
- Oscar Cluff, C — Cluff has found his comfort level at Purdue and has made a huge impact on the glass and in the low post. He's averaging 11.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, but has really played well lately. Cluff has logged a double-double in three of Purdue's last five games, including a 12-point, 11-rebound performance against Wisconsin.
Washington Huskies
- Hannes Steinbach, F —Steinbach has been Washington's best player this year. The Germany product is 6-foot-11 but can run the floor like a guard and finish in transition. He can also score in the post and is one of the top rebounders in the country. Steinbach is averaging 18.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per game this season and has recorded nine double-doubles in 11 games.
- Desmond Claude, G — After missing the first four games due to injury, Claude has made a splash with the Huskies, averaging 15.1 points per game. He's a talented guard who can get to his spots and likes to attack the rim. Claude is capable of shooting from long range, but it's not his greatest skill.
- Zoom Diallo, G —Diallo has been Washington's top three-point shooter, hitting at a 34.6% clip for the season. He's also the top distributor, averaging 3.4 assists to go along with 14.6 points per game. Diallo has played well in each of his last two games, averaging 20 points, seven assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game in matchups against Utah and Indiana.
- Quimari Peterson, G — Peterson hasn't been consistent for the Huskies, but he has remained healthy throughout the year, a big bonus for a team battling injuries. He's averaging 9.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and is the second-best three-point threat on the team at 34.1% on the year. Peterson began the year by scoring in double figures in each of his first eight games, but he's only exceeded eight points once since Dec. 3.
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: 509-221
- Record at Purdue: 484-216
Danny Sprinkle, Washington
Sprinkle is in his second year as the head coach at Washington and his seventh year overall. Before taking the job in his home state, he was the leader at Montana State (2019-23) and Utah State (2023-24).
After his playing career concluded at Montana State in 1999, Sprinkle jumped right into coaching. He was an assistant at Cal State Northridge from 2000 through 2006, then returned to his alma mater from 2006 until 2008. Sprinkle then returned to Cal State Northridge (2008-13), and spent half a decade at Cal State Fullerton (2013-19) before getting his first head coach job at Montana State.
The first two seasons were tough for the Bobcats, going 29-25. However, Sprinkle turned things around quickly. Montana State won the Big Sky conference in 2022 and won the conference tournament in both 2022 and 2023, earning back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Bobcats went 52-18 in his last two seasons.
Sprinkle only coached at Utah State for one season, but guided the Aggies to a 28-7 record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In his first year at Washington, the Huskies went 13-18.
- Overall record: 131-73
- Record at Washington: 22-23
Preview
Few teams in college basketball are playing as well as Purdue right now. After that ugly loss to Iowa State in early December, the Boilermakers have rattled off five straight victories, winning each game by double figures and posting an average margin of victory of 26.6 points per game.
Meanwhile, Washington has been limping a little bit, figuratively and literally. The Huskies are 9-5 on the season, and the injury bug continues to linger around Sprinkle's squad. This is a team with a lot of talent when at full strength, but that hasn't been often.
Washington might have one of the most versatile players on the floor on Steinbach, a 6-foot-11 power forward who can move up the floor like a guard. He can finish in the low post but is also effective in transition. The defensive efforts from Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen to contest his shots while staying out of foul trouble will be critical.
Purdue has a major advantage on the perimeter with the guard play of Smith, Loyer, Harris, and Cox. All four are effective three-point shooters, and Washington is going to struggle to keep those four in check. If the perimeter shots aren't falling, the Boilermakers also have great size and strength on the interior, too.
Painter's team is also much deeper, and Purdue can play as many as nine guys comfortably. Because of the injuries, Washington has essentially been limited to a seven-man rotation.
Washington has a nice collection of players, but Purdue is the more dominant team heading into Wednesday night's game.
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5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT WASHINGTON: No. 5 Purdue will host Washington on Wednesday night at Mackey Arena. Here are a few things to know about the Huskies entering the Big Ten matchup. CLICK HERE
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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